Send Me On My Way: Day 5

I celebrate myself, and sing myself,
And what I assume you shall assume,
For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you.
- Walt Whitman

















Day 5- our last day: The girls have inspired me greatly and I love them for that. I'm feel so grateful for Chelsea our Mighty Intern, for my friends who sent their love via wish flags, and for our sponsors whose generosity helps us to manifest mighty things. Today was a day of celebration. The sunlight was golden and the grass was wet from a storm that swept through last night. There was an unusual number of dragonflies flying near the Mighty Tipi.

We began the morning with gifts. Todays gift came from our kindred spirits at Papaya Art. They sent the girls a beautiful art panel by the talented and inspiring, Sabrina Ward Harrison. The term "Make Believe" has powerful mojo. It serves as a reminder that the imagination is very powerful and the source of our creativity.

We had a gift for our amazing intern: a sketchbook designed by Sabrina Ward Harrison, a book by Louise L. Hay, and a gift card for art supplies. The girls all carried the gift together. It kind of reminded me of crowd surfing at a concert.



The girls added some final embellishments to their journals.





































Then we introduced the girls to Soul Painting. Soul painting or Touch Drawing is a transformational art form. Paper is placed over a freshly painted white board. Wherever it is touched, an imprint is made on the back side. Some of the girls deeply explored the process and not only used their hand, but included their elbows, feet and head. It was quite beautiful to witness.















































When they finished their soul paintings they created inspirational post cards to send anonymously to other girls.















Before the girls left the Mighty camp I showed them this little bowl that has been sitting on a table in the tipi all week long. The bowl was given to Mighty Girl Art from Kathie and Sue. It is a woman holding the earth on her back. It represents that we all come to this planet through a mother. What a privilege it is to be born female, to be the doorway to this planet.

















Inside the bowl was 8 miniature charms of the woman figure. There was one representing each of us at Mighty Girl Art camp. I passed one to each of the girls to take home with them.


"But there's one left", a Mighty Girl exclaimed.

"That one is me", I said.


Since it was our last day I promised the girls that, after our closing ceremony, we would have pizza party sponsored by our local favorite, "Ledo Pizza"!

Some of the moms joined us for the closing ceremony. The girls formed a circle with their family members behind them. Each of the Mighty Girls took turns revealing the girl they had randomly chosen on the first day, then validated all the qualities she observed and admired in her chosen girl. She then presented the name tag that she decorated to her chosen girl. The tags can be used as bookmarks to remind the girls of how truly wonderful they are.

















Next, we said goodbye the same way we said hello, with each girl introducing herself through maternal lineage, i.e. "I am Wendy, daughter of Joyce, daughter of Irma, daughter of Geneva". Each girl took the hand of the one sitting next to her until the circle was closed again.

















Together we took down the Mighty Tipi.

How might your life have been different if there had been a place for you...where you were received and affirmed? A place where others had been affirmed before you, each in her time, affirmed as she struggled to become more truly herself.

A place where, after the fires were lighted, and the drumming, and the silence, there would be a hush of expectancy...a knowing that each one there was leaving old conformity to find her self...a sense that all of womanhood stood on the threshold.

And if, during the hush, others had helped you to trust your own becoming...to trust it and quietly and prayerfully to nurture it...

How might your life be different? ~ Judith Duerk (Circle of Stones)

We All Shine On: Day Four

The only journey is the one within - Rainer Maria Rilke
















Day 4: It was a scorcher, but the girls arrived early once again to help set up their camp. I really love these girls and I can't believe tomorrow is our last day. Oh how I will miss them! We started the morning with gifts. Today's gifts comes from the generous folks at Hay House, publishing company of the inspiring Louise L. Hay. They sent the girls a set of cool affirmation cards as well as a story book about abundance by Dr. Wayne Dyer.




























We immediately began our journal work. I demonstrated two methods of transfer printing and gave the girls copies of their flying photos from yesterday to use for transfers. They tried the water method as well as the gel transfer.








































































The journals dried in the sun. A flock of Goldfinches tried flying through the Mighty Tipi then miraculously detoured to a nearby tree.

We ended the morning with a new project, Lanterns. The lanterns can be used as a night light or anytime we need to lift our spirits. They are wonderful to honor the passing year, a solstice, a holiday, a season, or a birth.





































“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? We are all meant to shine. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.” - Marianne Williamson

Shine, Mighty Girls, shine!

Something Wonderful: Day Three

I
held my breath
as we do
sometimes
to stop time
when something wonderful
has touched us - Mary Oliver

















Day 3: My radiant and colorful Mighty Intern, also known as, "The Amazing Chelsea" presented me with a bowl that she made with her own two hands. Yes, I cried. I've gotten juicier with age - tears are part of the territory.






















We began the morning with gifts. Today's gift comes from Harper Collins, The Pocket Daring Book for Girls: Wisdom & Wonder! It's crazy cool...'nough said!










Then we went back to work on the journals. We started our writing prompts based on the "I Am" poem. This is a wonderful exercise worth repeating periodically as we become more fully ourselves. For parents it can be a very moving glimpse into your daughter's heart. For girls it can be an empowering and playful way to get to know oneself.

















While the journals dried in the sun, the Mighty Girls took flight.





























































We ended the morning with another project, Talisman Necklaces. The girls have been asking about it since day one and were so eager to get started that when I announced that it was talisman time, they ran to the Mighty Tipi screaming with joy. Talismans date back to antiquity and are believed to bring good luck or protection to the person who wears them.
















I poured out the jar of lovely talismans made by Industrial Chic , charms and toggles from Creativity Inc. as well as some found objects from my stash. The girls chose one that they felt connected to in some way. Then they shared their story about the talisman that they chose.
















They did an amazing job. The necklaces are BEAUTIFUL!


















































I was completely swept away by this awesome group of girls.

Blessing Manifested: Day Two

"Sometimes I need
only to stand
wherever I am
to be blessed." - Mary Oliver

















Day 2: I am here to tell you that the girls have officially taken ownership of their camp, arriving early to help set up. This thrills me to the core. They hung the wish flags that they made yesterday along with the wish flags made by some seriously Mighty Mamas!































We began the morning with gifts once again. Today's gift is the summer issue of Discovery Girls Magazine. A magazine for tweens - written by girls, for girls!






Then we started working on our journals, adding paint, oil stick and collage papers, building background texture and layers to work upon in the days ahead.






























































The journals were placed in the sun to dry.
















And we ended the morning with worry boxes. Based on Guatemalan worry dolls that date back to Mayan traditions, they are thought to soothe anxiety and fears. Worry boxes are a wonderful therapeutic tool. Belief, intention and faith can help a young person shed mild to moderate anxiety.
















Some mental health experts believe that the rituals surrounding a worry box actually provide some comfort during times of stress or grief. The idea is to write one's worries on a piece of paper and immediately place it in the worry box. Expressing feelings of worry or sorrow in writing can prove to be a cathartic experience. It allows the person to acknowledge the emotional pain and get it out.

The inspiring words on the box are meant to reassure that these worries disappear with time. As worries begin to disappear, one is to replace them with other thoughts until one finds peace of mind....

















or even JOY!

House of Belonging: Day One

There is no house like the house of belonging - David Whyte


















Day 1: I am so honored to witness the Mighty Girls of 2010. They are a beautiful, radiant, and creative group. WOW!

We started our morning with our Belonging Ceremony. We circled up and I introduced myself to the group with my maternal lineage, "I am Wendy, daughter of Joyce, daughter of Irma, daughter of Eva, as I wrapped my left wrist with a gorgeous piece of yarn. Then I passed the ball to the Mighty R, and she did the same. Each Mighty Girl recounted their maternal lineage as far back as she could remember until we came full circle and were all connected. Then each of us snipped the yarn for each other and tied the ends forming a sort of bracelet to remind us that we are all connected.

































I presented the gifts for the day: Wonderful aromatherapy oil from Escents, a gorgeous notepad from Papaya Art, and a sticker from You Are Beautiful. *If you would like to print your own You Are Beautiful Sticker to give to others, click HERE!

















The Mighty Girls picked name tags from my hat and were given a secret mission of validation to be revealed on day 5. For now they will secretly observe the girl they chose throughout the week and make a mental note of all the qualities she admires in her chosen one.

















Then we got to work on our art journals. Art journals are the foundation of Mighty Girl Art empowerment camp and we'll be working on them all week. Today, we sanded the surfaces and painted them with gesso. Gesso is a surface primer for painting canvas and other surfaces.

















































While the journals were drying we got inked...









































And defied gravity!
















The last project of the morning was Wish Flags to decorate our Mighty Tipi. Based on the Tibetan tradition used to promote peace, compassion, strength, and wisdom, it is believed that the wishes, prayers a/o mantras will be blown by the wind to spread the good will and compassion into all pervading space to benefit all. In this spirit, your daughter's Wish Flags will remain in the Mighty Tipi as a symbol of her voice and presence to inspire future Mighty Girls.