CCP Directives

Learn to Enhance Empathic Relating through CCP Directives and Felt Arts Engagment

  • Set up your table with paper, oil pastels (or crayons, colored pencils, or markers), and tape
  • Choose the reference picture you want to work with, either from the recommended collection or your own
  • Select your tuning-in method (recommended or your own)
  • Select the intermodal (I) or visual art (II) directive you would like to follow (PDF and video guidance)

If you get stuck during your CCP practice, send us a message. We are happy to help you out

CCP - Directive I

CCP with Intermodal Transfer and FOAT® Interventions

Recommended Tuning in: FOAT® Pebble Meditation (eyes open or closed

Audio: Pebble Meditation - by Dr. Laury Rappaport (adapted from Thich Nhat Hanh)

CCP - Directive II

CCP with Visual Arts and Focusing Interventions

Recommended Tuning in: Dynamic Shape Drawing (DSD) (eyes open or closed)

DSD: Basic forms are transformed through rhythmic moving and swinging lines

Tuning In For Directive II: Dynamic Shape Drawing (DSD) - How To Do It

You are going to be introduced to three basic DSD pracitices for slowing down and focusing yourself

Tape your piece of paper down onto the table or onto the wall. Standing at the wall makes DSD more sensual as you can move your arm more freely. Take good paper quality, size of paper din A3 min. Use high quality oil pastells. High quality pastells produce better sliding on the paper

Choose the simplest shape to start with and keep up your chosen practice for some days, e.g. 7 days to notice the benefit

Drawing waves with different colors: Draw horizontal curvy lines adjusting move and breath. Drawing up: breathing in, drawing down: breathing out. Change breathing direction and see what happens - can you feel the difference?

Drawing a circle: Make 5 dots on your paper: north - south - east - west and a dot in the center. Curve your line along the dots in a circle, continue breathing while drawing without resting the hand on the paper. Repeat several times. Experienced practice: drawing the circle without dots

Drawing the celtic cross: Make 5 dots on your paper: north - south - east - west and a dot in the center. Draw a looping line from the center downwards and curve around your south, then way back back to the center; draw a looping line to the right and curve around your east, then way back to the center; draw a looping line to the left and curve around your west, then way back to the center; draw a looping line upwards and curve around your north, then way back to the center. Repeat several times. Focus yourself through breathing while drawing: Inhale when drawing downwards, eastwards, westswards and upwards - exhale when curving back to the center

More DSD directives (variations of the celtic cross and other figures of higher challenge) in the Creative Compassion webinars

Illustration of Dynamic Shape Drawing (Beispiele Dynamisches Formenzeichnen) © Gronenborn with permission

Forward CCP with tools of Museum Art-based Therapy

Museum Art-based Therapy is an indirect form of creativity that covers different methods of contemplating pictures. It is usually practiced in museums or through online museum exhibitions. Professional artists' pictures are offered for viewers to perceive and relate to (the receptive part). Viewers are invited to use the pictures for experimental painting or collage work (active response)

Museum Art-Based Therapy (MAT) Directives - How To Do It

Did you know that Adolf Hölzel drew his pastels with his eyes closed right after waking up? He wanted his unconscious mind to express itself through lines, shapes, and colors. You may want to try his morning routine as well

Choose one of Adolf Hölzel's reference pictures and use it as inspiration for your morning practice. You can use the same color palette as the artist to start with or choose your own. You can copy Hölzel's composition, take parts of it, or alter it to create something new. Use the same art materials as the artist (oil crayons and pencils) or choose your preferred materials

Document your practice each day (take a photo of each of your pastel responses), print your documentation, and create a Conternina book for each week (glue down your prints and add free writing), or put your prints and writing into your art journal

Place your photos on differently colored background paper. The colors should represent the mood of the day. Create a folder for each week's sheets, and add writing, drawing, or collaging

Hang your response pastels in the window to let the light shine through. You can also experiment with layering some of them on top of each other. Alternatively, you can create a prayer flag with your response work

There are more MAT interventions in the Creative Compassion webinars

Forward CCP with Intermodal Transfer

Intermodal transfer involves shifting between different art modalities to enhance sensory and emotional awareness

Intermodal Transfer (IT) Directives - How To Do It

An artistic transfer within the visual modality can occur through a change in:

Art materials: different types of paper or cardboard; different reference pictures; different types of pastels or crayons; different types of paints and brushes for wet techniques; working at a table or using an easel or drawing board

Art techniques can include dry or wet techniques for pastels and crayons. Oil pastels can be smeared, polished, or scraped. They can be "watered" (made transparent) with a substitute for turpentine. Crayons can be smeared or diluted with water and then fixed with a spray fixative

Intermodal transfer can happen through shifting between different types of art:

Free writing, lettering, or collaging with words: Create a poem that expresses the atmosphere of your reference picture as a whole

Give sound to the colors of your reference picture. Become aware of the different color tones of the picture. Hum each time you touch a color field (receptive engagement) or paint it (active engagement). Allow yourself to be guided from within while doing sound exploration

Exploring rhythmic movements inspired by the reference picture: Become aware of the inner dynamics of the picture, and express the quality of the dynamics by tapping your body with both hands. Use different parts of your body for different sounds (e.g., chest or hip). Allow your body to resonate

Dance to the reference picture: Stand in front of your reference picture and follow the curvy lines of the picture with movement. Find a posture and sense it from within. Allow yourself to express variations of your posture to express your body sense. Then, move again

Watch the Adolf Hölzel performance video for inspiration

Watch a video on dancing a painting

Forward your Creative Compassion Practice toward life changing action steps. Receive guidance and benefit from personal support

Feel the Experiential. Celebrate the Sensual!