Appreciative Inquiry - An Intro to MBAT

“Mindfulness-Based Art (MBAT) is appreciative inquiry mindfully applied to the empty page, or the open space. It is the practice of holding one's awake attention fully in the present moment, non-judgmentally, while in the act of creating and expressing.”
From: Mindfulness Based Art: The SPARKS Guide for Educators and Counsellors

Here's a very important aspect of Mindfulness practice to consider. Inherently, Mindfulness has a quality of clear and present knowing. Whether you are working as a therapist or as a teacher beginning from this ground of clarity, or as the student from a sense of inner-knowing, mindfulness leads to moments of insight, moments of satisfaction. Sometimes this clear and present knowing aspect of mindfulness is called intuition within artistic disciplines.

I experience references to the intuitive as having a certain “mystery” or inexplicable quality. This part of my mind seems indescribable. In contrast inner-knowing seems very simple and accessible. I know what feels right to me and what feels wrong without analysis or fabrication. In the moment of mindful presence, I know what feels fundamentally good and what seems confused

Inner knowing seems very simple and accessible, knowing what feels right and what feels wrong, without analysis or fabrication

.In the art, I know what brush stroke seems right and expresses and connects with an aspect of truth for me. And I recognize when I'm disconnected. MBAT teaches us to stay present and connected so that our creative expression is clear.

It is my hope that we can generate a conversation within this blog that extends the inquiry begun in the projects described in the SPARKS guide. I'd love to hear your experiences of Mindfulness-Based Art and look forward to sharing ideas and exploring questions about Mindfulness-Based Art together.

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