Lesson 4 - The Cosmic Artisan
Out In The Sticks With The Stars
By Stacey Salt
13th April 2022
More Than Human Weekend - Co-ordinated by Kay Sidebottom & Lou Mycroft
I spent a weekend with a truly amazing community of people, from different walks of life, to share and connect to all the things which are wonderful, unusual, quirky and out in the sticks. One of many lessons taken away from the weekend is what was encountered in Peter Shukies workshop, Cosmic Artisans - it made my head tingle- I found the most beautiful star, it came into my life at the most perfect time, I loved it so much I woke early on the Sunday morning to further connect, this time with sticks - the more I look and think about both the sticks and the stars, the more I see connection all the way from the ground to the galaxies far and beyond - what can we learn from this? What does it all mean?
The Cosmic Artisan activity blew my mind - I slept for 14 hours after this - I felt the connection to Star and the group had detoxed my mind - seeing Star in the ground, followed by conversations from all the other finds, banished the toxins, the negativity, the stress, the sadness - I felt free. It made me think how I had been rushing around for the last seven years, following orders and allowing my mind and body to be consumed by power - it was time to let it go, let it out - I could finally breathe. I literally felt the negativity leave me and this experience has certainly been a sign I need to make changes and do what is right - put myself first.
Star was lay in the grass of High Trenhouse (I was initially looking for sticks) - it was on its own but laying so strong, so confident - I felt it had a voice - a happy one but one that had been through the shit and proud of their story. Its prickles stood tall but allowed it to shine brighter.
Its shape, like open arms welcoming you in but also saying ‘This is me, this is who I am and YES I will be true to myself’ Finding this in the grounds has certainly aligned the stars for me.
Meet The Sticks
Walking around the grounds of High Trenhouse on a frosty morning, through the trees I found three sticks which stood out - all very different in terms of age, wisdom, appearance, colour, resting spot, shape, strengths, weaknesses.
Each stick had something different to share, to provide, to cherish, to need - a small part of one of the sticks broke away, I popped it to the side - then thought ‘what the hell am i doing?’ You can absolutely be included’
You see - all the sticks mattered - they all have a purpose and a reason.
On the Sunday morning after searching for the sticks, I wanted to create a structure with them to help me think through how they communicate and the lessons we could learn. Here is what happened.
What is your story?
Each stick was different, the shape, size and colour all unique in their existence. They got me thinking about what they had seen in their lifetime, the history they had witnessed, the seasons and how they had endured all types of weather, yet they are still here - fallen from the trees but that does not mean they are misplaced - they can still have a purpose and reignite themselves as something more than a fallen stick. They are all different but they can still stand together, there is a way for them to become strong, support each other and remain natural in their habitat. The structure soon becomes a collaboration, for whatever purpose that may be; perhaps a home, a shelter, a masterpiece in nature…they are holding the weight of each other as one.
A question we will never know the answer to, but the bends, for me, reflect wisdom, fragility, purity, openness - what are the lessons we can learn from the bends? What have they seen? Perhaps it is a symbol of the paths and routes they have taken in their existence? If this is the case are they also a symbol of endurance through tough times and pain? What I do know is that the bends can offer support, the structure demonstrates the ability to lean on others, look up to others, helping to carry each other through times of need, good or bad. The bends are beautiful, they symbolise imperfections which makes them perfect in their existence. The imperfections in the structure are working together to create imperfection, the edges are not linear, almost like an acute scalene triangle but standing tall, strong and proud.
Why is the moss there?
Individually they all have different elements of moss, some brown, some green, some wet, some dry, some small patches, some large patches. What is this signifying? Has there been pain? Have there been battles? Were you cold? On reflection, anything is possible - the sticks standing together as one structure, points standing tall with the sunlight shining down invites thoughts of different kinds - the moss is part of the stick's life, it tells a story of sorrow and joy, but still they stand together - is it armour? A blanket? A home for tiny insects? The sunlight invites new thoughts as it strikes through the gaps in the structure, bouncing off the sticks creating an alternate environment of colour, shadows, new knowledge, transparency - the moss is integral to this structure, its existence and its story.
What if you fall?
But what if you don’t?...There are risks which sometimes we have to take. Creating the structure was a risk, it could have fallen over, however with perseverance and trying different ways, the sticks supported each other, they just needed the encouragement and patience from me to help them get to that point. There will be storms, and new experiences - the structure may fall, does that mean it's the end? They become useless? And never be saved? Of course not…this is the beauty, the structure can change, together they can become transformational, change their angels, perspectives, views and vision; they can work together, connect in alternate ways and if they fall they will help each other stand tall again.
The lessons
The Posthuman weekend has really opened my eyes, ears and mind as to how we can use this lens to magnify the classroom. For me, being able to spend time looking at the sticks and connecting to different parts of what I see has helped me see my professional practice in a different way. What I have identified above, I knew, but not in the depth I have been able to get to through being a part of this special weekend - so many lessons can be learnt from what I have seen, all interlinking into social justice - the need to see past the stick as just being a stick, just like in the classroom - the student is not just a student, they are a human and as educators we need to see, hear and think past the body - what is inside? What have they seen? Where have they been? We need to KNOW them, to form human connection, to champion them and create a space for belonging. These questions need to be at the forefront to understand their backgrounds and how our teaching practice should be shaped by understanding them.
The sticks represent solidarity for what could be our students, they represent a sense of kindness and empathy, values which should underpin our teaching practice. By looking at their differences as something we can learn from, rather than a challenge or hard to reach - thinking how we can champion them to succeed, having belief in them and connecting to them on an individual basis. Students have different needs, different experiences - how do we develop ourselves to understand this?
The sticks also represent care, transformation and collaboration to build strength and passion within groups, we can link this to our organisations - the opposite of the hierarchical power structures we see so often that can crush the ground below, all the ideas bursting to breakthrough can’t find the light, perhaps standing tall together we can push through the darkness to break free, allowing ideas and change to sprinkle down like a shower, watering the ground and allowing it flourish.
Stick Thinking
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