I asked artist Veronika Rose if I could sketch her meditative painting class at the Crystal Healing Spa (717 Executive Dr, Winter Park, Florida). Veronica studied meditation with Alex Grey in New York City and she is bringing his visionary meditation practices to Orlando.
The class invitation asked, “Have you always wanted to paint- but didn’t know where to start?”
July 15th was the evening of the new moon, Veronika taught a beginning acrylic and watercolor painting class from 6:30-9pm. Everyone wrote their intentions of what they want to manifest during
the New Moon. They opened themselves up to receiving their deepest
desires. Veronica had everyone write their intentions on slips of paper which were then folded and placed on the floor. That evening, Veronika promised to burn the slips of paper to release the energy into the universe. A bottle of Florida water was passed around and we sprinkled some on our hands for purification.
The class began with a guided meditation and creativity exercises to help bridge the right and left brain hemispheres.
This relaxed, cozy class began with everyone laying on the floor with pillows and blankets for a
visionary journey. The Shamanic journey began with closed eyes and 7 deep breaths of imagined rainbow light. Everyone imagined an orange ball of energy in their abdomen which was about the size of a golf ball. That light moved up towards their heads and then shot out into the universe. I sketched Veronica as she held that energy in her head. The others were all lying on the floor. On student imagined her hair tangled in the stars. Veronica shook a rattle as she lead the artist on the shaman journey. Her meditative place was a quiet and gorgeous garden. Everyone was silent for 30 minutes as they traveled within. They get into a flow where we tapped into
their creative potential together. The energy of each group is special
and unique and each class will vary depending on the energy of the
group. Veronica did hands on energy work where she placed a hand over each artist’s navel and forehead. This apparently helps release creative energy. I know that I only tap into a fraction of my own creative potential so I’m trying to understand what I observed that day.
They painted to understand their dreams and potential, releasing creative blocks and limiting belief systems. They learned how to get into a creative flow. How to put ideas to canvas. I believe that anytime I sketch, I get lost in a meditative state. All other thought become secondary as I focus on nothing but what appears on the page. Veronica demonstrated a watercolor technique in which she put large moist washes on a page and then she daubed the surface with crumpled cellophane which created an intricate abstract pattern. Afterwards, she looked for shapes and she outlined them, creating fanciful beasts an creatures. Some artists tried this approach with great results while others used acrylic paint on canvas.
The cost of the meditative workshop was $30. Supplies were included. Artists were provided with a 16″x20″ canvas to create upon as well as watercolor paper. Artists didn’t need to have any previous painting experience. Artists brought images or ideas to re-create, a positive attitude and clothes that they didn’t mind getting messy.