The magic of Art Therapy

Sana Rashid

                               Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life

                                                                - Pablo Picasso

Every day there are a million reasons why we feel stressed or find ourselves in a state of anxiousness and it is no surprise that all around the world various people turn to art as a form of destressing and relaxation. “Art” is a vast term that includes music, painting, dancing and many more different forms of expression. It is a way of breaking away from the monotony that is life and finding yourself in a self-created space of bliss. You don’t remain you but become the art form itself and therefore, it becomes a form of therapy giving you the much deserved distance from any kind of uneasiness, helping you see beyond the troubles and find peace within.

Below are a few types of art therapy that we would like to suggest so that you find solace even on the toughest days:

Draw or paint your feelings Let the sparks fly between you and the empty canvas to focus entirely on your feelings and venting them in the form of colours, shapes, figures and take a minute to analyse what you are really feeling and how your heart chose to express it.

Let those unsaid words fly to the sky Feeling a grudge against someone and not choosing to confront is one of the hardest things one does because those thoughts start eating away at you. Why not put it all on a postcard, attach it to a balloon and let it go into the sky. Feel the release of anger and let your peace within be the true winner.

Free yourself of judgement Sketch, draw, paint but don’t be critical of the results because that’s your heart’s expression through your attempt at art. It is personal and only yours to understand and decipher. Appreciate your efforts and feel the happiness of giving yourself a pat on the back instead of judging the outcome.

Collage your worries Whatever troubles you the most, cut out reference pictures from magazines, newspapers and put them all together to see an overall picture of what bothers you the most. Discover the bigger picture and tackle it with all your grit. You can do this!

What’s your fairytale? Ask yourself that question and pen down the ideal situation for your future self. This is for you to redirect all the negativities into a positive and hopeful scenario for yourself and then focus on it. You know what they say! Aim for the sky and hit the stars.

Mixtape it up! Make a playlist of all the songs you have associated with memories, certain incidents in life, happiness, sadness and express yourself through music. Just sit back, close your eyes, put those headphones on and escape into a world that is only yours.

Paint a wall Getting yourself busy in a project is the best way to take your mind off stressful matters. Oftentimes we make the mistake of relating the word project to material things with hardcore results. Take it easy! Just pick a colour, preferably a bright one and paint a wall in your home. This will distract your mind and ultimately be a constant reminder of your ability to disconnect from the negativity and invest your time in something productive.

The above are just a few forms of art therapy that you can pick up and maybe even improvise to to find yourself in a place of really connecting with your soul. We get so lost making efforts in staying in touch with external factors that we forget to take a minute and listen to ourselves.

This is a reminder to listen to your heart, body and mind and give it the attention it deserves.

We wish you a stress free moment every day through art!

With so much love and care,

HK Basics