Art Therapy Series #1

In my last post I mentioned the Art Therapy workshop that I had recently attended. It was run by one of my colleagues, Trina who has a great interest in holistic healing for children, meditation and the use of art for deep self - expression.

The session was held in a kindergarten and a variety of experiences were set up on (full-size!) tables around the room. The environment looked so inviting, and after a brief introduction and meditation we were all keen to explore. At the conclusion of each activity we then were to write about the experience, taking a deep breath and writing down the words that automatically came to us. From this writing we would then write a mantra, or a positive "I am statement". This would serve to remind of us how we felt after the experience, so that we could  re-visit the emotions we had explored.

The first  experience I chose was clay play. Four people sat a table illuminated with candles, with a lump of soft clay on a wooden board and were encouraged to manipulate the clay, letting go of inhibitions and releasing our emotions into the clay. The idea is that your hands do the talking!

Trina told us that "It may be that a character emerges out of the clay, and that the character has a message for it's maker" This was certainly the case for me! "Or there may be a story unfolding within a clay land"

I have shared what I wrote below. The words just flowed from somewhere deep from within.

CLAY - you feel so smooth and untouched ready to be shaped by my hands and my heart. You are a bird, recently left the nest, vulnerable, yet brave and ready for adventure. You are an owl, wise and purposeful, full of thoughts and knowledge. You are a mother with loving arms to wrap around and protect. You are love freely given and desperately sought. You are life, full of promise and hope.

My Positive statement: I am Purposeful and knowledgeable and brave and loved.