Friday Musings—03/11/23

If you haven't read it yet, in this week's post I share a few of the lessons I've learned from my yoga practice so far, on and off the mat. Yoga has been instrumental in my eating disorder recovery journey, and it's still an important tool in my ongoing self-discovery journey.

Equally important now for my personal development are my theater classes. This year, I opted for a more intense acting course, and I'm amazed at how magical and cathartic it can be to come together and create some art (or at least try!). So my musings this week revolve around some of the functions art can play in our lives.

Art for mental health

I loved this article on The Adamant, a floating daycare center where Parisians dealing with mental health issues can go make art, engage in group activities such as cooking or the film club, and feel alive again. Additionally, being on the river, people can also benefit from the blue mind effect.

I think this piece resonated deeply also because it brought to mind my experience at a psychiatric ward in Dublin five years ago. I spent a month there to catch a break from an especially bad spell of my eating disorders and work more closely with a dietitian. Most of the other patients were heavily medicated, and many told me they didn't like feeling tired and sedated the whole time, and that they felt useless (I'm not going to go into a debate now on whether patients are being overmedicated). I remember feeling sad every time I walked past the common room and would see them just sitting there watching TV all day long. However, when we had art therapy or occupational therapy, you could see a twinkle in their eyes, and they seemed to genuinely enjoy taking part in those activities. They came alive again.

After my stay at the hospital, I briefly joined an association where people with mental health issues could meet to create homemade jewelry. The association was run by lovely volunteers who really did their best to make everyone feel important and cared for. I moved back to Italy shortly after, but can wholeheartedly attest to the importance of places like that or like the one in Paris.

Art as shared humanity

Another article that has touched me recently discusses how art has the power of making human suffering visible and felt in a way that no other media or discourse can. Among the constant deluge of daily horrible headlines of war and other tragic events we have all become desensitized to (I mean, we have to detach to some degree, if we want to stay sane), art has the unique ability to touch our souls and speak to our shared humanity.

Writing in a time of war

A beautiful piece on how writers in Ukraine are dealing with the loss, the complex emotions and the ongoing trauma engendered by the war. While not possessing the immediacy and visual power that other artistic works display, books too offer a way to go beyond our own daily realities and feel more connected to our fellow human beings.

Quote of the week ✍️

"Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life". (Pablo Picasso)

That's all from me today. As always, share any insights or questions you may have in the comments, or send me an email—I'm always happy to chat. You can also book a free call with me to talk about personal development and where you're at in your life. Please don't forget to share this with someone who may be interested.

Enjoy your weekend and TTYS

ML