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 Persephone and Hades' pomegranite. Art Journaling: Myths & Mythmaking – Personal & Universal
This season of autumn is rich with mythical lore. From Halloween – All Hallows Eve – to the All Souls or the Day of the Dead in Mexican culture, we honor those who have passed and create ritual and myths about loved ones as a way to keep them with us. The shortening of the days, the falling leaves, the cold weather coming on and the darkening of light all remind us that the season of growth and harvest have come to an end. The ancient Greek myth of Demeter the goddess of harvest symbolizes this yearly cycle telling of her beautiful daughter Persephone being stolen to the underworld by the God Hades. In her mourning and despair Demeter caused the symbolic death of winter to come upon earth until the promise of spring and the rescue of Persephone. Each year we too must begin our annual descent into the darker realms, into hibernation, the dream world, the unconscious, and the place where archetypes are born. As we tidy up the garden and batten down the hatches of our homes, our bodies begin to slow down, become sleepier and need warm foods and sweaters. This past weekend in the Writing for the Soul workshop we explored myths and the role they play in our lives. How mankind needed myths to explain phenomenon, which were beyond their control – like the seasons and dramatic forces of nature, strong winds, rain, tornados, volcanic eruptions. Or to maintain culture values and traditions. Icarus flying too close to the sun with his wax wings was a cautionary tale against pride and hubris. Cultural and ethnic myths like the notion of the “evil eye” are widespread and serve a protective function. In every family there are myths of the “pretty one”, the “smart one” or the “black sheep.” We asked, “What kinds of myths do we each hold about ourselves and our families?” Do these myths help us or hinder us? What function do they serve? Numerous images of mythological creatures from dragons, to medusa to Pegasus, vampires and the three fates were provided and workshop participants created drawings, collages and stories which combined personal myths with universal myths that resonated for each in their own way. For one member the story of Demeter and Persephone reflected the strained/distance in a mother daughter relationship. For another it was the twin gods of Mayan culture and the dual nature of having always to be what your parents expect of you yet while trying to be an individual. Another chose the symbol of the menorah and a family meal to represent the importance of tradition and togetherness to her family heritage. Explore this notion of myths in your own journaling process: Part 1 1) Think about what myths you hold about yourself. 2) Make a List of three or four 3) Choose one to expand on and journal for ten minutes on this subject. What function does this myth serve in your life? Part 2 1) Think about your favorite myth stories 2) Look up images and stories on Google 3) Collage or draw using these images and create your own myth story combining elements of your own story and those of the myth, which resonates with you most. Explorations in Food We have just started up our new season of art journaling workshops again with a repeat of the popular “What’s on Your Plate? – A Literal and Visual Exploration of our Relationships to Food.” There was such a response to this multi-layered and universal topic that we decided to reprise it and allow those to attend who missed the first one in May. We were a small group this morning in the art therapy studio – just four – but what a rich and multi-faceted discussion and experience it was. Associations with food ranged from family and community to shame, anxiety, and guilt. There was long discussion of food as a nurturing and aesthetically appealing element of life as well as an essential ingredient of survival. How and why persons relate to each other in families seems much determined by relationships to food. Our relationships to ourselves, our bodies and feelings of love or hatred of self are wrapped in the mix as well.
 All the foods you want but can't eat. Wow – what a complex and provocative topic. It was noted by a few of us that our reactions to the art supplies, and in particular the pile of food collage images, was indicative of relationships to food. For many it was just overwhelming and they almost couldn’t get started until a large pile of images was amassed. Many seemed to agree that having a small number of images already provided in the form of a little envelope, helped to contain some anxiety related to the topic. For most there was a cathartic element in being able to delineate complex feelings and put them at a distance on the page. Each person's response was very personal and individual, but with so many overlaps that discussion became very lively!
The above described workshop gives a great example of why art journaling works. Each workshop begins with a meditation, which is mindfulness based and centering. A topic is introduced and then we often start with a “mind clearing” free write just to begin the creative process without any agenda and get the left brain activated before jumping into more right brained visual work. The visual process might be preceded by a verbal process where the group discusses words and ideas associated with the theme, which can prompt mental images to be brought forth through collage, drawing, painting, layering of materials, stenciling or a myriad of other techniques in the journals. The act of writing in expressive form has been shown to lower levels of stress hormones and boost immune function among the medically ill. The use of both right brain (symbol making) and left brain (word making) functions simultaneously is deeply integrating and can enhance cognitive understanding of emotional issues for which words can be difficult. Members of the monthly “Writing for the Soul” groups often seem enormously relieved by the Sunday morning discussions and engagement in exercises designed to get them “out of their rut.” This seemed certainly true for today’s workshop particularly around individuals’ current relations to food. Each was asked to write about and recreate symbols of a “meal from their past.” Which meal and with what family or persons was not specified. Many chose to recreate a meal from childhood. For others it was their adult family. Either way, paper plates were handed out and these could be used as a “plate” or circular structure if desired.
For those of you who want to journal on this topic here are a few suggestions:
Get your journal, a paper plate, collage images of food or your favorite drawing materials (pastels, felt-tips markers etc…) -Meditate on your physical relationship to food: sensations of both satisfaction or hunger and where you feel them in your body. -Do a five-minute timed "free write" related to this and then respond visually for another five minutes. -Then visualize a meal from your past (far or recent). Try to engage all of your senses and recall where you were sitting, who was there, what you smelled, tasted or felt, what was served, what conversations you remember. -Journal on this topic for ten minutes or so and then create a visual response or representation of your writing. Use the paper plate as a template if you like. -Another option and perhaps a restorative response to a difficult memory of a meal is to create "Your Ideal Meal." Let us know how it goes! On October 20th we will introduce a new theme: Myths and Myth Making. This workshop will run from 1:30 until 3:30. Mia and Nelly |
AuthorMia de Bethune, ATR-BC, LCAT is a writer, artist, art therapist and owner of Art Therapy on Hudson. Archives
June 2023
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