Dear Friends,
I have returned from Nepal four months ago and today.
In my last blog, before leaving I wrote, "Peace is like Joy, flowing from the abundance of God's goodness experienced within around and through us, while in the company of one another. This kind of peace is like laughter erupting from the belly! Song leaping from the lungs! Colors VIBRANT and radiance dancing through space, embodied beauty in all human forms."
Upon my return, I would add "Peace comes as we engage in the hard work of self exposure repeatedly with a group of people over time, in particular space, amidst a deepening hope, bathed in prayer, and budding faith that we all are living artistry!"
As I arrived in Nepal, I had no idea how "cracks" would become the foundation of my experience, literally! The Introduction to Expressive Art Therapy and Community Art Practice for Peace courses would be held in a location that was full of cracks from the earthquake and aftershocks, and yet safe enough to hold us for a week before it was demolished. We gathered, all 25 of us, our lives cracking open with curiosity about what our time together would be like and become! These cracks, places where we were all willing to engage in something new, would become OPENINGS for self-disclosure, discovery, distinctive identity and group cohesion! Our cracking open into new experiences of art making became holding basins of our song, silence, drawing, painting, poetry and masterful making of wholeness from pieces. Yes CRACKS became Openings though which gifts could emerge! Cracks, became friendly openings just the right size for us to risk presenting ourselves in various modalities of expression welcoming the art emerging.
Our first day ended with everyone feeling a little bit "shaky". We were crossing from the landscape of expectations into explorations and possibilities, and it was hard work. This was a class like no other for these Masters of Social Work students, professors, professionals and school principles. It was a class like no other for me as well. So much deconstruction of original expectations, pedagogy, and plans had happened, the uneasiness, even queasiness that comes when venturing into territory unknown was fully present by the end of the day! I had introduced Expressive Art practice in the room and the vulnerability of each one was palpable! The Art had begun to emerge even through the noise of personal defenses that appeared as constant talking or perpetual silence, staying in previously established friendship packs, even role taking such as being the "helper" rather than participator. And thats when I knew, we would be OK! In the art emerging, people were being cracked open and that which was in them and within the group was being made visible, sensible through sound, movement colors and play! Here are a few pictures of the first day.
Our first skill came that very first day! We experienced within ourselves the strength to show up in the midst of difficulty! We decided within us and amongst us we had the strength to continue saying yes to new experiences, new levels of exposure, and new places of vulnerability. It was so much fun and so scary!
Isn't this life though? Wherever we go, we are faced with people different from us, aren't we? Our everyday lives are filled with cross cultural challenges that we may accept of block. We are faced with experiences and opportunities to risk curiosity and the potential that what we "know" may be challenged by what we experience as we engage with people different from ourselves! This group of Nepali people amazed me with their courage, commitment, and care for one another and the process and me! It is a joy to share what Hope Rising Amidst becomes when we engage the very center of ourselves, our living artistry! Stay tuned! There is more to come! And hopefully more to inspire!
Joy fill you!
Mary
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