162 NATURE-BASED EXPRESSIVE ARTS THERAPY
- As part of a longer process of clay therapy, this method may
play a role in lighting the fire or primitive kiln. - A simple yet powerful way to use this skill is to begin an
outdoor session/experience by hand-drilling a fire. The act
itself moves us into liminal space by de-centering from our
cognitions and grounding us into our senses. We are then more
free to enter into a flexible understanding of our experiences.
The fire provides a constant anchor point and poly-aesthetic
atmosphere.
Personal commentary
The primal nature of this skill brings us to our essence and our
evolutionary roots as a human being. The hand-drill gives us an
opportunity to challenge our ego and shows us the importance of
understanding true reciprocity in a relationship where attunement,
respect and nurturing are the key terms. The hand-drill can humble
your expectations and help strengthen patience and acceptance.
The authors often perform this skill together when camping or
starting ceremonial fires. It brings to our awareness a lens into how
we are interacting and quickly lets us know if we are not attuned
with one another or with ourselves. The hand-drill is unforgiving if
approached with arrogance, urgency and a mindset of control; this
skill lends itself well to an attitude of mutual respect, mindfulness
and recursive influence. It is our responsibility as practitioners and
artists to listen deeply to our materials and allow them to influence a
deeper awareness of ourselves in relation to the world; this awareness
is often beyond what words can capture.