Sand Tray Extravaganza

I took this photo the night that I completed this Sand Tray. Buddha is watching from above and Hanuman sits on the altar table below...He reminds us that we are spiritual beings...

A full daytime view of the gathering...


Here is one of my "Alchemical Warriors." She is being held in the arms of the Great Mother. I feel a sense of peace when I look at her.


This photo shows a statue of Gaia sitting below Quan Yin. You can also see a wonderful wooden horse puppet who lost his strings. Another "Warrior" is leaning against the horse. She has a large green crystal heart on her body.


Another "Alchemical Warrior" with an African porcupine quill for a sword. He's riding in BaBa Yaga's pestle!

I like this mysterious night view of two folk art dolls with the wooden horse. They are standing in front of a mounted Nature Mandala.


Here is the "Pink Goddess Alchemical Warrior." She has an owl and a carved, wooden Japanese Netsuke that is a snake. I painted a design on this feather..


You can see part of another "Alchemical Warrior" on the left. She has a large blue muscle shell on the front of her body. I love how Mary watches over all of the activity...

In my graduate program in Counseling Psychology, we spent the entire day Friday exploring sand trays. The moment that I arrived home, I realized that the carved antique boat given to me by a friend was about to be transformed into a giant sand tray. The next day, I brought 300 pounds of sand into the middle of my living room and set to work. The transformation that took place both physically and spiritually was profound. It turned into a giant healing altar that is giving me great comfort and delight!

A few weeks ago I had six dolls pour through my fingers at once. I call them my "Alchemical Warriors." They represent important parts of myself. They are all participating in this tray. I have included pictures of three of them from close angles.

This week, I have been building a new set of shelves next to the sand tray so that my collection of objects for the tray can be readily visible for the creation of many more trays. I have asked friends to participate if they would like to contribute any found objects to this evolving project. I use everything that feels appropriate...angels, driftwood, bones, shells, toy figures, dolls, statues...The possibilities are limitless. I can feel my soul soaring just thinking about it!

Magical Swan Fairy Garden

A more formal Fairy Garden with swans swimming in the antique "pond."If you look closely at the photo below, you can see that there are swans swimming in the vintage, mounted postcard as well!


A large box of these beautiful shells arrived on my doorstep a few weeks ago. My dear friend from Santa Barbara, Theresa, collected them in the Yucatan in 1978 and decided that I would certainly make good use of them now...an accurate assumption!


A large Guardian Angel watches over the garden on the right hand side of the photo...a bit like my special angel, Grace.You can see a smaller Guardian Angel inside the garden in the photo below.


A full view of the miniature garden world. I got the blue cradle at my favorite thrift store for $3.00! I also used pieces of driftwood from the beach in Santa Barbara around the edges...more gifts from my lovely care packages from friends and family!

I love making these magical gardens! In my final class for the summer in my Counseling Psychology program today we made Jungian sand trays both as a group and individually. The timing was so appropriate in light of my recent gardening adventures!

I had a dream the night that I created this Fairy Garden that I had a new tiny uterus that was growing in an antique dish in this garden. It was wrapped in a pod of ancient leaves. I woke up with a wonderful sense of new growth and possibility.

Fairy Garden

I love this photo of the garden fairies sharing a relaxing visit in the cool garden.


A view through the fence at the entrance to the garden...


This lovely garden poured through my fingers yesterday. It is giving me a great sense of joy and magic!

I have been spending some good healing time in my fairy garden over the past month. I am happy to be able to post some photos of my garden and my companions in the garden. I have missed all of you, my blog friends...I am making an effort now to balance my outdoor time with a little catching up with you and your blogs.

Thank you for all of your supportive emails. I am still quite focused on my healing process. It has been quite a journey. I am embracing it and enjoying the many healing modalities that have presented themselves to me...including my miniature garden worlds! Now I am inspired to make a larger version on my patio that may include some plants that will tolerate the winter...with room for a few fairy houses on the property...