128 NATURE-BASED EXPRESSIVE ARTS THERAPY
against which we remember the real
against which we weave ordinary magic
Melia SnyderNature-based expressive arts in life
Resilience and hope are cultivated through both attention to our inner
life and intention and investment in our own growth and development
as human beings. In nature-based expressive arts, our approach is an
aesthetic one. Aesthetic responding is a way of showing or telling
how we are touched by the beauty we see in ourselves, each other
and the living world around us. Rachel Carson tells us that we have
a true instinct for what is beautiful and awe inspiring in the presence
of the wonders and mysteries of the Earth (1956). Cultivating our
innate aesthetic response to the world involves letting ourselves be
touched and inspired by the mystery and wonder of the Earth and the
universe. This way of being becomes a sacred practice, transforming
not only our individual selves but also the world around us.Inner alchemy
Historically, alchemy was the medieval practice of transforming
base metals into precious ones. Although the process involved a
series of chemical changes, the presence of the alchemist and the
practices of prayer and art making were considered essential to the
transformation. In modern times, alchemy is generally considered not
a literal change in matter, but a psycho-spiritual process of converting
our own lead into gold. This transformation requires the courage to
look inward, to recognize our own shadow and to hold our darkness
in our arms without numbing or running away. While awareness is
the first step, we must do our own work. The following excerpt from
Paolo Coelho’s The Alchemist (1988) captures the spirit of alchemy as
we translate it for the practice of nature based expressive arts:
“This is why alchemy exists,” the boy said. “So that everyone
will search for his treasure, find it, and then want to be better