From Mud: Mindfulness Found in Clay Work
- cwilli480
- Jul 21, 2022
- 1 min read
On July 16th, 2022 I held a clay retreat at the Rio Grande Nature Center State Park in Albuquerque, NM to fulfill the creative component of my Thesis in Mindfulness Studies. My thesis explores clay work as a mindfulness-based practice. This blog documents the sequence of practices, theoretical foundations, and reflections of retreat participants.
Mindfulness practices were held in a classroom setting as well as outdoors in a forest setting. The environment was set up with great care in regard to stewardship of space and materials. Upon arriving in the classroom, participants were greeted with a defined space for their practice. Each individual was provided an apron, drinking water, a moist sponge, paper, pencil, pre-portioned clay, and a handout of the agenda. Paper and pencil were also provided to record any thoughts or ideas as they moved through the retreat. Background music was used during welcoming and warm-up. The retreat began with a land acknowledgment for both the space and the clay used to pay tribute to the original inhabitants whose land we used.
Land Acknowledgement
I would like to begin by acknowledging that we are on the traditional land of home of the Piro/Manso/Tiwa tribes. Taken in cessation 688 taken on October 1st, 1886. As an uninvited settler, I recognize the systemic inequities that are present as a result of colonization and am committed to working together towards reconciliation.
Our clay comes from California, home of the Gabrielino and Tongva people. The Cocomcahra tribe, Kaweh’a, and San Luis Ray. Their land taken in cessation 308 in 1852. With care, we handle their land, this clay, as we put our energy into this history.
Welcome
I hope that you find moments to feel effortlessly happy, relaxed, pleased with yourself, and find space to enjoy the quiet presence of others. The clay can also bring rise to a range of feelings and emotions, sometimes hidden deep within our brain and the motion of our hands can bring that to surface. It gets “un-earthed”. I invite you to embrace this opportunity for nonjudgement and to ride the waves between the mind and senses and be fully present.
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