Workshops in the Art of Contemplative Play offer an invitation to slow down, connect with creativity, and discover new ways of seeing yourself and others. Through simple practices that blend mindfulness, movement, and imagination, participants explore the freedom of play as a path to reflection, renewal, and connection. These workshops create welcoming spaces where people of all backgrounds can step away from routine, tap into curiosity, and leave with fresh energy and insight.
In 1969, a dear friend was in art school and feeling defeated by a harsh instructor. She began throwing away her paintings, and I rescued one small piece—no more than 8 by 6 inches—from the trash.
I had just returned from visiting Auschwitz and Dachau as part of a course called Man and His Institutions, and when I looked at the image, I was stunned. “Look at this,” I told her. “The red feels like humanity’s capacity for horror, and the blue like compassion. And up here—an angel flying sideways.”
She laughed and said, “That’s just the cardboard I mixed paint on!”
But I kept that little painting all these years. It was the moment I first realized that when we engage with imagery, meaning emerges—and that a sensitivity to symbolism invites us to imagine, play, and create our own understanding.
Rescued art piece — from the trash – no more than 8″x 6″
