Practitioners' Experiences of the Influence of Bonsai Art on Health

Bonsai art refers to the cultivation of a miniature tree. This study was motivated by the hypothesis that bonsai art may also be an ecopsychological, therapeutic practice that can have meaningful healing qualities. An international online survey elicited the meaning of bonsai art for 255 skilled bon...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of environmental research and public health 2021-03, Vol.18 (6), p.2894
Main Authors: Hermann, Caroll, Edwards, Stephen D
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adaptability
Anxiety
Art therapy
Creativity
Data collection
Emotions
Ethics
Healing
Health Promotion
Humans
Hypotheses
Influence
Mental health
Nature
Psychotherapy
Qualitative research
Questionnaires
Rehabilitation
Rehabilitation Centers
Retirement
Surveys and Questionnaires
Citations: Items that this one cites
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:Bonsai art refers to the cultivation of a miniature tree. This study was motivated by the hypothesis that bonsai art may also be an ecopsychological, therapeutic practice that can have meaningful healing qualities. An international online survey elicited the meaning of bonsai art for 255 skilled bonsai practitioners. Questionnaires and interviews were used to elicit the experiences of participants. The findings supported the hypothesis that, for skilled practitioners, bonsai art was associated with meaningful healing experiences. In particular, the evidence suggests that bonsai art facilitates improved ecological, spiritual and emotional awareness, as well as various healing dimensions, including aesthetic creativity, resilience, adaptability, and social, physical, and personal health. It is viewed as an intervention technique that requires few resources, is easy to apply, and has a minimal impact on any environmental setting. The conclusions drawn point to the ethically sound health promotion value of bonsai art in various settings, such as psychiatric hospitals, retirement homes, rehabilitation centres and prisons.
ISSN:1660-4601
1661-7827
1660-4601
DOI:10.3390/ijerph18062894