The Spirit of Abundance
This story began its life as a future projection drama at a
psychodrama weekend; where I spoke of my plans for the therapy centre of my
future. This centre is in a small gold mining town in Central Victoria and is
located in a three-bedroom miners cottage. The cottage is renovated to include a large open space group
room, I told the audience. This is the space where I will run psychodrama groups;
offer art therapy and also 1:1 counselling. I will also have available a room for a
massage therapist to rent. I set the scene
beautifully, as I lay out cushions to represent the floor plan, discussed the
name chosen for the group room and also what artwork I have for the walls. The
scene setting showed everyone in the audience that this place has been so
lovingly created over a number of years.
The director asked a question this day. What does the spirit of your centre look like?
This question, in that moment seemed straight forward and an easy question to
answer. However it is a question, which I didn’t realise at the time, would
have such a deep impact upon my future and me. ‘She is a spirit of abundance’ She
is a new spirit. She resides in the new section, I arrogantly responded. For me
it was all about the new purpose of this building, the addition of the new
space and the creative possibilities to come.
This day at psychodrama, I neglected to recognise that the
spirit did not need to dwell in the building but could be the ‘spirit of the
place’. And when such arrogance and certainty is present then there is always a
lesson to be learned. This lesson was served to me on ANZAC day this year. I arrived at the house to be greeted by ‘the
spirit of the place’, on this cold sunny morning after the town ANZAC day
parade; I instantly recognised what I had failed to see before, that the
abundant spirit of my therapy centre is a big old beautiful apple tree in the
yard.
It is a majestic tree which has stood the test of time. It
has survived droughts, floods, long hot summers, a mini tornado and current
tenants who barely notice it or give it any care. They do not see the tree as I
do, as a unique and ever present, yet ever changing part of this house and its
surrounds. Also that it is a significant
part of it’s future.
This ‘abundant spirit’ is old and wise. She has many limbs,
which branch out. She gives comfort on a hot day to those who sit under her
canopy. She gives sustenance from the fruit she bears. Her aged trunk shows
strength. She remains dormant for many months then springs to life, showing her
resilience; retreating again at the end of the season in order to renew and invigorate
herself for when the time and season is right to spring to life again.
The ‘spirit of my therapy centre’ is ever growing, ever
changing and she will be nurtured, honoured and celebrated. I am very grateful
that I was asked ‘what does the spirit of your centre look like?’, and that I was
finally able to recognise the ‘spirit
of the place’ many, many months later on this crisp autumn morning. She certainly is a ‘spirit of abundance’.
