Art as therapy
Emotional and mental health
By: Eréndira G. Astivia Dueñas, Coordinadora de Cultura Colegio Celta Internacional
“De músico, poeta y loco, todos tenemos un poco» Refrán del dominio popular
At least I think so, because those skills flourish in the fertile field when we are children and little by little they become numb as we must align them to fit in the world of adults. A world where giving free rein to joy and emotions is not very well seen.
But how can one not dream of being a musician to bring the sound of freedom and the harmony of calm? How can we not pretend to be a poet and fill the current reality with metaphorical shapes and colors? How can you not wish to be crazy and dare to do different things and forbid yourself to fall into discouragement, infecting others with the joy of that madness?
I have asked myself over the course of these months and I have found that it is precisely that creative madness, that being an artist, that has sustained me along with millions in the world. It is that desire to connect with what is essential, and what is essential is in the artist that we all keep asleep within us. Art reconnects you with what for most has been its fullest stage: childhood, where no matter what happened, a piece of paper and a color, a doll, a rhythmic movement or a pleasant sound allowed you a moment of peace.
It was already known that Art is a therapy and it has been used professionally to treat emotional and mental conditions for a long time, but for us “normals” art was something secondary until we discovered that its undoubted connection with emotions and with the unsaid, it has allowed us to hold on and remain sane in these times of crisis.
Art, after the doctors, was a solace for this pandemic allowing us to unite through music.
And escape to other worlds…
“La cultura no es una actividad de tiempo libre, es lo que nos hace libres todo el tiempo” Luisa Etxenike
Because it allows us to pause stress, meet our inner child, question our now and be proactive about the future. Art and creativity are twin brothers and that is why I invite you to start or continue with artistic practice, discover how wonderful it is to play with color, rhythm, form and oral expression, reconnect not only with your child internally, but with your children, through play, because they will discover that Art is a fantastic game that will allow them to listen and be heard on a common ground to those who today, faced with what we are experiencing, require more than ever to be in communication with you in a profound way and believe me, Art is your best ally.
They say that art comes in gift boxes, because through it we share a space to talk about our emotions, to share and understand each other with freedom, with love and with a little madness. Participate in the All Access Boars and, with the help of our teachers, reinvent yourself for you and your family.
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Danza terapia
BBV Arte