Our Hands are an Instrument of the Heart
Dear Friends,
Well what can I say? Since my last newsletter, brutal fires have burned through whole neighborhoods and other equally brutal fires have thankfully found a way to cease, at least for now. These are dizzying and disorienting times in which we locate ourselves. It seems important to find ways to ground and take root, and recommit to the flourishing of our local communities.
More and more, I hear how important it is for people to have opportunities to circle up and express their heart. The other day in Small Graces, our lovely midwinter journalling group, I shared the notion that in many traditions our hands are considered the instruments of the heart. Whether with pen, or paintbrush, or needle and thread, the hands have a revelatory quality. They can express or discover parts of ourselves that are yet unknown.
In Chinese Medicine, the hands are considered to be the conductors of qi, or the life force energy. Before writing, I led the journaling group through a series of simple hand exercises that allowed the vitality of qi to flow through the hands.
Well into midlife I discovered that working with my hands brings an enormous sense of satisfaction and contentment. Weaving, for example, is a very grounding practice that tethers you to your embodied experience in the present moment. Like any art form, there’s a learning curve. But once you get into a groove, the craft brings the weaver into a timeless flow state and sharpens the focus, almost like meditation. It’s very settling for the nervous system, especially in our fast-paced culture.
When we weave together, we’re stepping into an ancient tradition that feels like part of our DNA, our human birthright. Our weavings can be offerings to our ancestors and add another artifact or heirloom to the material culture of heritage.
We’d love to share the magic of expressive weaving with you in our beginning Weaving Vessels workshop at The Meadow DUMBO, a creative sanctuary in Brooklyn. This workshop takes place on Saturday, January 25th from 1PM to 4PM.
During out time together, you’ll learn how to give shape and dimension to your choice of weaving materials. You’ll conjure and create a unique and artful vessel such as a nest, vase, bowl, fish trap, light shade, or an abstract expression.
We’re so grateful for the extraordinary turnout for our Expressive Weaving: Tapestries workshop last Saturday. This cozy winter offering was completely sold out. It was wonderful to see both new and familiar faces in the studio and a true delight to witness the expressive tapestries come to life. Here’s a little clip from our time together:
Come weave yourself into our growing community at The Meadow DUMBO. We specialize in artful, in-person gatherings that foster creativity and connection to enhance wellbeing.
With gratitude,
Julie