The Art of Healing

M.A. Dworkin

St. Croix - There are few more horrifying words that  can be heard from a physician than, “You have cancer.” It shakes the body, the mind, the soul to the core. It awakens us to a new vision of life itself, both frightening and turbulent. It causes us to think deeply about our life and in some cases to think about our death. 

The caring and thoughtful people of the VI Breast Cancer Project understand these emotive feelings. They have decided that if you are to survive this debilitating diagnosis, you must first face it with a sense of dignity. You must also band together with other survivors and strive with all your might to make the best of it, to barrel ahead into your world and somehow create a new reality. You must believe in the future and forge a new path for yourself while making the decision to try and live life to its fullest, by possibly singing a new song, and therefore winning over every moment the Good Lord has afforded you here on this beautiful planet.

One of the main principles of the VI Breast Cancer Project is to adopt the values of art as a healing virtue. Not just in the sense of believing that art can heal the mind, the body, and the soul, but in a way that allows the practices of art to become a great healing power. Their latest venture into this form of self-medication and preservation was conducted recently at Dorsch Beach in Frederiksted, St. Croix. 

The Art of Seaglass was an instructional class that the VI Breast Cancer Project conducted for cancer survivors. It took place right on the soft sands of the beautiful crescent-shaped Dorsch Beach, on a wonderful sunny and breezy day, inside an open-air canopy that stood right under a sprawling historic Tamarind Tree. And what could be a more majestic setting? What could be a more inspiring place to construct lovely works of art made from the sea glass that was washed up onto the beach and that the participants of the class found on a beach-hunt and ultimately attached to their board-like frames. Their creations carried various designs, some that spelt out LOVE and some that spelt out HOPE. Yes indeed, what could be a more worthwhile time for this group of brave survivors than to spend an afternoon away from their daily thoughts and troubles and whisked into a world of sun, sand and creativity? 

The VI Breast Cancer Project was founded in 2016 and is dedicated to supporting cancer survivors through creative expression, community connection, and the healing power of the arts. It is so easy to underestimate art as a healing force. We often think of medicines, nature and time as the great healers of body and mind. It’s hard to imagine that the creation of a work of art could perform a similar task. 

But the healing power of the arts lies in its ability to induce an emotional release that has the capabilities to overshadow physical ailments by reconnecting the body with the beauty and creativity of inspiring art. Art can usher in a fresh breath of life into a stricken body. The creation of an artistic work has the ability to reduce stress and anxiety, causing the inner workings of the body to yield its stranglehold on what ails it, just long enough to reroute itself onto a passage that leads to a more harmonious existence. The infusion of the creativity that goes into producing art settles into the mind and even the soul with an ability to improve one’s mental health by stimulating the brain, clearing out its negative congestions, so it can allow positive thought trends to infiltrate and become dominant factors in our daily lives. Art also provides a pocket of safe haven that lets us express, explore and process complex emotions, traumas and anxieties that get in the way of the healing process. 

There is something so brave in being a survivor of cancer, and yet there is something so sad in being one of those that have survived the ravages of the disease while so many others have succumbed. Yet, there is something inspirational about being one of those who has been left behind, to continue to fight the good fight, to continue to move gallantly through the world, head held high, dignity intact, displaying the unconditional love for all the Good Lord has given us.

Of course, there are countless statistics on the fallen. Numbers that are published every day. But how do we measure the braveness and the daily angst of the cancer survivors? What statistics show their hourly victories, their late night sorrows? In what way can we leave an important legacy, an emotional  roadmap, for those who will be stricken with the disease, and desperately need to learn how to survive with grace and integrity.

“We need to support each other. It brings me joy to be in a group like this,” one of the survivors said as she worked on her seaglass work of art at Dorsch Beach under the ancient Tamarind Tree.

There is an unmistakable glow that has settled into every face of this group of survivors that have met on this day to show support for one another. A glow that shouts: We have survived! And we will thrive!

“Things change. They do not always turn out the way we want,” another survivor admitted. 

“They do,” a lovely woman replied. “But I am very excited to be able to connect with all of you because it is so important to have this support.”

And as you gaze out across the boundless beauty of the Caribbean horizon, with the warmth of the sun shining down on you, you can’t help but feel the love and appreciation these people feel for each other. They realize how fragile life is, how beautiful the journey can be no matter the obstacles. They have come to appreciate how sacred their time is  on this beautiful planet.

“The power of this island is incredible!” A survivor shouted out as she finished her sea glass work of art and displayed it to the rest of the group. A great deal of applause followed.

Two women from the VI Breast Cancer Project acted as mentors for the class.          

“Now try and think about how the glass got broken,” DJ suggested to the class as she and Terry walked around the tables and lent a helping hand to the budding sea glass artists. “This class is about moving from brokenness to wellness.”

And so it made up for an inspiring afternoon under the blue skies of Dorsch Beach. All who were present had moved away from their troubles, escaped into a world of creativity, where hope and the doors to a new take on life had caught up with them, sweeping them out across a far away boundless horizon to a place where all things are possible and life is as good as it gets.