Wood-carve Your Emotions and Release the Stress
As simple as that, but busy time and complicated lifestyles can make us forget some basics. One of those is using our hands and making things for ourselves, for others.
Just like that.
What is very common in psychotherapy is trying to find those basics for ourselves and make them work for us.
As it was mentioned, we often forget that our hands have almost holy use – to make things. It is in our nature to create, be creative, to make, do and it is very understandable why arts became popular since the 50s as therapeutic tools. Art therapy was developed as a new discipline based on findings that any type of art can be helpful in treating mental illnesses.
This text will be specifically oriented to woodworking and woodcarving as types of arts helping the healing process.
The study done by Graeme Hamilton, A phenomenological study of the therapeutic benefits of Woodcarving showed several areas were people who were examined emphasized that processing wood can be beneficial during the recovery period and also after it.
Wood processing is an artistic endeavor that helps you connect with nature and ancient customs people had. The study showed that woodworking has a therapeutic purpose since creating wood, just like creating any other art, which many consider as a cathartic experience.
When it comes to living, it has been noticed that people with some mental illness can hardly merge with reality and put the things together in daily routines and activities. What participants of the study witnessed is the rise of awareness of every moment during the wood carving process. Merging action and awareness, as described, is helpful to show the right focus and it can easily be transferred to everyday life.
Woodworking is a sort of a meditation. It is not a simple hobby or job, and it requires focus and constant presence. Like meditation, it allows us to sail into a whole new world and distance from our problems. High concentration while processing wood and a lot of joint experiences are helping to define the woodworking as a mindfulness activity.
Many participants of the study found that woodworking is relaxing and joyful activity. Its outcome can be seen very fast and brings pleasure and satisfaction since the achievement is visible and shareable.
The most important characteristics of woodworking that was emphasized are healing and therapeutic capacity. Going back to the activity itself, it can easily be concluded that the efforts done, then hand involvements and also occupied thoughts are a sort of a healing process that leads to a happy ending, but with a winding road to it.
Nevertheless, the best ideas will be forgotten, unless they are transformed into an activity or a piece.
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