Binding up the Broken-Hearted

Wellbeing is not just a buzz word springing out of our modern therapeutic understanding; it goes right back to the Biblical concept of ‘Shalom’. The most commonly known definition of this Hebrew word is peace, but when used as a greeting it also means, “May you be whole, restored and full of wellbeing”.

Isaiah, one of the Biblical prophets,  encouraged faithful believers to use their anointing (or spiritual gifting) to “bind up the broken-hearted” and “comfort those who mourn.” These words were echoed by Jesus 600 years later, and tell us that encouraging emotional healing is a Biblical mandate.

Christians believe that creativity is a gift from God, and – as science now recognises – artistic expression has power to bring healing and wellbeing. In the Old Testament, King Saul was so deeply moved by David playing the harp that his spiritual torment was lifted. At Kaleido Arts for Wellbeing we are seeing evidence of this with multiple testimonies speaking of lifted mood, joy in creative freedom and a sense of belonging to a loving community.

Empowerment

The Isaiah 61 passage referenced above does not stop with healing. It moves onto empowering those who mourn to become “oaks of righteousness” and to “rebuild the ancient ruins.” Therefore, those who have been blessed can go on to being valued members of society, contributing to economic, environmental, cultural and social capital. That might range from the small scale such as helping friends and family, to the larger scale such as setting up a new enterprise, and it is one of the things that we want to see happening through the SRGs (Self-Reliant Groups) that emerge out of our creative workshops.