Is there something "Spiritual" about your experience of TD?
Touch Drawing as a Spiritual Journey
I have my own definition of the word spiritual. It’s somewhat different than those one might find in a dictionary. My definition goes something like this: rituals that inspire, rituals that allow the essence of the formless (spirit) to take form; deliberate and intentional action that welcomes the free flow of the essence of life, the Divine creative force.
I approach my TD as a sacred spiritual and meditative journey. The first thing I do is get all my TD supplies completely ready to begin a drawing. Once my supplies are set up, I like to begin by sounding a Tibetan bowl or a gong. While experiencing the vibration of the sound, with my hands in the prayer position, I bow my head to my heart, symbolizing the letting go of the head and the honoring of the heart and all that is sacred. I then continue to sit in the Silent Stillness. As I sit there my intention is to become an indifferent witness, a clear vessel for the spirit of creativity to move through me. My role is to be a compassionate witness for all that emerges in the spirit of sacred play. I do not judge the thoughts or images that move through my mind. I simply allow them to be, without commentary. I call this “taking the witness seat.” At some point in time, usually within 5 minutes, or so it seems, I am called to begin.
I come to my TD supplies and mindfully open the cap on the paint tube. Each and every movement, rhythm and sound is a part of the ritual of awareness, being in the presence of infinite potential and aware that multiple births are about to occur. I listen to the sound of the paint coming out of the tube, witness the color and texture of the paint and the surface texture of the board. With awareness and focus I roll the paint, listening to the sound and watching the patterns that emerge within the paint. I watch how the dance of the separate blobs of paint meet, eventually becoming one uniform layer. I’m aware of the patterns in the paint on the roller as I turn it on its back before setting it down. I hear the sound of the paper separating from the pile as it is placed and smoothed on the board.
I stand in silence looking at the blank paper and witness the images that sometimes emerge as the paint begins to show through the tissue. At some point I begin and as my hand(s) touch the paper it becomes an improvisational dance between my two hands and the surface of the paper. I continue to be aware of the sounds and the rhythms that I experience as my hands move on the paper. I have absolutely no focus on the outcome or making a pretty picture. This is a ritual that allows anything to emerge. When it’s time I remove the paper and turn it over onto the floor. I look at it only briefly as an acknowledgment and then return to begin rolling again with fresh awareness.
I like witnessing all the finished pieces in order. I don’t try to analyze or make meaning of them, though sometimes I recognize certain images or likenesses to something I am familiar with either internally or externally. Sometimes I have a conscious realization about something, and that’s great, too. I just allow it all to be there and don’t try to force anything.
Sometimes I name them as I learned from Deborah in a Touch Drawing gathering. I always enjoy what emerges in the names.
I always end with sitting in Silence and gratitude for the opportunity to be a vessel for this amazing creative force, again bowing my head to my heart and sounding the bell for closure.
Sometimes I vary with the way I play within this ritual by saying prayers or combining with movement, intentions for healing, or making sounds, but I always approach it as a sacred ritual of Divine play that has a definite beginning that welcomes and a closure that gives gratitude.
I’d love to hear from any of you who would care to share about your rituals or ways of being during the process of TD and what it’s like for you.
I invite you to share on the topic:
What does “spiritual” mean to you? How does it apply to TD for you?
I welcome any and all input.
I have so much gratitude for Deborah in the way that she allowed this method to be born and how graciously she shares it with everyone and welcomes all the ways it manifests.
In Gratitude, Jewell
I have my own definition of the word spiritual. It’s somewhat different than those one might find in a dictionary. My definition goes something like this: rituals that inspire, rituals that allow the essence of the formless (spirit) to take form; deliberate and intentional action that welcomes the free flow of the essence of life, the Divine creative force.
I approach my TD as a sacred spiritual and meditative journey. The first thing I do is get all my TD supplies completely ready to begin a drawing. Once my supplies are set up, I like to begin by sounding a Tibetan bowl or a gong. While experiencing the vibration of the sound, with my hands in the prayer position, I bow my head to my heart, symbolizing the letting go of the head and the honoring of the heart and all that is sacred. I then continue to sit in the Silent Stillness. As I sit there my intention is to become an indifferent witness, a clear vessel for the spirit of creativity to move through me. My role is to be a compassionate witness for all that emerges in the spirit of sacred play. I do not judge the thoughts or images that move through my mind. I simply allow them to be, without commentary. I call this “taking the witness seat.” At some point in time, usually within 5 minutes, or so it seems, I am called to begin.
I come to my TD supplies and mindfully open the cap on the paint tube. Each and every movement, rhythm and sound is a part of the ritual of awareness, being in the presence of infinite potential and aware that multiple births are about to occur. I listen to the sound of the paint coming out of the tube, witness the color and texture of the paint and the surface texture of the board. With awareness and focus I roll the paint, listening to the sound and watching the patterns that emerge within the paint. I watch how the dance of the separate blobs of paint meet, eventually becoming one uniform layer. I’m aware of the patterns in the paint on the roller as I turn it on its back before setting it down. I hear the sound of the paper separating from the pile as it is placed and smoothed on the board.
I stand in silence looking at the blank paper and witness the images that sometimes emerge as the paint begins to show through the tissue. At some point I begin and as my hand(s) touch the paper it becomes an improvisational dance between my two hands and the surface of the paper. I continue to be aware of the sounds and the rhythms that I experience as my hands move on the paper. I have absolutely no focus on the outcome or making a pretty picture. This is a ritual that allows anything to emerge. When it’s time I remove the paper and turn it over onto the floor. I look at it only briefly as an acknowledgment and then return to begin rolling again with fresh awareness.
I like witnessing all the finished pieces in order. I don’t try to analyze or make meaning of them, though sometimes I recognize certain images or likenesses to something I am familiar with either internally or externally. Sometimes I have a conscious realization about something, and that’s great, too. I just allow it all to be there and don’t try to force anything.
Sometimes I name them as I learned from Deborah in a Touch Drawing gathering. I always enjoy what emerges in the names.
I always end with sitting in Silence and gratitude for the opportunity to be a vessel for this amazing creative force, again bowing my head to my heart and sounding the bell for closure.
Sometimes I vary with the way I play within this ritual by saying prayers or combining with movement, intentions for healing, or making sounds, but I always approach it as a sacred ritual of Divine play that has a definite beginning that welcomes and a closure that gives gratitude.
I’d love to hear from any of you who would care to share about your rituals or ways of being during the process of TD and what it’s like for you.
I invite you to share on the topic:
What does “spiritual” mean to you? How does it apply to TD for you?
I welcome any and all input.
I have so much gratitude for Deborah in the way that she allowed this method to be born and how graciously she shares it with everyone and welcomes all the ways it manifests.
In Gratitude, Jewell
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Deborah Koff-Chapin on -
Jewell, what a beautiful description that takes me inside your process with Touch Drawing. I feel parallels and also inspiration. For me, to keep the spirit alive over 33 years of Touch Drawing is sometimes challenging. I have been in somewhat of a dry spell for a long while, but am focusing right now on opening the doors once again. When I have been away from the process for a long while, I find a sense of resistance or that is uncomfortable; almost painful. I have to be willing to move through that; be with it; keep drawing even if I don't feel particularly 'connected'...like clearing out a channel so the energies can flow once again.
What I have found in these personal 'dry spells', though, is that I can summon a sense of connection almost instantly if I am drawing for someone else, in a public setting, or for some kind of service... it is called forth and just 'happens' when the focus is not on my own creative connetion. For instance, i have had very little personal studio time in the past year or two...but I have been drawing in conferences and events. I have been putting the drawings online under CONFERENCE ART on the TD website. In reflecting on all the myriad images from just over a year - I realized I had done an enormous amount of work, without really being identified with doing much at all...So I amintrigued with the idea of drawing 'in service' as a form of deep inspiration. Maybe we start a conversation in this forum on ways of DRAWING IN SERVICE.
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Permalink Reply by Jewell Scanlon on
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Hi Deborah,
Thanks so much for the sharing. Part of what I got out of your description seems like a great example of the experience of the Small Self (personality self) and the Big Self (Infinite Self). I've viewed your Conference Art pieces. They are amazing!
DRAWING IN SERVICE is a great idea for a topic. I'll open the topic and would you be willing to share some of your experience as an "Interpretive Artist"?
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Permalink Reply by Deborah Koff-Chapin on
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Yes! Sorry I didn't see your reply earlier. The community hosts are working on something called 'global notifications' which should be up soon. Then we will know all that is new on the site. i have been waiting to really take off with the community til this is done, because its hard to take part in a discussion if you don't know when someone has replied. You as the discussion starter are notified, but not others. That should change soon.
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I want to respond to you, Deborah, regarding uncomfortable feelings or not feeling particularly 'connected'. I'd like to share how I move and draw with these kinds of experiences, allowing them to be as they are. I thought it might be helpful to you or others who surely experience this from time to time.
When I am aware of something BIG going on inside of me....something that I could perhaps label as "resistance", "inertia", "frustration", "fear", etc. etc. This is how I deal with it. First of all I allow it to just be there and to breathe some space around it, inside my body. It's like giving "it" more space and allow myself to witness it more from a distance. Allowing more of a co-existence experience for both me and "it". This involves just "taking the witness seat". From the witness seat I just observe without analyzing, trying to change or fix anything, no pushing anything away, and I view "it" as ENERGY with no good or bad connotation.....just ENERGY. I become aware of body sensations, emotions, thoughts, whatever is there .......again, just observing without analyzing. I then just invite "it" to move to the drawing board give "it" permission to just be and express in any way.
In my experience when I feel "stuck", it's because I have somehow identified this ENERGY as me, rather than ENERGY that is present and wanting to move through me. When I have become identified with this ENERGY it becomes all about me rather than just a powerful ENERGY (which is creation), moving through this vessel that I call "me".
More simply stated, I could say.....Let's see, what does this ENERGY look like on paper? Basically, I start where I am.....me with this "ENERGY" and without judgement, I allow the ENERGY to be the one who draws. Without fail, there's a gift in it.
Hopefully my sharing will be helpful to others.
I invite anyone to share about drawing with or through those "resistant" times.
In Gratitude, Jewell
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Permalink Reply by Wendy on
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Spiritual for me is being connected to the Divine energy that moves through us and the world we live. As I have not yet begun actual TD work I believe that my connection in interpreting the cards I have for myself helps me "see" the things that I can't view in my subconscious and gives me a clearer picture of what the Divine is telling/showing/providing me.
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Hi Wendy, Welcome to TD community. And, thanks for sharing in this discussion. I'll be interested in hearing about your experience when you begin drawing, as well.
Blessings, Jewell
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Permalink Reply by Julie Ann Lien on -
Jewell....I would love to have your "script" on TD as a spiritual journey on tape or cd to guide me thru some drawing sessions! That is a very reverent and clean way to open to the soul. I agree with you on letting go of the head and moving to the heart....if there is one place in the body where the soul might dwell...I feel it is most likely the heart. You made me think.....what would my heart look like if it was a landscape? Thanx for the inspiration! Gotta go do some Touch Drawing now!
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Hi Julie Ann,
Thank you. I'm so glad it's helpful to you! And, I'm glad you joined this discussion group! I love the idea of posing the question, "What would my heart look like if it were a landscape"? That's so beautiful and inspires me. Please share about that, if you feel moved to do so.
Blessings, Jewell
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Permalink Reply by Julie Ann Lien on
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Hi Jewell~I did explore the landscape of my heart thru TD...and want to share some of my experiences around that session. In order to enter this exercize I decided to approach it as if it were an inner portrait session with myself...so I gathered my materials and sat in front of a mirror. I've never done this before...and to be honest...it felt a bit awkward! So I closed my eyes and started taking some deep breaths just to center and ground myself. I then allowed my attention to move away from my breathing and gently drift to my heart center. By holding the focus on my heart center I could feel my own presence and feelings there....and started to imagine what those feelings would look like if they were a landscape. With my eyes still closed, I asked...what kind of terrain does this landscape have? What kind of vegetation grows there? What colour is the sky? Is it stormy or calm? Are there trees? Flowers? Roads? Bulidings? Are there living entities there? What are they and what is their purpose? When I got a sense of what my heart's landscape would look like, I opened my eyes and began to draw. It was suprisingly easy and many drawings came forth....just like when you do an inner portrait for a partner. I taped the drawings up on my studio walls so I could look at them from a distance for a few days. When the time calls to me I will answer some self-exploration questions about the metaphorical messages these drawings hold for me and further explore what I hold emotionally and spiritually inside my heart. The whole experience was unique and rewarding...and I learned some new things about my heart! Thank you for the in-spirit-ation, Jewell!
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