Healing Through Art & How Creativity Nurtures My Nervous System

There was a time when I thought creativity was a luxury, something to do once all the “real” work was done. But over the years, I’ve come to understand that art itself is the medicine, it’s something that heals me.

When I sit down to thread a mala, embroider or draw, my breath naturally slows. My body softens. My mind begins to quieten. Each stitch, each gemstone I choose, becomes a conversation between my hands and my heart, a way of soothing my nervous system and returning to the truth of who I am.

As a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP), I’ve learned that my system processes the world more deeply than most. Beauty, sound, texture, energy….. I feel it all. And while that sensitivity can feel overwhelming in a fast-paced world, creativity has become my sanctuary. The rhythmic, tactile process of making art grounds me in the present moment. It’s meditation in motion. A slow exhale back to safety.

Art regulates my nervous system because it engages the body, the senses, and the soul all at once. Science supports this too, creative flow activates the parasympathetic nervous system (the body’s natural rest and digest state) reducing cortisol (the stress hormone) and increasing feelings of calm and connection.

In a world that constantly pulls us outward, art brings us home.

When I create, I remember that healing doesn’t have to be forceful or linear. It can be gentle. It can be beautiful. It can happen quietly through touch, colour, movement, and form, through hands that carry memory, emotion, and prayer.

Art is my medicine.
And perhaps, it can be yours too..

Hand Crafted Meditation Mala