The Art of Planting Rice as a Meditative Practice: Sensemaking and Equanimity about Societal Disruption through Performance Art

Article Information

Creative Arts Educ Ther (2024) 10(1):63–74 DOI: 10.15212/CAET/2024/10/3

The Art of Planting Rice as a Meditative Practice: Sensemaking and Equanimity about Societal Disruption through Performance Art

Abstract

The impact of COVID-19 on Bali, Indonesia, decimated a significant part of the economy, resulting in unemployment and underemployment, which increased economic difficulties and related anxiety. Many people returned to small-holder farming to sustain their families. Away from farming, meditation is widely recognized as a means for equanimity and coping better with anxiety. In solidarity with the return to farming in Bali, the lead author of this paper created a performance art experience involving the planting of rice as a meditative practice. This paper summarizes the process and what was learned during the experience, using elements of qualitative research. The analysis affirms the role of artistic expression in supporting people’s sensemaking about societal disruption, with implications for social learning and mental well-being.

Keywords: performance art, rice, farming, agriculture, meditation, deep adaptation, resilience

摘要

COVID-19 对印度尼西亚巴厘岛的影响摧毁了经济的很大一部分，导致失业和就业不足，这增加了经济困难和相关的焦虑。许多人为了养家糊口而返回小农耕地。除了农活之外，冥想被广泛认为是平静和更好地应对焦虑的一种手段。随着巴厘岛回归农业，本文的主要作者创造了一种行为艺术体验，涉及种植水稻作为一种冥想实践。本文使用定性研究的元素总结了该过程以及在体验中学到的东西。该分析肯定了艺术表达在支持人们对社会动荡的理解方面的作用，这对社会学习和心理健康有影响。

关键词： 表演艺术, 大米, 农耕, 农业, 冥想, 深度适应, 复原力