a personal exploration of intentional adaptation through embodiment, journaling, reflection, and painting
Project Description:
Throughout the semester, I have been developing an online, interdisciplinary arts program for senior adults of Columbus. This year-long program will consist of two, two-hour movement classes per week with workshops by other guest artists each month. In these classes and workshops, community members will engage with artistic activities/exercises (embodied, visual, written, spoken, musical) designed to develop skills in self-reflection, action-oriented goal making, non-verbal communication, active listening, building interdependence, collaboration and shared leadership (as inspired by AMB’s Emergent strategy). These activities and tools will then be used to collaboratively create a virtual showcase telling the stories of individual project members and the group’s vision for our community in the future. Some research questions feeding this work include: (1) What is the relationship between individual and communal reflection, healing and growth? (2) What is the role of embodiment and art in activating change and creating social value in community? (3) Are different types of artforms more efficient at promoting specific types of wellbeing (mental, social, emotional, physical)?
For this final outwarding, I have chosen to share my personal experience of some of the planned activities and exercises for encouraging intentional adaptation.
Activity #1: Reflective Journaling
· Prompts: (1) Are you a living realization of your values and beliefs? (2) How do you respond to positive change? (3) How do you respond to negative change? (4) What is your intention in life? (5) How do you do at keeping your intention present during change? (6) How can you align your daily practices with your values/beliefs?
What does this activity do? These prompts come directly from AMB’s Emergent Strategy. They provide a space for me to assess my default reactions to change, and to develop a capacity for adaptation to use in the future.
Activity #2: Personality Tests and Identity Wheels
· Personality Type: Advocate (INFJ)
· “Advocates are sensitive, introverted, intuitive, creative and empathetic. Most advocates are extremely detail-oriented, goal-driven, and set high (and sometimes unattainable) expectations for themselves. Advocates are focused on helping others as their primary purpose in life and aspire to fix deep issues within society. In general, Advocates tend to take better care of those around them than they do themselves.” Strengths: creative, insightful, principled, passionate, altruistic. Weaknesses: sensitive to criticism, reserved/private, perfectionistic, avoiding the ordinary, prone to burnout.
· Identity Wheels:
What does this activity do? Personally, I find that these exercises allow me to feel comfortable as myself, strengths and weaknesses included. In a sense, they confirm and validate the things I already know about myself. It allows me to understand how I exist in the world in relation to others, and it makes me aware of the ways I do/can navigate relationships. Although I wouldn’t place all of my trust in these activities, I do think they are valuable in assessing where I come from, what my assets are, and how I can use those experiences and strengths to inform my future.
Activity #3: Moving Memories (embodied exercise)
· Prompt: “what is the greatest lesson you’ve learned so far?”
· Prompt 2: “How did you learn that?”
· Response: The greatest lesson I have learned so far is the importance of connecting with others. I’ve ironically learned this primarily by spending a lot of time alone. Growing up, I was raised by my Grandfather and an alcoholic Grandmother. I was in and out of school a lot, so I had very few opportunities to build those social connections I crave today. My Grandparents lived in a secluded trailer without any neighbors, and my older brother was rarely around. I spent a lot of time playing on my own, outside. I moved out of the house at 17, and this alone-ness has followed me throughout much of my adult life. This time alone taught me how to be self-sufficient, how to work hard, and has provided time and space for a lot of self-reflection. It has also created a constant feeling that I cannot or should not ask for/accept help when I need it, which is something I want to practice more.
· Embodied Reflections: The first video (link 1) is an embodied reflection of my memories of loneliness as a child—writing notes with my finger in the dirt, squishing anthills (sorry ants!). The second video (link 2) is an embodied reflection of the freedom and adventure that those days alone provided me, spending entire days outside using my imagination and creativity to construct the world I wanted to live in. link 1: https://osu.box.com/s/kdfi5pf8bko99pvjeo472d2h3dklhkqs
link 2: https://osu.box.com/s/02bvmozofsqnjczw8s8ra8uzatt7a3jk
What does this activity do?
This activity serves multiple purposes. First, it allows me to practice being seen as my true self, without hiding my past or experiences, in the “safe” space of my own body. Second, it allows me to take some of the hardships/lessons from my past and find new ways of looking at them that push me toward my goals for myself in the future.
Activity #4: Self-Portrait
· Chosen medium: watercolor pens
· Activity description: either using a mirror or drawing from memory/imagery, create a self-portrait in any preferred medium. Some possibilities include collaging, painting, pastels, sketching, and….
What does this activity do?
It provides a creative medium for me to explore and understand myself. I have also found self-portraits as a useful tool for navigating depression and self-empowerment.
Activity #5: Embodying Values & Beliefs (movement/improvisation)
· Activity description: reread your action steps from prompt #5 of activity #1. Choose 1-2 key words from each action item. Use selected key words as an improvisational score for a movement phrase.
Keywords:
Improvisation/Movement Phrase: https://osu.box.com/s/l7xguo5r7yrkcsf44h119tqr1laltea1
What does this activity do?
It allows me to repeatedly come back to my action items, which is a practice in aligning my actions with my beliefs. It also provides time and space for me to embody my personal values.
Overall Outcomes:
Overall, these activities paired together have really allowed me to reflect deeply on where I come from and where I want to go. They all do this in a personal, internal way. After completing these activities, I feel that I am more present, feel affirmed in who I am as a person, and have a better understanding of how I show up in the world. I also have some clear goals/action steps to move forward with as I attempt to better align my actions with my beliefs. Overall, I personally feel that these exercises have contributed most to my emotional and mental well-being more so than other types of wellness.
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