Art therapy was pretty cool, for the first session we did photo collages - something easy to start. Basically the instruction was to put together a collage of images or things that resonate with you. I did 2, and they focused on things that make me happy and help me heal - music, traveling, nature, my garden, walking Mimi, the ocean, the beach, butterflies, the cottage.
The Healing Journey was helpful too, this first level that I am in is focused on dealing with cancer stress. The facilitator talked about the roller coaster of emotions we have with a cancer diagnosis. There was a discussion of "What is healing" and how it is different than "curing." Healing is physical, emotional, social and spiritual, and is the process "to make whole." Its beyond the state of disease, it is about reaching a state of harmony, balance and well-being.
There was a bit of discussion amongst the group as well, and everything people said I could relate to - e.g.: post treatment feeling worse (at least emotionally) - being numb during treatment and now feeling like what is next. How after the relief of being done treatment you need to give yourself space to fall apart - and to heal.
There was also a story that the facilitator read, called "The Elephant and the Sculptor."
"An indian sculptor who was famous for his life-sized statues of elephants was visited by a prince, who was intrigued by the man's skill at carving these giant animals. He asked the sculptor, How do you make them so alive? The sculptor replied, Great Prince, when I first quarry a piece of granite from the banks of the river, I set it down in my working place and study it, for weeks if need be, from every angle. While at first I see nothing by shapeless rock, gradually an outline begins to reveal itself to me - I sense that there is an elephant in there, eager to be free from the stone around him.
Only then do I start to work. For many weeks I work at the stone, always focussing on the outline, which becomes clearer and clearer with each passing day. I sense that the big fellow strains to be free. I know then that the single thing I must do is chip away at the stone, removing every part that is not elephant. What remains then must, be, can only be, the true elephant."
The session ended with a healing circle, where we all stand together and the facilitator talked about a healing light passing through each of us all around the circle. It was very calming.
No comments:
Post a Comment