Art is part of human activity within the diverse range of human activities. In this activity one uses imaginations, skill and creativity to express ideas emotions and concepts. It naturally serves to evoke aesthetic, emotional, and intellectual responses. Actually it ranges from visual forms like painting and sculpture to auditory and performance based works. It affects the society in general and also it is affected by each and every one individually. It is also interesting to note that art evolves historically, often challenging definitions by re-contextualizing everyday objects.
Art is often a medium for communicating personal visions, feelings, or experiences. It also involves technical proficiency in creating a work. Art is consciously created, with the intent of the artist and it is composed of elements like line, shape, form, colour, and space. It reflects the cultural, social, and historical context of its creation. So art affects and is affected. It also points to the inner life of us and goes deep in to the inner recesses of our life. Here arises the question whether art and spiritual nature are related. Currently art and its diverse forms are used commercially and for integral wellbeing. Art and art forms are used for cure. It is the result of the in-depth knowledge of the psycho-somatic connections. Spiritually-oriented art and stability of the person are also now in the search. These involvements are based on using the medium of art and its creative processes. Art as a medium is used with a holistic and spiritual approach that aims to enable people who are in fragmented states. The aim is to achieve integrity, unity, harmony, and balance by taking all the mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual dimensions of human nature into account.
God is eternal beauty. Human aesthetic sense is the revelation of the Eternal Beauty inherent in us. Art is considered intrinsically spiritual by many artists, because it is the expression of the eternal beauty inherent in each one of us. So the use of art in the promotion of faith in God and spiritual growth are to be well-thought-out. Reviewing the emergence of spiritually-oriented art interventions and their mechanisms of change for seeing how they enable holistic transformation and integral growth is important. Art and art forms when they are spiritually oriented could be a means of self-realization, transcendence, meaning-making and searching for a purpose. It will lead to achieve integrity through the holistic wellbeing procedure.
There are various modalities through which art is created and analysed. Some of them are dance, theatre, singing, artwork, visual art, sculpture, and writing. Art is turning out to be the most widely used form of self-expression, as through it an individual can express his/her emotions and feelings and even communicate with the viewer. Art holds a certain beauty to it as it transcends language barriers. The artist’s and viewer’s interpretation of the art can be whatever they want it to be. One of the new findings are that art is a healer; ‘when the soul is in need, art presents itself as a resourceful healer’. Art helps one to be aware of oneself and express oneself. Only when one can look into his/her own heart their visions become clear… “Who looks out the window dreams, who looks in the mirror awakens”: these words of Carl Yung becomes noteworthy because art is the medium of self-awareness and self-expression.
Art is spiritual. The art when it is handled properly provides a safe and supportive environment where one can freely express himself and connect with his spiritual self. It utilizes a selection of art forms, such as Installation art, drawing, sketching, and a theme to help individuals to express the emotions. Expressive arts carry and help to bring out our inoperative creativities. It is a means to access our hidden selves. In the same manner, music (playing and composing music, singing, talking about music and using guided mental imagery with music) also heals and elevates one’s heart and mind towards the celestial. Music is also used as a form of meditation to achieve a state of relaxation and inner peace. Some type of music (New Age, classical, and ambient music) have been specifically designed to encourage a meditative state and promote feelings of tranquillity and calmness. Mind becomes free and light weighted. Music can help individuals to cultivate a deeper sense of spirituality and sense of the Divine. Performing arts like Dance, theatre, acting, role-playing, inventiveness, support individuals in expressing themselves and enhancing their psychological and physiological well-being.
Miriam Berger, an experimentalist in the performing art said: “You can change your internal state through external movement”. Art presentations help individuals to explore their emotions and experiences; gain self-confidence, and learn new problem-solving skills. It also helps the audience who watch the art forms and performing arts, to think of the realities of life and also to think over the social impacts. It can lead to social change and reforms. Church and Temple arts can incorporate symbolic and ritualistic practices to help individuals connect with their spirituality. The value of art in spiritual healing and mental and physical wellbeing are to be explored more. The psychosomatic impact of various types of art are to be analysed more in the secular and religious aspects. It is good not to relate these aspects with religion and religious practises. Spirituality and inner healing processes are depending on individuals and is personal. Let particular experiments and investigations be done in this level to help individuals to find meaning, peace, and purpose in their lives and dive deep into their spiritual potential. Spirituality can be well thought-out with a dimension of art since it can provide the individual with a deeper level of understanding to explore and connect with his or her own spiritual beliefs, values and practices. More experiments and promotion are to be made in this field. Practice of art forms with a deep sense of spirituality can enable transformation and peace of mind.
