Nurturing Harmony: Art, Nature, and the Essence of Humanity
By Gopika Dahanukar, Director, Swahansa Expressive Arts India
Re-enchantment
Lifted into the blurry skies
I know not what may come
Breath arrives again to greet me differently
Poised in a stillness unknown
Even the bluebird has forgotten to sing
Its song of gentle love
Until a hand holds my face gently
And whispers through its fingertips
The sound of what knows
the scent of the hidden stars
That shine in the re-enchantment
Of our story untold to unfold.
We are here now
To re-create our lives to meet
With those stars.
At a recent conference, a performance of "Re-enchantment"—a piano composition by Per Espen Stoknes—sparked a spontaneous creation: a poem that unfolds as a response to the prevailing crisis, a contemplation on the desensitisation permeating our world. This article delves into this poetic reflection informed by the music, an intermodal act that explores the significance of sensory connection, the transformative power of the expressive arts, and the timeless wisdom embedded in our relationship with nature.
In the harvesting of my experience, the poem that arrived brought me to look at three themes:
The Power of Art in Times of Crisis
The ambiguity and uncertainty of our times raise profound questions about our human essence. It urges us to consider the consequences of neglecting our sensory connections. What does it mean to be human if we overlook the cultivation of heightened sensitivity, in our interactions with ourselves as well as with the world around us?
This contemplation becomes a guiding light, inviting us to reflect on the poetry of our lives as it propels us into the unknown. It underscores the potency of engaging in a creative mode, emphasising the role of the arts in navigating the complexities of the human experience. The metaphorical silence of the bluebird, which has forgotten its "song of gentle love," serves as a collective pause—a shared moment for humanity to reflect on the interrupted melodies of our lives. Within this pause lies the potential for renewal, growth, and transformation.
Expressive Arts as a Transformative Bridge
The expressive arts, ranging from poetry to music and visual arts, emerge as transformative bridges. They invite us to explore and understand our collective journey amid intricate and challenging realities. These creative modalities act as containers for introspection and connection, offering a means by which we can navigate the nuanced dance between crisis and creativity in our shared human experience.
Within the artistic realm, solace is discovered, and the lens of the arts becomes a catalyst for understanding. Through creative expression, we discover the capacity to confront challenges, navigate uncertainty, and unveil the latent potential for beauty and harmony.
Reviving Wisdom Through Nature's Embrace
Guided by the inclusion of Nature as a profound resource, particularly in the indigenous culture of India, my work explores the elemental essence of our being. Nature is ingrained in our rituals, with the body embodying earth, the voice reflecting fire, the breath representing wind, and water, the essence symbolising life force and consciousness.
The direction of my expressive arts inquiry seeks to revive our innate wisdom in the context of our modern world—a return to our foundational selves before envisioning who we can become. As we shape and reshape the bonds that hold us together, we simultaneously unravel what constrains us in our becoming. This birthing of new ways by which we can access our lives involves a return to what is simple, profound, and universally human. The exploration is grounded in the value of kindness—a binding force that unites us across cultures.
In conclusion, I would like to invite you to an arts-based exploration through the intricate tapestry woven by the interplay of art, nature, and our shared humanity.
Play a piece of instrumental music that touches your heart.
Write a few words that emerge on the surface of your listening.
Weave those words into sentences that begin with - I am nurtured by…
Make a visual in three colours in response to your poem, one colour that represents nature, one that represents you and one that represents your connection with nurture from nature.
Share your exploration on Expressive Arts without Borders Facebook Page and in the comments below.
Let us celebrate the transformative potential of creative expression and the timeless wisdom found in our connection to the natural world. In navigating the complexities of our modern existence, your exploration will become a testament to the enduring power of harmony in shaping our collective narrative that includes you.
Gopika Dahanukar is an artist, a vocalist and a registered therapeutic expressive arts counsellor. She is the Founder and Director of Swahansa Expressive Arts India, a cooperating partner Institute of EGS, teaching in Mumbai and Auroville, an international township in South India based on the ideal of human unity. She is also a trustee of the Prafulla Dahanukar Art Foundation, a non-profit organisation that is leading the way in supporting emerging artists and progressive social action through the arts in India.