10 ways to let Vedic Art inspire practices for changing your lifestyle

10 ways to let Vedic Art inspire practices for changing your lifestyle

By Aradhana Sangwan

“To be mindful is to pay attention in an open and nonjudgmental way to the present moment”

Vedic art has been a source of mindfulness and meditation for many years. It is an intuitive art form that allows you to connect with your soul and express your inner creativity. This ancient practice stems from seventeen core principles of the Vedas – the oldest scriptures in Hinduism. Learning the Vedic form of expression is not about mastering a brush or tool as in other art forms. Rather, it is about building a relationship between one’s inner self and the greater cosmic self. It is about discovering the rawest form of expression and applying this to our lives to achieve a deeper understanding of nature and the world around us. It is about the art of navigation.

A few years ago, I was introduced to the Vedic way of life. Since then it has only become a bigger and bigger part of my lifestyle, culminating at the start of my jewelry line – ARRA. The line uses semiprecious stones with healing properties that trace back to the origins of Vedic teachings. ARRA’s aim is to inspire women to discover their own creativity and mindfulness in the same way Vedic art inspired mine.

Below are some of the Vedic practices that I have implemented in my daily routine. Keep on reading to discover 10 ways to stay mindful, positive and get in touch with your inner self.

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1. Shift your Focus to Creating

Art is nothing but the ability to create. When you find yourself stressed or with a hundred problems on your mind, simply focus your energy towards creating something new. Whether that means cooking a new recipe, writing a creative piece or painting on a canvas, just do what feels right to you. Similar to the endorphins released from exercising, the feeling of productivity does wonders to the human mind. You’ll find that your anxieties begin to slip away as a sense of calmness washes over you.

2. Accept Yourself for All That You Are

One can only move forward when they accept and are content with the position in which they currently reside. Instead of identifying and obsessing over personal character flaws, change your perspective and see them as opportunities to grow. This lightens your spirit and provides motivation to keep going.

3. Use Crystals to Create a Healing Environment

Tourmalines promote self-confidence, diminish fear while attracting inspiration and prosperity it is a great crystal to keep in your workplace. Amethysts, better suited for your homes, relieve stress and anxiety while activating spiritual awareness. These are two of the many different healing crystals that you can use.

4. Cleanse your Space with Incense

If ever you find yourself shrouded in feelings of negativity or feeling as though your energy is being blocked, burning incense around your home acts as a quick fix. The fragrance instantly cleanses the space and induces relaxation.

5. Find Joy in Simplicity

In this day and age, we often find ourselves overloading our minds with material desires, unrealistic goals, and never-ending responsibilities. By cutting some of these unnecessary things out, you are giving your mind the time to breathe and focus on what is important. The free space allows you to streamline your thoughts and actions to effectively achieve goals that are in line with the growth of your character. Start by asking yourself: Do I need this?

6. Discover Meditation

This lies at the heart of mindfulness. A few minutes of meditation serves as an anchor that you can constantly revert to. It calms the mind and helps you see the world with more clarity. You will find that you begin to notice details of your life and patterns of behavior that you didn’t quite see before, giving you a heightened sense of self.

7. Focus on your Breathwork

Start and end your day with deep breathing. Good breathwork has the ability to activate and soothe the mind at the same time. It clears the mind for the day to come.

8. Incorporate Ayurveda into your Life

Ayurveda translates to the “Science of Life” – its practice rooted in the idea of the body’s balance. Natural ingredients such as turmeric and cumin are known to have healing properties that help maintain this inner balance. Similarly, yoga, acupuncture and massage therapy are all branches of Ayurveda that you can also adopt.

9. Count your Karma

Karma is nothing but cause-and-effect; deeds that you have put out into the universe. Accepting your karmic responsibility allows you to deeply consider your actions and move forward with more clarity and integrity. Doing this will direct you towards better values and life choices.

10. Adopt an Attitude of Gratitude

Finally, to achieve complete peacefulness, we must be grateful for what we have and what we do not have. Only by doing both is it possible to be fully content with what life has to offer. Karma, Balance, Healing and so on are all held together by the glue that is Gratitude.

These ten practices are a great introduction to the world of Vedic living and step-by-step it can lead you towards living a more mindful life. Take a few days and try it out. I am sure that you will find your life deeply impacted and much more content.