Creative artistic activities allow the expression of a unique vision and perspective to make something original. Creativity is a way of discovering, exploring, imagining, envisioning, thinking. It can be found in all facets of life, but we usually associate it with the arts; art, music, design, dance, or theater. An outlet for self-expression is especially meaningful in the midst of cancer challenges. 

When we are creating, we may find ourselves in the flow state. Being in the flow or in the zone is the blissed-out, fully focused and engaged state when the world around you disappears, you lose track of time, and become wholly immersed in what you are doing. It is the sweet spot of your brain’s function where you are confronted with a task that uses your mind and is challenging but still achievable. Flow is achieved by calmly focusing intently on one action, independent of the outcome. Physiologically, flow state is a blend of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system and the neurochemicals and hormones that are released during the flow state reflect this: dopamine, norepinephrine, endorphins, anandamide (an endogenous cannabinoid or bliss molecule) and serotonin. The body is responding to a moderate stress (a challenge) but able to function effectively. The optimal duration of flow is 90-120 minutes, so rest and movement breaks are important. Certain scents can help you to focus your mind and energy: mint, citrus, cinnamon, cedar, sage, rosemary.

The neurophysiology of creatively producing an objected is called the effort-driven reward cycle. This is the concept that physically doing something with your hands activates certain areas of the brain in a circuit (the accumbens-striatal-cortical network) that ties the physical movement of your hands to emotions and thinking which then builds resilience against stress and depression. Hand motor activity disproportionately takes up more space in the brain cortex than other parts of the body. Physical hand movements activate a neuronal network and create pleasure via neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Art therapy (painting, crafting, music, and dance) has been shown to improve quality of life and decrease depression, anxiety, pain, and fatigue in breast and gynecological cancer patients. Examples of activities that can light up the effort-driven rewards cycle are knitting, painting, sculpting, woodworking, miniature train set building, sand-castle building, jewelry making, quilting, putting together a puzzle, or gardening. There is anticipation of the end result and a sense of pride and accomplishment at its completion.

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When we use our hands in a repetitive task our thinking or ruminating brain can take a break. This is often when we gain clarity about a problem that’s been rumbling around in our brains. Physically putting together a jigsaw puzzle is a beautiful example of this. Immersing yourself in a jigsaw puzzle is calming for the mind and body. Puzzling creates a sense of control in making order from chaos. Visual-spacial reasoning and tactile fine motor skills are strengthened. Puzzling simultaneously works both the logical and creative sides of the brain which allows our brain to relax. Finding a puzzle piece that you’ve been searching for lights up the brain and floods it with the feel good hormone dopamine in a “Eureka!” moment. Deep satisfaction comes in making the picture whole. 

Daily mindful task completion can also feel good. A meditative state can be found in household tasks like doing laundry (hanging it up to dry and folding it), hand washing dirty dishes (swirling suds to cleanse a dirty bowl and then dry it with a towel) or chopping wood. A Zen proverb reminds us, “Before enlightenment chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment chop wood, carry water.” This a reminder to master our minds by fully living in the present moment, that mundane activities of daily living can still be extraordinary, and to carry on.  

Music is an energy, and you can literally feel the vibrations and physical reactions.  Music therapists tap into that physical response by using different musical elements such as rhythm, tempo, pitch, etc. to alter a person’s physiological state (heart rate, respiration, or blood pressure) and promote a desired state like calm and relaxation. Listening to music during treatments like radiation and chemotherapy helps alleviate symptoms like pain and nausea and combats emotions of fear, anxiety and loneliness. Musical expression helps to verbally or nonverbally process, communicate, and release. 

When we hear a sound we like, our neurons release “feel good” neurotransmitters dopamine, oxytocin, and serotonin. You can observe the power of music when you hear a song from your past and are instantly flooded with memories and emotions tied to that song. We experience and feel the emotions of music through our mirror neurons (cells in our brain that fire when we observe someone else performing an action, expressing an emotion, or experiencing an event and cause us to feel the same emotion). Singing a happy song can truly be contagious. 

Certain sounds are used in different cultures and religions to impart healing benefits. The ancient art of Chinese medicine connects five musical notes to the Five Elements (Fire, Earth, Metal, Water and Wood) which each correspond to a major body organ and are used to promote healing, balance and well-being. Similarly, in the Hindu tradition, 7 major chakras or energy centers have a corresponding body location and organ as well as a resonant frequency. Singing bowl sound meditation used in the Tibetan and Buddhist cultures creates soothing sounds that are used to balance the chakras, promote healing, and relaxation. The sounds utilize physical vibrations and binaural beats. Binaural beats occur when listening to two different sounds in each ear at a slightly different frequency. The difference between those two frequencies is the binaural beat. The frequencies must be less than 1000 Hz and the difference less than 30 Hz. The brain then starts to align its brain waves with this frequency. These various brain waves (delta, theta, alpha, beta) each correspond with difference mental states of sleep, healing, meditation, relaxation, creativity, or concentration. Pythagorean Tuning Forks utilize the Golden Mean by vibrating at a ratio of 2:3 to balance the two hemispheres of the brain.  You don’t have to own a set of singing bowls to access examples of binaural beats, as many examples are found on YouTube or meditation apps like Insight Timer. Pianist Riopy created a beautiful, calming piano album utilizing binaural beats that can be coupled to meditation or relaxation practice to promote a feeling of well being and peace called Meditation 432 (Amazon Affiliate Link). 

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In a world where everything is readily available at a touch of a button or swipe of a screen, there is pride, escapism, enlightenment, and emotional buoyancy found in using your hands to create a tangible product and observing, feeling or hearing a work of art. Tap into your core self, get in the flow and get your hands and mind moving together. Open your heart, eyes and ears to receive and wonder at the beauty you have made in the world. There is power in purpose and finding a reason for living. Instead of focusing on fighting cancer and not dying, use creativity to focus on living and fostering joy. By shifting to a growth or building mindset, it shifts the body out of the stress response and into a healing state. Evaluate your goals in life and then align your life to reflect those aims. Dream big! Use big brush strokes to create the masterpiece that is your life.