Heart Circles: An Expressive Arts Project

By Lolly Forsythe-Chisolm

“Each time we choose to act on a core heart quality we’re adding kindness to our world – and we’re creating positive change in the world.”   www.heartmath.com

​Expressive arts activity: 

Create heart circle cards to encourage a creative and fun focus on the core heart qualities of: Acceptance, Patience, Compassion, Care, Love, Appreciation, Respect and Tolerance.

Benefits:

The feelings and emotions we are experiencing can have a positive or negative influence on our day and our energy.  Creating a process through mindfulness and expressive arts which helps you focus on these core heart qualities can help create more resilience and balance within your day. 

​Materials:

• Cardstock or heavy paper
• Lid for a circle template (I used a tennis ball container sized lid)
• Markers, colored pencils or watercolor

​Process:

1. Draw your circles
2. Write the special heart qualities within the circles.  Use whimsical fun lettering.
3. Use color and pattern to decorate your circles.
4. Cut the circles out.
5. On the back of your cards write your personal definition of each word.

Ways to use your circles:

• Each day choose a card and find three ways to express that quality.  At the end of the day journal about your experiences.
• Place your cards under your keyboard or pillow and randomly choose one to write about in a journal.
• Decorate an envelope or pretty bag and gift your cards to a friend going through a challenge.
• When you have a challenge or issue, randomly choose a card and see if you can see your problem from a new perspective.  Journal or write about your experiences.

​Resources:



• Joanne Sharpe - The Art of Whimsical Lettering – great book for simple and fun art of all levels!
• www.heartmath.com – great web site full of research and guided practices in mindfulness.

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About the Artist:  Lolly Forsythe-Chisolm

Lolly Forsythe-Chisolm is a Mind/Body Specialist for the Inpatient Integrative Medicine team.  Email her at lforsythe@umm.edu with any questions and/or with special ways you are using this activity and how it has influenced your days.  She'd also like to hear your ideas and how healing arts have helped you!