Is it all about pottery or therapy?

After much time and consideration my pottery client decided to share these humbling pictuers with me. They are powerful strong statement of loss and greif. A right of passage that we will all have to face at some point in our life’s.

I wanted to write a bloggette all about why pottery is so good for your mind and soul…..

They say nothing prepares you for the loss of a parent. It turns your life upside down and leaves you all out at sea with no anchor, or light house to guide you.

My pottery lady lost her parents during the COVID pandemic. Sensing the depth of her grief I didn’t ask any further questions other than suggest ways in which she could executed her ideas. I think what troubled her most was the idea that others may think her plans silly. I explained that we are all on our own creative journeys and what a lovely epitaph this was for her parents.

This experience made me wonder how close being creative is to therapy. When people come to see me for their pottery lessons, especially those who have young children or parents to care for, or demanding careers. Taking 2 hours out for yourself being creative is a very luxurious and indulgent thing to do. It’s also the right thing to do. It’s good to feed your soul. Personally I think if you are kind to yourself, then you can be the best version of yourself for your love ones and others around you.

I think the tactile experience of pottery can be meditative in nature and invite a deep sense of relaxation and well-being. Scientists have noted that your heart rate and blood pressure lowers, your breathing regulates, and your stress level naturally sinks as your mind and body become enveloped while be creative.

I also think the artistic creation is a profoundly human endeavour. It allows people to find expression and be able to communicate on another level since the beginning of man’s history.

In recent years the medical community has recognised the transformative potential of the Arts and Crafts. Art therapy is now widely accepted and used in mental health treatment programmes.

Personally I find the repetitive motions of moulding, shaping can sooth the mind -allowing you to leave your everyday thoughts behind.  Working on the wheel demands your attention, I try so hard not to have wobbly pots, and this silences the chattering of my mind. Everything around me subsides, and you truly forget about everything, except for truly being in the moment with the clay in your hands. It allows you to step out of yourself and devote your energies to something new. This is now so widely accepted as being mindful and in the moment. This notion has great restorative powers. It therapeutic qualities can sooth our hearts and minds. I find that my pottery classes are a much needed reprieve for my students. Further to this learning how to make new things and new skills improves one’s self-esteem. It can enhance your confidence and give a sense of purpose.