Stand, take your shoes off (optional), sense the contact points (tripod), envision a root emanating from the center part of your feet. Your legs may feel heavy—“melt” into this.  Push palms out to center and envision a root in the center of the palm.

Hold, touch, caress a rock, shell or natural object that may have a symbolic meaning to you or has a tactile quality that complements sitting on the ground (you can move from standing to sitting on the ground). Allow a gesture or moment to emerge from this experience. Express this movement unilaterally or bilaterally in the air; transfer this experience to a response painting using a painting medium of choice (vertical or horizontal surface).

10 butterfly taps or long slow exhale while looking at your response painting. Write down 4 gerunds (“ing” words) about this experience.

Using clay or comparable medium, explore the movement/gesture/rhythm that emerged from your drawing/painting process, consider a sound or vocalization that may be connected with this experience. Notice any body sensations and be curious with it. While moving your hands across your clay piece verbally express the properties or characteristics that stand out to you–write these down. Combine one word from your clay response with one gerund from your list of 4. End with 10 butterfly taps or a long slow exhale.

Ó 2021-2022 Elizabeth Warson