We will talk about a painting that served as the cover illustration for the book "Looking at Mindfulness", written by Christophe Andre: "Journey Above the Clouds" or "The Wanderer Wandering Aimlessly in the Sea of Fog" (Der Wanderer über dem Nebelmeer). This work, made by Caspar David Freidrich, is exhibited at the 'Kunsthalle Hamburg' in Hamburg, Germany.
Caspar David Friedrich, who was born in 1774 and breathed his last in 1840 at the age of 66, She lost her mother at the age of 7, her sister Elizabeth at the age of 8, and her other sister Maria at the age of 17 to typhus. Although these losses deeply wounded young Caspar, he received his deepest wound at the age of 13. Caspar, who was skating on the ice lake with his brother Johann Christoffer, fell into the water when the ice broke, and although his brother rushed to his aid and saved his brother's life, he could not avoid drowning in the ice lake and died by drowning in front of his brother Caspar. The effect of his brother Johann's death on Caspar after the death of his mother and sisters can be seen in the cold and impressive atmosphere in his works.
J. He improved his painting talent by taking lessons from G. Quinstrop. He attracted attention at the Copenhagen Academy, which he entered in 1794, and after finishing school, he returned to Germany and settled in Dresden, where he did not leave until the end of his life. He is famous for depicting dramatic scenes, complex emotions and mysterious atmospheres. The artist, who reflected both calm and exuberant moments of nature on his canvases, deeply influenced young German and Scandinavian artists. During his professorship at the Dresden Academy in 1824, he instilled formative figures and the subtleties of the romantic movement in his students, and although his works were forgotten by the art circles for a while, he regained his popularity in the early 1900s. strong>Der Wanderer Über Dem Nebelmeer“ is about a young man who stands on the rocks in a foggy weather and looks at the mountains. This young man in a green coat, holding a cane in his right hand, is depicted with his reddish hair blowing in the wind. In fact, it tells the story of someone who thinks about the future but cannot see the future through a curtain of fog. In the painting, the man looking at a complex and uncertain landscape is thinking about himself. This refers to his insignificance in the landscape and to the fact that he is aware of everything in front of him since he is standing on a steep cliff. The meaning of the painting may also vary depending on how one interprets its original German name, “Wanderer über dem Nebelmeer.” The word “wanderer” here can mean a person who wanders aimlessly or a hiker. According to the first meaning, the man in the picture may have disappeared. According to the second meaning, he may be going to a place he has previously determined. In the comments made on the stance of the man in the picture, the man's view of the sea of fog "reflects the act of self-reflection in the Kantian approach"; It is thought that the man's stroll "reflects a metaphor for the unknown future" and that the man's stance on the top of the cliff reflects romantic perspectives such as "representing both the man's dominance over the landscape and emphasizing the insignificance of man in this landscape."
So what is the connection between “Mindfulness” and this painting?
Conscious awareness; “It is a state of alertness and awareness based on willingly and knowingly directing attention to the present moment and accepting experiences as they are, without judgment (The Art of Feeling Good. Diyogen Publications, 2015).” As can be understood from this definition, Conscious Awareness is not about paying more attention, but about changing the way you direct attention intelligently and consciously with the data and opportunities you have.
To be able to apply conscious awareness in life, you must first slow down or be calm and even sometimes you have to stop. When we are quickly immersed in the flow of life, we remain unaware of what is happening around us. However, being aware is like a prerequisite for conscious awareness. For this, it is naturally necessary to slow down and watch life in slow motion. This table explains exactly this.
However, today's world is a world of speed. It necessitates always being at the forefront, being immediate and quick. Slowing down is seen as a punishing behavior pattern. That's why we need much more awareness now, and "living aware" should be the basic lifestyle of all of us for the continuity of our mental health.
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