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Painting Breath

Some days I toil over the idea of what "mindfulness" entails. Today seems to be one of those days. Bringing back down to basics: 1 thing at a time.

Doing something on purpose.

Simply.

It's an echo of something I heard Kabat-Zinn say this video from a several years back.

With recent changes in group participants I decided it was time to return to basics - breath+body. Paying attention to and noticing how 'breath' affects our bodies in a very real way. Re-visiting a directive I first used in 2014 for an acute admissions dorm, Mindfulness with a Sponge.

Engaging in rhythmic movement that is in pace with the breath. In time paint is introduced and manipulated using a moist sponge. Over the span of a few brief minutes and a series of overlapping horizontal strokes an abstract 'breath-scape' emerges.

a serene body of water

or a soothing cloud streaked sky...


These are visual traces of breath. Likely the first time these clients have literally put their breath onto paper.

(yes, I've done straw paintings too, just not with this bunch just yet. And I really wanted longer breaths sequenced with body movement versus what happens when you blow through straws.)

* Re-using a picture from 2014 as everyone took their pieces and there was nothing to take photos of!

Happy painting.

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