Timp pentru Sine/ Time for Self

Art-Therapy Exercises for Self

December is one of my favorite months of the year and a wonderful opportunity to take a break, step back and tune in to my inner self.  

The first month of winter can always be a good time for joy, renewal, and self-exploring. Here are three art-therapy exercises that I love to do at the end of the year, as an opportunity to reconnect to my true Self, see who I am right now, where I’ve been and how far I’ve come, and, finally, rediscover myself more creatively, through art.

1. Self as Journey

This is a Self-Portrait exercise that helps me explore my previous life experiences and how have they made who I am right now.

Materials:

Self as Journey is a collage activity so I use magazine pictures and words that catch my eyes, internet print outs, old books, wrapping paper, even my own photographs. I also bring into play glue sticks, any type of drawing paper, markers, pens and pencils, and stamps.

Procedure:

Quiet down, close your eyes and think about your present year and the experiences that have stayed with you. Ask yourself: how have these experiences changed you or enriched you. What wisdom have they brought into your life, what lessons have you learned? Take a few breathes and try to picture yourself in your mind’s eye as you are today, older but richer and wiser.

Open your eyes play your favorite music to get your creative juices going and start working on your self-portrait. 

When you’re done, you can give a title to your art-work.

2. Mail Art to Self

It’s never too late to give yourself a pat on your back, to tell yourself how proud you are of your achievements or even give you a wake-up call.

Stop and take a break!

You are brave, or you did fine!

Love and accept yourself exactly as you are!

This is the Mail Art to Self exercise and it’s your chance to be your best friend and lovingly tell you the things that you really need to know or hear.

You would need for this exercise a blank postcard or recycled cardboard that you can cut out in the shape of a postcard, post card stamps and any kind of drawing material.

Let your mind wander and as you prepare your drawing materials and ask yourself: What do I need to hear right now? What would my best friend tell me? What do I need to change? What do I need to do to be a better person?

Listen to your mind answering to you as you would listen to a loving friend. Then, start working on your postcard; add color and text until the message has come through. Send the postcard to yourself, then take some time to look at it and reflect on the message that you have sent to yourself.

3. Joyful Self

This is a self-care exercise that creates a visual memento of the things that bring you joy in your life.  It also reminds you that there is a time for work, but also a time for fun.

You can break this activity into two sessions.

At first, think about the things that make you happy. Choose an activity and do it. Then, come back to your art materials and create an art-piece that expresses how you felt when doing that thing.

You can use mixed media such as: drawing paper, pastels, watercolor crayons or oils. You can also add photos that you’ve taken during that activity. Once you have finished your art-work, you can frame it and display it in your room, as a a reminder of yourself having fun.

Take your time to do these self-care exercises, but remember, it’s not the finished product that is important, but the journey that gets you there.  

Have fun, enjoy yourself, and be open to where these exercises might take you.