myths symbols sandplay

Hands in the Sand

 

 

 

 

 

 

An image of hands in the sand has stayed with me since I read an article in the Journal of Sandplay Therapy written by Mary Jane Markell. The title of the article is The Manifestation of the Compassionate Heart. Markell writes about the transformative process of sandplay, the subtlety of inner and outer change, the mind-body, the concept of our original nature, and healing and health.

The image is striking; two hands in the center of the tray, along with two feet and a skull. The images made by the client with her own hands, feet and face; impressions in the sand, embellished with items from nature, the fingers depicted by the use of colorful beads. "The left foot contains stones from mesas and cliffs of Southwest America. The left hand contains a spiral mollusk shell millions of years old" (pg. 60). The palm of the right hand contains one large flat grey rock and two smaller shiny black rocks. I believe the thing that has stayed with me is that the client put herself in the tray, literally; the items are naturally, profoundly beautiful; and the result is a powerful image.

Journal of Sandplay Therapy, Volume VI, Number 1, 1997

Artists' Hands

Hands. Hard-working. Expressive. Creative.

I often think about the time I visited an art gallery in Pasadena, which featured the work of a photographer who had taken pictures of hands. The black and white photographs showcased the hands of famous artists, potters, weavers, metal workers, etc. The hands were photographed against dark fabric so the viewer was left to contemplate the hands and imagine their role in the creative process. My favorite photographs in the exhibition were hands coated with clay, or marked with paint, or stained with fabric dye. All the hands pictured in the exhibition were part of the creative process as they brought the artist's vision to reality.

When I think of clients selecting and placing miniatures in the sandplay tray, I observed how they approached the miniatures and the developing sand scene. And, because they worked at my eye level, I could watch the action of their hands as they worked to create their scene and reveal their process.

On the Mend

Physical Therapy can be an amazing process. I am almost back to full functioning of my right hand and arm. And...I am happy to report...the pain from pinched nerves in my neck  is so much better.

Please check back for new blog posts as I will be able to get back to blogging very soon! Looking forward to interacting with blog readers. Feel free to comment on posts - I would enjoy communicating with interested readers. Thanks for your patience and support.