Helper dolls and prayer beads
Two weeks ago we did a project that I learned about from The Expressive Arts Activity Book by Suzanne Darley and Wende Heath called "Worry Dolls" where you write down a worry on a strip of paper and wrap it around a twig or popsicle stick before covering with fabric and making it into a doll. I modified it somewhat by calling them "Helpers" who could be dolls or action figures. Instead of writing down only worries, I encouraged the students to write down anything that gets in the way of their well being - it could be a fear, a worry, an anger or upset or difficult situation. They really got into writing them down, knowing that they would be hidden away from view. We talked about how the helpers were designed to hold the feelings or upsets so that they didn't have to carry them around. Some of them gave their figures names and a character for fun - from superheroes to queens. A few of the girls even added handbags so they could carry even more! The figures reflected the unique creativity of each child. The meditation further explored the idea of having a place to put upsetting thoughts and feelings - a worry tree that stands outside a secret garden where you can attach any upsetting feelings and it will hold them for you while you are in the garden.
This week we talked about the idea of prayer and using words to calm your mind. The children enjoyed talking about what prayer is and what or who was being addressed in a prayer. We talked about how different traditions use beads to say prayers or mantras that help clear the mind and quiet busy thoughts. They each created a personal prayer grounded in their own sense of life. Then we made prayer beads and again, there was such variety in what they created. One boy made a long and colorful string of beads, another girl made a very small strand out of natural objects like seashells and tiny pinecones, still another made a sparkly, dazzling strand of many different beads and a few made anklets and bracelets. All of them beautiful!
