Natalistic Theory Development

In 1986, while still primarily working as a sculptor, and before I had considered developing a comprehensive natalistic art in therapy approach or program I stated in my article in the first issues of the Journal of Pre- and Perinatal Psychology (Irving 1986):

Through the process of working nonverbally, intuitively, and with a feeling sense, the artist often reaches a preverbal memory state. When working with a regressive therapy method, these are the same things that the therapist tries to encourage in order to bring forth perinatal memories -- to be nonverbal, but still aware; to listen to the body in a feeling sense for memory; and to accept intuitively one's individual truth. This is in many ways the same process that the artist goes through to create, therefore it should not be surprising that pre- and perinatal memory should be expressed in art. (p. 86)

It was perhaps a natural, but significant progression, to move from this position as an artist working natalisticly to developing a therapy modality incorporating natalism.

In developing natalistic art activities my initial focus was more on applications and practical approaches; firstly, for artists, and eventually, as a psychotherapy modality. This PDE study has focused on both the application and theory of natalistic art in therapy, while the PDE product primarily discusses the theory of natalistic art in therapy.

This text explores theoretical rationales for natalistic art in therapy as a creative expressive arts approach to addressing issues surrounding the impact of birth and in utero experiences on life patterns and feelings. In part this is done by exploring various elements of art activity in healing. The theory of natalistic art in therapy is based on the premise that art and creative expression lend unique attributes in healing pre- and perinatal trauma.

The artist's experience finds expression and a home in the imagery, form, energy and colour of an art work. The diverse expressions in a work of art come about through conscious and unconscious forces. Through reflecting on and exploring the natalistic symbols and metaphors of therapeutic works of art the artist can gain insight and further understanding of their inner and external experience.

My approach to natalistic art in therapy is not a new therapeutic discovery or methodology. Numerous therapists have seen a relationship between art and healing and pre- and perinatal experience and art. Rather, what makes an approach of "Natalistic Art in Therapy" distinctive is its focus on applying creative expressive techniques to work with specific issues around birth and prenatal trauma. With the assumption that psychological healing is a holistic process, this chapter connects theories of creative expression, "art in therapy" theories, natalistic theory and theories of other therapeutic approaches.

NATALISM IN ANCIENT ART AND RITUAL

The use of art and creative activity as a means of group and individual healing has a long history stretching back to drawings on the walls of palaeolithic caves. As Wadeson (1980) reflects, "The roots of the art therapy profession reach back to prehistoric eras when our remote predecessors expressed their relationship to their world in cave drawings and sought meaning of existence in imagery" (p. 13). The archaic artist expressed significant events and quandaries about the nature of living.

In expressing and exploring meaning, art activity and art productions have likely always served as significant forms of learning, healing and therapy. Rogers (1993) assures us that using art as a primary source of healing is "not new. Ancient cultures did not separate their arts from healing. It was all one and the same thing" (p. 96).

Many drawings and sculptures found in the ancient cavernous wombs of the earth have been devoted to themes of fertility, pregnancy and birth. Eliade (1958) notes a, "whole series of initiatory rites and myths, concerning caves and mountain crevasses as symbols of the womb of Mother Earth" (p. 58). Historically and cross culturally, creation and rebirth represent some of the most common themes of transformation, learning, and healing in myth, ritual and religious rites (Irving 1988). Eliade (1958) surmises, "From all this, one common characteristic emerges -- access to the sacred and to the spirit is always figured as an embryonic gestation and a new birth" (p. 58). Eliade has described how rebirth in ceremony and initiation follow the patterns of biological birth. Likewise, [the] artworks associated with ritual and transformation are often natalistic in style and or content (Irving 1988).

As we study human cultures, we find that art invariably demonstrated intricate elements of myth, ritual and religion - paths to understanding the inner and outer worlds. The search for deeper meaning almost certainly has called for creating art; and, as well, the making of art no doubt has lead to an enhanced sense of meaning, and has allowed access to, and expression of, unconscious, primal forces. The creation of art activity and art images is inseparable from those methods by which cultures have sought a deeper understanding and deeper connection to existence.

Therapeutic rebirth, whether metaphorical or revivified, can significantly support personal transformation. Historically and cross-culturally, transformation has often been associated with symbolic or literal rebirth (Eliade, 1958). In initiation mysteries, altered states, breath, trance, dance, art, music and ritual (theatre) have been important components of the rebirth ordeals which re-enact embryonic and birth experience symbolically. Psychotherapy has reopened the prenatal realm primarily through breath, abreactive and body focused therapies, and relaxation and hypnotherapy. In these various approaches music has often been used to evoke the pre- and perinatal realm (Grof, 1975; Saurel, 1987; Emerson, 1987; Verny, 1994). Most of these therapies have used art activity occasionally. Verny (1994) relates a pre- and perinatal regression exercise in which he employs relaxation, visualization, music and art:

Now I will play some classical music for you. When the music starts please allow the music to take you wherever you need to go. Do not think do not try to analyze or appreciate the music. Just feel it the way you would feel the rays of the sun on a warm summer day, open yourself up to the experience and go with it.

That's right, get more comfortable so that you can really relax and go further back in time.

I will hand them a large sheet of sketching paper and a box of crayons and ask them to draw their experience, whatever it was. It's really quite astonishing how much pre- and perinatal symbolism emerges in the process. (p. 183)

When I searched for the presence of natalistic images historically and cross culturally, I found natalistic artistry in association with the various means by which peoples sought a deeper understanding of themselves and the greater world (Irving 1988). Because psychotherapy is one of the primary methods for the contemporary search for deep meaning and greater understanding, I reasoned that if natalistic art and natalistic activity has served an important function in association with transformation over time and through so many cultures, what might natalistic activity have to offer contemporary psychotherapy? [I am certain I do not have the full answer to that riddle], I believe the addition of natalistic activity to psychotherapy, art therapy and pre- perinatal psychotherapy will bring forth some interesting and valuable discoveries. It's power to heal and its power to reveal human experience and perception are profound.

Art is an effective path into our selves but often it is minimized or denied outright in our culture or by our culture, as efforts in the U.S. to block government funding for artists who reveal controversial, painful or oppositional aspects of consciousness attest. As Naumburg (1950) states: