Contemplative creative science (CCS) is a discipline of first-person, subjective internal and external inquiry (CCR 2021*) into the embodied mind and its multiple layers of experience of reality and our interconnection with other beings, life on this planet, and beyond. According to Contemplative Creative Science, the Dharma, creativity, meditation methods, and practices are inseparable from training the embodied mind. Developing a multimodal contemplative practice helps to align the body, speech, heart, and mind.

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Contemplative Creative Science (CCS) is a Buddhist-based multimodal, holistic, contemporary application of Contemplative Science and Dharma art into mental health and psychotherapy. It is informed by contemplative science and practices from traditional and Buddhist modernism (McMahan) and the latest research on Buddhist psychology, neuroscience, mindfulness- and compassion-based interventions. Clinical research on CCS started in 2017 with my thesis on contemplative phototherapy (CPT) for youth with anxiety disorders. CCS has been informed from the start (2017) on the philosophy of mind, contemplative psychologies, contemplative arts, and meditation practices found in classical Mahayana Tibetan, Japanese, and Indian Buddhist systems.

 

This research is grounded in classical and modern Buddhist texts, scientific literature, and everyday applications of contemplative creative approaches and practices in contemporary life. This foundation facilitates the development of curriculums and programs based on ethics that respect Buddhist origins of contemplative study and practices. The root intention of Contemplative Creative Science (CCS) is the well-being and global health of all beings, including the planet. The courses and programs developed for continuing education of mental health professionals and training open to the public are focused on contemplative creative and bio (nature)-based practices.

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CCS utilizes multimodal contemplative creative and bio-based methods and practices for cultivating attention, mindfulness, compassion, and introspection to directly observe cognitive functions, content and projections and their impacts on functioning in relationship with self, other humans and beings, and the natural world.

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Contemplative creative practices (CCP) are forms of meditation that are a continuum of mindfulness, compassion and awareness meditation practices informed by Buddhist methods of inquiry such as contemplation, deconstruction, and meditation family of practices. The contemplative creative process is similar to the creative arts therapy; similar modalities are used, such as brush painting, collage, journaling, body movement, clay and natural arrangements, installations, and photography are mediums used to observe and contemplate the mind, as well as cultivate value-based qualities (Ates, 2017, 2022).

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At CCCS, the modalities used in contemplative creative practices are:

Brushwork, contemplative photo collage, mindful circles, contemplative writing, contemplative movement, clay and natural arrangements, and contemplative photography. Natural arrangements are bio-based practices on seasonal or five elements (water, air, fire, earth, and space) exploration and contemplation (e.g. digital portfolio below).​

 

CCS utilizes multimodal contemplative creative and bio-based methods and practices (CCP) to cultivate attention, mindfulness, compassion, insight, and introspection to directly observe cognitive functions, content and projections and their impacts on functioning in relationship with self, other humans and beings, the planet, and the universe at large.

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At CCCS, the modalities used in contemplative creative practices are:

Brushwork, contemplative photo collage, mindful circles, contemplative writing, contemplative movement, clay and natural arrangements, and contemplative photography. Natural arrangements are bio-based practices on seasonal or five elements (water, air, fire, earth, and space), exploration and contemplation.

 

Contemplative creative practices (CCP) are forms of meditation that are a continuum of mindfulness, compassion and awareness meditation practices informed by Buddhist methods of inquiry such as contemplation, deconstruction, and other forms of meditation practices. The contemplative creative process is similar to the creative arts therapy; similar modalities are used, such as brush painting, collage, journaling, body movement, clay and natural arrangements, installations, and photography are mediums used to observe and contemplate the mind, as well as cultivate value-based qualities (Ates, 2017, 2022).

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