My Giraffe and Jackal expressed non-verbally through art......
I had the opportunity to choose object from nature and glue them onto a piece of cardboard.......
What the different objects represent to me......
My JUDGMENTAL JACKEL chose a dried cabbage leaf....
When I first moved to NZ I invited an old time naturalist to visit my land and help educate me in regards to the native verses non native trees and plants..
I told Jack.. “I’m going to cut down those cabbage trees.. I think they are ugly”
Jack said... “When you come to LOVE the cabbage tree you will be a TRUE KIWI”
Welllllllll.... I must now be a TRUE KIWI... I have come to love the cabbage tree....
I collect the “fronds” bundle them up and tie them together and use as kindling to start a fire....
I LOVE the SWEET gentle smell of the blossoms....
The old Cabbage trees are NARLEY and multi facetted... many branches, extremely interesting to look at.
I chose LOVE IN A MIST to represent LOVE.....
It is the sweetest light blue flower surrounded in light misty feathery softness. It is one of my favorite flowers... it is FRAGILE. It has a PROTECTIVE shell that holds the seeds of the future flower. The “Shell” protects the young seeds, holds them until they dried out and are ready to be exposed then released into the world.
I chose a DEAD, Shriveled up, OLD, small Maple Leaf.......
It represented the scarred, scared, almost dead part of my self that I have been dried out.... close to death...contracted....held tight.... It is a reminder to me that I have a chose in each moment... choose FEAR and close up to defend myself or OPEN MY HEART, expose my vulnerability, ASK questions, be willing to receive, BE OPEN, RECEPTIVE, LISTEN.. expose my true colors, my feelings.....BE LIGHT.
I chose the beautiful leaf to represent the DEEP BEAUTY, MULTI FACETTED parts of myself that are ALSO FLAWED= IMPERFECT no matter how beautiful.....
I chose the fennel to represent the PATH OF NVC........
There are bumps and challenges along the way, many choices on which way to go..AND the path is SOFT and GENTEL, sweet smelling and GIVING.....LOVE IS ALL I NEED< LOVE IS ALL I NEED< LOVE IS ALL I NEED......
I chose Purple, red, yellow and orange flower petals to represent JOY, LOVE, SACREDNESS, and ECSTATIC BLISS.... I will attempt to always scatter and share my JOY,LOVE, SACREDNESS and ECSTATIC BLISS....
I chose a prickly DEAD plant to represent the defenses we all put up to protect ourselves.
I will attempt to be aware when my own prickly shit comes up and know that it is probably an attempt to PROTECT and DEFEND our young, innocent, vulnerable side... I will be gentle with others and myself when I notice this prickly, harshness......I endeavor to be AWARE AND TAKE CARE OF OLD WOUNDS within myself and others...... There are STILL TO THIS DAY scars from old injuries..... physical, spiritual and emotional scars that are healed to certain degrees.. some are Gnarly, BIG, obvious scars.. some are smaller and still raw and pussy... The memory of the old injury is in the muscle tissue.. imbedded in the body memory... REMEMBER... LOVE IS ALL I NEED< LOVE IS ALL I NEED...Love and gentle care, tenderness, coaxing the old hurt....Can I see the beauty in it?? What is underneath, immeshed with in the scar??? CAN I LOOK DEEPER?? look at the texture? find something LIGHT? Courageous, can I find Empathy? A wise knowing learned from the experience???
I chose a long, straight stick to remind me that I need to be PATIENT with myself and others... The road is long- Take a BREAK and rest along the way when needed, pace myself, go lightly........