For years we who cannot find the words to speak turn to clay, paints and other creative expressions to say what we need to say. Many of us need a whole new self-styled therapy to achieve well-being in a world gone mad for perfection. Many of us aren't honor students nor are our kids. We have to learn other ways of being articulate and uninhibited in our use of expression and language. Like adolescents who often have difficulty expressing themselves or talking about their emotions, art may be the only way they can communicate. All of us have to listen with our eyes. The above picture Day of the Gods by Gauguin can be a healer to many of us if we just listen and appreciate what it is the artist is trying to tell us. 

Mother nature is always sitting amidst us weaving new stories and new ideas into our heads. We just need to go out into the world and commence communicating.  We can draw stick figures, or a picture of a pet taking a walk in the woods, beach or park. We can also climb a mountain with a pen or explore an ocean with a drawing of a boat. We can sculpt clay into figures, paint oils, draw, cook, picnic or just sit under a welcoming tree and use a branch to draw pictures in the ground. This is called spontaneous art. It is the process, not the product, that is important. 

For all you non-artists out there, despite my ability to sculpt clay and weave words together adequately, I consider myself a non-artist, too. I just had to turn my mind off and let my hands do their own thing when sculpting clay. I have to shut the world out to let my words dance. If I can grow by turning control over to the unknown, anyone can. Art Therapy gives me the will to get up out of bed and try new things. I don't always succeed but when I do it is like magic and I feel special.  

Mother Nature, God and our inner spirit are all happy when we're swimming in her ocean's blue or visiting natural rock parks or gardens - for real or just in our mind's eyes. We can connect with the planet with a pen or a few crayons. Adventure and challenge are the best of healers when we are sad, il and/or bored. Words are healers so I guess poets and authors like us are useful and a part of the whole scheme of things. Smiling can be the easiest of all healers. They come natural, fast and are so contagious. There is a lot of smile about when your mind is on art therapy.