COLUMN
Bonsai addicts because therapy
did not work
By Tony Tickle, with the assistance of Banquo
This was the slogan I saw on the back of a shirt when I was
in South Africa. It turns out the ‘Bonsai Addicts’ are a group
of enthusiasts, but it was the sentiment ‘because therapy did
not work’ that hit a nerve with me. In all the years I have been
involved with bonsai I have met many individuals who have
told me that having and creating bonsai has changed their life
for the better. You have probably heard about some of the most
talked-about mindfulness techniques, like meditation, but there
is an increasing amount of evidence suggesting that many
hobbies, including bonsai, can also act as effective mindfulness
exercises. This is because they encourage people to focus on the
task at hand.
Doing bonsai teaches you to enter a state of flow,
especially when you really love and enjoy what
you do. The concentration that is needed to
create a bonsai helps centre the mind and
allows stressful thoughts to go away. Even
if you do not have a lot of artistic talent,
the process of connecting your mind with
your body to create a work of art is enough
to bring you to the present moment.
I recently asked a simple question on
social media: 'Depression, Anxiety, Stress: has
bonsai helped you?' and I was astonished at the
avalanche of replies. Many of the respondents have given me
permission to publish their comments, so here are a few.
'I am a mental health therapist who does crisis work with,
for example, people who just have had a loved one die, have
endured a rape, are suicidal, or are suffering from a psychosis. A
part of my job is writing up legal petitions to send people
involuntarily to hospitals. I've seen people shoot themselves,
cut themselves, attack me, etc. Just some background. It’s all
24hr+ shifts. My field of work has a very high rate of burn out.
Out of my graduate cohort there are only four of us left who are
still in the field. Bonsai is a big contributing factor as to why I'm
still doing it.'
'Bonsai helps me with stress and anxiety. When I’m working
on my trees — or working with my hands in any capacity — it
is therapeutic. The bulk benefit I get is from the 20-30 minutes
each day I spend sitting on my balcony with my trees. It is
always relaxing and feels like I shut all of my obligations on the
other side of the door when I step out there.''I feel at peace for the first time in my life and bonsai is not just
a dream now, but reality for me. I have stability, which is what
they require, and putting in the time to research their needs, the
different "rules" and practical aspects of bonsai, bring a quiet to
my mind that is sometimes hard to find.''I am diagnosed with depression. I started taking medication for
my depression around the time that I started bonsai. I
can spend an entire day to physical exhaustion
potting, wiring my trees, etc. I haven't been
able to do any type of physical activity for
that long in a long time, but bonsai keeps
me motivated. I love looking outside
and seeing my garden flourish. I like
taking care of my trees and it makes me
feel accomplished to be doing so... it
keeps me out of bed.'When we start with bonsai who would have
thought that something as simple as nurturing
a living organism — watching it thrive and mature
— would bring so much to our wellbeing. That time when I'm
working on my trees is when I can really let go of everything
else in my life and just focus on my trees. During that time,
nothing else really matters. I get to be involved with life that's
literally growing in front of me, seeing time and effort rewarded
by something flourishing under my care. I don't think about
anything else except the tree in front of me and what it needs at
that moment. Even if I am just watering, I relax just being with
my trees.For some people it’s going to the gym; for others it may be yoga
or Tai Chi. For me it's contemplation and creation. Wherever
you are, whatever you’re feeling, I really hope your bonsai bring
you a sense of peace and allow you to relax and regenerate your
mind as well as creating an object of beauty.Bonsai Focus 37