5 Senses of Artistic Nature
Each of our senses should have an art form that can alter our mood; for better or for worse.
"Emotion makes us human. Denying them makes us beasts."
-Victoria Klein
Art is the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination that produces works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power. Letting art affect you can release a run of emotions you have bottled up inside; whether its listening to "Sweet Caroline" by Neil Diamond or watching the first 10 minutes of Disney/Pixar's "UP".
When we hear the word "Art", we immediately think of a painting or a sketch of some sort; but it's SO much bigger than that! Let's walk through a few (Yes, only a FEW...) areas of art that you can use to affect you emotionally and enhance your life! For your convenience I've broken it down into five familiar categories...
A Sight for Sore Eyes
Eyes; the windows to the soul and your imaginations playground! There's plenty that affect you in in visual art: Art Pieces... Books... Magic Shows... TELEVISION!
Physical Art
Who hasn't seen the Mona Lisa? Or Starry Night? From the earliest cave drawings we have found ways to portray stories and inflict a feeling of being immersed into a narrative, feeling like we become apart of the story the more we delve into it. Painting and sculpting are the most common when people think of art; and that's because it might be the easiest for us to do when we're novices. While there can be techniques and much more complicated methods to creating this kind of work of art, when you make something and put your whole heart into it, there is a piece that no one else can do the exact same, because you are unique, you are special, you are you; and no one can do it the way you can, because they aren't you.
Books and Literature
Reading a book, when you think about it, is really just staring at a piece of dead wood and hallucinating; beautiful in it's own way... When writing a story or poetry your mind wanders, and it's captured on the page in that amazing way so peoples mind tries to align with yours; its one persons imagination taking another's on an epic and emotional journey.
Magic Shows and Illusions
People are attracted to things that cannot be explained logically, and magic makes us feel comfortable, reminds us of our own innocence, and we love the feeling of wonder and amazement when our eyes play tricks on us. Going to shows or watching optical illusions dazzle our minds into a trick that could have a simple explanation, but without the knowledge of how it's being done that magic comes alive because for a split second we see the impossible spring into existence, and we plant a seed in our mind that says "Anything could be Possible". Read More Here
Television (And Internet Videos)
Anyone who grew up with a television set (Or an internet connection to modernize) has some sort of show or program they tuned into every week, that gave them a feeling of comfort and a sense of belonging. That's where the sense of nostalgia comes from; when you forget about a great show until it shows up on Netflix again and suddenly you're up for the next twelve hours staring into your childhood, feeling like a kid again with that sense of wonder and curiosity.
Now a days its exceedingly simple to create our own stories and film our own fictional worlds, Immortalizing ourselves on the internet; so what's stopping you? We've found the Fountain of Youth! Go Drink!
Good Enough to Eat
Sure, making food look good or fancy definitely requires talent, but making food taste amazing, that can be arduous. Making something you can't see, I mean, just imagine painting with your eyes closed; unless you know where your paints are, what they look like, what the colors will look like once they're blended together, then you might just get a big gray blob. (No one wants to eat that)
If you've ever watched Disney/Pixar's "Ratatouille" then you might get it; two distinct flavors might taste exquisite on their own, but mix them together and get a whole new flavor!
Chefs all around the world spend their lives studying food, hoping they'll crack the next ground-breaking dish that will immortalize them in the history books.
And then there's nutrition; that crazy food pyramid we all love... As we all know, food that tastes good and food that's good for you are often not the same. (Although my siblings are trying veganism, and I gotta say some of that looks quite delectable)
The thing to try with food is experimentation; work with a variety of ingredients to make something new! I was only about 8 I think when I came up with the "Honey & Cheese Sandwich". Simple, but oh so tasty... The sharp taste of cheese layered with the smooth golden taste of honey... Mmmm....... I'll be right back...
Music to my Ears
"Art is how we decorate Space; Music is how we decorate Time."
Ah Music... the binding of communities, the link between races and genders, it could be argued that the very essence of our soul can be spoken into a beautiful composition that would make you weep for a lifetime.
The think about music is that it's honest;
they make your emotions tangible and that's why we can feel such a connection! We sympathize with the words and the tone the song speaks to us, and when we can emphasize that... That's when a song can feel like it's hit home.
Now music isn't the only auditory art form; there's foley, white noise and my personal favorite: COMEDY; but that can get me on a tangent and I don't want to get into that right now... Let's get back to music.
Musical Therapy is a deeply complicated study, but that shouldn't stop you from using it to your advantage! Just know the basics... Then music can improve your health in tons of areas! (physical, emotional, mental, social, aesthetic, and spiritual)
Music therapy comes in two different forms: active and receptive.
Active therapy:
The therapist and patient actively participate in creating music with instruments, their voice, or other objects. This allows for the patient to be creative and expressive through the art of music. I find the best way to do this on your own is to pick up an instrument that interests you and learn a few things! Be it piano, guitar or saxophone, just one song to start; and anyone can play any instrument at any age, don't let anyone else tell you any different. I'm a big fan of Steven Universe and my brother plays the ukulele; so I went out and bought a basic starter Kala Concert Ukulele. (Mahogany wood, paneled and with stainless steel frets since I wanted to play it outside sometimes)
Just teaching myself a few things from YouTube feels great! Now some of the songs require picking which feels pretty advanced for me at this point, but I know most of the Major chords which are all you need for like, 70% of the songs out there!
Writing your own is a bit tricky, but if you can figure out that magic 4-Chord Progression (I–V–vi–IV, eg. in the key of C major, this would be: C–G–Am–F) then you're all good to start!
Receptive therapy:
Usually takes place in a more relaxed setting where the therapist plays or makes music to the patient who is free to draw, listen or meditate. This is my favorite of the two; it's easy to make a playlist in this day and age! I make a few playlists with my YouTube channel and add music that I feel affects me in a certain way and listen to it when I want to feel that kind of emotion. Like basic emotions (Glad, Sad, Mad) or if you feel lazy and want some energizing music to get your productive juices flowing; even if you're just tired!
Some people get too engrossed to the rhythm so music actually keeps them up, but instrumentals work great for them. The best I've heard so far is "Weightless" by Marconi Union;
They don't have many patterns the brain tries to anticipate, and features guitar, piano and manipulated field recordings. It is punctuated throughout by low tones that supposedly induce a trance-like state.
If you're looking for a bunch of pre-made playlists then I'd recommend using "8Tracks". (No, not the magnetic tape cartridges from the 60's) My best friend in high-school introduced it to me; its a website where anyone can create their own playlist to share with the world, or listen for free to perfect music for any taste, time and place. Really helps you to discover new and mood-altering music!
Music is a delicate art that anyone can participate in; what makes it art is that not everyone's going to enjoy it, but for some people it can literally be life changing.
Remember; There's music out there for EVERY occasion!
Feel the Burn
Ancient monks have been publicized as reaching enlightenment, using intense physical practices and mastery over the connection between the mind and body. Martial arts are also something that they've been known to excel in and it's all in the dedication and years of practice to produce something so powerful, so strong, and so elegant.
Massages also is something worth mentioning as (Reflexology, aka zone therapy), is an alternative medicine involving application of pressure to the feet and hands with specific thumb, finger, and hand techniques without the use of oil or lotion. Nothing is medically proven to assist, but according to reflexology massaging the areas below can't impact your bodies overall health. (Keep in mind if you are having any severe difficulties in ANY area of your body to consult a medical professional IMMEDIATELY.)
The Head - The tips of the toes are directly connected to the head and the brain. If you massage the bottoms of the toes then it can help with relieving headaches, and can have a positive effect on your overall brain health. (Including increased brain stimulation.)
The Eyes - Avoiding things like vision trouble, soreness, redness, and pain. Massaging or applying pressure to the area of the foot that is right below the second and third toes is known to benefit those suffering from eye troubles.
The Small Intestine - The area between the heel and the ball of the foot can help with improved digestion and a healthier intestinal tract. (Helpful if you're one who suffers from severe gas or indigestion!)
The Lungs - The lungs are said to be directly connected to the middle area of the balls of the feet. This can improve asthma or overall lung health.
The Lower Back - Affecting the sciatic nerve and lower back is a delicate process, but can assist people who suffer from sciatica or chronic lower back pain by massaging the heels.
The Neck - Neck aches can be helped by focusing on the area just below the big toe.
The Knees - The outside portion of each heel has a direct correlation to the knees and can give relief for knee soreness or chronic knee pain.
The Stomach - Most pains can be fixed by making dietary adjustments, however you can improve your digestive health by massaging the inside areas just below the balls of the feet. Similar to the small intestine area, this can be good for indigestion, bloating, or gas.
The Thyroid - Simply massage the inside portion of the balls of the feet in order to experience the maximum benefit for your thyroid.
The Liver - Specialist vary on this area, while some report that the middle outside of the right foot is best, others say that the middle outside of both feet will work. Keep this in mind if you are a regular guest of the sauce.
A Rose by any other Name...
What matters is what something is, not what it is called. The art of smell is a unique area and takes a good sniffer to put together a piece of art solely for peoples noses to experience. (And this doesn't include your uncles crude behind no matter what he says...)
Another brilliant invention/artwork that you've likely never seen, but experienced nonetheless, is the "Smellitzer". Invented at Walt Disney World by Imagineer Bob McCarthy the small vents are used to launch smells and create scented scenes at a few Disneyland Resort attractions, including Soarin' & Heimlich's Chew-Chew; as well as many of the shops on Main Street. (Do I smell Candy?)
Similar inventions have been popping up as some theme parks offer a "4-D Movie Experience" where the viewer can experience every jump, fall, spray, and of course, smell.
It's important to remember that art can come in millions of different forms from billions of artists, from the beautiful brushstrokes of a Van Gogh, to the crimson streaks on a golden sunrise.
Thanks for reading,
-Jimmy
