Art as a Nervous System Ritual

In this week’s Totally Abstracted episode I’m opening up about something deeply personal and often overlooked: how art can become a nervous system ritual - not just a creative act, but a way to soothe, ground and reconnect with ourselves when life feels too noisy.

If you’ve ever felt your mind spinning at 2am, caught in anxious loops, or weighed down by the constant pressure for “more” - you are not alone. I live with OCD, anxiety, and the kind of insomnia that loves to wake me up when I need rest the most. Over time, I’ve discovered that my painting practice isn’t just about making landscapes - it’s my sanctuary, my rebellion against overwhelm, and my gentle medicine for a restless mind.

In this episode I share:

✨ How I use my studio as a sanctuary - a place where my breath deepens and my shoulders drop

✨ A personal story about a painting session that transformed a spiral of anxiety into calm

✨ Why repetitive, tactile processes like scraping paint can soothe obsessive patterns

✨ How colour, rhythm and music help regulate my nervous system

✨ Ways you can turn your art practice into a ritual for calm - especially when you’re stuck in mental loops

🗝️ Key Takeaways

• Art can be a healing ritual. It’s more than the finished piece - it’s a way to meet yourself with softness and presence.

• Repetition soothes. Gentle, rhythmic marks or brushstrokes can help break the cycles of intrusive thoughts or counting.

• Create a sanctuary. Small details - like calming music, candlelight or a cup of tea - can help your nervous system feel safe to rest.

• Imperfect is beautiful. Your art practice can teach you that beauty doesn’t live in rigid control - it lives in trust, flow and surrender.

  
  

🫶 This Week’s Gentle Challenge

I’d love you to see your next painting session as a nervous system ritual:

• Paint slowly, noticing each mark and your breath

• If your mind starts spinning, gently come back to the feeling of paint on canvas

• Let the process, not the outcome, be the point

And if you feel like sharing, I’d love to hear how it shifts your mood, your sleep or your body. Pop into our Abstract Horizons community and let me know. And if you're not a member but would like to join click the link here.

I hope this episode reminds you that your art isn’t just a product - it’s a relationship with your own nervous system. A quiet friend when your mind is loud. A way to come home to yourself.