Play
It has been ages since I have written on my blog and I am not entirely sure why. There are some definite logical reasons, but there also seems to be a deeper one. I think I have needed to do a bit of hibernating and after a body talk session, Clare Tucker, who I go to for body talk said, "I only want to see you again in January. Your body's telling me it just wants to be entertained." Well with that permission, I have been doing exactly that. I've been getting lost in a whole lot of fiction books and just watching movies. It has been blissful and I think I really needed it. I have come out my hibernation for a little bit while to sort out a whole lot of things for the Christmas holidays but am reveling in the fact that I have another month of just playing! I ordered the following off Amazon and intend to immerse myself in them in the next few weeks.
During this hibernation, I also attended a process art workshop with Michelle McClunan in Hillcrest, and I absolutely loved it. Our project for the day was "Me as a tree" and before we started on the painting, we did a bit of clay work which I found hugely pleasurable and beneficial. Michelle shared with us the benefit of playing with clay when you are angry or sad and how when you are done with it you can just release that clay with all your stuff, back into the earth to be washed away with the next rains. I think that is a magical idea and a great way to teach children to deal with their anger too. So I am off to get some sculpting clay soon. I highly recommend it!
The process art was an amazing experience for me too and I had to learn let go of the outcome and work with the idea that it is about the process and not what it looks like when you are done. I had arrived with all these ideas in my head of creating a magnificent looking tree and was resistant and disappointed with the idea at first. However, in reflecting at the end of the class, I realise my process was all about finding MY voice. It was very powerful for me and I will be doing some more next year for sure!
