Sometimes a Playshop comes together with a delicious constellation of participants, art supplies, meaning, and creation. The HeArt Zine Creative Playshop I co-facilitated with the remarkable Dodi Jackson was one such moment in time.
Invigorated and cocooned by the intentional Heart energy that permeated the whole of The Body Now Retreat, hosted by Turning the Wheel Productions, a circle of woman gathered in a snug room separate from the expansive spaces the rest of the retreat. Everyone dropped into a creative process guided by their intuitive heart with ease. Dodi and I fostered the creative environment with embodying activities and meditations at the beginning of each session.
The first two days of the Creative Play were spent with colorful papers, feathers, Gelli-prints, and fabrics which were used to create some of the most evocative collages I have ever seen. Each one was a unique manifestation of the individual. As always I was caught off guard by the unexpected combinations of color and texture, swirling into existence in ways that I would never imagine myself.
I always make the project along with participants. Not only is it fun to play as well but I have the opportunity to model different ways to work with the materials.
Once the collages were complete and dry we folded them up. This was a wonderful process to witness. The images completely transformed as they metamorphosed from a flat one dimensional image into an interactive booklet with eight tiny collages. Complete but separate. I adore this process of change. It keeps the process free of attachment, which so deeply mirrors the truth of our Heart space.
The Beginnings of my Heart Message
The final step of the process was to discover a message from your heart to weave through the images of the collage. Dodi is a master found poem creator and brought her genius to this process, gently guiding people into discovery. I had also curated a luscious list of words and quotes, as well as shared the magical collection of love notes from my friend Lizzi. The combinations that appeared in the poems were surprising and profound and unique. I was deeply touched by each message.
The completed HeArt Zines were placed in the space for the closing ritual of the retreat to radiate their deep heart wisdom into the room. The coven of creators also had the opportunity to embody a piece of their poem in front of the whole retreat, moving and speaking and showing off their zine. There is a video of all the zines together on my Instagram. Be sure to check it out and follow me over there. It’s pretty magical!
I hope to bring this HeArt Zine Playshop to more people and other venues. I was so nourished and satisfied by the process. I now have three HeArt Zines, and going back and reading them I still receive fresh wisdom from my found words each time. If you would like to join me for my next HeArt Zine Playshop be sure to Sign Up for my Newsletter to never miss an offering or Like my Facebook Page to see upcoming events.
Be well and Blessed Be!
