“There once was a harpist in Clare,
Whose music could lighten despair.
With a jig and a reel,
Her art helped to heal,
And banished the grief from the air.”
-Author unknown
This month is flush with festivities of the Celtic kind-parades, green beer, corned beef and limericks to name a few. Celebrations rooted in music and art can bring a much-needed reprieve to those who are dealing with grief & loss. Science (and history) suggests embracing these artistic outlets can not only help but heal emotional suffering. In this month’s Healing Hollow, we’ll take a closer look into the power of healing through the arts and explore our own healing journey through the creative outlets in our colorful community.
According to the American Psychiatric Association’s article, The Transformative Power of Music In Mental Well-Being, “…Whether we passively listen to our favorite songs or actively engage in music-making by singing or playing instruments, music can have a profound influence on our socio-emotional development and overall well-being”. Evoking emotion and power through music can be traced back to beginning of time. In Irish mythology for example, the magical ability of music is presented in three harp tunes, Goltrai (sadness), Geantrai (joy) and Suantrai (sleep/death), showcasing the fundamental ability music has to elicit healing and influence. On March 20th, Caramoor will present the world-class traditional Irish music quintet, Goitse, as part of their Rosen House Concert Series. Born from Limerick’s Irish World Academy, these five exceptional musicians have won hearts (and numerous awards) with their perfect blend of time-honored Irish tunes and their own fresh compositions. “This program reflects our ongoing commitment to presenting programs that represent the full diversity of the musical landscape, and to welcoming new communities to our venues to enjoy the many joys and benefits of experiencing live music in such a beautiful setting,” says Kathy Schuman, Caramoor artistic director.
Emotional healing powers are not only held in the musical keys. Art in any form can also prove prudent. The philosopher & author, Alain de Button, validates this claim and details his seven psychological functions of art in his book Art As Therapy (de Button & Armstrong). “Art can help us be more whole not only by expanding our capacity for positive emotions but also by helping us to fully inhabit and metabolize the negative-and by doing so with dignity and by reminding us of the legitimate place of sorrow in a good life”.
Monique Ford, artist & educator of the Older Adult Workshops at the Bethany Arts Community, shares a similar sentiment to the idea of embracing art in emotional healing, “Art can carry immense emotional weight in the healing process. Because life is always in flux, from the loss of loved ones, the ebb and flow of relationships, or career transitions, we are often thrown off balance. Carving out a sacred space for creation can return us to our authentic selves. It builds resilience and allows us to communicate through a visual language that transcends words”. But one doesn’t need to be artistically inclined to benefit from the cathartic nature of producing art. In fact, according to Ford, it’s better not to be: “it’s more than ok to not be naturally talented in all art forms, it’s almost better not to, we learn humility and have fun”.
If creating art is not in your repertoire yet, simply observing art, much like listening to music, can still summon a powerful emotional response as de Button states in his book: “The more difficult our lives, the more a graceful depiction of a flower might move us. The tears-if they come-are in response not to how sad the image is, but how pretty”.
Wherever you are in your grief journey there can be a creative lever to assist you in healing. Ford reminds us to “remember that everyone is different. Your needs will change as you heal, so allow your creative spaces to shift and grow right along with you”. If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, then art is in the soul of the griever.
