Meditation is an ancient practice that has been used for centuries to improve mental and physical health. It is a form of relaxation that can help reduce stress, improve concentration, and increase overall wellbeing.
Vincent Van Gogh’s A Wheatfield, with Cypresses was my first experience mediating while viewing a painting.
Vincent Van Gogh’s A Wheatfield, with Cypresses is a majestic painting that evokes a sense of tranquility and peace. The painting is a landscape of a wheat field with cypress trees in the background, with the sky a brilliant blue. The painting is filled with an array of colours and textures. Vincent Van Gogh’s brushstrokes can be seen throughout the painting.
By focusing on the painting and its details, I allowed my mind to drift and become immersed in the beauty of the painting. The colours and shapes within the landscape gave a sense of calm. I imagined that I had entered the painting. I felt the warmth of the sun, the cool breeze of the wind, and heard Vincent’s words carried across the years, “It is good to love many things, for therein lies the true strength, and whosoever loves much performs much, and can accomplish much, and what is done in love is well done.”
Come join me at the National Gallery London for a 5-minute meditation.
Supported by the John Armitage Charitable Trust.
Meditating on A Wheatfield, with Cypresses is your opportunity to take a break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life – to simply enjoy the beauty of the painting and bring a sense of peace and serenity into your day.
A Wheatfield, with Cypresses
Vincent van Gogh
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The National Gallery on “A Whitfield, with Cypresses”
“Van Gogh painted several versions of A Wheatfield, with Cypresses during the summer of 1889, while he was a patient in the psychiatric hospital of Saint-Paul de Mausole, in the village of St-Rémy in the south of France. A first version, which he described as a study, was painted on site in late June 1889.
The National Gallery’s painting, which was completed in September while Van Gogh was confined to his hospital room, is the finished version. He also made a smaller copy of it for his mother and sister. The landscape includes typically Provençal motifs such as a golden wheat field, tall evergreen cypresses, an olive bush and a backdrop of the blue Alpilles mountains.
Van Gogh wrote of painting outdoors during the summer mistral, the strong, cold wind of southern France, which here seems to animate the entire landscape. Everything is depicted with powerful rhythmic lines and swirling brushstrokes that convey Van Gogh’s sense of nature’s vitality.” National Gallery
ChasingART 
I enjoyed the 5 -minute mindfulness meditation and thank-you Rebecca. I felt relaxed when meditating in this way: the suggestion of the gentle cool air and awareness of the swirling clouds and landscape. Beautiful! ⭐️
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Thank you for your short paragraph at the beginning of this really interesting and uplifting and meaningful meditation! For me, the beautiful scene was very captivating, more so, because of your sharing of the artist’s time of mental illness. Perhaps his time of enduring illness, especially mental, gave him the depth and real understanding to paint such beauty. His choice of colors, so mild and gentle give the calming effect that I believe the artist wanted to convey using the beautiful scene of Cypress trees and mountain grasses. I love this perfect scene for meditation. This was a very powerful paragraph for me, thank you for sharing! !
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What a great idea!
There’s lots of peaceful art to meditate on.
This Van Gogh is perfect it.
Thank you, Rebecca!
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Thank you for joining Vincent and me for this 5 minutes reflection, Resa. I apologize for the late response. I just returned from Victoria and a short family reunion to celebrate my mother, Frances’s, 92nd birthday. I agree there is a lot of peaceful art upon which to meditate. I stopped by Emily Carr House which was closed. Her art was perfect for meditation.
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No worries dear Rebecca! We blog, and we have lives.
Ah, I remember you posted about “Emily Carr House”. Agree, her art is perfect for meditation. I’m so happy to be part of your blogging community! {{{hugs}}}
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HI Rebecca, other than his sunflower series, I’m not the biggest fan of van Gogh although his work interests me. I like Renoir’s work much better.
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Thank you for joining me for this 5 minute meditation, Robbie. I read that Renoir and van Gogh never met in person, however their artworks were exhibited together at the 1889 World’s Fair in Paris. Renoir was already an established artist while van Goh was just beginning to gain recognition.
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What a beautiful post, my dear Rebecca! Paintings [especially Van Gogh’s] are perfect for meditating… though a voice over puts me off most of the times. I prefer them …unguided! 😂. Hope you’re enjoying a wonderful weekend!
Sending many hugs your way.
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I believe that meditation is a personal endeavour. Whether guided or through music, silence, walking or other means, meditation reduces stress and anxiety levels by promoting relaxation and calming the mind. Thank you for your visit and your comments which mean a great deal to me. I enjoy our conversations.
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Perfectly said, my dearest friend and likewise! Hope you’re enjoying a wonderful weekend! 😘
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Oh, my goodness! I love this so much. Thanks for sharing this stunning piece of art and meditation. ❤️
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I am delighted that you joined me in traveling back in time to meet up with Vincent. You have reminded me that art and poetry are a marvelous combination. Sending hugs!
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Ja, das Gemälde ist grossartig!
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Vielen Dank, dass Sie diese besondere 5-minütige Meditation mit mir genossen haben.
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That was an incredibly powerful experience, Rebecca.
Watching Van Gogh’s art strokes during the meditation as he painted this beautiful vision, was a rather strange and haunting encounter. Listening to the beautifully soothing voice and accent of the facilitator was indeed calming as well as eye opening to the events of that time in his life. I couldn’t help but feel how rather strange and ironic that Vincent’s art continues to gather voice, calm and admiration while his life, to the contrary, held, to a great extent, the opposite.
What a wonderful legacy he left for those of us so blessed.
Just as a little ‘by the by’: Some years past I purchased a set of coffee mugs that have four of his major works imprinted upon them. It is such a delight to drink from them. Who would have guessed, back in the 19th century that we would be honouring him and be as familiar with his work as indeed we are?
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I am delighted that you enjoyed this 5-minute meditation with me, Carolyn. Vincent’s unique and vibrant style of painting, with its bold colors and distinctive brush strokes, is instantly recognizable and captivating. His works often depict scenes of everyday life in a way that is both beautiful and meaningful. His use of light and shadow to create a sense of atmosphere and emotion is particularly striking. I found that his paintings capture the beauty of nature and the human experience, allowing me to connect with the artwork on a deeper level and relate to his struggles and emotions. I agree wholeheartedly – he left a wonderful legacy for us. I love the idea of those coffee mugs!!!
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So beautiful! Love the meditation.
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Thank you for joining me on a meditation journey via Vincent van Gogh’s art, Cindy!
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I love this painting! The color palette is happier than that of his other work. I’ve never been able to respond to guided meditation, however.
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How interesting that you have not been able to respond to guided meditation, Liz, especially since you have an amazing ability to create meditative moments with you poetry. When you recite your poetry, I am immediately taken into a meditative state of calm.
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I like the sound of creating meditation moments with my poetry! (I just tend to feel a lot of pressure when being told to relax parts of my body.)
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