Mary Ernst's Page

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Embodied Practice & Touch Drawing (4 members)
Grief and Touch Drawing (5 members)

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Mary Ernst's discussions

trouble making profile changes

Started Dec. 5, 2007

what is support?
1 Reply

Started this discussion. Last reply by Mary Ernst May 7.

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Latest Activity

Mary Ernst and Nancy Watson are now friends

Jul 11

Denise left a comment for Mary Ernst May 15

Mary Ernst left a comment for Denise May 15

Mary Ernst replied to the discussion what is support? May 7

Amanda Koh left a comment for Mary Ernst May 3

Mary Ernst commented on the blog post I appreciate the responses from my last, and first, entry!I am embarrassed to confess that I have no… May 2

Mary Ernst joined the group Embodied Practice & Touch Drawing Mar 24

Jan Thompson left a comment for Mary Ernst Feb 26

Profile

My interest is in: Touch Drawing Personal Use, SoulCards Personal Use, Facilitating Touch Drawing, Facilitating SoulCards

What brings you to an interest in Touch Drawing or SoulCards?: My search for unusual ways to experience the process of creative expression. To support my own growth. For pleasure. To step out of the artist persona. To counter the unfortunate belief our culture holds that artists are not like the rest of us and that art is about the product being accepted by others as good art. To support others to believe in their own creative spirit.

My experience applies to:: Therapy, Art, Creativity, Education, Spiritual, Intuitive, Children, Teens, Aging, Health, Abuse, Childbirth, Hospice, Grief, Hospital, Meditation, Family, Cancer, Expressive Arts, Creative Art Therapy

Other areas of interest & experience: authentic movement
creative writing
nature
homeshooling
art
learning to ride horses
girls self esteem and self awareness
relationships
creativity/spirituality

Have you done Touch Drawing?: Yes

Have you facilitated Touch Drawing?: Yes

In what setting have you facilitated?: I introduced Touch Drawing in my home to two friends.

Share a special experience with Touch Drawing or SoulCards.: When I first learned about TD I had returned to College for my bachelors degree. I misunderstood the instructions and thought it was done with eyes closed exclusively. Despite this, incredible faces emerged including one of my paternal grandfather. He died when I was 5. I rarely thought of him and only recall his face because of snapshots.
I don't remember any emotions or thoughts when I was drawing. At that time it was the sensorial experience that I would move through.
When I saw the drawing, I was startled. Where did it come from and why? At the time I was amazed and pleased. Now, several years later, I experience a warm feeling and a sense of ancestry.
I remember being small and I'm sitting in his lap.
My grandfather is very old. I look down at my legs lying along his legs, on wrinkled black trousers. The skirt of my party dress is stiff and ruffled and sticks up in the air. On my feet are white shoes that come up to my ankles, the lace of my white socks poke out the top. My legs reach all the way to his knees and my feet stick out into the air. This is all I see. It's all I remember of my grandfather.
He is the past and I am the future. Each of us are on the edge of before and after. We are in between. After a long life, my grandfather faces his death and I am just becoming aware of myself, just beginning my life.

Do you facilitate SoulCards with others?: Not yet but I plan to.

If so, with whom and how?: I'd like to work in the areas of personal growth, assisting others to develope creative practices that support this work. I think practice is an important word. To practice means to be active in learning that is ongoing and tht one returns to on a regular basis. It is not something that is put onto a person by another. A true practice is chosen or accepted or discovered from an inner urging. What I would like to offer are opportunities to explore a variety of tools and experiences in finding one's practice. I consider Touch Drawing to be an excellent practice.

Is there anything else you would like us to know about you?: My life is upside down and inside out right now. My husband of 31 years has left me. I'm just at the beginning of a long and arduous journey. I look forward to finding out how our group will develope. I'll try to check in often. All the best to all of us!

City, state, zip and/or region and country: E. Falmouth, MA 02536

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Mary Ernst's Blog

Please excuse me for not using m y blog. For now I am going to keep it in sleep mode, always with th…

Please excuse me for not using m y blog. For now I am going to keep it in sleep mode, always with the possibility of waking up. Bye, Mary Continue

Posted on February 24th, 2008 at 3:46pm — No Comments (Add)

I appreciate the responses from my last, and first, entry!I am embarrassed to confess that I have no…

I appreciate the responses from my last, and first, entry!

I am embarrassed to confess that I have not done any drawing for at least two months. This is like telling my parents, when I was a child, that I broke something precious. Oh no,what will happen? They'll be mad!

Not that I think anyone will be mad. I fear judgment - being seen as a failed drawer. I've lost my sobriety. I stepped of the path!!
But of course I am the one judging myself.

Avoiding doing someth… Continue

Posted on February 11th, 2008 at 3:20pm — 3 Comments (Add)

First entry

Dear Blog Readers - I will see if this works out for me - and you. I already have a blog that keeps me busy. But I want to stay in touch with this community.
I joined about 6 months ago after a wonderful workshop with Debra at Omega. Soon after, I started aTD and Grief group. I was quite excited. I also was part of the Omega workshop group and contributed to the forum. And I invited folks to be my friends. After several months there wasn't much connection happening. This could have been bec… Continue

Posted on January 28th, 2008 at 10:39am — No Comments (Add)

Comment Wall (5 comments)

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At 2:50pm on May 15th, 2008, Denise said…: Thanks for the add! I saw some of your posts, that's how! ;)
Sorry to hear about your accident! Thoughts and prayers for a full recovery!

At 12:38pm on May 3rd, 2008, Amanda Koh said…: Wow, Mary - sorry to hear about your accident! I wish you for a speedy and solid recovery!

At 10:26am on February 26th, 2008, Jan Thompson said…: Aum vajra guru padma siddhi om -- may we encounter our drawing tables with the help of Padma's sword of light and clarity

At 10:12am on February 26th, 2008, Shemaya Blauer said…: Hi Mary,
Thanks for teh connection. As you are going through this transition in your life are you using touch drawing or any other expressive tool to support your process? I have found a variety of ways to reach out, through, up and down through the most challenging life experiences, and touch drawing has been a consistent companion. Best wishes, Shemaya

At 6:11pm on December 10th, 2007, Shemaya Blauer said…: Hello Mary. Touch Drawing has been a companion to me through many grief experiences. Recently after graduating from graduate school I felt that the rug was pulled from under me by a supervisor (who got the support from my school advisor. I felt lost and shattered and somehow I was supposed to begin a new career and find work. Instead I took my first solo retreat for a week to unravel and the only thing I knew to do was touch drawing. I had a dark night of the soul, that felt as though it would never end. I trusted the process of touch drawing and held onto it as my lifeline, and it too held me. As the drawings appeared I remember smiling, raging, despairing...it was all there. And when I was done, I was done, complete, weary, and I had gained access to a deeper place within and an expanded whole. Your words of creativity and touch drawing speak to me and I look forward to sharing. Touch drawing will be a wonderful companion to you through your journey. Sending you light and warmth. Shemaya

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