MEDITATIONS IN CLAY

On May 8th 2024, I began pinching clay as part of a meditation practice. My interest in pinch pots as a meditative medium began years before, inspired by a practice and workshop created by Paulus Berensohn in Finding One’s Way With Clay, a profound book that found its way to me through a dear friend’s mother. I had been hosting mindfulness and meditation workshops using clay as a meditative medium for a while at this point, holding space for others to experience this way of healing. Never had I considered holding the space for myself. On May 8th of that year, I was desperately seeking healing, looking for practices that would bring me to a place of peace and understanding, a way to build structures of support and health, a way to move forward in connection with myself. A project, I thought to myself, a project I share publicly for accountability and inspiration. 111 days of meditation ending in a pinch pot and a prayer. Without surprise, it took more than 111 days but, on November 27th 2024, I completed my 111th mediation pinch pot. I found myself in a different place than 111 meditations earlier. Calmer, more centered, more at peace. I’m not fully there, but I’m well on my way, meandering down the right path. The pinch pot portion of my project is complete and I feel there’s more healing energy to be drawn from the clay, more to be worked through. More to come.