Before even opening this book, I was privileged to
experience a stream drawing session with Elaine Clayton. What many of us call “doodling”,
Elaine terms stream drawing, or intuitive stream drawing. Upon sitting down
with her, she asked me to form a question in my mind with emotional attachments
or meaning. For example I chose to question my future, specifically where I’ll
find myself career-wise in the near future.
She then told me to pick up the pencil with my non-dominant hand and
close my eyes. After drawing one continuous line of random twists and shapes, I
opened my eyes to find a mess of swirls and curves.
She began by asking what I saw in my drawing, what images
first came to mind when looking at the piece of paper. I immediately saw a
dragon pointing to the right of the page, which she said was facing towards the
future, after which I told her about the recurring dragon dreams I had been
having. She said this could mean I am thinking of a job or the working world as
a “beast” or that I have this strength inside me pointing towards the future. As
we turned the paper around to view each angle, new images popped up like an
Indian Scout, the number two, and a dog. She then examined the images and
feelings that sprang forth. It was a very emotional experience, one that can
really help you delve into your intuitive, creative center.
The book begins by explaining the art and process of stream
drawing, followed by the practice of reading and uncovering meaning in these
drawings. Each chapter contains playful illustrations in the margins. She also
includes examples of sessions she conducted with people in the past with color
illustrations. Reading about her experiences is enjoyable as they often reflect
the uncanny abilities of our intuition.
If you’re feeling blocked to new ideas or you are seeking
answers to seemingly unanswerable questions, stream drawing is a great process
that takes us back to a child-like state when our intuition was at its height. It
doesn’t matter if you are not artistically inclined. Stream drawing puts you in
touch with your intuition and frees you of the rigidity of daily life. Many of
us who used to draw as children have now stopped due to busy lives or feeling
“not good enough”. When Elaine asked me why I no longer draw, my response was part
bewilderment, part feeling as if I wasn’t skilled enough. Elaine argues that
drawing is a fundamental part of our lives. By revealing our emotions and
experiences, “stream drawing can calm the nerves and open the mind and heart to
new self-acceptance”.
The next time one of your professors reprimands you for “doodling”
in class, let him/her know that people actually retain 29% more information
when they “doodle”! Put it on your calendar now to come and meet Elaine Clayton
at the Fairfield University Bookstore on Saturday, April 25th at
11am. She will discuss her new book and conduct stream-drawing sessions. Don’t
miss this great opportunity! Check out her website: http://www.illuminara.com/.
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