Abstract
For those new to meditation, the practice of sitting, focusing, and attempting to quiet your mind can be daunting. There is a long history of using art as a mindfulness practice in a number of spiritual traditions. Art making can be an effective vehicle into the present moment, with the added benefits of being able to actively practise quieting your inner critic. The teenagers in the original development series also reported that they found the practice of contemplative art more accessible and enjoyable than the traditional mindfulness program they had participated in previously. The chapter further describes the challenges of developing a new curriculum, change management concerns with administrators and colleagues, and some unexpected benefits for the authors as a result of developing the program.
Art is the daughter of freedom.
–Friedrich Schiller
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Korol, C., Sogge, K. (2018). The Development of a Contemplative Art Program for Adolescents and Adults: Challenges and Unexpected Benefits. In: Kirkcaldy, B. (eds) Psychotherapy, Literature and the Visual and Performing Arts. Palgrave Studies in Creativity and Culture. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-75423-9_9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-75423-9_9
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