Art & Soul
While certifying to teach Vinyasa flow yoga several years ago, I learned that honing one’s awareness helps to bring clarity to the senses, so one perceives, thinks, and feels more clearly. In yoga, this manifests in being aware of the breath, and how the breath connects, directs, and affects the mind and body. This is commonly described as being present and is cornerstone to a mindful and evolving practice.
Similarly, the creative process requires a keen sense of perception and observation, be that in painting a portrait that springs to life, or designing a well crafted brand that touches people. Just as learning to focus on the breath allows yoga students to deepen poses and thereby their practice, a portrait artist cultivates awareness to capture the proverbial soul of a given subject and to bring out the human in the piece. In yoga, it is the flow that evolves once breath and movement are connected. And in art, it is the intangible yet unmistakable glimmer that arises in the iris of a realistically painted eye, or how the essence of a company’s new brand resonates with consumers through a modern identity and clever messaging. The yoga practitioner seeks to deepen their connection to mind, body and spirit. And the artist seeks to deepen their connection with an audience.
Awareness takes time. Initially, focusing on breathing in yoga feels strange and inauthentic. After a while, it becomes a part of the practice and begins to enhance the flow. The same is true in the creative process. Portraits and logos might feel forced and stiff at first. With practice, the process and the outcome start to feel natural and intended.
This is probably why I gravitate to these two callings. In both, I am reminded that I am most myself, and most connected, when I simply observe and allow whatever is going to unfold to unfold. I am my most creative self when I am being mindful and aware without editing or self-judgment. And I am most effective when I’m freeform doodling or writing, while I am less so when I’m trying to come up with a logo or a quippy campaign.
Really, I am most effective when I just breathe…