Intuitive Painting for Health

Like so many people living in modern society, I deal with stress on a daily basis. The stress may be from work, or lack there of, depending upon the day. It may be due to family commitments, the political air that pervades our lives, or financial struggles. Regardless of the reason for the stress, it is imperative that we understand the negative impact continued uncontrolled stress has on our lives and that we learn how to deal with it.

Stress is connected to negative health outcomes and mental health issues. Chronic stress is connected to coronary disease, chronic pain issues like fibromyalgia, headaches, memory loss, and increased anxiety levels. Continued heightened levels of stress increase the probability of negative health issues. However, we often find that we can't simply leave a stressful situation. When this is the case, we have to find ways to help us control our stress.

One of the ways I have learned to control my stress is through creativity. Historically, I have used writing to process my thoughts. However, I have recently found release in intuitive painting.

What you might ask is intuitive painting. Well, it is exactly what it sounds like it is. When you paint intuitively, you give over control to your subconscious mind. Rather than sitting down with a pencil to sketch in a specific scene or image, one simply begins to paint. In this way, one is free to enjoy the process of painting and not focus on the imperfections of the ideal image. I find that I enjoy creating paintings while watching the process. I find that I know that a painting is complete when I stop feeling the desire to add more color, or play with the texture of the piece.

When I am doing an intuitive painting, I find that I enjoy the feel of the brush. I love the shapes that the pallet knife creates as it drags the paint across the canvas, and I love the colors that appear. I find that I enjoy the surprise of what erupts upon the page. I allow myself to use my fingers, new tools, and combine mediums in a way I never have before.

The end result of spending a few hours painting intuitively is that I have a creation that flowed from my feelings. I find that I accept these pieces in a way I can't accept preconceived paintings. I find that my inner critic isn't engaged, and that I can simply enjoy the expression of my inner self. I have also found that, I become grounded.

When I begin painting in a bad mood, I find that my mood will lift after a short period of time. I find that I become more peaceful, and I find that continued intuitive painting has improved my memory, helped me to reduce anxiety, and improved my sleep. The improved sleep, in turn, improves the pain levels I experience due to my fibromyalgia.

Intuitive painting helps reduce chronic stress. By practicing stress reduction like intuitive painting, we can reduce the negative impacts of stress in our lives even when we can't get rid of the stress itself. By including practices like intuitive painting in our lives, we can effectively improve our physical and mental health. We can control our moods and improve our overall well-being by adding stress reducing activities to our lives.