Art Therapy Retreat at Bannerghatta, Bangalore:
It was a unique opportunity for the sisters involved in Holistic Health Care Ministry to attend the Art Therapy Retreat conducted at Bannerghatta from 31st March to 2nd April. The resource person for this retreat was Bro. Mani from Little Brothers of Jesus.
Art Therapy Retreat is a combination of art, psychology and spirituality. It creates an ambience for a spontaneous expression of the creative energies of one’s personality. Art therapy retreat awakens the Child within us to express itself in playful activities using simple art materials like colours, clay, pots and so forth. Starting from there, it goes on to reach out to our Inner Self to explore hidden emotions, memories and experiences. It is like a pilgrimage into the depths of our personality to discover our inner beauty. It is a healing experience which gives us strength for growth and development. It also opens opportunities to discover our cosmic belonging as well, like St Francis who sang the Canticle of Brother Sun and sister Moon.
Some of the activities of this retreat was drawn from the Indian culture, both classical like Mandala painting and folk art like painting of pots. The only requirement for this retreat was openness to one’s inner self and a desire to grow into the inner potential that God has placed into each one of us.
On the 1st day through free painting with colours and clay works we were gradually led to get in touch with the Child Within. Preparing pots not on the potter’s wheel but by one’s hands was quite interesting experience of making “My pot, my Creation”. The 2nd day was a day of journey into oneself through making “My Shied” and painting “My Mandala”. The discovery of Inner self through these activities created a deep impact on all the participants. Painting Pots on the 3rd day and mounting them one over the other to experience one’s Cosmic Self was a moment of deep bonding with the Nature and with each other.
The Art Retreat was a whole new healing experience for every participant which will be a very useful tool in our Healing Ministry.
