Unitarian Universalist Church of Palo Alto

Always Learning

September 23, 2005
Rev. Darcey Laine

Sabbatical Episode 2: Painting and Dreams

After those first intense Intensives, our weekly classes at University of Creation Spirituality began. I chose Wednesday as my day to commute to Oakland; I spent the day in class, returning home after my son was asleep. The pedagogy of the school is based on the idea that “Art as Meditation” is crucial to deep learning. The modality can vary from: dance to drama to drumming, but I chose painting. I have studied music and dance over the years, and painting seemed to have a kind of pure potentiality since there would be no history or expectations getting in the way. I also thought it was a little brave, since I had not painted anything since my elementary school art class.

I didn’t know how brave until our teacher, Mari Marks Fleming, (www.artin2000.com/Mari_Marks_Fleming.htm) had finished her overview, explaining that our work would not be product oriented, but would be about what emerged in the moment in relationship between the self and the materials: truly a meditative practice. She walked us through an exercise with pastels, then asked us to choose some colors and begin to paint.

After a great inner struggle, I finally touched orange, red and black acrylic paint to the giant paper, and by the end of our 3 hour class had arrived at something my classmates agreed reminded them of the “Flaring Forth” (or Big Bang as it is more commonly called). Though all of my classmates had some painting experience, and one had work displayed at a gallery in Chicago, they were remarkably supportive and positive. My teacher, who is an accomplished artist, art therapist and Buddhist, was skillful at seeing the potential in a rough painting and helping it evolve. Some days were as frustrating and as hard as that first day, but other days I would see something truly surprising emerge on my paper, and learned to love the experience of paint and brush. I began to wonder how we could integrate art into our life here at the church.

In the evening I studied dreamwork with Rev. Jeremy Taylor (www.jeremytaylor.com/). Rev. Taylor is a UU minister who had been one of my professors at Starr King School for the Ministry. My introduction to dream work at that time had been powerful, and I had been part of a regular dream-group until my move to Palo Alto. Since that time I have not stopped writing down my dreams but had very little chance to work deeply with them (I have quite a row of dream journals in my home study). It was wonderful to sit in a circle each week telling dreams, and engaging in group projective dream work together. By reading Jeremy’s The Living Labyrinth and participating in our class discussions my understanding of archetypes and the relationship between the conscious and unconscious self deepened. I came to a better self knowledge. I strengthened my belief that story and archetype are the greatest intergenerational teachers. The stories and dreams we tell one another shape our culture and our future. I returned to church recommitted to consciously choosing the stories we teach our children and lift up in worship, and committed to teaching them in such a way that they are touchstones throughout our lives.

Stay tuned! In our next installment I meet a deer and my state senator...