Healing Tools
This is an activity I would absolutely love to do as a workshop, especially at a retreat! If you are interested in diving deep into your life and doing the work to find the treasure that lies therein, please let me know and we can get together to start the process.
Treasure Map
BASIC VERSION - A personal growth and goal tracker
1. Take a large piece of paper and divide it into two sides.
2. Put a mark on the middle of the page somewhere indicating your start point.
3. What stands out? Remember the following sorts of milestones or make up a list of your own significant events and try to put them in chronological order, from the beginning of your line toward the center "start" point where you are now. Mark them down with an X on your timeline wherever you want... these are gems of wisdom you have already found on your treasure hunt.
5. Now, feel free to draw several empty check boxes (no check mark inside yet) scattered on the right hand side of the page with no lines connecting them. Or you might put the boxes one by one as you consider what you want your future to hold. Some examples of check box items might be:
6. Now for the fun part - this is your game plan. Put a metaphysically charged up healing crystal on any of the past spaces when you would like to deal with that memory and heal the wounds there, or benefit from those times of blessing and opportunity. Then after a while, start to carry the crystal around with you when you need that energy.
When you accomplish one of your future goals, put a check mark in the box and draw a line connecting your past timeline into the present achievement. You may also want to put a metaphysical crystal or object on a goal that you are attending to, sending yourself that energy of positive intention.
Move the crystals around like chess pieces on a game board, using different strategies to fulfill your desires. Maybe you want luck, or love, or do quit a habit. Use the crystals that will help you with this, both for mending your relationship to yourself and for manifesting the future you wish to live out.
You can put two crystals on one item for a time, leaving one on the board and have the other in your pocket, if you wish.
TREASURE MAP TOOLKIT
ADVANCED VERSION - your strategic self growth and goal plan
Do the above exercise, and try some of the following options:
Remember, this project can develop over time, it doesn't have a deadline because it's about honouring your past as you continue your journey into the future. Feel free to let it grow organically into something bigger and more useful to you, as you go.
1. Create symbols for each milestone on your timeline. You might use the elemental symbol for water, on a time that was very emotional. You might use a broken heart for a significant love relationship that has ended. Or a spiral for an issue that keeps coming up in your life again and again. Be creative.
2. Create your own "game pieces" or "you are here" token using modeling clay or other craft supplies. You might want to make little figurines or miniatures that represent your needs, desires or strengths. Consider making flat shapes you can paint or carve symbols onto like a heart with a rune on it.
3. You might take inspiration from an advent calendar, and use markers on a larger piece of board paper or a project display board, then tape on several small envelopes to keep photos or slips of paper in with affirmations or quotes about your needs and desires or little scrolls with prayers or chants on them.
3b. Or to expand on that, you can paint your map on a large piece of fabric and sew on pockets, so that you can store magical items in them like coins, pearls, flower petals, shells, seeds or crafts, to serve each memory and intention individually. Use embroidered patches or appliques, pin on buttons. Stitch herbs into the hems of your tapestry. Use coloured thread that corresponds to something meaningful. Count out your stitches so that you can use numerological associations toward your growth.
4. You can do this project digitally, coding a website or scripting an interactive program to store your information in a format that you can share or archive.
5. You might make the map into cover art for an album that includes a song for each milestone and intention, and use the music and words of power to affirm and fuel your healing and growth.
6. You can make this an art journal, using the basic version map as the table of contents page, and each item on the map having it's own two page spread to explore with scrapbooking materials and craft supplies such as stickers, stamps, ribbons, and findings.
7. You can paste the treasure map on the lid of a large box and use it as your treasure chest for representations of your ongoing significant events. When you have a success of any kind, add a token representing that to your board or box: a concert ticket, or a bus ticket, a resume that got you a job, or a magazine clip out of a review for a film or book that changed your life. When you have a struggle, put in something that represents how you are learning or growing from it, or the good that you took away.
8. You can set up a permanent space in your home for interacting with this treasure map, as an ongoing act of sympathetic magic. If you make it highly interactive, you can add, remove or change elements as your needs and desires change and grow with you.
Treasure Map
BASIC VERSION - A personal growth and goal tracker
1. Take a large piece of paper and divide it into two sides.
2. Put a mark on the middle of the page somewhere indicating your start point.
3. What stands out? Remember the following sorts of milestones or make up a list of your own significant events and try to put them in chronological order, from the beginning of your line toward the center "start" point where you are now. Mark them down with an X on your timeline wherever you want... these are gems of wisdom you have already found on your treasure hunt.
- a story about yourself that you really love to share and remember
- a traumatic event you still need to heal from
- something you were afraid of that you overcame
- a significant love relationship or intimate friendship
- a deep passion for something that you were able to enjoy
- your very first memory as an infant
- a time you felt safe
- a significant memory from your childhood
- an achievement that you are most proud of
- a source of shame that you need to forgive yourself for
- a time of grief or significant anger
- add a milestone for the topic of your choosing
5. Now, feel free to draw several empty check boxes (no check mark inside yet) scattered on the right hand side of the page with no lines connecting them. Or you might put the boxes one by one as you consider what you want your future to hold. Some examples of check box items might be:
- An encounter you would like to have, a meeting with someone important to you
- A trip or vacation you want to go on, or significant event you would like to attend.
- Something you want to earn, achieve or accomplish (what inspires you?)
- Something to start doing, begin working toward, or embark on (what would benefit you?)
- Something to finish, let go of, end, or quit doing. (what no longer serves you?)
- Something or somebody you would like to face or confront.
- A healing moment for you (what are you ready to resolve by then?)
- A teaching moment you can share (what are you experienced in most by then?)
- An opportunity you'd like to give someone (what can you offer by then?)
- A relationship you would like (a supportive teacher, a special lover, a good boss, a new child)
- Add a future milestone of your choosing that you would like to manifest.
6. Now for the fun part - this is your game plan. Put a metaphysically charged up healing crystal on any of the past spaces when you would like to deal with that memory and heal the wounds there, or benefit from those times of blessing and opportunity. Then after a while, start to carry the crystal around with you when you need that energy.
When you accomplish one of your future goals, put a check mark in the box and draw a line connecting your past timeline into the present achievement. You may also want to put a metaphysical crystal or object on a goal that you are attending to, sending yourself that energy of positive intention.
Move the crystals around like chess pieces on a game board, using different strategies to fulfill your desires. Maybe you want luck, or love, or do quit a habit. Use the crystals that will help you with this, both for mending your relationship to yourself and for manifesting the future you wish to live out.
You can put two crystals on one item for a time, leaving one on the board and have the other in your pocket, if you wish.
TREASURE MAP TOOLKIT
ADVANCED VERSION - your strategic self growth and goal plan
Do the above exercise, and try some of the following options:
Remember, this project can develop over time, it doesn't have a deadline because it's about honouring your past as you continue your journey into the future. Feel free to let it grow organically into something bigger and more useful to you, as you go.
1. Create symbols for each milestone on your timeline. You might use the elemental symbol for water, on a time that was very emotional. You might use a broken heart for a significant love relationship that has ended. Or a spiral for an issue that keeps coming up in your life again and again. Be creative.
2. Create your own "game pieces" or "you are here" token using modeling clay or other craft supplies. You might want to make little figurines or miniatures that represent your needs, desires or strengths. Consider making flat shapes you can paint or carve symbols onto like a heart with a rune on it.
3. You might take inspiration from an advent calendar, and use markers on a larger piece of board paper or a project display board, then tape on several small envelopes to keep photos or slips of paper in with affirmations or quotes about your needs and desires or little scrolls with prayers or chants on them.
3b. Or to expand on that, you can paint your map on a large piece of fabric and sew on pockets, so that you can store magical items in them like coins, pearls, flower petals, shells, seeds or crafts, to serve each memory and intention individually. Use embroidered patches or appliques, pin on buttons. Stitch herbs into the hems of your tapestry. Use coloured thread that corresponds to something meaningful. Count out your stitches so that you can use numerological associations toward your growth.
4. You can do this project digitally, coding a website or scripting an interactive program to store your information in a format that you can share or archive.
5. You might make the map into cover art for an album that includes a song for each milestone and intention, and use the music and words of power to affirm and fuel your healing and growth.
6. You can make this an art journal, using the basic version map as the table of contents page, and each item on the map having it's own two page spread to explore with scrapbooking materials and craft supplies such as stickers, stamps, ribbons, and findings.
7. You can paste the treasure map on the lid of a large box and use it as your treasure chest for representations of your ongoing significant events. When you have a success of any kind, add a token representing that to your board or box: a concert ticket, or a bus ticket, a resume that got you a job, or a magazine clip out of a review for a film or book that changed your life. When you have a struggle, put in something that represents how you are learning or growing from it, or the good that you took away.
8. You can set up a permanent space in your home for interacting with this treasure map, as an ongoing act of sympathetic magic. If you make it highly interactive, you can add, remove or change elements as your needs and desires change and grow with you.