Yoga and Mosaics
with Simon, Narayani and Lizzie at Hourne Farm, Kent 6-8th Aug 2004
This break brings together the ancient techniques of yoga and mosaics.
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Elizabeth de Ath graduated from Goldsmiths College in 1993 and then trained with noted mosaic professionals. She founded Inspired Mosaics and is now well known in the field working to commission on a variety of projects. For information about Lizzie, courses, art commissions etc click HERE. I first met Liz in Spain on a course at Cortijo Romero. As we talked it became clear how we both enjoyed working with groups and so a plan was hatched to work together at Hourne Farm. I went along to a weekend workshop organised by Liz at her studio in north London and loved working on my mosaic OM, I was amazed how skillful and consuming it was and people's efforts were brilliant. |
yoga means union, our moments spent in creation are one powerful way to union.
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the farm house and the gardens a blaze of colour |
some of our accommodation, the oast house. |
Narayani and I shared teaching the yoga, it was a delight to work with this group as everyone seemed to bond so well. After a welcome relaxation and dinner cooked by the wonderful Baz, Liz showed us slides of the history of mosaics and of her travels around Europe. Some of the mosaic parks were truly inspiring, obviously the creators had devoted large chunks of their lives to produce such wonderful art works.
The next morning we gathered for some chanting and yoga, it is always special to be at Hourne Farm where so many groups have met and explored, the room has a powerful atmosphere.
After breakfast we met in our improvised studio in Hourne Farm's new library where Liz took us through the basics of the different types of mosaics we could construct. People started to gather the materials and ideas started to ferment, Liz showed us how to cut and stick down the tiles and so we were off creating our own mosaic.
How quickly and easily the group set about creating their designs, some incorporated mirrors, others were house names, some just decorative, already we were gripped by the mosaic bug.
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It was great to listen to all the conversation in the workshop, sometimes jokes, sometimes singing, sometime deep stuff but it just flowed as we were all in the creative moment. For me this was similar to the way I feel when I am out walking in nature and sometimes the conversation flows and other times silence reigns but the important factor is the level of comfortableness is high!
Each day before lunch there was a session on the breath control pranayama, this was excellent to clear the mind, release tension and prepare for meditation.
After lunch and another session on the mosaics Narayani led us in a dance meditation in which there was shaking, dancing, sitting and lying down. It felt marvellous on the body to release all the tension that had built up by hunching over our mosaic.
another spontaneous way to release some tension.
That evening after dinner some worked on into the night on their mosaic whilst others had a campfire under the stars.
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On Sunday more chanting and yoga to prepare us for the next creative moments. Liz showed us how to grout the mosaics and it was interesting to see how they transformed the mosaics and gave them a different feel. Pushing the crumble-like grout mixture into the crack was very satisfying, as the excess was wiped away the finished mosaic would emerge.
As the group worked away on their creations many different characteristics surfaced, the perfectionists, the finishers, the can'tmakeupmyminders, the lovers of colour, the lovers of tone, it was lovely to see how everyone appreciated each others efforts.
all the group proudly displaying their mosaic
So to finish many thanks to Liz and Narayani for making the weekend so special, I am already looking forward to the next one!
HARI OM
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