Healing Arts
What Are the Healing Arts? The healing arts are creative practices that promote healing, wellness, coping and personal change. Traditional healing arts include music, art, dance/movement, poetry/writing, and drama therapies. These approaches combine artistic expression with psychological awareness and communication.
In addition to the traditional healing arts, there are many other forms of expression, connection and self-development that can play a key role in health. These can be practiced with the guidance of a teacher or therapist, but can also be incorporated into your life on your own to gain enrichment, self-awareness, and pleasure. For example:
In addition to the traditional healing arts, there are many other forms of expression, connection and self-development that can play a key role in health. These can be practiced with the guidance of a teacher or therapist, but can also be incorporated into your life on your own to gain enrichment, self-awareness, and pleasure. For example:
- Mind-body therapies such as guided imagery, biofeedback and hypnosis can help us learn how to de-stress and control physiological functions such as blood pressure and heart rate.
- Laughter and humor are good for our immune system and can shift our perspective and create connections with others.
- Meditation and spirituality can bring us into a state of deep relaxation that can help us cope and feel connected with nature or a universal source of being.
- Relating to pets can help us feel calmer and foster a feeling of closeness and understanding with another being.
- Cooking or gardening can stimulate our senses, relax the mind and bring a deep sense of satisfaction.
- Engaging in any creative process is healing. It is a way of knowing yourself better on the deepest levels, connecting with others (human or pet), regulating your responses to stress and communicating your inner experience.
- Even making small changes in our environment supports us on physical and emotional levels by bringing in natural light, art, color and pleasing sound—each having a profound effect on our nervous system and feelings of well-being.