Meaning Making

You can think of the lamp as the tangible physical “product” of the  workshop (the hardware), but equally important is  the “process”, which is not only how we create the lamps but even more important, how we surround this creation with layers of meaning, healing, connection and inspiration.  Yes, the lamps are beautiful, sometimes distractingly so, but the “software” of the workshop - the process -  is even more important.

Our workshops allow time for conversations, reflection, sharing of experiences and wisdom, and ceremony. Workshop participants build connections while helping each other in the construction of their lamps. Interspersed with the art/craft making, we hold group gatherings where stories are shared, topics are explored and meanings and intentions are created.

The weakness of many workshops is that they can be wonderfully magical and transformative while participants are ensconced in the “bubble” of the workshop, but once out of the bubble, the glow of the workshop often fades quickly.  In contrast, TIP workshops offer a “tail”.   At the workshop’s conclusion, participants bring home a beautiful lamp which serves as a luminous reminder of the discoveries made, meanings found and intentions made during the workshop experience.  Long after specific workshop memories may have faded, the lamp remains and its embedded meanings continue to transform and grow.