Crafting for mental health, yup that includes 'voice hearers'...

I am a crafter n maker, have been since a wee tacker immersed up to the fingertips in homemade red fingerpaint. While few formal qualifications have held my interest over the years, the act of creating has stayed with me through a not unchallenging life.

During the last year or so, as you may have read, I have been exploring eco dye, what I am coming to call 'plant echoes' and sewing aka 'witchin stitchin' (I swear I didn't hex Scott Morrison, he did it all on his own steam. Not really worried if I spelt his name wrong btw). Back to the main story. Plant echoes require time. Its a slow, ambling art, with leaves soaking for weeks, mordants brewing in jars for months and cauldrons full o bundles boiling for a number of hours. I have chosen to devote time to developing my skills in this form, and it's my pace. An amble, or potter...

Now here's where I reveal a wee secret that is part of that not unchallenging life. I hear voices. No, not the internal dialogue type, yes the sounds like someone is talking (yelling, oft times) which I hear through my ears. Now before you tell me I'm psychic (hence it's a beautiful thing), or that when a certain portal shifts I will be cleared of this phenomena, or they're entities and if I keep sending them into the light all will be well, or all I have to do is think in affirmations and they'll go away, I've bloody heard all of that already! Thought of, n conciously worked with. Now if you've ever tried focusing on anything whilst someones hurling abuse at you, you know its trixy. Be that brushing your teeth or writing a song ( believe me the lyrics may not be pretty). However, a saving grace for me is crafting / making / art. Not only do I enjoy it, I can at times (not always) do it with the choir screaming along.

Let me give you an example. Today I awoke, there was the choir, morning lovelies...So I couldn't get myself out of the house, its a bit difficult to navigate the world under such circumstances. However I could, and did, spend about one and a half hours getting this picture of my cauldron, to pop on my brand spankers Instagram account as a metaphor for what Im brewing up in relation to the overwhelming natures of whats happening in our land with the fires and climate change. I didn't feel it was appropriate in that post to describe the distress Ive been experiencing, and HEARING for some weeks now. If you've made it to this blog, not many folk do ;) you get the scoop!

Point being I could focus on this process, and it was enough to get me going for the day. From where I was then able to engage with some plant echo play, to a) distract myself and b) create a wee bit o beauty, juz a wee bit, but it ALL counts. You might get the vibe from my squeee of excitement followed by 'wow' at end o footage...

 

The footage was taken upon request by my beloved Miles,who is highly aware of the a) shitfull moments hearing voices can bring and b) magic o making in my life. So with an ever supportive *sigh* agreed. Damn good eye too!

 So you can see that despite the odds I had a day with wonder n joy included that might otherwise have been missing. Is that therapy? I suppose so. Better than some I would argue. Go creative expression whatever the form I say! If you, or someone you love hears voices, encourage this stuff. Mayhaps even go buy them a copy of the book "Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear" by Elizabeth Gilbert. I know she wrote some book called 'Eat, Pray, Love' I never read, but this one I did and really dug it. I found a copy in the opshop for 50 cents, scavenging n synchronicity combined! It will loosen your making muscles n give you a laugh, and if you hear or see stuff, you may well need that some days eh....