Chennaiites, here's a chance to relieve stress by art journaling

CHENNAI: Let’s go back to 2020. The COVID outbreak occurred, and lockdowns were implemented. Everything was shut down, except our brains, which couldn’t handle the sudden change. To escape reality, we buried ourselves in the digital world. Many of us are trying hard to take a break from our mobile phones.

Software developer Bhanu Priya Madhi started journaling when she was young. With time, it became a passion from being just a hobby. “All of us have collected and pasted the pictures of our favourite actors and cricketers on notebooks. But as time passed, we focused on work and immersed ourselves in the rectangular gadget. To start doing art journaling to project my inner self and take a break from work pressure,” says Bhanu.

According to Bhanu, art journaling is quite popular in north India and other countries. The South is gradually getting into the trend. “There are a lot of benefits of art journaling, which I want to introduce to Chennaiites as well,” she adds. One can spot people from different walks of life and age groups at the workshops led by this 24-year-old. “I start my workshop with a meditation to relieve the participants from their daily stress. Nowadays even 70-year-old people are excited to explore and experience new things in life. I will interact with the participants to break the ice and ask them to do the journal. In the final session, each participant will share what they have expressed,” she explains.

Workshops on journaling, pottery, painting, stitching, etc, have gained momentum in the city in the past couple of years. “Since the lockdown, people have become more addicted to reels. They watch reels and memes to take a break from reality. But we miss the ‘me time’ that effectively helps us to get out of work pressure and other stresses. If we put our thoughts onto a paper, either art or writing, without any fear of judgment, it can be healing. It will also increase our positivity, " the software developer shares.

Bhanu feels that people have started to dump things within themselves which will have adverse effects on their mental wellbeing. “Art journaling is an effective healing tool, paving the way for self-discovery. It increases our productivity and helps us to think out of the box,” she reflects.

To rekindle your creative side and pour your thoughts on the journal, participate in the upcoming workshop of Bhanu, that will take place Antispot, Anna Nagar, on October 20, from 11 am to 7.30 pm.