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From the October 2007 Newsletter

HEALING WITH BODY PAINTING  

by Frances Wilson

On the morning the body-painting workshop began, we greeted the sun rising in the east, and then an exquisite rainbow appeared in the west, where we rarely see rainbows. All the participants felt as though the work was being blessed. To enter the space of receptivity, we were instructed to walk the land, find a spot to sit and contemplate using a four-directional meditation: Who am I? Where do I come from? Why am I here? Where do I go from here? Dance and movement to music was done outside and behind the kiva, opening our bodies to the wisdom of what was needed to be healed. Through movement we had entered the alternate reality and moved easily into the trance work. Symbols, color, meanings, and guidance flowed. We painted our symbols onto our faces, hands, back and legs, and I felt a shift in my energy as we worked to replicate the visions as accurately as possible.

Workshops at the Institute are not complete without a hike to Heart Rock, and so we made our way to that sacred site, and meditated there in silence. A strong wind spirit flew over us, signaling another blessing being given. It felt to me a great eagle spirit.

As I have noticed with workshops in the past, a turning point occurs for the group energy on the beginning of the final day, and so we returned to the kiva for one last posture, The Chiltan Spirits Posture. The information that I received seemed to synthesize all of the experiences into one strong message; my work is as far as I can see, and my home is where I choose to land.

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