The artwork of conscious writing: Calligraphy nurtures psychological wellness

Amid the stress of juggling college, extracurriculars and relationships, a maybe stunning — however scientifically endorsed — outlet is calligraphy, an artwork that may stimulate the mind and enhance cognitive operate.

Calligraphy is the visible artwork of handwriting with both a pen, ink brush or different utensil and requires deal with not simply what you’re writing, however how you might be writing. “It connects your thoughts along with your physique, with the precise second,” artist and calligrapher Ann Miller ’64 mentioned. “If you happen to press too arduous, you undergo the paper. If you happen to load the pen an excessive amount of, it flows over, until you’re taking sure steps. So there’s all these items about the way to deal with actuality and your individual physique on the identical time.”

College students that wrestle with anxiousness can use calligraphy as a approach to escape, and to deal with one thing that requires dwelling within the second. “Writing characters utilizing brush and ink in a quiet area whereas smelling ink and feeling the feel of particular paper will give [students] time and area to decelerate, be away from busy life and simply deal with their thoughts,” Japanese language professor Momoe Saito Fu mentioned. “I consider, on this sense, calligraphy might have a self-discipline impact in addition to bettering psychological well being.” 

“You form of overlook all these sorts of competitors,” Chinese language calligraphy professor Huazhi Wang mentioned. “You overlook that form of lacking out… and also you begin to focus on one thing peaceable, inventive and exquisite.” 

Fu has noticed the constructive impression calligraphy can maintain on college students’ lives firsthand. “I’ve observed that the majority college students attended all of the lessons, and so they talked about that they had been wanting ahead to coming to this class each week,” Fu mentioned. “College students appear to easily get pleasure from calligraphy as a result of it’s not a compulsory class. They take it out of their curiosity and for true pleasure.” 

This pleasure can transcend past the classroom, offering an area for calligraphers to specific their ideas and emotions on paper. “I’ve at all times appreciated to speak and clarify issues, and never everybody likes to have a talker round. I wish to get my ideas on the web page, and simply placing the nice ideas collectively, no matter they’re, is satisfying. It’s personally satisfying to get your written voice going and discover locations to place it,” mentioned Miller. 

Wang echoed Miller — “While you observe calligraphy, it’s type of like meditation,” she mentioned. “Everyone knows the good thing about meditation to our bodily and psychological well being, proper? So I feel the direct profit for psychological well being is that it’s a type of meditation. And likewise, in a manner, it’s a diversion out of your on a regular basis very intense work and learning duties.”