Infinity in a Grain of Sand

"Actually I think Art lies in both directions - the broad strokes, big picture but on the other hand the minute examination of the apparently mundane. Seeing the whole world in a grain of sand, that kind of thing." - Peter Hammill

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Sand Mandalas Transform Lives

Its an Empowering Journey:

Much like walking a labyrinth or meditating in a Zen garden, the contemplative, healing power of creating a sand mandala expands your consciousness and allows you to journey to the center of your own creativity.   The construction of a sand mandala is done as a meditation or prayer for healing, from the center to the outside. Allow your creativity to transmit the ancient knowledge of the universe through the creation of your sand mandala.

A way to nourish your life with more peace, inner quiet, and balance~~~

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Therapy Techniques for Angry Children

---Teach children about self-regulation so they learn how to tolerate negative emotions. Frustrations happen in life, so it is important that children are prepared and understand that they must control their impulses.

---Feeling charts can be used to help children identify and process emotions. Teach children to clearly communicate how they feel by using a simple formula in which they label their emotion and explain why they feel that way.

---Maintaining boundaries is always necessary, but sometimes slight physical touch can be soothing for an angry child. In some cases, it may be more effective to give the child space. Music therapy also can calm an angry child. He might respond to light background music or singing.

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What do the Sand Mandala Colors mean?

Pink

love, peaceful, warming, creative, beauty, sensitivity, gentleness, helpful, sensitive, romantic, kind, calming, tranquilizing, affectionate, truthful, vulnerable  

Red

vitality, energy, power, survival, activity, creativity, motivation, impulsiveness, happiness, joy, love, strength, passion, romance, stimulating, energizing, courage, aliveness, independence, confident, spontaneous  

Orange

happiness, sociable, optimistic, self-assured, constructive, ambitious, pleasure, nourishing, sensuality, cheery, generous, warmth, prosperity, insightful, laughter, acceptance, expressive, resourceful, contentment, revitalizing, confident  

Yellow

playful, brilliance, clarity, optimistic, intellectual, self-esteem, memory, good-humored, awareness, harmony, understanding, knowledge, expectancy, illumination, revitalizing, empowering, cleansing, stimulating, confidence, sunshine, personal power, learning, sunny, joyous, brightness, curious, warm, peaceful, artistry, cheerful   

Green

renewal, balance, love, sympathetic, self-control, peace, harmony, adaptable, compassionate, reliable, romantic, abundance, healing, youthful, hope, kind, generous, renewal, accomplishments, genuine, sincere, prosperity, calming, soothing, decisive, trusting, open, humble, replenishing, serenity, soothing, integrity, truth, regeneration  

Turquoise

love, emotion, feeling, intuition, supportive, movement, creativity, self-awareness, protective, generosity, healing, soothing, sharing, initiative, communication, self reliance, independence, self-respect, transformation  

Blue

unity, affection, growth, knowledge, calming, solitude, serenity, inner peace, relaxing, caring, pacifying, protecting, loyalty, humanity, stability, tactful, honor, patience, inspiring, nurturing, intuition, sincerity, contemplation, inventive, freedom, focus, wisdom, clarity, communication, hope, harmony, devotion, expression, decisive, tranquility  

Indigo

mystery, possibilities, intuition, patience, emotional, wise, meditation, sixth sense, relaxing, inspiring, idealistic, determination, sensuality, understanding, fearless, trust, visionary, creative, memory, intellectual, imagination, spirituality, integrity, empowering, clarity, creative, spiritual, dedication, sedative, relaxant, psychic powers  

Violet/Purple

purification, guidance, compassion, wisdom, inner strength, renewal, humanitarian, self-sacrificing, visionary, empathy, spirituality, leadership, aspirations, transformation, prosperity, wealth, self actualization, self-awareness, inspirational, calming, expansive, peace, luxury, service, enlightenment, brotherhood, intuition, psychic awareness, freedom, ceremony, calming, meditative, visionary, imagination, receptive, healing, mystical, self-realization, rebirth, inner vision, unity, enchantment, understanding, dignity, illumination, universal love  

White

works on all levels: mental, emotional, physical, spiritual; purity, truth, brilliance, release, uniqueness, cleanliness, radiance, innocence, illumination, procreation, divine realization, humility, imagination, birth, innocence, reverence, peace, comfort, simplicity  

Brown

environmental, grounding, sustenance, earthy  

Black

absorbs all other colors, proper, polite, regal, dignity, unseen power, strength, authority, shielding, focus, grounding    

[creativeplaytherapist]

SAND TRAY THEMES

I created this chart in Pages.  You just check off what themes you see in each sand tray your client does.  This chart helps you to create a great visual of your client’s progress in therapy.  Initially, check-marks are usually all clustered on the left, but as time goes one more and more drift over to the right.  It is great to see.

Themes That Suggest Wounding

Chaotic: Haphazard, fragmented, or formless arrangement; e.g., objects’ flung into the tray; boundaries of outer reality disregarded; items carefully placed but overall appearance is jumbled or disconnected.

Empty: Reticence to use figures or lifeless feeling with lack of energy and curiosity; e.g., a nearly empty tray with only a dead tree placed in a corner.

Split: Parts of tray appear separated or detached; e.g., river, fence, or elephants placed from bottom to top of tray seem to divide tray

Confined: Figure or groups normally free are entrapped or caged; e.g. an agonized figure is placed in a cage; a sand wall is built around an old woman.

Neglected: Figure is isolated from possible support; e.g., a baby in a high chair while mother is sleeping in the nextroom.

Hidden: Figures buried or hidden from view; e.g., a gun hidden behind a house; a witch buried in the sand under a tree.

Prone: Figures normally upright are intentionally placed in a reclining, fallen position; e.g., a standing pregnant woman placed face down in the sand.

Injured: Figures with injuries or in the process of being injured; e.g., a bandaged man lying on a stretcher; a cowboy placed in the mouth of a dinosaur.

Threatened: Menacing or frightening events and the inability of the endangered figure(s) to escape the experience; e.g., aggressive animals surrounding small child.

Hindered: Possibility of new growth and development is impeded or hindered; e.g. a boat moving into new waters, while under siege by an army.

Themes That Suggest Movement Towards Healing, Wholeness, and Transformation.

Bridging: Connection between elements, joining of opposites; e.g., a ladder joins earth and tall trees; a bridge links an angel and devil.

Journeying: Movement along a path or around a center; e.g., a knight follows a trail, someone paddles a canoe down a stream.

Energy: Alive, vital, intense energy is visible; e.g., organic growth present, construction machines work on a task, airplanes take off from a runway.

Going Deeper: Discovery of a deeper dimension; e.g, a clearing is made, a treasure unearthed, a well dug, a lake explored.

Birthing: Emergence of new development; e.g., a baby is born, a flower opens, a bird lays eggs.         

Nurturing: Nourishment or help are provided to support growth and development; e.g, a mother feeding babies, supportive family groups, nurse helps a patient, presence of food.

Changed: Sand and/or objects are creatively changed or used; e.g., sand is contoured to build a land bridge; sand is moved/stacked as an essential part of a lunar compound; a house is built from twigs picked up on walk to school.

Spiritual: Religious & spiritual symbols present, such as supernatural beings, worshiping figures or numinous items; e.g., Buddha overlooking a couple.

Centered: In center of tray, elements are aesthetically balanced or a union of opposites occurs; e.g., a man and woman married; mandala centered in the tray.

Integrated: Congruent organized idea encompasses entire tray; unity of expression; e.g., day at the zoo, baseball game, abstract construction unifying whole tray.j

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Sand art by Ilana Yahav

SandFantasy - Hands, sand and soul

Using only her fingers, Ilana Yahav, a world renowned sand artist, creates a wonderful and magical story that emerges in front of the eyes of amazed viewers.

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"It is Done In Beauty" >> Symbolism of Colors in Navajo Sand Painting

White= Mother Earth, dawn, beauty, moon changes, winter

Black= Father Sky

Red= to keep the evil away on the outside, summer

Blue= life, always on the inside

Yellow/Gold=sacred, spring/autumn

Turqoise= autumn, harvest

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Meaning of Navajo Sand art symbols

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Native American sand art painting

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The Tibetan Sand Mandala,

The art of sand mandala’s or sand painting is a Tibetan Buddhist tradition that goes back centuries and can be traced to the first monasteries of Tibet.  Literally made of dyed sand, these large mandalas are often very ornate and extremely beautiful, depicting colorful geometric shapes, Buddhist Deities, religious iconography, and Tibetan historical figures.  The act of creating a sand mandala is akin to meditation as creating such incredible artwork literally one grain of sand at a time takes an incredible amount of focus and discipline. Not to mention, it usually takes several weeks or months to create a proper mandala.  Often monks pray or recite ancient chants while working to help focus the mind.  

Perhaps the most incredible aspect of this tradition is what is done after the mandala is completed.  After all the rituals and ceremonies are completed and the mandala serves no other useful purpose, it is swept up and the mandala is deconstructed, with the sand being returned back to nature.  This is symbolic of the impermanence of all things.  After all the great philosopher Kerry Livgren (Kansas) once wrote, “all we are is dust in the wind.”

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Sand painter uses Manhattan sidewalks as his canvas

November 5, 2010