Let go of your pretensions--squeeze, shape, knead & play your way to
spiritual growth.
I am being formed by the clay. I am reconnecting with the earth, and
with the other basic elements, too--air, water, fire--and life itself.
Every gesture leaves its trail in the clay. Every fingerprint, a
message. My breath fills the cavity. My touch curves the wall of a bowl.
And inwardly, I am being formed by the outward practice. I am learning
to trust the process, to lean into the possibilities rather than
striving for some predetermined goal. I am being hollowed out, stretched
and constricted, trimmed and sometimes reworked entirely.
--from the Prologue
Drawing from her first-hand experience of working with clay, Marjory
Zoet Bankson takes you through the seven-step process of making clay
into a pot, drawing parallels at each stage to the process of spiritual
growth:
- Grounding--Connecting with our core elements
- Kneading--Awakening to the inner realm Centering--Gathering everything
together
- Shaping--Focusing inner and outer pressures Finishing--Trimming away
the excess
- Decorating--Adding a playful touch Firing--Committing to
transformation
This simple connection with the earth has the potential to put you in
touch with the whole of creation and, at the same time, your soul's
longing to participate as an artist, creating something new and unique.
Through reflective questions in each chapter--along with a wealth of
unique clay projects that even beginners can do--Bankson invites you on
a journey of spiritual discovery, a path of reconnecting with your body
and spirit, and with the earth itself.
