This book was designed for the Academy of Art University Typography 3: Complex Hierarchy Instructor : William Culpepper Final Book Project All Photos and designs were created by Caroline Dabrowski.
THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED TO ANYONE WHO IS LOOKING FOR A WAY TO HEAL.
CONTENTS INTRODUCTION
01 - 02
SPIRITUALITY & SYMBOLISM IN HEALING ARTS
03 - 24
SACRED GEOMETRY AS ART & HEALER
25 - 38
NATURE AS ART & HEALER
39 - 54
MUSIC AS ART & HEALER
55 - 65
CREATIVITY AS SOUL WORK
66 - 78
ART AS THERAPY
79 - 90
PSYCHOLOGICAL & PHYSIOLOGICAL BENEFITS OF ART
91 - 96
INDEX
97 - 99
BIBLIOGRAPHY
100
WE ARE ALL CONNECTED THROUGH ART, NATURE AND SPIRITUALITY. THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT HEAL US FROM WITHIN.
INTRODUCTION There is energy in everything that we create. When we create through art, we are releasing the negative things that are keeping us trapped from healing. We are connected to everything around us from art, nature, music and spirituality. All of these things can heal us. Healing, spirituality and art have been combined together since the beginning of time. Throughout time people have used art as a spiritual tool and healing tool. Our Chakras connect us to our healing centers. They are our healers and go up and down our spine. Through our chakras we can get positive energy and release negative energy. That positive energy then goes to all parts of our bodies. There are many ancient artistic symbols in art from different healing modalites such as Reiki to symbols within different religions such as Buddism, Hinduism and Kabbalah among other religions. Egyptians used artforms as a way to heal and enhance their spirituality as well did the May-
ans, Incas and other ancient civilizations. Sacred geometry is in everything around us and has symbolic and sacred meanings in certain geometric shapes and certain geometric proportions. It is associated with the belief that everything is connected to the universe. The geometry used in the design is used in religious structures such as churches, temples, monuments and altars has been considered sacred. Sacred Geometry is also used in artwork and also in Chakras that are supposed to be the seven centers throughout the human body. It can also be seen in the structures of plants, the planets and the universe. People today use art therapy as an outlet to heal from traumatic abuse they had experienced in their lives. Children are taught art as an outlet from a young age to heal from past traumas or to just escape their lives. Art has been a healing tool to many for centuries. There are many ways to heal our mind and bodies as well as to promote peace, healthy and vitality.
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SYMBOLS OF HEALING HAVE BEEN IN ART FOR CENTURIES.
SPIRITUALITY & SYMBOLISM IN ANCIENT ART
MANDALAS The word Mandala comes from the Hindu language meaning ‘concentric energy circle.’ A circle represents protection, good luck, or completion. Mandalas link with the spiraling movement of consciousness, sacred geometry, psychology, and healing. It is a spiritual and ritual symbol in Hinduism and Buddhism, representing the Universe. The basic form of most mandalas is a square with four gates containing a circle with a center point. Each gate is in the general shape of a T. Mandalas represent balance and symetry. In spirituality the practice of focusing on the many aspects of the mandala can be used for establishing a sacred space, and as an aid to meditation and even to form trance like states. Mandala has become a term for any plan, chart, or geometric pattern which represents the cosmos metaphysically or symbolically, a microcosm of the universe from the human perspective. A mandala, especially its center, can be used during meditation as an object for focusing attention. The symmetrical geometric shapes which mandalas have, draw attention towards the center.
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LABYRINTHS A labyrinth is an ancient symbol that is a symbol of wholeness. It represents a journey to our own center and back again out into the world. It combines the circle and the spiral into a purposeful path. Labyrinths have long been used as meditation and prayer tools. A labyrinth is an archetype in which we can have a direct experience. Walking the labyrinth can be considered a meditation which we can connect to our own wisdom. The pattern in a labyrinth can be seen as sacred geometry. It can show us a cosmic order as they interface the world of material form and the of higher consciousness. It is the connection to the Sacredness of All Life. A labyrinth can be experienced as the womb of the Great Goddess. The labyrinth experience is a t practice of Self-Integration as it represents the spiraling journey in and out of incarnation. On the journey in, towards the center, one cleanses the dirt from our own inner self. On the path out, it symbolizes being born again to our body, by having going into the Infinite Center.
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DREAMCATCHERS In Native American culture, a dreamcatcher is a handmade object based on a hoop (traditionally of willow), made of a a loose net, and decorated with items unique to the particular dreamcatcher. There is a traditional belief that a dreamcatcher filters a person’s dreams, letting through only the good ones. Dreamcatchers originated in the Ojibwa Nation, during the Pan-Indian Movement of the 1960s and 1970s they were adopted by Native Americans of a number of different nations. Some consider the dream catcher a symbol of unity among the various Indian Nations, and a general symbol of identification with Native American cultures. The Ojibwa believe that a dreamcatcher changes a person’s dreams. Only good dreams can come through. Bad dreams would stay in the net of the dreamcatcher and would disappear in the day. Good dreams come through and slide down the feathers to the sleeper.
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PYRAMIDS Pyramids seem to have helped many people throughouttime. It is also known to keep food fresh longer, energize water, and to keep food and water fresh. Studies have been shown that Pyramids have a lot of healing benefits. It has been found that sick plants often to come to life, cats and dogs love to sit and sleep in pyramids. During ancient times sick people would often sleep overnight in pyramids as part of their healing process. The pyramid shape is said to attract pranic energy, into a balanced area of prana. When someone enters the pyramid it keeps its energy field in balance and in doing that can help balance and release blocks in our energyauras and chakras.. Pranic energy (known as Chi or Qi) is the energy in our bodies to be healthy. If it is blocked in our bodies we can hold negative energy that can make us sick emotionally or physically. Chakras spin clockwise to let in healthy prana and spin counter clockwise to release negative prana. The healthy prana is released into all parts of the body to make it healthy. The pyramid also can channel energy from its top point to the ground, in a similar way to reiki practioners who cahannel energy from the top of their head from the universe through their hands. I also creates a protective space that is also good for meditation and relaxation.
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EYE OF HORUS The Eye of Horus is an ancient Egyptian symbol of protection, power and health. The eye is in the goddess named Wadjet. Wadjet came from wadj or green. Green was known to the Greeks and Romans as the risen one from the image of a cobra rising in protection. Amulets were made from the Eye of Horus. It was on gold and lapis lazuli bracelets found on mummies as protection. It was known to protect pharoahs and to ward off evil. Ancient Eqyptians and Middle Eastern sailors would paint the symbol on their ships when they sailed. Horus was an ancient Egyptian god who was shown as a falcon. Hid right eye was associated with the sun god named Ra. The eye symbol represents the marking around the eye of the falcon in a teardrop. The left eye represented the moon and the god named Thoth.
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REIKI SYMBOLOGY Reiki is a spiritually guided Life Force Energy used as a non-physical healing practice. Developed by Mikao Usui, Reiki is not a religion nor is it taught in the usual sense, it is transferred from the master to the student during an “attunement.” Reiki is known to be healing energy that comes from connecting to the universe. It flows from the universe through the top of the crown of the head to the practitioner’s hands. The practitioner then uses their hands to slowly move over the person’s or animals’ body to heal parts of the person’s body emotionally or physically. Five Reiki Symbols were developed as teaching tools for students and are meant to be keys that open the door to a higher mind. The Reiki symbols are based on the Japanese writing system, Kanji and should be drawn or visualized as taught during the Reiki 2 Attunement. By visualizing these symbols, the user is quickly connected to the universal life force and all negative predispositions are overridden. Cho Ku Rei – The Reiki Power Symbol. Reiki Emotional / Mental Healing Symbol Sei He Ki. Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen – The Reiki Distance Healing Symbol. Master Reiki Symbol - Dai Ko Myo Completion Reiki Symbol - Raku
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CHAKRAS The Sanskrit word Chakra translates to wheel or disk. In yoga, meditation, and Ayurveda, this term refers to wheels of energy throughout the body.
Anahata or Heart Chakra Heart Area
There are seven main chakras, which go along the spine, starting from the base of the spine through to the crown of the head. Chakras represent the circular centers of energy, and they correspond to the nerves and organs in the physical body. By focusing on these energy centers, and understanding the function of each, we are able to balance our energies, change areas in our lives and even heal. Muladhara or Root Chakra Base of spine, the sacral plexus The root chakra is red in color, it’s element is earth and it’s mantra is Lam. It hold’s the body’s organs of excretion and the adrenals, it also influences the sense of smell. Emotionally, this chakra is the seat survival, and rules the primal instinct. You can connect to this chakra to get to your primal self. Swadhisthana or Sacral Chakra Genitals or Lower Stomach The sacral chakra is orange in color, it’s element is water and it’s Mantra is Vam. It hold’s the body’s reproductive organs and gonads, it also influences the sense of taste. Emotionally, this chakra is the seat self-acceptance, raw emotion and sexual energy. You can connect with this chakra to access your creativity. Manipura or Solar Plexus Chakra Navel The solar plexus chakra is yellow in color, it’s element is fire and it’s mantra is Ram . It hold’s the pancreas and abdominal organs, it also influences the sense of sight. Emotionally, this chakra is the seat self-will, mental acuity and sense of identity.
The heart chakra is green in color, it’s element is air and it’s mantra is Yam. It hold’s the body’s lungs and thymus, it also influences the sense of touch. Emotionally, this chakra is the seat compassion, love and healing. You can onnect with this chakra to access love and compassion. Vishudha or Throat Chakra Laryngeal Plexus The throat chakra is blue in color, it’s element is ether and it’s mantra is Ham. It holds the body’s thyroid, it also influences the sense of hearing. Emotionally, this chakra is the seat self-expression, and speech. You can connect with this chakra to access creative expression and communication. Ajna or Third-Eye Chakra Between the eyebrows, forehead The third-eye chakra is indigo in color, it’s element is time and mantra is Aum. It holds the body’s pituitary gland, it also influences the sixth sense - the higher mind. Emotionally, this chakra is the seat intuition, and extra-sensory perception. You can connect with this chakra to access your intutition. Sahasrara or Crown Chakra Crown of head and brain The crown chakra is violet in color, it’s element is space and mantra is silence. It holds the body’s pineal gland, and its influence is beyond the sensory realm. Emotionally, this chakra is the seat divinity, peace and enlightenment. You can connect with this chakra to access all-knowing, eternal bliss and liberation from material things.
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TOTEM ANIMALS A totem is a spirit being, sacred object, or symbol of a tribe, clan, family or individual. Native American tradition says that each person is connected with nine different animals that will be with them in life as guides. Animals and humans live in the world together and are in the spirit world together. In Shamanism, the world’s oldest healing tradition, the animal guides are known as power animals. They are there to protect, educate, empower, heal and inspire you. In Native American cultures, animals spirit guides are also known as animal totems. Animal spirit guides can be represented by symbols, or they can be those animals that had or have significance throughout your life. You don’t have to be a shaman to access them. They can heal your pain and give you strength when you do find them and understand why they are there.
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THERE IS BEAUTY ALL AROUND US.
SACRED GEOMETRY AS ART & HEALER
SACRED GEOMETRY Sacred geometry involves sacred universal patterns used in the design of everything in our reality and universe. It is mostly seen in architecture, art, plants and even in the stars and planets. The belief is that geometry and ratios in math, harmonics and proportion are also found in music, light and in the universe. There is evidence that it has been known since prehistory. It is known in building sacred architecture including temples, monuments and churches. It is also used in the developement of sacred spaces such as altars and tabernacles and also found in places such as sacred groves, holy wells and in religious art, iconography and using “divine” proportions. It has also been known to build the pyramids in Egypt. Sacred geometry based art can also be used in and painting and medicine wheels.
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Sacred geometry can be seen as a pattern - a system of symbols and structures involving space, time and form. The basic patterns are seen as sacred and are in everything around us. It is said that by studying these patterns and their connections, you can get insight to the mysteries which are the laws of the Universe. They are said to get you more connected to your mind, body and spirit and everything around you. Once you are connected they can heal your mind and body. Even the act of creating these symbols can be a meditative and relaxing experience. There are five shapes that sacred geomerty is made up of and they represent the elements of the earth and universe. These shapes are tetrahedron (fire), hexahedron (earth), octahedron (air), icosahedron (water) and dodecahedron (universe).
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MERKABA Merkabah, also spelled Merkaba, is the sacred symbol used by people to connect with the universe and higher states of being. “Mer” means Light. “Ka” means Spirit. “Ba” means Body. Mer-Ka-Ba means the spirit/body surrounded by counter-rotating fields of light, (wheels within wheels), spirals of energy as in DNA, which moves the spirit and body from one dimension to another.
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THE FLOWER OF LIFE The Flower of life is one of the most famous sacred geometry symbols. It is the modern name given to a geometrical figure composed of multiple evenly-spaced, overlapping circles, that are arranged so that they form a flower-like pattern with a sixfold symmetry like a hexagon. The perfect form, proportion and harmony of The Flower of Life has been known to philosophers, architects and artists around the world. Pagans consider it to be sacred geometry containing ancient religious value depicting the forms of space and time. The Pagans believed it to contain a type of Akashic Record of basic information of all living things and is the visual expression of the connections of life that run through everything and everyone.
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GOLDEN RATIO The golden ratio, which is equal to approximately 1.618, can be found in different areas of life, including art, biology and architecture. The Egyptians used the Golden Ratio to guide the building of the Pyramids. The architecture of Athens is supposed to be based on the Golden Ratio. Robert Langdon tried to find out its mysteries in the novel The Da Vinci Code. It is a geometric proportion that has been known to be the most aesthetically pleasing to the eye and has been the root of countless mysteries over the centuries. It was used in paintings, buildings and even plant life. It has many mysteries and can heal humankind in many ways.
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THE BEAUTY OF NATURE CAN HEAL THE MIND AND BODY.
NATURE AS ART & HEALER
FOREST BATHING Shinrin-yoku is a Japanese term that means “taking in the forest atmosphere” or “forest bathing.” It was developed in Japan during the 1980s and has become a very popular healing technique in Japanese medicine. Studiesin Japan and South Korea have had a lot of studies on the health benefits of spending time in the forest. The benefits of forest therapy or Shinrin-yoku are now helping people throughout the world. Many trees are known to give off organic compounds that help killer cells that are part of our immune system’s way of fighting cancer. The studies have found that it lowers people’s blood pressure, blood glucose levels, and stress hormones. There are many ways that even taking a walk through a forest or any part of nature can relieve stress and tension.
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CRYSTALS Crystal healing therapy involves placing gemstones on the body to draw out negative energy. Crystal healing is an alternative medicine in which crystals and other stones are used to cure illness and protect against disease. Crystals allow positive and healing energy to flow into the body as negative energy flows out. There are many different crystals that produce different results both mentally and physically. Thousands of years ago, Ancient Egyptians were the first people to have worn crystals such as lapis lazuli, carnelian and turquoise. They believed they protected against disease, illness and negative energy. Modern crystal healing is based on traditional concepts that came from Asian cultures, such as the Chinese concept of chi or qi also called life force energy. Buddists and Hindu teachings also believe that crystals can help align the chakras (vortices of life energy along the spinal and through the body). They are said to connect the mind, body and spirit.
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FLOWERS Many flowers have healing properties that make them just as useful as they are pretty to look at. Lavender has long been used in aromatherapy as an essential oil that helps many people relax and manage stress, anxiety and difficulty sleeping. Lavender oil also has some surprising anti-inflammatory and antiseptic benefits as a topical treatment. Sunflowers are known for being bright and cheerful, but they can also be brewed into tea that helps soothe sore throats and menstrual cramps. Jasmine is very popular as a tea, it helps ease many body aches and cramps and can also benefit the digestive system. People use jasmine to manage ulcers and indigestion, along with anxiety and sleep issues. Roses, one of the most popular flowers, are also used for medicinal purposes. Roses contain a great amount of vitamin C, an important antioxidant for overall health and fighting some more serious conditions like heart disease and stroke. Rose petals can help increase circulation, fight depression and anxiety, relieve infections and combat viruses, among a number of other health benefits.
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THE SUN Sun Gazing at sunrise and sunset has been popular in healing for many centuries. Before antibiotics, sunlight was used to speed up the healing of wounds because sunlight is an efficient germ killer. Sunlight is the primary source of vitamin D. You get only a quarter of the vitamin D you need from your diet with the rest coming from the sun. Since before the time of ancient Egypt, doctors and natural healers relied on sunlight to mend wounds, treat bone diseases like rickets or lung infections like tuberculosis. Sun Gazing is another form of getting the beneficial affects of the sun. It is said by looking at the sun at sunrise and sundown you can get profound energetic benefits including boosting your metabolsim.
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ANIMALS Animals, both wild and domestic can sense changes in the human body and mind and can even sense disease. People who have come in contact with dolphins or manatees have experienced great healing effects. Pets can have physical, emotional and mental healing effects on humans. Dogs are known to have great healing affects on people and help people feel less lonely and even petting a dog or cat can bring stress levels down. There have been many reports of dogs even smelling cancer in the human body before a diagnosis and even can let their owners know before hand when they are going to have a seizure. Horses can bring confidence, strength and balance to handicapped riders. Cats and dogs are used as therapy animals for senior citizens and bring them out of depression or loneliness. There are also dog training programs which help prisoners have a sense of purpose and lessen anxiety.
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THE OCEAN The ocean is beautiful and full of mystery. It symbolizes emotion and it also has the power to heal. It’s beauty can inspire. Entering it’s waters can make you come alive and feel refreshed. It can bring back happiness, youthful feelings and vitality. Saltwater can have a natural healing quality on your body and soul. The salt water can have a soothing feeling and can even make your cuts heal faster. Listening to the waves of the ocean can calm stress and make you fall asleep faster. They can also relax you during meditation. There are new therapy programs that are using the healing properties of the ocean to even let people heal from from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental illnesses.
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MUSIC IS ALL AROUND US.
MUSIC AS ART & HEALER
HOW MUSIC HEALS Water can move in different forms through music and it can heal us. Dr. Masaru Emoto did research studies on water. When he played classical music to a jar of water, beautiful snowflakes formed that were perfectly symetrical. The same happened when he projected love and joy onto the jar. He then projected hate onto a jar of water and disgust. He didn’t play music for the water and the crystals were mishapen and ugly. This teached us how loving words and music can be healing and how hateful words and even feelings of hate and the energy behind it can destroy us. Music can take you to different realms in your mind. It can bring you peace and comfort after a long day at work. It can bring out creativity and joy in you when you need it. Music has many positive physical effects. It can produce direct biological changes, such as reducing heart rate, blood pressure, and cortisol levels. Pythagoreans believed that harmonic frequencies gave music powers of healing which could “harmonize” an out-of-balance body.
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SOUND Sound has been used in many cultures for thousands of years as a tool for healing. Sound has been used in mantras from the Hindis, drumming through shamanic practices of the Native Americans and Pythagoras’ use of frequencies. All have been known to change the mind and body from imbalance to balance. To a connection to the mind body and spirit. Sound helps our brainwave state shift through entrainment. Entrainment can synchronize our brainwaves to a stable frequency which it can attune to. We can come from our normal brainwave frequency beta to alpha which is a relaxed consciousness, theta which is a meditative state and delta which is our sleep state where deep healing can happen. The same thing happens during meditation when we use our breath, but through sound we use the frequency. Sound helps you to come to a place of stillness where you can heal just like a mantra can help in meditation.
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DANCE & MOVEMENT Dance and Movement Therapy can help relieve stress and can help you form a connection between your body and mind. There are many benefits to dance and moving your body. One of the main benefits are the feeling of vitality and happiness. It can help you heal from depression and give you more energy. Studies have shown that dance and moving your body can decrease depression and strengthen positive feelings about yourself. DMT is a dance movement therapy that helps with healing the mind and body. It is an exchange of energy within one’s self and a creative, expressive process much like expressing oneself in creating art. By connecting to the sounds and beats in music and move your body you can have the feeling of connecting to the sound which can be both very healing for your mind and body.
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SONG & VIBRATION Both 432Hz and the 528Hz frequences in music are known to create healing vibrations for the mind, body and spirit. It has been studied that sound can affect our mood and our happiness levels. Sound can bring on love feelings or even sad or angry feelings. There have been studies that 432Hz and 528Hz can bring us closer to the universe because they are said to be the melodies of the universe. With that being said, they can heal our bodies by listening to music and sound at these frequencies. Through centuries sound has had a healing affect on the body and mind through singing bowls, ring of bells, playing instruments and even drumming in native american practices. By listening to classical music it is said that your brain can retain information longer and helps you to study. There are a lot of great healing benefits to listening to different sounds and vibration.
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IN SILENCE IS WHERE WE FIND OURSELVES AND LEARN HOW TO HEAL.
CREATIVITY AS SOUL WORK
VISUALIZATION Visualization which is also called guided imagery or creative visualization is the practice of focusing your imagination on behaviors or events you’d like to have occur in your life. Visualization and meditation go hand in hand. It is the fastest and easiest way to achieve your dreams. If you want to lose weight, start visualizing yourself becoming thinner. If you want more money, visualize yourself being rich. If you want to be happier, then visualize yourself becoming happier. Many rich people have used visualization to achieve what they want in life. It is part of the Law of Attraction where what you think about or dream about come to you. If you think about something enough it will manifest. This can come from visualization. Visualization can also heal your body when you want it to and can also help with pain management.
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MEDITATION “In meditation, healing can happen. When the mind is calm, alert and totally contented, then it is like a laser beam – it is very powerful and healing can happen.” - Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Meditation originated in Hinduism and Buddism thousands of years ago. It is a natural way to heal the body through breath and visualization. It, like yoga can connect the mind, body and spirit. It is a form of releasing stress and worries and letting go of thoughts that overwhelm your mind. It can help illnesses such as depression, over eating, and even physical illness and pain. It increases a positive state of mind which helps the body heal itself because it projects positive energy onto the body. Meditation can bring a spiritual transformation as well and can connect you to the universe as well as your body. There are many different forms of meditation including transcendental, kundalini, heart, mindfulness, guided visualization, breath as well as many others. Meditation is the fastest way to heal your mind and opens you to new ways of experiencing life.
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YOGA Yoga can help the body heal itself. Yoga has been around for over 4,000 years. It is an ancient healing practice of stretching the body and connecting the mind, body and spirit. It increases the chi or energy flow in the body and helps you to connect to your body and soul. There are many different poses and different forms of yoga practices. The most popular are hatha, restorative, vinyasa, bikram, kundalini, ashtanga, and yin. All of these yoga styles can connect you to your chakras and your spirituality. Yoga is known to produce great healing in the body and can also help your mentals states and get rid of depression. It eases lower back pain as well as strengthens your muscles.
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AROMATHERAPY Aromatherapy can help your body transform. Aromatherapy is an alternative medicine that involves the use of plant essential oils, that can be inhaled by people for a variety of things that improve mental and physical health. It is used to improve mood, weightloss, cold remedies and physical skin conditions. It can even be an antiseptic and repellent to insects. The health benefits of aromatherapy include reducing anxiety, easing depression, boosting energy levels, speeding up the healing process, curing headaches, increasing mental performance, inducing sleep, strengthening the immune system, reducing pain, improving digestion, and increasing circulation. Aromatherapy has been around for thousands of years, but it wasn’t wellknown until the 11th century when steam distillation first made it possible to remove the essential oils from plants. Since then, cultures around the world have used aromatherapy for a wide range of different functions. It is an amazing way to heal the body and mind.
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ART BRINGS OUT YOUR BEST SELF.
ART AS THERAPY
PAINTING Painting develops creativity and help heal in many ways. We use both sides of the brain in painting. The left side for our creative thoughts and visualization and the right side of our brain for lthe logical parts like how to organize the painting. Painting can strengthen the mind and release emotions much like poetry and creative writing. Through painting we are being expressive and creating and releasing hidden negative thoughts or positive thoughts that we keep hidden that can be very healing to our minds and bodies. The energy that can be stuck in our body is released and we have a freeing feeling. In that place healing happens. It also boosts the memory and sharpens our minds. It is an exercise for memory and concentration. Studies have shown that people eople who paint are less likely to develop dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. Painting can also take us away from the stresses of everyday life and can help relax the mind and body which is also very healing.
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POETRY Poetry has the power to heal. Expressing our thoughts and emotions into words can have a very healing affect on the mind and body. It is much like painting where it is releasing the negative and positive thoughts that we keep hidden. Letting go of this energy has very freeing and healing affects on our mind and body. There is a comfort in soothing words. Finding the words to express something traumatic can bring a healing relief to the mind and body. Finding the words to a beautiful event can enhance the beauty of that feeling. People a lot of times intutively are moved to write poetry in times of extreme emotion. The Chinese see poetry as an ancient art form that has a lot of sacred wisdom in it. The two characters for the word poem in Chinese means word and temple.
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CREATIVE WRITING Writing from your soul can heal you. Through the movement of mind and body in a creative way, stress and anxiety can be relieved, and other health benefits can be achieved as well. Writing has always been a form of therapy. For many years, people have used journals and other ways of writing to help themselves heal from trauma and stress. New studies have shown that expressing yourself through creative writing can also be beneficial in physical ways like helping patients with cancer and other diseases. It is said that by writing about our emotions and stress it can boost immune system. People can use writing to learn and understand their emotions which can be very healing and beneficial to the mind and body.
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COLLAGE We learn new things about ourselves through collage. Collage can teach us about our inner thoughts which can help us learn more about ourselves. Intutitive collage can go past beyond our censors which can help us discover our true selves, even our biggest fears and desires. Collage is a release of emotions. Thoughts in our subconscious can be release through creating a collage. It helps us see new parts of ourselves and personality that we have not seen yet or express. By seeing what we keep hidden we can help release it if it is negative or accept it within ourselves which can have a great healing affect. The images and colors that we use in collage can reveal more of our emotions than what we even say. We can feel imagery on emotional levels that can be hidden in what we say or don’t say.
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ART CAN HEAL ALL WOUNDS.
PSYCHOLOGICAL & PHYISOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF ART THERAPY
EFFECTS OF ART THERAPY There are many different types of art and modalities that can help you heal. There is a therapeutic effect that happens when we express our inner emotions through all types of art including painting, collage, poetry, creative writing, sculpture and others. The healing occurs when we express our inner most thoughts and emotions. We can also learn a lot about ourselves through finding out our inner thoughts that aren’t said throughout the day. We can reveal a lot about ourselves through the colors that we choose or the images that we create, even the words that we write. This can all help with healing our minds and bodies. Bringing things to the surface is how we heal ourselves. As they say our secrets are what can destroy and kill us. By releasing those secrets we can heal ourselves. Art therapy can help our emotional and physical well being. It can bring the unconscious to the conscious. Things that we didn’t know about ourselves can be brought to the surface. There are many studies where art therapy helped abuse victims, eating disorders, depression, emotional problems, addictions, grief and other issues. It has also helped in reducing anxiety, improving memory and concentration, and even pain control. It can help in problem solving, empathy and acceptance of life’s challenges. The benefits of art therapy are numerous.
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HEALING & SPIRITUALITY THROUGH ART • PSYCHOLOGICAL & PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF ART THERAPY
INDEX MANDALAS
07 - 08
LABYRINTHS
09 - 10
DREAMCATCHERS
11 - 12
PYRAMIDS
13 - 14
EYE OF HORUS
15 - 16
REIKI SYMBOLOGY
17 - 18
CHAKRAS
19 - 20
CHAKRAS CHART
21 - 22
TOTEM ANIMALS
23 - 24
SACRED GEOMETRY
29 - 30
MERKABA
31 - 32
FLOWER OF LIFE
33 - 34
SACRED GEOMETRY CHART
35 - 36
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HEALING & SPIRITUALITY THROUGH ART • INDEX
INDEX GOLDEN RATION
37 - 38
FOREST BATHING
43 - 44
CRYSTALS
45 - 46
FLOWERS
47 - 48
THE SUN
49 - 50
ANIMALS
51 - 52
THE OCEAN
53 - 54
HOW MUSIC HEALS
59 - 60
SOUND
61 - 62
DANCE & MOVEMENT
63 - 64
SONG & VIBRATION
65 - 66
VISUALIZATION
71 - 72
MEDITATION
73 - 74
HEALING & SPIRITUALITY THROUGH ART • INDEX 98
INDEX YOGA
75 - 76
AROMATHERAPY
77 - 78
PAINTING
83 - 84
POETRY
85 - 86
CREATIVE WRITING
87 - 88
COLLAGE
89 - 90
EFFECTS OF ART THERAPY
95 - 96
99
HEALING & SPIRITUALITY THROUGH ART • INDEX
BIBLIOGRAPHY Academy, Mindvalley. “The Powerful Benefits Of 12 Chakra Mantras.” Mindvalley Academy - Ultimate Personal Growth Online University, www.mindvalleyacademy.com/blog/spirit/chakra-mantra-benefits. “Guide To The Chakras For Beginners And Healing Practionners.” RSS2, www.chakras.info/. “ What is a Mandala?”, www.mandalaproject.org/What/Main.html. The Labyrinth Society: The Labyrinth Society: Learn about Labyrinths, labyrinthsociety.org/about-labyrinths. “Dreamcatcher.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 26 Nov. 2017, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dreamcatcher. “Healing Flowers - Gardening.” Mother Earth Living, www.motherearthliving.com/Gardening/Healing-Flowers. Legends of America, www.legendsofamerica.com/na-totems/. “What is Art Therapy? | What Does an Art Therapist Do?” Art Therapy, www.arttherapyblog.com/whatis-art-therapy/#.WiR2RUtrx0c. Sacred Geometry, Golden Ratio, Nature, Art, Music, Cosmology, Consciousness and Reality - Crystalinks, www.crystalinks.com/sg.html.
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