Space Meditation

Sam Francis' Basel Mural I, 1956–58

Sam Francis painted Basel Mural I as part of a monumental triptych that once hung in the grand stairwell of the Kunsthalle Basel, a museum in Switzerland. As visitors ascended and descended the stairs, they were met with an immersive atmosphere of light and color. Here, at first glance, we may just see splashes of paint, but as we look more closely, we can begin to see the colors move and transform—the oranges and reds dripping into yellows, and the blues pooling around spaces of white. Francis said of his work, "These paintings approach you where you are. The space at the center of these paintings is reserved for you."

• Sit comfortably, close your eyes and take a few deep breaths.
• Slowly breathe in through your nose and as you do, feel your breath flow down through your throat, your chest and expanding your belly.
• Slowly breathe out through your nose and feel your breath move up from your belly, through your chest, your throat and release.
• Repeat and create some space within you.

In the words of Sam Francis, "We are always at the center of space. We are always at the center of time."