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1.) The first step in utilizing art for healing is to find or make time to make or look at art. This can be challenging in our busy lives, but the sacrifice and effort is well worth it. One may also make a routine out of making art.
2.) Next, choose a form of art that suits you. Choose something that allows you to express freely and you are comfortable with, or feel the most connected to, whether that be writing, painting, playing an instrument, or whatever! It would even be okay to choose a medium that you are not familiar with so you will not get hung up on technique. Remember: You do not have to be an artist or be good at any art form to gain healing from art! Do not worry about your work being “good art” because it is much more important to give yourself the freedom to express what is inside of you. Creativity can be expressed in a multitude of forms, so do not feel that you have to stick with drawing or painting. Arranging flowers, making Halloween costumes, baking, decorating, and so on are all artistic ways of expression and allow for creativity, and in turn: healing.
3.) The next and most important step is to draw/paint the first line, make the first sound, make the first movement, write the first word, etc. We make our first move from a place of no judgment. It is a place of love, creativity, trust, freedom, and of letting go. We let the process happen by itself. Let your heart be your guide, and do not get caught up in technique or perfection. Just be you. As the lines connect and increase, as shapes take form, words add up, movements flow, melodies take place, a work or art emerges and allows us to see who we truly are. Treat every work as a self-portrait. The healing process takes place on the inside simultaneously, creating positive moods, making repairs, boosting immunity, and releasing hormones. The artwork becomes a sign of our healing: an audible or visible representation of our own healing and transformation. We are witnesses to our art’s message of change, growth, healing, and transformation, of which all have taken place on the inside.
So if you are in any type of pain, suffering from any type of illness, disease, or syndrome, going through a rough time, grieving, if you’ve had a stressful day at work, etc., do not let all of the negativity build up and pile on you. Use an art form of your choice to express your emotions and release pain. Use art on a regular basis like a medicine. Let art heal you.