Flow State & the Canvas: Why Painting can be Better Than Meditation (Sometimes!)
If you’ve ever completely lost track of time while doing something you love, painting, gardening, even cooking, you’ve experienced the flow state.
It’s that magical feeling of being fully present, focused and calm… but also energised and creative.
And while meditation is often recommended to help us find stillness, there’s another, more colorful way to reach that state of mind:
👉 Painting.
Picking up a brush is an easy way to feel better, focus more and reconnect with yourself, especially if you’re someone who struggles to sit still.
🧠 The Science Behind Flow State
The term flow was first introduced by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, who described it as a state where people are so involved in what they’re doing that nothing else seems to matter.
In flow state:
Your brain waves slow down, similar to deep meditation.
You release dopamine, a feel-good chemical that boosts motivation and mood.
You become fully immersed, with no space left for stress or overthinking.
Sound familiar? That’s exactly how many people describe how they feel while painting.
🧘♀️ Why Meditation Can Feel Hard at First
Meditation is powerful, no question. But for those starting their mindfulness journey, sitting still in silence and “clearing the mind” can be very difficult.
If your thoughts tend to spiral, or your body just wants to do something, it can be frustrating. And that’s totally normal.
Here’s the good news, you can start with a paintbrush.
🎨 Why Painting Might Be the Better First Step
Painting gives you something to do with your hands while calming your mind at the same time. It combines:
Creativity (which boosts happiness)
Repetition (which calms the nervous system)
Focus (which stops the mental chatter)
And unlike meditation, where “doing nothing” is the goal, painting gives you a beautiful result.
🏠 Try This: 2 Simple Painting Exercises to Get Into Flow
You don’t need to be an artist. You don’t need fancy supplies.
You just need a few quiet minutes and a willingness to play.
1. Brushstrokes & Breathing
Pick one colour. Start painting soft strokes across the page, slowly and gently — left to right, or in circles. Match your brushstrokes to your breathing.
Do this for 5–10 minutes and just let it flow.
What it does: Helps slow your breath and relax your body, like a moving meditation.
2. Colour Mood Circles
Choose 3–5 colours that match how you’re feeling right now (or how you want to feel). Paint circles, blobs or flowing shapes. Don’t worry about what it looks like.
What it does: Helps you connect with your emotions and express them without words.
✨ Art Isn’t About Being “Good”, It’s About Feeling
You don’t need to create a masterpiece. You don’t even need to show anyone what you make.
This is for you, a way to feel present, to express something real and to care for your inner world in a gentle, freeing way.
Painting isn’t a break from your thoughts, it’s a way through them.
🧘♀️ So, Painting or Meditation?
The truth is: they both have a place.
Meditation helps train the mind. Painting helps free it.
And for many people, especially beginners, painting can be a friendlier first step into mindfulness.
So if you're feeling stuck, restless, or overwhelmed, try reaching for some paint and paper instead of trying to "empty your mind."
You might just find yourself in a flow state, without even realising
🎨 Want to Go Deeper?
If you’d love to experience that calm, creative flow for yourself but you’re not sure where to start, my guided painting workshops are here to help.
They’re welcoming, relaxed spaces where you don’t need any experience, just a little curiosity and a willingness to explore.
🖌️ We paint slowly, intuitively and without pressure.
💬 There’s room for quiet reflection, gentle guidance and shared inspiration.
🌿 It’s less about the final product and more about the process
Want to experience flow state in real time?
My workshops are designed to help you relax, reconnect, and create from the heart.