Bengaluru: It is often said that Art heals. The practice of any Art, transforms and heals. You may sing and you may draw, and by practising such creativity, you are unconsciously healing yourself.

In an exhaustive research done by Dr. Brene Brown among wholehearted people, it was found that they all engaged in consistent practice of creativity. And it is through such honing of life skills that you are able to distract and heal your own self. “I practice healing on others. But I must say, loving an art form, devoting it time has a therapeutic effect. Any art form has the energy, and the beauty to uplift you from your misery and transport you to a world that is fulfilling,” says Jahnvi Sarma. Here we explore ‘Sing to heal’ and ‘Meditative sketching’ amongst many, as art that transforms and heals.

Sing to Heal

Our voices are powerful sound healing devices as cited by Jonathan Goldman teacher of harmonics & sound healing. A sacred gift available at all times for our use. With a little training we can make optimum use of this beautiful voice we house in our being. Voice belongs to the physical body, but it is the instrument of the spiritual self. We can use this tool for higher consciousness and greater health as our voice bridges the body and spirit. Vocal toning is one such technique that can be used by singers and non-singers to restore balance and harmony to the mind and body. Toning is the creation of extended vocal sounds on a single vowel in order to experience the sound and its effects in other parts of the body.

Jonathan Goldman developed this formula “Frequency+ Intent = Healing”. Frequency is the actual sound used. Healing is a term used to describe the process of putting something into its healthy resonance.

Dr Evelet Sequeira MD, Life Coach, Sound & Voice Therapist, Teacher & Student of the Sacred Feminine, facilitated the Sing to heal workshop for Bloom and Grow. She talk about Art as a healer. “Art for me is an extension of my body mind and emotion…when I see the art or perform the art I can see how my mind functions. I can feel my anger through the colors, I know the texture and body part that resonates with fear.. When I touch that feeling or emotion it feels heard and then healing happens.” And she elucidates on how Sing to heal works.

“Honing a life skill is a story we tell We are born with the skills…All we need to do is remember and like we exercise muscles…We do exercises to remind us of the skills we possess. When we say soft skills…For me it means skills that flow from the heart.” she adds, ” Yes heart centred living is powerful..but a balance of living from the heart and head is ideal, its a process”.

Meditative Art

What is meditative art? And how does it help in healing

Since ancient times, art and meditation have been brothers-in-arms, as a healing and cathartic process. All world religions have used art as a medium for meditation, exploration and communication. Meditative art is not a modern-day thing, but a tool that we can use to be more mindful and aware in our lives.

Meditation and Art

Regular art classes are primarily about the end product, focusing on the technique and beauty of the creation. Meditative art however, focuses on the inner state of the creator. The process of creating, playing, experimenting is given importance, along with techniques and tools. The creator is both the artist as well as the observer, allowing the process to take place.

Pooja Shah is a self-taught artist who has been on this path of exploration for more than 5 years now,. She is a certified Visual Art Based Therapist, who conducted the workshop on Meditative Art for Bloom and Grow. She explains how art has transformative power. ” Everyday life can get really stressful and overwhelming. I think having the ability to de-stress can have a myriad of benefits. As we seek better ways to treat ourselves, indulge ourselves in a healthy manner, we also learn about our relationship with the world around us. Living in harmony with ourselves first, and then with our world trying to achieve a balanced win-win situation in every exchange.

How does this work? “The process of creating can be cathartic. Any form of art, be it music, painting or writing is about expression. Being able to responsibly and safely express and communicate can be a process of healing. For me, art as a daily practice has taught me patience, consistency, practising to be better. It helps me centre myself and putting myself at the centre for a while. Working with my hands gives me a time-out from what can otherwise be a hectic, stressful life. A regular practice can help me be more organised and learn to make time for what’s important to my personal growth.” She adds, ” Bloom and grow believes in marrying art and healing with the motto ‘Art for all’ and let most people experience the healing power within ourselves through different creative outlets.”