4-Part Art for the Heart
Multimedia Empowerment of (our) Nature
As each reflective art form has its own magic, this activity gives you the benefit of them all, with each layer deepening into the next.
1. Picture: Make a picture of something in nature.
→ Read Visual Poetics for Reflective Arts: Peace with (our) Nature through Pictures
2. Poem: Write a poem about your picture ↑
→ Read Activating the Poetic Perspective: Peace with (our) Nature through Poetry
→ Click here for some tremendous tips on writing a haiku
3. Story: Write a story about your poem ↑
→ Read Stories that Shape Hearts with Hope: Peace with (our) Nature through Stories
4. Song: Write a song from your story ↑
→ Read Lyrics that Lift: Peace with (our) Nature through Songwriting
The Magic of Rapid Reflection
4-Part Art does not have to take a long time! In fact, it’s valuable to start with a timer. By limiting the amount of time that you take to create, you give yourself the chance to create automatically, which:
Squashes the creative blocks that come from trying too hard to make something perfect or profound. Remember: you do not need to try to be deep with reflective arts. Seeing the reflection in all things is inherently meaningful.
Allows for a more authentic expression
Focuses on the process and perspective of the practice as it serves self-love, peace, presence, resilience, and connection in our lives (curated products can come later).
You can practice rapid reflection by setting a time for 15 minutes for each step of the 4-Part Art:
Picture: take a photo or do a quick sketch
Poem: write a short poem
Story: write a short story of a personal memory (don’t worry about grammar or making too much sense in this first draft).
Song: sing a one-liner
With this approach, you can do the whole practice in an hour. From there, if you want to continue to curate your creations, go for it! But don’t let the pressure to create something perfect or profound keep you from experiencing the magic of this activity.