WW: Walk with Me at Wildflower Sculpture Park
Proposal for gwen charles
Thinking about finding comfort in nature for grief and loss, I would like to create a walk through the park with multiple stops offering meditations to ground ourselves in nature.
Based on the four classical terrestrial elements of matter, of Air, Fire, Water and Earth, I will create a short, recorded meditation at 5 locations in the park that can be accessed by a phone hot-line. (I may add aether, the fifth element used by the wiccans as “spirit” and early scientists who defined it as “space.” )
Using google voice or other free phone service, I will register several phone numbers, one for each element/meditation. Questions remain on whether or not I can turn off accepting voicemails and just have it with an outgoing message. The message length is limited to 3 minutes and will dictate how long the meditation can be.
Signage at each location will have the phone number listed and the phone number will also be listed on the map.
Earth Meditation: Tell it to the trees.
Location: Aqua Trail (is it too muddy?)
Sound: I will record ambient sounds in the woods.
Whispering to the trees is a meditation is based on the idea that we hear the trees talking when the wind blows through their leaves, and the belief that the earth will be able to take and care for our worries. The wisdom of trees and talking to trees is a deep ancient belief since the earth hold no judgment.
Earth activity: Letter to our grief seed bombs
Location: camp site
In addition to the meditation, as a hands-on activity on opening weekend, I will offer a seed bombing making activity, inviting the public to write a letter to their grief or to their loved ones on a handmade piece of paper. The paper will be scrunched into soil and mixed with seeds to use a metaphor for the grief to grow into something positive in the future. These seed bombs can either be taken home or through into the park. Local varieties of Seeds will need to be provided/ approved of by the South Mountain Conservancy.
Air Meditation: Tell it to the bees.
Location: Insect hotel near Cross Trail
Sounds: The recording with feature the sound of bees buzzing recorded at a local bee hive.
Following the ancient tradition of talking to bees, where it is believed that bees with carry your worries away safely, visitors can stop at the insect house and whisper their worries to the insects who will take the worries away on their wings.
Water: Tossing my Woes away
Location: Black Willow Pond
Sound: I will record some pouring of water at the pond.
A water ritual inspired by the Jewish tradition of Taslich, where you cast your grievances into water to be carried away and cleared, visitors can use a leaf or a handmade paper to throw into the water. (Let’s talk about how to safely do this.)
Aether/ spirit: Breathe and grounding
Location: South Lavender trail
Sound: Ambient sounds of the woods
Using a grounding meditation that focuses on noticing the breath and the location to feel supported, this meditation will be on the trail. First test is a google voice # 267-560-7042 the sound quality of google voice is not great so that was a disappointment.
Fire: no fire
Location: hmmmSince there is no fire allowed in the park and I do not have a location that reflects this element, I may skip it. I may consider a fire in the belly or some other visualization to fit it in, but it might be forced and also want to be careful not to go into last airbender territory.
