CALLIGRAPHY

In every calligraphy class, one of the students usually mentions that it is very therapeutic or relaxing. That’s because when you are only focused on creating one stroke at a time, each stroke slows down your breathing, and relaxes your body. And as you keep writing, your mind starts to forget about your problems, thus making it a great activity for meditation and relieving tension.

In order to do calligraphy, you need to know how to use the pen to create each stroke of the letter. This activates the motor areas of the brain, which include the cerebral cortex, the basal ganglia, and cerebellum. At the same time, it engages the language portion of the brain. Studies have shown that children retain the spelling of a word much better when they are writing the word out by hand. So learning calligraphy and handwriting are definitely an incredible way to develop fine motor skills and increase memory retention. 

When students are engaged in problem-solving, it’s been shown that the best results come from writing things out or by manipulating the problem with their hands. Also, whenever students encounter a problem, the act of writing helps with the critical thinking process. This is also one of the reasons why some students like to write physical journals in order to sort through their complex emotions. Doing so allows the students to gain a deeper understanding of their situation, uncover how they’re feeling, and discover potential solutions to their problems.

Last but not least, being able to build strong relationship with others is the main reason why calligraphy is so good for students. We are social creatures. When we write something meaningful to someone, and when we see that instant reaction from the person, we know that our message has touched them, or made an impact on them. We know that we’ve connected with the other person. This moment is very powerful, and it’s a beautiful moment to behold and treasure.