Art = Therapy

I have mentioned many times in my life that drawing, painting, crafting and even writing serves as a great form of therapy. You just get lost in the moment. You're so focused, you have taken your mind into a place that is stress free and relaxed, fit to bring out your creativity. I recently have spoken to a few people who have expressed how much they enjoy their hobbies and how it is their therapy. For one who reads, it's like an escape into another world. You get lost within the words and become part of the story. For one who loves to bake, they get lost in the task of perfection, creation and finding that magic touch. We each have our own form of therapy. We get lost in the task. Time seems to stand still, the world fades around us and nothing else seems to matter.

Author, teacher, and artist, Betty Edwards has a way of explaining this theory about art therapy. She calls it "states of consciousness." She explains it like this-  "The slightly altered consciousness state of feeling transported, which most artists experience. You may have observed in yourself slight shifts in your state of consciousness while engaged in much more ordinary activities than artwork. Most people are aware that they occasionally slip from ordinary waking consciousness into the slightly altered state of daydreaming. People often say that reading takes them 'out of themselves'. Many people find that they do a lot of creative thinking while driving, often losing track of time and experiencing a pleasurable sense of freedom from anxiety."

Her explanation is a little confusing at first but think about it. When do you find yourself lost in a daydream or when did time stand still while you were engaged in a task. She goes on to discuss how like when driving, sometimes you don't know how you got to your destination. You were in such an altered state of consciousness because driving has become so ordinary to us and we get lost in our thoughts.

Take a minute and think about what your form of "therapy" is. What takes you into your zone where nothing else matters and you get lost in the moment.