Have you ever watched someone making pottery and noticed that they exude a sense of contentment or mind peace as they do so?
With the production of ceramic pieces, we go beyond simple molding with our own hands. We experience many emotions and at the same time bring different mental and physical aspects into our lives.
Marta Puig, renowned psychologist and founder of the Mundo wellness center Pránico, explains that there are four benefits that are present for the health of her patients from the first moment of pottery:
- Spontaneity
- Meditative state
- Creativity activation
- Tension discharge
The main advantages are therefore of a spiritual nature, such as:
- Relaxation
- Concentration improvement
- meditation and much more.
Table of Contents
Increasing creativity through pottery
Creativity is a very important skill that we possess and use every day since we were little. Not all people are equally creative, and that’s why it’s good to work on it.
It is a perfect way to turn creativity into one of the most powerful skills we possess. You may be wondering, “What use is ceramics to enhance my creativity?”, but there are so many things involved in the act of creating a piece.
First and foremost, you need a dose of creativity to know what shape you want to make. For example, if it’s a vase, flower vase or glass and you want to add your own touch to the piece, it’s worth thinking about what you can add to the piece to make it look unique.
Even if an error occurs while modeling and the clay breaks and gets damaged, don’t be irritated and keep trying.
Sometimes you need to recreate your work, which requires more creativity from you to consider how to improve the technique and thus the desired result.
Eventually, you will be an expert and have your own technique and stamp, which may take years of trial and error. You will show off all your creativity by designing something unique that will carry your stamp and set you apart from other artists.
Relaxation through pottery
This is one of the advantages that working with ceramics offers us. Relaxation begins as soon as you run your fingers over the clay as it moves on the turntable. It is a spectacular feeling and something to be experienced and is ideal for a moment of tranquility.
When modeling clay, the mind is focused on one thing. This sharpens all of the senses, especially the sense of touch, which quickly brings us into a state of relaxation as the clay flows gently between the fingers with the water.
Many people practice pottery as a hobby. Why do we have hobbies? You can escape the stress of everyday life for a few hours.
Pottery and meditation
For many, pottery is a meditation technique precisely because it can provide a high level of relaxation.
It is a time when we are alone with ourselves. So it’s ideal to clear your head, think calmly about everything we want and need and forget about all the everyday things that cause us stress.
Psychologist Puig says this is a highly recommended activity for urban people who don’t have much contact with nature, because “Clay is a living material and the time you spend sculpting is a fantastic way to get involved and connect with nature while relieving stress”.
Pottery improves concentration
Most of the benefits of this art form are closely related. For example, concentration, meditation, and relaxation are very important factors in creating a piece.
You have to be relaxed to be able to concentrate on modeling the piece and to be able to meditate you also have to be very relaxed and concentrated at the same time.
Creating the general structure and decorating the pottery with small details takes a great deal of concentration so that the hands and the clay are connected and everything flows in the best way.
Concentration will always help you relax and it will reduce the outside distractions in your life.
Clay modeling forces you to focus on one thing, and you can bring this technique to your studies or work. This is the basis for all benefits, not only in pottery but also in other areas of daily life.
Pottery increases self-esteem
According to psychologist and director of the Department of Art Therapy and Psych pedagogy at Centta Institute, Cristina Ramos, along with all the other benefits, pottery boosts self-confidence because molding a mass is very satisfying.
Creating something with your own hands promotes independence and self-confidence, which has a positive effect on our self-esteem. Imagine being able to design aesthetic and useful items for your home, e.g. B. decorative objects or crockery for the whole family. You would be very happy, wouldn’t you?
Experimenting with pottery
Just as we are in the process of getting to know this whole world and all that it entails, it helps us to experience new things, new techniques, and new activities in our life, which is something spectacular since it enriches us as human beings.
Being a beginner is great because it means we learn thousands of new things and experiment more every day with the materials and methods we can use to create the pieces.
By experimenting with materials and creating objects that we didn’t know how to make before, we express our thoughts and feelings through ceramic pieces. Isn’t that great? Also, experimentation is the basis of creativity and can help us to use all the creativity that we have within us.
Pottery fosters memory and mental development
Pottery is very appealing and interesting for older people as, over time, it can become a hobby where they rediscover their artistic side that they may have lost over the years. It also helps them train their memory.
Why does it help them with their memory? Because in order to produce ceramics, you have to learn a lot about materials, tools, and methods. This helps a lot in training the brain so they can remember and learn new things. Not only will you find all of the above benefits, but you’ll also improve your concentration and creativity.
Fine motor skills through pottery
Pottery is a very interesting and relaxing activity for children too, who also improve their fine motor skills with each pottery lesson.
For children, pottery is not compulsory, it is great fun, and parents or other children can accompany them.
Children benefit the most in the short, medium or long term as it helps them improve their concentration, boost their self-esteem, develop a good memory, use their creativity to the fullest and find ways to relax.
There’s nothing better for kids than a distraction or hobby centered on arts or sports.
Train your body with pottery
Ramos, who has been using this technique with his patients for years, says that “working with clay strengthens the abs, chest muscles and arms,” making it clear that this activity brings not only spiritual benefits to our lives.
Pottery is great for when you have limited mobility in your hands and for prevention. You can make arbitrary movements with your hands and fingers, which encourages the activation of muscles, bones, and nerves for good coordination and of course a great result.
In conclusion
Pottery is a workout for the mind and body. It creates calm, relieves stress and helps us to concentrate. Pottery increases our self-esteem and prevents rheumatic diseases.
