Throughout history, people have turned to art to help them express their feelings and emotions. This is no different when it comes to working through and processing the grief of losing a loved one. These feelings may be intense, and you may not be sure how to handle them Through mediums such as painting, sculpture, drawing, photography, and more, people have gained many benefits. As directors of funeral homes in Thornton, CO., we understand how important is to handle your grief in a healthy way.
Benefits of Using Art to Cope with Grief
Other than letting your mind focus on something else and giving it a much-needed break from focusing on your loss, art provides several other benefits. One of the benefits creating provides is a sense of control. When you lose someone close to you, your whole world can feel out-of-sorts and out of control. Having an activity that is in your control can bring a little steadiness back into your life.
Another way art can help is to help get you in your “flow state”. This is when you are so immersed in an activity that you forget out everything else and achieve a sense of calmness. It is almost as if time stands still and feels very similar to when people sit and meditate. Your heart rate and stress levels lower and you simply feel “at the moment”.
How to Get Started
The good thing about using art to help cope with grief is that you don’t have to be an expert or even have ever tried anything artistic in the past. Anybody can do this. Here are some tips to get you started:
- Decide the medium – If you feel you want a peaceful, calm activity maybe select a mandala coloring book where you can sit quietly and color. If you are feeling more heightened emotions perhaps choose a big canvas and paint while standing or break tiles to create a mosaic.
- Gather supplies – Get everything you need and have it ready to go. This will help you stay in the moment once you get started and not interrupt your flow to go and find something you forgot.
- Let go of judgment – Take a deep breath and just start. Let go of any judgment or expectations and just let
whatever comes up happen. This isn’t a piece of art you are trying to impress anyone with or win an award for, this piece is for you and you only. - Try different mediums – Don’t feel like you have to stick to just one medium. Give yourself permission to try several and see which one or ones you like and connect with the most.
Final Thoughts
As directors of funeral homes in Thornton, CO. we understand how important it is to handle your grief in a healthy way. While art may be a wonderful outlet for some, others may handle their grief better in other ways such as working out or journaling. If you would like more resources on grief support please reach out to us anytime as we are always here and available to help.
