Nourish Your Soul: Why Art is Essential for Your Wellbeing
I once saw a simple cartoon that has stuck with me for years. It just said,
“The Earth without Art is just… Eh.”
It’s a clever pun, but it also holds a profound truth. We are often so focused on the doing of life—our work, our schedules, our responsibilities—that we forget the vital importance of the things that make life truly rich and meaningful.
In our drive to be productive, we can't be all work and no play. Art, in all its forms, is the antidote to "Eh." It is the vital nourishment for our emotional and spiritual health.
Art as a Mirror to Our Experience
Art is what lifts us, inspires us, and connects us to something greater than our own to-do lists. It has a unique ability to take us on a journey, offering us a new perspective, a moment of beauty, or a shared sense of humanity.
Its power doesn't just lie in beauty. Art can be, and often should be, confronting and triggering. It can be beautiful or dark. A piece of art that makes us uncomfortable, that challenges our beliefs or brings up a difficult emotion, is doing something incredibly important. It's making us feel. It's asking us to pay attention, to process, and to grow.
The Science: Art and Your Nervous System
From a holistic health perspective, engaging with art is not a frivolous pastime; it's a critical tool for regulating our nervous system.
Our modern "all work" culture can easily lock us into a state of chronic stress, or "fight or flight." When we are in this state, our thinking narrows, our muscles tense, and our bodies are on high alert.
Engaging with art is a powerful way to shift us back into the "rest and digest" (parasympathetic) state.
When you're truly absorbed in a song, your heart rate can synchronise with the rhythm.
When you're lost in a visual painting, your mind stops its frantic loop of worries and becomes present.
When you're captivated by a performance or a good story, you are giving your brain a necessary rest from its usual anxieties.
This "pause" is essential. It's in this state of calm appreciation that our bodies can heal, our minds can find clarity, and our creativity can flourish.
What Art Do You Appreciate?
When I say "art," I don't just mean a painting in a silent museum. Art is all around us, and it's vital that we find the forms that speak to us.
Visual: A stunning photograph, a beautiful building, the way the light hits the sea at sunset.
Audio: This is a big one for many of us. It's music that makes you want to dance or fills you with peace. It's a compelling podcast or the sound of the Tūī on a summer morning.
Performance: This can be the joy of the theatre, a live concert, or even a deeply engaging movie or TV series that makes you laugh, cry, and think.
Taking time to appreciate these things is important. It's the "play" that balances the "work." It's the reminder that life is not just about surviving, but about thriving. It's what brings hope and colour to our world.
So, I'd love to ask you: What art do you enjoy or appreciate? What is one thing you can watch, listen to, or see this week that will help you reconnect with that essential, joyful part of yourself?