Creating a Self-Symbol using the earth as a canvas is an incredibly powerful experience that supercharges the healing powers of nature and creativity.

I began with a walking meditation as I entered the woods surrounding your home.  I opened to the idea of  looking for things that could represent “me.”  Dying leaves drew me in for hair, bark seemed natural for my skin, and a small stone became my face.  As I created myself on the earth, “I” emerged in a free, expressive pose that reminded me of yoga or dance.  The beautiful autumn leaves became my garment, and, the more I created, the more I connected to my self-symbol as “me.”  Because of the wind, she/I/we kept falling apart.  I had to keep putting us back together, which was a wonderful metaphor. I kept attempting to perfect us, but that was impossible given the wind (and life).  While a small part of me felt like I was abandoning her/me/us at the top of the hill; at the same time, my connection to the earth and idea of impermanence became my over-arching experience.

The spot where I created myself on the earth is one I visit frequently.  As the season changed, and the earth began to reclaim “me,” I was moved to transform my self-symbol in preparation for winter.  It is interesting that everything became less fluid, as the cool temperatures cause things to stiffen, or freeze up.  A few blades of green grass became my heart, and I added larger stones  for my winter boots.  My hair became more like straw (which it tends to do in the winter:), and my body, more covered up, reflective of the many layers I wear when hiking in colder weather.  I learned many things in transforming my self-symbol for the winter, and the main thing I’d like to share is this:  there is so much beauty in every season…both nature’s seasons, and our own.

Namaste,