Digging deep into the unknown crevices of your emotional life can sometimes be daunting, even uncomfortable. Its easier to pretend like it does not exist rather than to explore it through our creativity. Why is it that inner reflection so important?  The stuff we ignore can stifle us, and block us from moving forward.  Even when we think we have forgotten about something, which we may very well have, it does not mean that we have let it go.  Art making for self-expression allows us to process these inner conflicts, heavy experiences and let go of them so we can move forward.  Otherwise things in our environment will trigger memories of the irritations and we can be taken out of the present into past woes within seconds.

Most of us are unaware that this is happening.  We hang on to the emotion evoked and react from that stance without making the connection.  Our present experiences become overshadowed by past stuck.  Allowing yourself to reconnect through creating artwork helps draw you back to the present, focused on the task at hand.  It also allows you to release past tensions, transforming past discontents brought up so that they may subside.  This is not always an easy task however.  Many people have had very difficult experiences that need the support and guidance of a trained professional.  Still, there is much we can do for ourselves if we are ready.

I have been reading an interesting book called The Untethered Soul, the journey beyond self by Micael A. Singer that speaks to this phenomenon of letting go so that we can open up. The premise is that we hang on to things and they weigh us down, pulling us away from experiencing the present. We get caught in a web of thoughts of past things and close ourselves off. Closing ourselves off feels safer. But as Singer states “To attain true inner freedom you must be able to objectively watch them instead of being lost in them.”

For my birthday a few months back, I received a few books and journals which have been inspiring me to do more of this letting go through writing. But nothing compares to simple playing with art materials in my art journal. When I veer from this too much I find that I become too thought heavy.  It comes out in my daily activities where I find it difficult to steer clear of my monkey mind, that part of my brain which is dependent on rational thought. Sometimes it gets mixed up with fear mongering like when I am mountain biking and let self-doubt set in. At those times I can feel that things aren’t balanced. Balanced in the sense of trusting my intuition rather than being ruled too strongly by thinking mind. Art-making helps me to balance. Art-making can be meditative.  My art journaling becomes a practice in mindfulness. Art-making helps me connect with my inner wisdom thereby helping me rebuild trust in my intuition and trusting the process, not just in art but in all parts of my life.

How does art-making support you? Sometimes when we reflect on the value of the creative process through art making it helps us make it more of a priority. Try it now, make a list of the gifts that you receive from your art making.

For myself, art making:

• Allows me to build trust in myself.
• Helps me connect with my higher Self.
• Helps me accept parts of Self that may be difficult to face.
• Makes me feel relaxed.
• Reminds the importance of taking time for myself.
• Helps me feel balanced when workload is beginning to make me feel stressed.
• Helps me to connect with my playful side and not get bogged down in too much seriousness.
• Allows me to reflect on where I am at.
• Allows me to connect with the beauty of the world.

If you are in the Toronto area, there is still time to join us for Visual Journal Journey which begins next Saturday!  If not, join us online in the ongoing Spectrum Holistic Art Journaling Workshops