Many studies show that doing art can make you feel better. Painting, drawing, and taking photos can help with feelings of anxiety, sadness, and stress. For instance, a study by the British Association of Art Therapists found that people who did art therapy felt less stressed and happier. Making art can also help you express yourself and feel more in control of your emotions.
Traditional meditation can be hard for some people because it needs a lot of practice. You have to sit still, focus on your breathing, and clear your mind, which can be tough for beginners. But there’s an easier option called visual meditation. Instead of closing your eyes and sitting still, you focus on what you see around you. This can help you feel calmer and more relaxed.
Nature offers a wonderful sense of calm, where people can engage in visual meditation while surrounded by the gentle sway of tall grass, the dance of leaves on a tree, or the peaceful ripple of water in a pond. But this calming effect can also be experienced in urban settings, by observing a splash of vibrant colour, a delicate pattern in the pavement, or the play of light and shadow on nearby buildings. You don’t always need to escape to nature to find peace, especially if you live in a busy city with demanding jobs.
This helps them focus and relax. Visual meditation is flexible, so anyone can do it their own way. When I feel overwhelmed, I take photos of things that catch my eye with my iPhone. This calms me down and helps me think clearly. Visual meditation is easier than traditional meditation, and a more accessible path to relaxation compared to traditional methods.
My Personal Story: An Example of How Visual Meditation Helps Me
Moving homes is thought to be one of life’s toughest challenges. Leaving behind what’s familiar – like friends, routines, and memories – can be really hard. Packing up your stuff, saying goodbye, and getting used to a new place can be tiring and stressful. It’s not just about the physical move, but also about adjusting to a whole new way of life. While it’s a chance for new adventures, it can take time to settle in and feel at home again.
Since the mid-nineties, our neighbourhood has been undergoing a so-called facelift. They’ve been demolishing the old bungalows and two-storey buildings from my childhood days, replacing them with high-rise apartment blocks, cramming in lots more people. Suddenly, we found ourselves in a crowd of strangers.
In 2022, our housing society was among the final buildings in the area to undergo redevelopment. It was a positive move because our building badly needed repairs, but it meant saying goodbye to the flat I’ve called home for 38 years. We had our best and worst times in that flat, the one my parents worked hard to make cosy since 1984.
As the time to leave drew nearer, I counted down the hours I had left in my room. It’s where I grew up, from a child to a teenager, then a married man. Knowing it would soon be demolished by a bulldozer was hard to accept. So, I took snapshots with my iPhone to distract myself from the sadness, remembering all the good times we had as a family.
In our kitchen, we had bright yellow tiles with white circles. They always filled the room with happiness, warmth, and optimism.
Seeing those pictures always takes me back to those moments of shared meals with loved ones, where laughter filled the room and the comforting aroma of home-cooked dishes filled the air.
Although the coffee mugs in the photo are relatively new and don’t hold any special memories, the image still evokes nostalgia for the kitchen where my parents lovingly prepared delicious meals.
Each utensil holds a story, from the worn spatula used to stir hearty stews to the cherished recipe box filled with worn-out handwritten pages detailing delicious recipes, each with its own story to share.
These kitchen tools are more than just objects; they are vessels of tradition, connection, and nourishment.
On moving day, I took photos of the building compound while the packers and movers carefully transferred our belongings from our flat to the van. They worked efficiently, packing everything into boxes in less than three hours. But it was tough to fully grasp what was happening and the immediate impact of the move.
Our downstairs neighbour took great pleasure in her gardening, with beautiful plants just outside our building’s entrance. As a child, I used to play underarm cricket with other kids from the building and nearby in this part of the compound. Most of them have moved away from the area, and I haven’t seen them in many years.
Having an iPhone camera helped me break free from my cycle of thoughts and meditate on the world outside me, providing temporary relief. The more I practice visual meditation, the calmer I become, and I can handle situations that would once baffle me more efficiently than before.
I conduct workshops where I teach how photography can help relieve stress.
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