Transformative Arts...

I was invited to a mask making class. Someones first foray into teaching a class was offering this 3 hour class for a materials fee of $5.  I'm in. I like to learn new art skills. And we were going to start with a guided meditation? Yes, please.  Finally, the woman offering the class had a Masters in Transformative Arts. What is that? I was instantly attracted to this idea. At this point I still didn't know what transformative arts was, but in the back of my mind a small voice said, "yes". So I went.

The class started by filling out a short personal survey, to be completed again afterwards to show changes in thoughts and feelings - if any. The eleven of us then gathered in a group and shared a brief personal introduction. Then we lay on the floor with our blankets/mats, closed our eyes and were led on a guided meditation to "see" the mask we were going to create. A short time later we were up and forming the shape of our masks with aluminum foil and masking tape.

I was energized. I met a tiger face to face on my meditation journey. He quickly took shape - bones of aluminum held together by ligaments and tendons of masking tape. Next came the paints - a rough estimate of color and design. He clearly needed some detail work - but overall I liked him.

We then spent a few minutes writing about our experience: what message our newly created animal mask might have for us, and what we as the creator might want from it. Then back to the circle to share our experience. This time there was a stronger sense of community, a shared vulnerability. The instructor shared a short poem of her newly created but unfinished bunny. Slowly, people began to share their creation and what it meant to them. As I listened I felt tears forming. I am no stranger to tears, but was unaware of why they would be coming now. I looked at my journal entry...what could I share, what could I say without breaking down completely?

I briefly shared the story of my tiger - he was my companion. When I saw him we were nose to nose, I was not afraid. I knew the two of us would sit together in the cool quiet of the jungle on the bough of a tree just watching the day pass.

A few more stories were shared. The tears had a life of their own. I started to look around for an exit. Would it be rude to jump up and leave the circle before everyone had a chance to share? Was it somehow important to stay for the symbolic closing of the circle? I think I made it - I got up and a friend was in front of me. She knew. She must have seen me from across the circle. She gave me a hug and I cried. No, I sobbed. Why? Just deep and utter sadness - I can recall the day and feel the remnants of that sadness.

"The core components of a Transformative Art experiences are hands-on activities or tasks that group participants execute, create, or do...This relaxed, non-judgmental space becomes a safe container for a journey into the sacred. It also opens a potent doorway for creating change and expanding the awareness of choice in how we live our everyday experience. It enhances self-awareness and this awareness creates an opportunity for the transformation of core beliefs about what is possible."  ~ www.centerfortransformativeart.com

I later went looking for the definition of transformative arts. Oh...now I get it. Would I have gone knowing I would open "a potent doorway"? I have no idea, but I am glad I went. Grief, like the tiger is my current life companion. This brief foray into transformative arts was a reminder of that.