Hello again,
It's Steve here and this Art Mindfully session will explore one of the most viewed and admired works of art in the world.
Van Gogh's Incredible Sunflowers,
This one from the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam,
Is a wonderful opportunity for us to explore how we might lean into curiosity,
Leading us to looking at this work with a freshness and possibly with new eyes.
Van Gogh felt challenged to convey emotions and feelings admittedly let these paintings speak for him.
So let's explore together how we might penetrate this sometimes non-verbal language that can exist between a work of art and the viewer.
Here is where we will lean into curiosity and see if we can ease into a relatableness to this work of art,
With a sense of openness and gentleness,
With yourself and to your viewing experience from moment to moment.
So let's begin.
Now as you are looking at the painting,
Bringing your awareness to the region around your eyes and the eyes themselves,
A part of the body that often gets easily tired with the constant giving and receiving of information.
Just tuning into the sensations around your eyes,
The eyelids,
The eye socket,
Possibly beginning to bring just a bit of ease around the eyes,
Feeling the muscles relax around the edges of the eyes,
Along the forehead,
Seeing if it is possible to let go of any tightness or holding that might have come about.
Seeing if this ease can start to be felt in the neck and the shoulders,
Relaxing,
Letting go.
And as we incline towards some ease,
Letting your mind settle,
Settling the body as best that you can.
We'll now begin to gently allow our eyes to wander over the whole of the painting before us.
Letting your eyes move slowly across the surface of the work and allowing your gaze to travel wherever it will.
Exploring the work as if you're seeing it for the first time,
Allowing yourself to become deeply familiar with the surface of the work.
Exploring from side to side and top to bottom,
Just pure looking.
Taking your time,
Allowing the artwork to reveal itself in each moment.
When you notice the urge to rush or go quickly,
Gently,
But intentionally slow your looking down again,
Really savoring these moments.
The invitation is to look at making a relationship with this painting,
Simply experiencing what's here in the moment in front of us.
Not attempting to get anywhere,
Just tapping into a natural relatableness to this work of art when we are open right here,
Right now.
You might find yourself naturally drawn to particular parts of the painting.
Can you also notice elements that the eye might tend to move quickly over or even avoid?
Maybe noticing the various shapes and forms that the eyes compel towards.
That might include the round solid flower heads,
Draping petals,
Pointy leaves,
The curved vase,
Round shapes,
Rectangular shapes,
Irregular shapes.
Just noticing the smallest delightful details found in the range of shapes Van Gogh has created.
Enjoying the wonderful wonkiness of each shape you come across in the work.
A bit like our thoughts really,
Not in a straight direct line sometimes,
But also how they're shifting,
Changing,
Moving,
How they're surprising,
Energetic.
Now if you find yourself getting deeply lost in your thoughts,
Moving away from your relationship with the sunflowers,
So each time the attention has drifted far,
Firmly but gently bring your attention back to the artwork.
Maybe even bringing some curiosity to this mind wandering and noting where the mind or thoughts went and then letting it go and returning back to the sunflowers.
So let's get curious about the movement naturally created within this work.
Noticing the various directions our eyes are compelled to move.
Upwards,
Downwards,
Moving vertically but also moving sideways and then all of a sudden directed upwards.
And then where might our gaze just rest momentarily?
Where does the eye want to pause?
Sensing those open spaces created between moments where the eyes are moving or wandering and where they pause.
Whatever is happening for you is great.
We're not having to try so hard to understand the work but more leaning into how we relate to it,
Shapes,
Movement.
And now let's explore color.
Yep,
A whole lot of yellow.
Can you lean into some of the qualities of this yellow color?
Does it feel vibrant or flat?
Is it luminous or dark?
Do the qualities of yellow have a sense of softness or harshness to it?
Is it warm or is it cool?
Do the different yellows on the canvas offer different qualities as your eyes continue to move across the canvas?
Vibrant or flat?
Soft or harsh?
Warm or cool?
Just letting your eyes wander to discover these variations across the canvas.
Now pausing for a moment to explore which colors stand out most to you in contrast to the yellows that Gough has painted.
Do your eyes gravitate to the blues,
The oranges,
The greens,
Or that small dab of white?
Noticing how the variations of color help shape the individual flowers,
Their petals,
Their stems,
How the yellow of the background shifts our perspective in relationship with the various sunflowers.
Can you be open to your curiosity and lean into what this yellow feels like?
Sensing this feeling in both the heart and the mind.
This yellow feels like feeling warmth,
A feeling of energy,
Connecting to a sense of joy,
A sense of hope,
Or maybe it's even gratitude.
As we near the end of this Art Mindfully session,
I'll invite you to rest with a soft gaze on the central image,
With one final look,
Gently closing your eyes,
Remaining alert and inwardly open.
In these last few moments,
And with our eyes remaining closed,
I'll drop in this contemplative question.
What do I know now?
And I mean knowing in all its forms,
Knowing in both the heart and the mind.
What do I know now?
As you slowly lift your gaze or open your eyes,
I invite you to take a few moments to journal your response to the session.
A few words,
A few phrases can help integrate the insights and responses you've had to this Art Mindfully session.
Thank you for joining me on Insight Timer,
And I hope you'll join in another session soon.
