Therapeutic Writing

       Writing therapy has been included in Expressive Arts Therapy sessions and Art Therapy sessions. Writing therapy is journaling for therapeutic benefits. Writing therapy can also apply to storytelling and poetry. There are people who view writing stories and poetry as therapeutic.

 

     Many digital content creators who make healing vlogs recommend journaling within healing journeys because one can reflect and improve their well-being. Those who seek professional counseling or life coaching can even bring their writings to sessions so that they can receive guidance on reflecting and improving their well-being. 

    If you are interested in experiencing writing therapy, self-care journals are recommendable. They contain of writing prompts where you can talk about your self-care journey. They also contain of some therapeutic recreation activities, such as word seeks and crossword puzzles, and art therapy techniques, such as coloring and sketching. Now if you happen to not feel like writing with a pen or typing, audio journaling is recommendable. You can use the Tin Can app or your voice memo app or a voice recorder for audio journaling. 

    If you prefer poetry, Notes app is recommendable, as far as free verse poetry. Free verse poetry is almost like a narrative speech because it doesn’t contain of rhythm or rhyming. It may have some rhyming, but not in a full rhythm. Just like the self-care journals, the Notes app contains a couple of art therapy techniques, such as drawing and painting, and inserting photos. The Pages app and the Microsoft OneNote app is also recommendable. These apps also contain of the same art therapy techniques as the Notes app. 

    If you prefer storytelling, Wattpad is recommendable. You can even use it to write fan-fiction, especially if you happen to prefer including yourself as a character in your favorite book or movie. You can also use Microsoft Word, Microsoft OneNote app, Pages app, Celtx app (for writing plays or screenwriting), or Google Docs for storytelling. 

    Any technique you use within therapeutic writing, you can be able to reflect and improve your well-being. Including therapeutic writing within your healing routine will cause you to reflect on your healing journey. 

 

Time Management Tools

        What is time management? It’s the ability to use time effectively and productively, especially at work. Research studies say that some adults and children who are diagnosed with ADHD may have difficulties with time management, as well as understanding how long doing certain tasks take. When it comes to discussing difficulties with time management, some people are quick to say, “Just write in your planner” or “use a piece of paper or a chart.” But not everyone likes non-digital time management tools due to them being aware that they might forget their tasks at certain times despite the fact that their schedules are written on paper. Many life coaches, school counselors, and psychotherapists recommended using both digital and non-digital time management tools for adults and children who are diagnosed with ADHD. There are many apps and softwares that people can use to manage their time, as well as some enriching non-digital time management tools. 

Google Keep

       Google Keep started off as a note-taking app, but then it became more than just a note-taking app and a note-organization app. It includes time management, where you can jot down your to-do lists and reminders. The reminders you write on Google Keep connects to your Google Calendar. Even Google Assistant is connected to Google Keep, so when you ask Google Assistant to remind you, it will set your reminder on Google Keep. Now if it happens to not send you reminder alerts at a certain time you set the reminder on Google Keep, always check the time you set it first, and don’t hesitate to contact the Google Keep Help Center. 

Google Tasks

     Google Tasks is a to-do list app that includes making subtasks and mobile notifications. This app is believed to be better than Google Keep simply because you can add subtasks, and Google Keep happens to only have checkboxes on its to-do list, but no subtasks. Both Google Tasks and Google Keep both help you to stay productive, on the other hand, and they are both connected to your Google Calendar. 

Apple Reminders

     Apple Reminders have a similar concept to both Google Keep and Google Tasks. The only difference is that Apple Reminders doesn’t include organizing notes, but rather organizing task lists. This also includes subtasks, and you can make notes by giving details. This app has the same concept as Google Tasks. Even Siri is connected to the Apple Reminders app, so when you ask Siri to remind you, it will set your reminder on Apple Reminders. 

Doodle Planner

      Now there are some people who don’t agree with digital time management tools due to having trouble remembering to view them, while others believe that it’s okay to use both digital and non-digital time management tools. Doodle planners are recommendable for anyone who has trouble with time management and prefers non-digital time management tools.  The designers of the doodle planners, like AmandaRachLee, a YouTube digital content creator who designed a Doodle Planner, Emma Chamberlain, also a YouTube digital content creator who designed The Ideal Planner, Goldi Miller, owner of a fashion art-based company called Fashion Angels who designed, and Johanna Basford, designer of Adult Coloring Books, believe that doodle planners can provide people a visual aid to help themselves identify each high-priority task and have a simple way to catch up with due dates. Research studies show that visual aids in general are beneficial for people with ADHD and autism because it allows people to improve their brain concentration, organize their daily routine, express their thoughts, create independence, and reduce anxiety. One can also use Google Keep and Apple Reminders to make visual aids by adding images to each reminder written. 

Overall

   The listed tools for time management are considered artistic due to a few time management apps consisting of visual aids that include adding images or diagrams (as shown in Google Tasks, where arrows are shown when adding subtasks) and due to doodle planners made for people who like to doodle and who are in need of visual aids to keep up with deadlines. These artistic time management tools can also save one from frustration of having to design charts or diagrams, especially for anyone who dislikes non-digital time management tools. 

Meditative Techniques

Meditative Techniques 

    Meditation is a mindful technique that includes focusing the mind on one thing. According to the Mayo Clinic, meditation is considered alternative medicine because it minimizes anxiety and stress. Also, according to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) , meditation reduces blood pressure, psychological disorders, irritable bowel syndrome, depression, and insomnia. There are many types of meditative techniques, such as music meditation, movement meditation, meditative art, and meditative poetry.

Music Meditation

      Music meditation is music performed to support meditation practice. There are people who believe that all music genres are meditative. Kirtan is one of the examples of music meditation. Kirtan is an Indian style of meditative music that included call-and-response songs or chants, mainly taught in Bhakti yoga and Kundalini yoga. Sound Therapy is another example of music meditation. Sound Therapy is a technique where the use of musical sound waves from instruments (such as crystal singing bowls, chimes, bells, harps, and tuning forks) are provided to treat physical and mental conditions. Therapeutic Music is similar to sound therapy, except this form of music meditation includes use of acoustic or electronic instruments rather than crystal singing bowls, bells, chimes, and tuning forks, and they mainly provide music meditation services at hospital bedsides. Therapeutic musicians can also provide music meditation services at mental health counseling clinics, psychiatric hospitals, and massage therapy spas. 

    There are some research studies and platforms that show that classical music (including New Age music) and jazz aren’t the only genres that are meditative. According to Dr. Edgar Tyson and J.C. Hall, founders of the Hip Hop Therapy platform, hip hop music is therapeutic. Its benefits relating to mindfulness include people getting moral or philosophical lessons out of the hip hop songs they listen to within their discussion. This platform has motivated the youth (including at-risk youth) to create their own songs to be able to share and discuss. A journalist for CBS News, Robert Pagliarini, has mentioned the mindful benefits from listening to pop music, such as gaining empowerment and motivation into staying positive. Zendo Stereo, a musical meditation platform created by Leo Canneto, a former rock musician, is an example of using pop and rock for therapeutic benefits. Leo Canneto fuses New Age classical music with psychedelic rock and synth pop. This platform is recommendable for rock enthusiasts, pop music enthusiasts, and anyone who view psychedelic music in general as therapeutic. 

    Strengthening Foundations Child and Family Counseling includes musical meditation services. One of our admins who provide musical meditation services fuse classical music with R&B, jazz, folk, gospel, and pop. Depending on which technique one chooses to practice music meditation, clearing your mind of negative thoughts is one of the ways to be in a comfortable position in order to practice music meditation.

Movement Meditation

      Movement meditation is a type of meditation that includes movement and mindfulness. Any kind of movement can be done with meditation, such as dance meditation (where the dancing is ecstatic), yoga, pilates, basic kinetic stretching, cardio, or even walking. Within your movement meditation routine, you’re shutting out anything negative that comes into your mind and concentrating on your movement. Yogance, a meditative dancing platform created by a celebrity choreographer who’s a movement therapist and a retired gymnast, Tamara Levinson-Campos, is an example of movement meditation because of the meditation done throughout the ecstatic dancing through the yoga sequences and poses. The Let Your Yoga Dance platform (created by Megha-Nancy Buttenheim, a celebrity holistic health coach) is similar to yogance, except this platform focuses on ecstatic dancing rather than yoga poses and sequences. Running meditation and Walking meditation are examples of cardio meditation, whether the cardio is highly intense or low impact. Jënni Jalonen, a famous Obstacle Course racer of Europe, has a guided running meditation podcast called Run With Love. Kim Alexis, a Vogue model and actress, has a biblical-based walking meditation platform called PraiseWalk, where she encourages people to walk and meditate to Christian-based music. The Mindful Practice podcast includes guided walking meditation. The Mindful Movement platform includes guided meditation in Pilates routines, yoga routines, and basic kinetic stretching routines. Strengthening Foundations Child and Family Counseling includes movement meditation within our yoga fusion routines. According to AICHP (American Institute of Health Care Professionals), not everyone is comfortable with sitting in stillness during meditation, so movement meditation is beneficial for both mental health and physical health. 

Meditative Art

  Meditative art is a visual technique that includes using drawing or crafting to improve attention and awareness and to put the mind in a calming and stable state. A calming jar is one of the examples of meditative art. A calming jar is a type of craft recommended for stress relief and anger management. Its finished appearance, along with its sensory feeling, can help refreshed the overwhelmed mind.  Another example of meditative art is meditative drawing. Meditative drawing, according to the JournalSmarter blog, is beneficial for mental health because it reduces anxiety, improves concentration, makes you a more kindhearted person, and it helps you to improve the way you see the world. Mandalas, which are Indian circular diagrams used for meditation, is another example of meditative art. Lots of art therapists recommended mandalas. According to Times Union, clinical studies have shown that mandalas increase the immune systems, reduce stress and pain, ease depression, and improve blood pressure from high to normal. One can either color in the mandalas that are already made or draw a mandala. Meditative art is recommendable for anyone in need of anger management, stress relief, concentration improvement, anxiety reduction, improving blood pressure, and improving views of the world.

Meditative Poetry

      Meditative poetry is a practice of meditation with free verse poetry.  People who love to read view reading poetry and reciting poetry as therapeutic. King David’s Book of Psalms and Psalms of Solomon are examples of biblical-based meditative poetry because they include some scriptures that one can view as positive affirmations. Songs of Solomon is also more than just romantic music and poetry. It includes some positive affirmations as well. Some Bible scholars also consider the Book of Proverbs and the Book of Ecclesiastes as poetic. These books include motivational and affirmative life tips. There are also some poems from the classical era, romantic era, the Transcendentalist movement, and modern era are also examples of meditative poetry, such as “Rubies” by Ralph Waldo Emerson, “On Isaiah 63” by Phillis Wheatley, “The Tide Rises, The Tide Falls” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow,” “Evening Star” by Edgar Allan Poe, and more. According to Good Therapy, several clinical studies show that poetry helps improve self-esteem, self-understanding, and encourages expression of emotions. So meditative poetry is recommendable for anyone who view poetry as therapeutic. 

Meditative Games

    There are many people who view video games as just “entertainment” and “time killers.” But several research studies show that video games contain educational benefits and mental health benefits. According to Cornelia Geppert, a game designer of “Sea of Solitude,” and Amy Green, a game designer of “That Dragon, Cancer,” video games help cope with grief and loneliness. According to the American Journal of Play, research studies show that video games also help improve brain concentration, attention, and decision-making. 

    

    Zen Koi is one of the examples of meditative games. It is considered a relaxing game because it includes chasing small marine organisms, collecting pearls, gemstones, and baby Koi, growing the pond,  and growing the Koi into mythical dragons. This game also contains of soothing scenery, and it excludes ways of winning. This game is recommendable for anyone in need of unwinding and overcoming insomnia.

 Music Zen is another example of meditative games because this app contains of bubble wraps, colorful particle smoke, calming water scenery (where you touch the water and hear sounds of the harp and flute), and the music lights game. This app also includes guided meditation, audiobooks and music meditation with scenery. This app is also recommendable for anyone in need of stress relief, unwinding, and overcoming insomnia. 

    Jigsaw puzzle apps are also helpful for stress relief and unwinding.  According to the Baylor College of Medicine, research studies show that jigsaw puzzles in general help improve brain concentration, problem solving, and spatial reasoning with use of visualization. According to Julia Walsh, a certified Sleep consultant, jigsaw puzzles also help slow down your mind before bed. 

Overall

    Creative arts in general have holistic approaches to mental health. There are people who view basic breathing meditation techniques as “boring” and “dull,” so including creative arts in meditative techniques would make meditation enjoyable. From their, people who use creative arts in their meditative techniques would be able to have a different view on meditation, therapy, and on life. 

Benefits of Yoga Fusions

 Benefits of Yoga Fusions

Why yoga fusions?

 Research studies, according to the International Journal of Yoga, have considered yoga as a form of alternative medicine for treatment of stress, anxiety, depression, and other mood disorders and not just simple kinetic stretching. However, there are people who happened to complain about misalignments, not feeling stretched out or warmed up, feeling bored in yoga class, feeling “annoyed from constantly doing the downward dog,” or feeling like their yoga trainers are “trying to kill them.” Yoga fusions, such as yoga-barre, yoga-cardio, yogalates (a fusion of yoga and pilates), and Yo Chi (a fusion of yoga and Tai Chi), are recommendable because modifications are provided within their routines, their routines minimizes boredom, their routines are in between medium and fast-paced, they don’t do the downward dog constantly, and you can have a different view on fitness in general, such as a form of mindfulness, movement meditation, and a therapeutic technique rather than all about weight loss and gaining physical flexibility.

What is yoga-barre?

Yoga-barre is a fused workout of yoga and ballet fitness. Some fitness trainers define yoga-barre as a ballet-inspired yoga workout with hints of pilates, and others define it as a yoga-inspired ballet workout that includes hints of Callanetics (a ballet-inspired kinetic stretching workout with hints of sculpting and toning), or a style of dance fitness.

    Barre by itself, according to the creator of Barre, Lotte Berk, is a ballet workout that includes low-impact ballet cardio, ballet-inspired orthopedic back exercises, and yoga-inspired ballet stretching. According to the London Method, a fitness company in California, the barre fusions, including yoga-barre came about because a lot of ballet fitness instructors either misused or went against the Lotte Berk Technique by fusing ballet with pilates, strength training, yoga, Callanetics (a ballet-inspired kinetic stretching workout with hints of sculpting and toning, created by a celebrity fitness professional, Callan Pinckney), and cardio dancing after training with Lydia Bach, Lotte Berk’s former student, at the Lotte Berk Method studio in New York. 

    So, yoga-barre routines would start with floor yoga stretches as warm-up. Then after the warm-up, the ballet-inspired body sculpting workout is provided, such as arm toning (using ballet arm positions, ballet feet positions, and upper body yoga poses), leg toning (using ballet kicks, ballet feet positions, and lower body yoga poses), and ab work (using floor yoga poses and ballet feet positions). Or the ballet-inspired pilates or cardio workout is provided, depending on the choice of the yoga-barre instructors. These workout styles in yoga-barre routines can be done with or without equipment (like dumbbells, chairs, ballet barres, resistance bands, etc.). Afterwards, the workout ends with slow-paced yoga stretching (Hatha yoga) as a cool-down. Plus the yoga-barre routines provide modifications for those who are in need of increasing their stamina.

The yoga-barre workout programs that happened to be in a style of dance fitness are Yoga Booty Ballet (created by Gillian Clark and Teigh Gilson), Ballet Foga (created by Dr. Brianne Grogan, founder of FemFusion Fitness), and Yollet (created by LB Kass). Yoga Booty Ballet includes Kundalini yoga floor stretches, cardio dance, and ballet body sculpting. Ballet Foga is similar to Yoga Booty Ballet, except its routines start with vinyasa yoga floor stretches, and then cardio dance, and ballet body sculpting. Yollet includes a fusion of vinyasa yoga, ballet cardio, and cardio dance. These yoga-barre programs are recommendable for anyone who uses dancing as a therapeutic strategy.

    Some of the popular yoga-barre programs that are in a style of a yoga-inspired ballet workout with hints of Callanetics are Ballet Yoga (a virtual ballet fitness program created by Nicky McGinty) and WholyFit (a virtual biblical-based yoga alternative program that includes holistic stretching with ballet movements and hints of Callanetics). Zen Barre also includes hints of Callanetics in the equipment-free exercises. According to Oremie B., a personal trainer and a life coach, Callanetics by itself is therapeutic because it helps one unwind and gain happiness, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Ágnes Nagy, a certified Callanetics instructor, Callanetics also frees negative emotions from the body and reduces tension and stress. So these two yoga-barre programs are recommendable for anyone who uses Callanetics as a therapeutic strategy. 

   Lastly, there are some popular yoga-barre programs also that are in a style of a ballet-inspired yoga workout with hints of pilates, like YoBa Studio (a popular yoga-barre program of Raleigh, NC), Shakti Barre (a popular yoga-barre program of Williamsburg, NY that also has a fitness app), Healing Barre LLC (a popular yoga-barre program of Washington D.C.), Holy Barre (a biblical-based yoga-barre program), and Zen Barre (a yoga fusion program that includes barre and pilates). Strengthening Foundations Child and Family Counseling also offers yoga-barre.

      According to Gloria Han, a certified Barre instructor of Barre3 who’s a doctoral candidate in Clinical Psychology, barre by itself is therapeutic because it helps with improving one’s emotional well-being. Including mindful movement within the ballet-inspired cardio workout (low impact) is one of the ways to help one clear their minds from negative thoughts. Esther Fairfax, a daughter of Lotte Berk who is continually teaching the Lotte Berk Technique, also mentioned that barre helps one overcome stress and gain happiness. So, these yoga-barre programs are recommendable for anyone who views both yoga and barre as a therapeutic strategy.

What is yoga-cardio?   

  Yoga-cardio is a combination of yoga and cardio, where its pace is faster than vinyasa. Some people refer to yoga-cardio as “yoga sculpting workout.” Yoga-cardio (or yoga sculpting) routines would start with floor vinyasa yoga stretches as a warm-up. Then after the warm-up, the yoga-inspired cardio workout is provided, such as arm toning (using dumbbells and fast movement), speeding up yoga sequences, and leg toning. Afterwards, the workout ends with hatha yoga as a cool-down. 

  JessicaSmithTV is one of the online fitness programs that include lots of yoga-cardio (or yoga sculpting) workouts. Koya Webb, a celebrity holistic health coach, also has a series of yoga-cardio workouts (called HIIT yoga). Zen Barre has hints of yoga sculpting in their workout routines.

According to the Mindfulness Clinic, research studies say that HIIT (high intensity interval training) in general is therapeutic because it “treats anxiety, stress, and depression.” So, yoga-cardio (or yoga sculpting) is recommendable for anyone in need of coping with anxiety, stress, or depression.

What is Yogalates?

    Yogalates, also known as PiYo, is a yoga-inspired pilates workout. This workout can also be included in yoga sculpting. It happens to be similar to yoga-barre, but the only difference is that yoga-barre uses both the yoga poses and ballet arm and feet movements for the pilates workouts, and Yogalates include using the yoga terminology and poses for the pilates workouts. 

The Yogalates workout routines start with a little bit of slow-paced yogic back stretches. Then the arm, leg, and ab toning workouts in each yoga pose are added. The speed then goes from slow-paced to medium-paced. These workout routines can be done with or without equipment. Also some yoga trainers or pilates instructors would add hints of HIIT within their Yogalates routines. Then the Yogalates workout routines would end with hatha yoga as a cool down. 

Dansique Fitness is one of the virtual ballet fitness programs that include a series of Yogalates workouts. Body Illumination is a yoga fusion program that also includes a series of Yogalates workouts. Holy Yoga (a Christian-based yoga program) has a Yogalates program. Zen Barre, Shakti Barre, YoBa Studio, Healing Barre LLC, and Holy Barre also has hints of Yogalates in their workout routines. 

The speed in Pilates by itself is medium-paced, just like vinyasa yoga. According to Studio Pilates, research studies say that Pilates in general has mental health benefits, such as breathing techniques within each movement to focus on the present, stress management, improving memory and brain training, and treating anxiety and depression. Yogalates is also recommendable for anyone in need of coping with anxiety and depression, as well as in need of improving memory and brain training.

What is Yo Chi?

    Yo-Chi is a fusion of yoga and Tai Chi, created by Lawrence Biscontini, a celebrity fitness guru. Although Tai Chi is considered a yoga alternative by itself, this yoga fusion is recommendable for any yoga enthusiasts who are curious to try Tai Chi. 

    Each fitness trainer has their own way of teaching Yo-Chi. Some would add Tai Chi arm and leg movements to each yoga pose, and others would make up their own yoga poses and arm and leg movements and call it Yo-Chi. This yoga fusion also provides modifications, and it excludes the downward dog pose.

  Health, Fitness, and Recreation Center has an online fitness program, where they offer Yo-Chi classes every Friday on YouTube Live. 

  According to Harvard Health, Tai Chi by itself has the same mental health benefits as yoga. According to Lawrence Biscontini, Yo-Chi helps with stability and mobility, especially when it comes to mental health. This yoga fusion is recommendable for anyone who views Tai Chi as a therapeutic strategy.

Overall

  Yoga fusions in general are an enjoyable holistic exercise. They are recommendable for anyone who wants to spice up their fitness routines or anyone who experienced misalignments from yoga and are in need of modifications. Yoga fusions have the same mental health benefits as yoga by itself.

Zen Poetry #2: Piano Practice Distractions

 Zen Poetry #2: Piano Practice Distractions

        A talented, piano playing woman named Vera

Practices a piano piece from the classical era.

It’s the 2nd movement of Beethoven’s Pathetique Sonata.

She gets through the beginning without any errors-

Well, a little bit- but at least, gradually with grace-

And then to the repetitive part without feeling any terror

And now for a challenge she gotta face- 

The second theme of this exposition!

She hits the wrong key,

And- uh-oh-

Here comes her piano practice frustration!

She takes a breath and starts that second theme over.

She’s slowing down the tempo to avoid errors,

Showing her hands that they can’t control her-

But all of a sudden, she hears a ding and a vibrating sound!

That scared her!

Turns out she got a text message

From her grandmother.

Her grandmother sent a news video where the cast talked about a lady exposing romaine lettuce.

Her grandmother stays having tea to spill- gotta love her!

 

So, Vera plays the vid while improvising on the piano.

It was a lady in line at a vegetarian/vegan restaurant, yelling,

“EVERYONE, NO ROMAINE LETTUCE! NO, NO, NOOOOO!“

And all the people in the line was wondering,

“Why is she saying, ‘no romaine lettuce’?”

And the lady- let her name be Cindy- said this:

“Okay, people, let me spread message on

Why we can’t have Romaine lettuce.

Some omnivorous chicken joint owner contaminated it

‘Cause he wanted more people to buy his chicken.

The fact that a large percentage of people in this town are going vegetarian and vegan-

I believe that made him ticked.”

Now Vera wondered, “What town is that?

‘Cause it sho’ sound like a small town.”

So, Vera scrolled through her phone

Looking for that small town

Where that interesting event happened-

That small town is called Herbal Town-

Now no wonder why a lot of its citizens

Have gone vegetarian and vegan.

Vera now puts her phone down,

For she feels that her frustration has reduced.

She takes a breath and practices piano again,

As if there is no win or lose.

 

Zen Poetry #1: The Cat in Room 103

 The Cat in Room 103

A Ragdoll cat named Terri

Visits a pet hotel in room 103.

That pet hotel she visits

Happens to be calm, peaceful, and cozy.

She says to her two dog buds - who happens to be collies -

“The 1800s Brunch party is at 11am, and we gotta wake up early.

You know what that means. We gotta rest up now.”

Then she closes her eyes and sways to Beethoven’s music -

As a way of winding down,

But all of a sudden, in the middle of her meditative moment -

She hears a howl!

She puts her ear on the wall to hear where the howling is coming from -

It was her dog bud in room 104 named Tom.

She rolls her eyes, lets out a sigh, and said, “Go to sleep!” 

Then she walks back to bed and continues swaying her head,

Hoping she won’t here a peep.

All of a sudden, she hears a hoot -

At least it’s not a howl -

It was her 2nd dog bud named Blake 

In room 102 -

She raises her voice, “Go to sleep!”

And Blake said, “I can’t! This crazy owl is hooting loud!”

Terri prepares to raise her voice again -

But stops herself to avoid bickering

As she hears Blake snickering -

She takes a breath,

Walks back to her bed,

Plays Hiromi Uehara’s jazz version of Beethoven’s music,

And sways her head.

Suddenly she hears Tom letting out another howl -

Terri’s getting really annoyed now!

Tom yells, “Hey, keep it down, you coyotes!

We’re trying to catch some Z’s!”

Tom and Blake snickers and laughs,

Then Blake lets out a quack.

Blake yells, “Stop your quacking, you ducks!

We’re trying to sleep! Don’t wake us up!”

Tom and Blake laughs again,

And they continued making animal sound effects, such as clucking like a hen.

But Terri decides that she's not gonna let her dog buds keep her from resting her eyes

'Cause at the end of the day,

She wants to join the 1800s Brunch party,

And not be late.

So she transfers her music to Bluetooth,

Puts on her Bluetooth headphones,

Stretches and yawns,

And to dreamland, she's gone. 

 

Therapy Behind Zen Poetry

Therapeutic benefits of Poetry

There are many people who believe poetry is all about rhyming. But is it really?

Think about it…

Nope! Not at all! The only type of poetry that is all about rhyming would be rap music because rap is “rhyming and poetry” with beats.

So, what is poetry really about? And why would it be considered therapeutic or “Zen Poetry”?

Poetry is really all about expressing thoughts and emotions as healing with use of words and rhythm. Poetry doesn’t always have to rhyme. 

For example, the Book of Psalms in the Bible are written by King David. His psalms don’t completely rhyme at all. You may find some rhyming moments, but for the most part, King David was focused more on expressing thoughts and emotions. 

Free verse is a poetic style where there are no rules. A writer can choose to rhyme or not to rhyme. King David’s psalms are an example of free verse. This style in particular would be considered therapeutic, or “zen poetry.” 

There are other styles of poetry besides free verse that others would find therapeutic. Some people actually view rhyming as therapy. Let alone sonnets, ballads, limericks, epigrams, and more.

Now that you’ve gotten yourself familiar with the therapeutic benefits behind poetry, there will be some Zen Poetry blogs coming soon!!!!

You’ll be amazed!