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)
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in response to this last paragraph.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was born, and while I was a forming babe, I had this. As a Sicangu Lakota Wakaneja, my Ina, my Unci, my cuwe ki na tiblo's gave this to me. I was blessed. I knew from whom I came, and that is what held me, cradled me in love and comfort when i was torn away from them. I held it inside, and used it as a silent guide map for when i would be returned to my birth family.
I returned, my family was already ripped apart, but becuase of that love I recieved, I was intact. Bruised but intact.
there is NOTHING more important than being heard, loved, nurtured, and SEEN.
my love to you Wendy, to your mighty girls, past and present.
May all of us Ina's (mothers)continue to nurture the mighty girls, the wakaneja's that come into our lives and our hearts, that they may step back into the world; loved and intact.
in love and support,
your kindred, Mary B.B
Wendy. Very simply: THANK YOU. :-)
ReplyDeleteBeing the intern has been such a rewarding experience for me, thank you so much.
ReplyDelete