I love how every time I teach a workshop, a class, or a retreat, things go differently than I imagine. It’s always a surprise.

During our opening session – a drawing exercise to find focus and calm – instead of quiet attention to our work, there was lively conversation about the state of the world. It’s a topic that isn’t at all calming, but the act of discussing political and world economic situations was cathartic. And while we did that, we still managed to give our hands and minds activity with neurographic art on canvases.

We had glorious weather on May 3rd which inspired me to carry the supplies for our next session when we took our post-lunch walk. We did our second exercise in the temple grounds at Oyama Fudoson. The view over the valley is extraordinary at this 1300 year old temple.

The drawing exercise for insight was to trace your left hand and decorate it with words or symbols to indicate things you want to GIVE to the world,or to RELEASE from your life. And in a lovely addition to the plan, two participants drew their right hands as well, to show what they want to RECEIVE or ATTRACT in their lives. Again, it was a cathartic drawing session as most of us were eager to release stress, fear, and expectations to allow our truest selves out into the world.

My own drawing started when I chose three pencils at random from the basket: two blues and a red hearkened back to our political conversations in the morning, but I wasn’t keen to refocus my thoughts there. So I unfocused and let my intuition guide me. I started without words and scribbled dark blue bands on the fingers, added a heartbeat-ish line across the back of the hand just because it popped into my head, and then drew blood dripping from pierced fingers. Little hearts above each finger. I surprised myself. What did that mean? What am I releasing here?

While we were drawing, the priest arrived and went into the temple to chant. Listening to the familiar cadence, things started to fall into place. Sitting in a Shiva temple, of course I was drawing destruction! My drawing showed me that I was releasing pent-up metaphysical gore with the painful prick of a pin and letting it pulse out with the heart’s beat. At the same time, my fingertips radiated loving acceptance and cool calmness. Maybe I was letting myself suffer so that others can find tranquility.

Like I said at the beginning, every Drawing Meditation session has surprises, even when you’ve practiced them over and over.