Benefits of Connections Jigsaw Puzzles for Healing

~ Jigsaw puzzles create literal connections between the right and left brain, as well as between individual brain cells, which increases our ability to learn

~ Several large scale studies (the most notable being the MacArthur Study) found that people who participate in leisure time activities such as jigsaw puzzles have a better quality of life, longer life expectancy and decreased incidence of such brain illnesses as dementia, memory loss and most notably, Alzheimer's Disease.  USA Today published a study on jigsaw puzzles and how they can cut your chances of getting Alzheimer's Disease by almost a third!

~ Successfully piecing a puzzle together, even just placing one piece successfully, encourages the production of dopamine, a brain chemical that improves learning and memory.

~ Jigsaw puzzles are proven to help children develop hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills and help prepare children for reading.

~ Jigsaw puzzles engage both the left and right brain simultaneously.  Doing this allows us to move from a Beta state, the waking mind, to an Alpha state, the same mental state experienced when dreaming.  This is a powerful state of meditation where our subconcious is accessed, and is often used by Olympic athletes, in conjunction with visualization, to increase performance.  Combining this powerfully creative state of mind with positive images and affirmations allows for positive transformation at deep levels.

Benefits of Visualization and Focusing on Healing Art

~ Research is now demonstrating that the arts and related holistic disciplines can increase health, improve learning outcomes, stimulate innovative thinking and aid productivity in the work place.

~ Research has shown that focus on healing images can reduce stress and mental fatigue, speed recovery from illness, relieve depression, reduce negative emotions, lower blood pressure, reduce muscular tension and increase brain activity in the alpha range.

~ Meditation on paintings of deities or yantras is an essential part of Tantric practice.  Focus on such images during meditation allows the meditator to become familiar with the energy patterns of the respective dieties which then allows one to strengthen one's understanding of, and relationship with the energies of that specific diety. For instance, by focusing on Ganesh and the spiritual attributes that he embodies (devotion, determination), one strengthens those attributes within oneself.

~ Sacred geometry can be found in some of our images (mandalas and yantras). Sacred geometry is a symbolic wisdom of the natural laws within us.  It is geometry that is derived from or directly related to the structure of nature and focus on it provides a powerful way to ponder the mysteries of life and connect with the laws of nature which ring true throughout the universe.