Promoting mindfulness through art
Mindfulness means living in the present moment without judgment. But many of us, both kids and adults, usually don’t function that way. When a thought pops into our head, we often think about what happened in the past or what might happen in the future. Even if the thought isn’t accurate, we may react to it as if it were and we tend to create stories.
Imagine a child is studying for a test and starts to feel anxious about it. They try to focus on their notes, but their thoughts keep drifting: “I flunked the last test”, “I should have asked for extra help” or “I’m going to fail”. By being mindful kids can manage their emotions and handle challenges as opportunities.
Meghdutam Rangmanch organized an “Art to Heart” session on 26 March to promote mindfulness in kids. The workshop was conducted by Nattasha Kapoor, a former corporate professional, certified mindfulness coach and visual art trainer, and assisted by Supriya Maheshwari, a health and wellness coach. The session, conducted in the luxuriant green ambiance of Meghdutam Park, included some fun activities that helped children become more aware of their feelings and use art as a tool to handle them.
The children learnt to experience all the five senses and observe the elements of nature around them. We experienced a plethora of emotions and these were beautifully depicted on the canvas. An activity to experience taste, reminded a child of what it’s like to eat an ice cream on a summer afternoon, while another one, that used the sense of smell, reminded a girl of her train ride in the Kolkata metro. We had some amazing art work created by the kids – ranging from a balloon to a dancing duck, a spaceship to an eating monster.
It was a joy to watch the kids’ enthusiasm, and their beautiful perspective towards the simplest joys in life. They created such amazing artwork by understanding how they feel in the moment. With simple and fun techniques, children were equipped with a tool to manage their emotions when they are chaotic or stressed out in daily life.
A similar workshop for adults is being held on 4 April, between 5-6:30 pm at a cafe, in Sector-50 market.
by Supriya Maheshwari (9958863705) and Nattasha Kapoor (9871994294)
