I recently taught a workshop to a yoga community, in which I’ve been a part of as both a student and teacher for a few years. This community at Yogaworks, Baltimore has uplifted me, simply by us all showing up to practice together. It was an honor to give back to this community with my teachings of both yoga and art. Everyone seemed very excited to be there, which brought me joy. I began the workshop with this guided meditation:
”Feel your breath moving in and out of your body. Take a deep breath in, and a slow breath out. As you breathe, practice gratitude, for you are here, you are alive and healthy.
Now visualize a blank canvas in front of you. Is it a large canvas? Or a small canvas? How do you feel about this blank canvas? Are you intimidated or are you excited?
Visualize yourself dipping a paint brush into paint. What color is the paint?
Visualize yourself painting one brush stroke onto the blank canvas. Did you do so quickly with confidence, or did you hesitate? What does your brushstroke look like? Is it thick or thin? Horizontal, vertical, or diagonal?
Now, Visualize yourself painting the entire canvas with your paint. Do you do so quickly or slowly? With large brush strokes or small brush strokes? In a fashionable order or spontaneously?
Regardless of how you’ve painted your canvas, you have filled an empty space with your presence and creativity.”
After this first part of the guided meditation we practiced a slow Vinyasa Flow, then Yin Yoga postures. In our yoga practice, we invited excitement and spontaneity, and also slow careful consideration into our breath and body.
I closed the yoga practice portion of the workshop by bringing us back to the guided meditation:
”Now visualize that the canvas in front of you magically becomes blank once again, wipes clean— a fresh start.”
The students then collected their art materials:
a blank 8x10 canvas, acrylic paint, paint brushes, a cup of water, and newspaper.
First we painted the entire canvas with little hesitation. Then, we added detail to our masterpiece with the help of partners. We combined both yoga and art while one partner was the others “easel,” such as a warrior I ‘easel.’ Some students even painted upside down, while one partner held the others canvas in downward facing dog.
It was purely joyful observing the students flow with creativity as they painted. There were many individual themes and inspiration behind each of their artworks, and we were all united by sharing this experience and collaborating together. This is what we crave as human beings, individuality with the support of collective purpose in society. We shared our individual inspiration with each other. When we hold supportive space for each other, we encourage each other to be individually creative.
The teacher and student in me sees and honors the teacher and student in you.
Namaste.
