Art Therapy & Spirituality
Image is the language of Soul – Thomas MooreSaturday, April 24th
St. Gregory's University, Shawnee, OK
Facilitators: Madeline M. Rugh, Ph.D., A.T.R.
Sheryl Cozad, M.F.A.
Ms. Rugh began our session by emphasizing a small hearth she had created. It consisted of a stone, a feather, and a candle. She felt a hearth was important in this enclosed academic studio. A hearth should bring together the fundamental elements of earth (the stone), fire (the candle), air (the feather), and water. The blessed Hildegard von Bingen believed we needed these fundamental elements in our home to help center us, because we are made from them.
Madeline then discussed the origins of Art Therapy, which became an official discipline in 1977. It was created by two sisters; one a Freudian analyst, the other an artist. Each sister represents a different "leg" the discipline has had since its inception: the studio and the couch. The analytic (couch) side sees the discipline primarily as a diagnostic tool. In other words, the patient will draw something and the analyst will interpret the picture to discern what's wrong with the patient with the goal of a "cure".
This emphasis on interpretation, as you might see, negates creativity or aesthetics. Is it possible the Art Therapist could trade a story for the patient's creation? It may seem a subtle difference. It's the difference between telling someone what their art "means" and telling them what their art reminds you of.
This latter response demands a degree of vulnerability most analysts are not comfortable with. Enter James Hillman, and Depth Psychology.
Depth Psychology, building on the theories of Carl Jung, recognizes that Art and Spirituality have long been partners. From the famous cave paintings to Chartres' Rose Window, and on and on, humans have used art as a means of expressing, or relating to, the ineffable. In this model, the therapist listens to the whole of the client's life, using art as the medium for conversation. The art, therefore, has value on its own merit — rather than as a mere diagnostic tool.
Madeline then talked about some of her work as an Art Therapist. In particular, a painting she did
for a client. The client told her his story, she prayerfully listened, then created a work of art which incorporated his talismans, spirit guides, and other symbols which were significant to the client.
After Ms. Cozad discussed similar work she has done, Madeline led the group through a hands-on experience. She explained that all care of the soul takes the form of a circle, and that we would be creating our own mandalas. She gave us some black construction paper, white-leaded pencils, and plastic plates.
She then led us in a prayer over our pencils. Talk about honoring your tools!
Open your heart.
Perceive pure soul light
being projected from the back of your skull
onto your third eye.
Feel this light fill your opened heart.
We then used a scratch sheet to get accustomed to our pencil — to get a sense of going from faint white to bright, hard white. Our goal, you see, was to illumniate the manadala.
She told us to lay each hand within the circle and trace it with the other, in any position we wished. From there, we created. With fear & trembling, we entered the mandala, working out our own soul.
Trace the labyrinth with your fingers.
Work into the dark.
Illuminate your circle.
Honor the fruitful darkness.
