Let art elevate your consciousness
All art is beautiful, but it can also be therapeutic. Our ability to observe, contemplate and appreciate art stimulates the pleasure centres of the brain and elevates the state of our consciousness. The positivity that emanates from great art can improve our emotional health, and help us achieve a more centred existence.
A painting may have originated from an artist’s mind. But what can elevate the artwork to greatness is the viewer’s perception of it. We are as much a part of the process as the artist is. Viewers’ imagination, based on their experiences, informs their interpretation of the artwork, giving it more depth and meaning than what the artist had perhaps thought of. Art has the ability to make us think and feel. It can take us on a journey into our past, or introduce us to new worlds beyond our imagination.
As children, our lack of inhibitions allow us to freely express our feelings through art, invoking within us unbridled joy. As we grow, so do our inhibitions and our fear of judgement. But even as we age, the power of a brushstroke does not diminish. It awakens our pleasure centres, and takes us back to the childhood innocence, when the pressures of daily existence were never felt. Creating art, therefore, can be a truly therapeutic experience for an individual or even a community, bringing with it feelings of peace and understanding.
History has shown us how art can inspire people. Movements such as the Renaissance are a perfect example of this. Modern science has confirmed this belief, and shown us how art can affect the physiology of the brain. It can guide us to a more spiritual path – bring us one step closer to the divine. All we have to do is be open to this form of expression and our consciousness will follow.