Magic In The Sand ...

A couple of months ago in a creative art session at University, we were each given a tray of sand.

At first this felt a little odd - 35 years old and playing with a tray of sand. But as I began to silence the mindless chatter in my head and just "feel" the sand running through my fingers I began to relax and just let the sand take me where ever I was meant to "be" in that moment.

After getting to know our sand, we were given the task of creating a scene in our present lives using a whole bookcase of toys that had been collected - small figurines, cars, animals, treasure chests, plastic trees, houses - you name it, it was on the shelve.

Without much thought at all, I collected six figures, one was me, one my husband, the other four each of my children. I also collected a bridge and returned to the tray to create the scene.

I placed "myself" in the sand - I had chosen a princess as my daughter and she stood beside me. I had three green army solders each one a Son and I placed them around "me" - they were protecting me - I then divided the sand into two parts, a huge rift between the two sides of sand. Over this rift I placed the bridge and then the other side of the sand I placed the figure which represented my husband -

I found this very upsetting - the children had grown with me (again), in my "light" over the year and we had "crossed a bridge" - and in doing so left my husband behind. I knew I could not go back to "collect" him, for he needed to cross if and when it was right for him and I also knew I could not return to where He was - I had moved on.

The feelings that went with this scene were so great that I could not even move the figures to see if either "party" crossing the bridge was an option - it clearly was not and I felt very stuck. I was able to see too that my husband was stuck, alone and that my children seemed to be defensive towards him, protecting me.

We were sent off for lunch, leaving the scene behind in the sand tray - it haunted my lunch hour and I knew I had not completed what had to be done -

On returning to the sand - a whole story and adventure began. So many words and feelings flowed that I had to grab paper and pen to write each scene down that unfolded. Tears were had, empathy was explored for each character, a new level of understanding for each person and all current life situations - it was quite an afternoon!

The end scene in the sand was of all the figures together on a hill, made of sand - an ocean of sand at the bottom of the hill.

There was a Christmas tree - for now in the sand every day was Christmas, there were horses in fields and a large "toy" farmhouse. A treasure chest as a symbol of abundance was under the Christmas Tree.

The scene was truly beautiful - a reflection of how I wished for all relationships in my family to be, with our own home and lands for us to grow and play in - every day being Christmas!

Now remember at the start of the day I had created in the sand a scene that was "stuck" - I could not see how to change my current relationships at home - but through the day and in the magic of sand - a story was told,, an adventure unfolded and a fairy tale ending was created.

My relationship with my husband was again at a crossroads - a time of new choices - where people and things have to leave or change -

I forced myself to move beyond the boundaries my life was presenting me and created my "dream" - my chosen reality in the sand -

I returned home that evening not knowing at all if or how my sandplay would effect my life. To be honest I did not expect anything to happen at all.

Without me "doing" anything our relationships changed within three days of the magical sand play - I cannot begin to put into words how different my relationship is with my husband except say how wonderful it is to feel "in love" every day again.

I now know that for us as a family unit to live in harmony - it does not come WHEN we have the house we desire or the time for play - we need to have harmony, love and play first so that our home is in alignment with our energies and can with complete ease and grace enter our life.

The magic in the sand has filtered into my reality. At first as fast as a tipped egg timer and now grain by grain I am understanding the secrets in the sand and allowing their whispers to change my life