Symbols of peaceSymbols of hopeSymbols to keepYour dreams afloat

Concept and booklet: Linda Espie and Russell DealIllustration and design: Brad WelshEditing: Karen Masman

Concept and booklet: Linda Espie and Russell DealDevelopment: Linda Espie, Russell Deal, Karen Masman, John HoltonIllustration and design: Brad WelshEditing: Karen Masman

Symbols of peaceSymbols of hopeSymbols to keepYour dreams afloat

Concept and booklet: Linda Espie and Russell DealDevelopment: Linda Espie, Russell Deal, Karen Masman, John HoltonIllustration and design: Brad WelshEditing: Karen Masman

Published 2007. Reprinted 2008.

St Luke’s Innovative Resources137 McCrae Street BENDIGO Victoria 3550 AustraliaPh: 03 5442 0500 Fax: 03 5442 0555Email: info@innovativeresources.orgWebsites: www.innovativeresources.org www.strengthscafe.orgABN: 97 397 067 466

Text: © St Luke’s Innovative Resources and Linda Espie 2007Illustration and design: © Brad Welsh 2007

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the publisher.

ISBN: 978 1 9209451 90

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May we all be open to observe, notice, listen, experience and to connect with ourselves and others in everyday life.

forewordWe are surrounded by symbols. They are present in every facet of our existence. At a practical level, they point us in the right direction, they issue caution, they give us choices, and they limit our choices. Symbols are necessary to navigate through life. Imagine driving in the city without symbols. Chaos would reign.

Symbols have meaning. Meaning is a part of their nature. Road signs are symbols with simple meanings. Some symbols have deeper meaning. They are a powerful gate to the deeper and less conscious levels of human experience. Symbols evoke profound emotions and memories—at a very primal level of our being—often without our making rational or conscious connections. They fuel our imagination. Symbols enable us to access aspects of our existence

that cannot be accessed in any other way.

Symbols are used in all facets of human endeavour. In a therapeutic relationship, use of visual images can assist a client to get in touch with otherwise inaccessible personal realities, thus enhancing the possibility of creative conversations and deeper exploration of experience and meaning. Much of what we take to a therapeutic encounter is unknown to us. We feel something but may not be able to give voice to it. To find a symbolic representation of our experience can open the way to powerful explorations of that experience and to transformative encounters.

In artistic work, symbols are often the first encounter with emerging creative possibilities. The emergence of something new is often experienced non-rationally or non-verbally. Symbolic representation may be the only means of expression

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available to certain experiences. Describing, and scientifically explaining, a sunset does not usually evoke the same intensity of experience as seeing it. A painting or theatre performance can convey the felt reality of being a refugee more powerfully than rational argument.

Gestalt Therapy uses artistic approaches and images to increase awareness of personal experience and explore personal meanings. The word ‘Gestalt’ means ‘figure’ or ‘whole’. The symbols presented to us in this resource are simple figures that are evocative and have the power to link with the complex figures in our own experienced world.

Visual symbols are powerful conveyors of meaning. They are also powerful motivators. National flags evoke passionate feelings and heroic actions. Religious symbols evoke powerful responses ranging from heightened

emotion to laying down one’s life. These symbols have power for particular groups of people. Some symbols are more universal in their nature, creating links with archetypal human experience.

This resource draws on archetypal images to develop visual symbols that are highly evocative. As the primary instigator of this resource and co-author of the booklet, Linda Espie’s years of experience have given her a profound understanding of the power of symbolism in its many forms. I have worked with Linda for almost a decade in various contexts. I have observed her use the language of symbol to enhance transformative encounters with her clients, students and colleagues. In playing a primary role in the development of this resource, Linda has drawn on her own life experience and on her entry into the experienced world of others.

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Linda and the team at St Luke’s Innovative Resources have developed an excellent resource. May those of you who use these cards find them to be a valuable resource in navigating your path to a deeper and more aware life. May you find in their use a pathway to creative exploration. Have fun with them. Find satisfaction in the profound experiences that may evolve.

Jeff Hood

Jeff Hood is a psychologist in private practice, is Chairperson of Faculty, Gestalt Therapy Australia, and teaches in the Faculty of Medicine and the Centre for Drama and Theatre Studies, Monash University.

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acknowledgementsWe would like to thank all those who have contributed directly or indirectly to Symbols. A number of people generously gave up their time to participate in focus groups, so thank you to:

Jane Sullivan, Coordinator, Family Support Program and Maree O’Toole, Bereavement Services Coordinator, Social Work Department, Royal Children’s Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia

Annie Cantwell-Bartl, psychologist in private practice, Flemington, Victoria, Australia

Catherine Cini, Manager and Kathy Wells, Bereavement Support Worker, Griefline, Calvary Health Care Bethlehem, Caulfield, Victoria, Australia

Meg Moorehouse, loss and grief counsellor in private practice, North Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Marisha Rothman, Coordinator, Loss and Grief Support Team, Department

of Human Services, Disability Accommodation Services, Box Hill, Victoria, Australia

Joan Roberts, Bereavement Coordinator; Glennis Hearn, Assistant Manager; Judy Rassaby, Adolescent Coordinator and Annabel Bakes, Family Support Team, Very Special Kids, Malvern, Victoria, Australia

Pat Jewell, author, family and parenting consultant, Melbourne, Australia

Michelle Grimshaw, social worker in private practice, Northcote, Victoria, Australia

Dr Bruce Rumbold, Director, The Franklin Centre for Social Research in End of Life Care, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia

Brad Welsh provided excellent illustration and design yet again. His elegant, minimalist style allows each symbol to speak for itself unhampered by distractions. Equally, Brad’s booklet and box designs are both functional and aesthetically pleasing.

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Karen Masman, Managing Editor, Innovative Resources, was, as always, creative, diligent and thorough. Karen deserves credit for exploring ways that each new product sets new standards for quality.

John Holton, writer at Innovative Resources, joined Karen and the booklet authors (Linda Espie and Russell Deal) to form the development team for Symbols. Step Forbes, business manager, supported the project with his excellent print production skills. Caitlyn Lehmann applied her keen eye to the task of proofreading.

Everyone on the team at Innovative Resources makes a contribution in some significant way. The free and frank exchange of opinions contributes to the rigour to which any new publication is subjected.

Linda would particularly like to thank Gabe Phillips (Co-director, Gestalt Therapy Australia), respected teacher, therapist and mentor of Gestalt, for sharing hours of his time over several conversations about

Gestalt Theory and framework; Jeff Hood, Chairperson of Faculty, Gestalt Therapy Australia, for his

continued interest, insight and support over a number of years and for writing the foreword for Symbols; her husband, Alan, for his love and support and her children, Brent and Lauren, for keeping her humbly grounded with their reminders that parenting is a central role and that ‘family need’ as well as those we work with. Linda would also like to thank those who worked with her to trial the prototypes for Symbols and whose experiences have contributed to many of the scenarios included within these pages. Such openness and generosity of spirit is deeply valued.

Russell would like to acknowledge everyone who has to cope with his foibles and idiosyncrasies, particularly his ever-patient and generous wife, Anne, who lets him indulge his passions; his creative children, April and Sam; and his grandchildren, Sunny and Sam, who inspire him with their love of language and art.

Linda Espie and Russell DealJuly 2006

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iii Dedication

iv Foreword

vii Acknowledgements

1 Origins of the idea

5 The power of symbols

7 The list of symbols

10 Handle with care

11 The blank card

13 The poem

14 Spread and scan

15 Random choice

16 Exploring identity

19 Exploring grief, change and transition

contents

22 Exploring relationships

25 Exploring spirituality and meaning

27 Mind-mapping

27 Writing and journalling

32 Storytelling

33 Researching a symbol

34 Using Symbols with other resources

37 About the authors

38 About St Luke’s Innovative Resources

40 Further reading

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origins of the idea‘We are symbols, and inhabit symbols.’ Ralph Waldo Emmerson

From its inception, and certainly before it became known as ‘Innovative Resources’, St Luke’s publishing arm was fascinated by the power of visual imagery to transform lives. It was the simple addition of light-hearted cartoon graphics that magnified the appeal of Strength Cards, the original card set published by Innovative Resources in 1992.

Neither social work nor welfare services have a rich tradition of using visual imagery in their practice repertoire. Likewise, psychology may have used Rorschach Inkblot Tests as an interpretive tool for decades but it has otherwise relied substantially on word-based tools.

Arguably, of all the professions it is education, particularly in kindergarten

and the primary school years, that has the best track record for the

use of multimedia in its conversation-building activities. The theories of multiple intelligences, as articulated by Howard Gardner and others, have certainly created the awareness that, indeed, ‘a picture is worth a thousand words’.

We learned very early on in our publishing journey that respectful, non-gratuitous graphics add power and meaning to our tools in ways that words may not. We discovered that one definition of metaphor is ‘short-cuts to meaning’. Subsequently, we often describe ourselves as publishers of metaphors.

This interest in the transforming power of metaphor created curiosity about the role of visual symbols in daily life. We became keen critics of the icons, logos, badges and trademarks promulgated by the advertising industry. We observed (to our collective horror) how the deliberate misspelling of an expletive became a ‘must have’ fashion brand generating millions of dollars’ worth of profits. Over

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time (with no pretensions whatsoever that we were developing expertise in this area) we became more conscious of the significance that symbols play in just about every facet of our lives.

For quite some time we considered producing a box that would house a number of items, including a small set of hand-painted cards featuring symbols. However, it was a chance meeting with Linda Espie that led to our decision to produce a therapeutic tool based solely on visual symbols.

As a published author in the area of grief and bereavement, Linda had an idea for developing a set of reflective, therapeutic tools that would expand on the words highlighted within her book entitled A to Z Reflections on Loss and Grief (published by Spectrum in 2003 and available from St Luke’s Innovative Resources). Linda approached Innovative Resources (as a publisher with a long-standing interest in materials that build on the therapeutic power of words and metaphors) with the idea.

This idea for a set of cards, each of which would contain a single evocative word with relevance to issues of life and death, grief, change and transition, was discussed and embraced. Known simply as Words this set of cards is now available and can be used on its own or as a companion set to Symbols or other resources.

Linda then introduced Russell (Creative Director, Innovative Resources) to Joan Roberts and Glenis Hearn, counsellors with Very Special Kids in Victoria, Australia. Very Special Kids is a unique organisation that supports families throughout their experience of caring for children with life-threatening illnesses, from diagnosis through to recovery or bereavement. (Joan, Glenis and others at Very Special Kids use many of Innovative Resources’ publications and a range of other multi-media tools in their work.)

As we talked about the concept for Words and other possible new resources in the areas of grief and loss, and palliative care, several ideas began

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to take shape. One of those ideas was for an interpretive set of photos that picked up on themes of life and death. Innovative Resources had already commissioned such a card set. It is called Picture This and was released in 2007.

Another concept was to create a set of cards that portrayed identifiable symbols. Such symbols could complement both the words and pictures of other card sets, but it was hoped it would work in a significantly different way for some people. It was this concept that evolved into the 100 cards of the Symbols set you now have before you.

Settling on the 100 images took some time. Initial focus groups led by Linda provided a first draft. As is the way at Innovative Resources this list was worked and reworked over many months. The final list does not pretend to be complete or exhaustive but does provide

a mixture of symbols that will, hopefully, have a wide resonance.

Choosing an artistic style to best represent the designated symbols in an original way exercised our minds for some time. We asked Brad Welsh, one of our longstanding freelance graphic artists, to work up a couple of different concepts. It was his free-form brush style that appealed most. The end result is a set of simple, intriguing symbols that can be introduced into many conversational settings.

For those struggling with bereavement and grief or facing their own death or that of others, Symbols will have a particular relevance. Given the intensity of the emotions that these experiences may evoke, sometimes words alone are not enough. Symbols can provide a shortcut to our feelings and the meaning we give our experiences. They can help us go where words alone sometimes cannot. In so doing, we believe that this card set may play a part in fostering a supportive process for a greater understanding of our journey.

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While this set of cards has its origins in grief and loss counselling, the possible applications for this resource are endless. Because symbols have the power to speak directly to our sense of identity, they can be used to illuminate almost any situation. Teachers, counsellors, therapists, social workers, workshop facilitators and team-builders will be among those to find their own creative uses for this set of cards.

Linda has been greatly influenced by her study and practice of Gestalt Therapy and this is reflected in the ideas and the writing for Symbols. The Gestalt approach is built around an interest in awareness, an interest in the impact of experience, and the understanding that all human experience is in relation to everything else. The word ‘Gestalt’ means ‘form, figure or shape’ which sits perfectly with imagery, metaphor and symbol.

Gestalt, as a theoretical framework, acknowledges that there are many influences that impact on our experience

of the past, present and future. Drawing on symbols as a way to look at and share experiences can lead to greater awareness as we seek to understand ourselves—including our personal experience, the experience of others and our environment.

As well-known Gestalt therapist Malcolm Parlett says, ‘Everything is interconnected and the meaning derives from the total situation’. This captures key principles of Gestalt Therapy—principles that may illuminate the way you engage with Symbols. So, in whatever way you tread life’s journey, we trust that somewhere embedded in Symbols will be a spark that fires up your imagination.

Russell Deal and Linda EspieJuly 2006

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the power of symbols‘In fact, words are well adapted for description and the arousing of emotion but for many kinds of precise thought other symbols are much better.’John BS Haldane

From prehistoric times onwards, story, meaning, tradition, culture, mores, spirituality and theology have all been expressed via symbols.

The use of symbols is universal and embraces all aspect of our lives. All communication depends upon layers of symbolism. Some symbols are personal, some are relevant to particular cultures, some have been codified into signs and maps that transcend specific cultures. Many people believe some symbols can be connected to all our senses. They can be expressed in ritual, art, music and storytelling.

Symbols can be of essential practical use and alert us to issues of safety. They can represent our allegiance to our tribes

and groups. They can also express our search for purpose and fulfillment.

Given this complexity and depth, how can one simple conversation-building tool—a humble card set—hope to capture the majesty, the mystery and the potency of the symbols in our journeys? Clearly, no one tool or medium can do justice to the richness that symbols play in our lives.

The Symbols card set does not pretend to embrace the broad vista of symbolic communication or to even capture the essence of symbolic language. Symbols is simply a beginning exploration of the role that symbols can play in our search for solutions to commonly-faced issues. It is not a panacea. It is not an encyclopedia. It can, however, provide a way of discovering the significance that visual symbols play in the construction of our worlds.

The Symbols card set contains 100 visual images from a potentially unlimited range of symbols. You will

find a mixture of different types of symbols. Some are archetypal in a psychoanalytical or existential sense. Some are the sorts of images you might expect to see on street signs. Some may be a mystery to an observer who is unfamiliar with the cultural relevance of that particular symbol. (However, we do hope the conscious exclusion of the symbols of our favorite football teams is appreciated!)

The activities and ideas suggested in this booklet may be used for:> counselling> journal writing> writing poetry or songs> storytelling> discussion in a group setting > individuals reflecting alone> a range of creative modalities, for

example, drawing, painting, and play, > exploring Symbols together with

other creative tools, for example, Words, The Bears, Stones…have feelings too! and Koala Company.

Ultimately, everyone who uses Symbols will construct their own meanings around each of the 100 images. Everyone will have their own unique preferences and everyone will think of other images they would have included in such a set.

If any or all of these processes occur Symbols will have achieved its intention; that is, to be a useful tool for building reflection and conversation. If this tool stimulates further research into the significance of symbols in our lives, this is an additional bonus.

‘Big pictures and big maps help open the mind, and thus the heart, to an integral transformation.’ Ken Wilber

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Anchor

Arrow

Ball

Ballet shoes

Balloon

Bed

Bell

Bench seat

Bird

Bird cage

Blank card

Boat

Book

Boot

Boxing gloves

Bread

Bridge

Butterfly

Cake

Candle

Cat

Chain

Chair

Church

Circle

Clock

Cloud

Coffin

Compass

Cross

Diamond

Dog

Door

the list of symbols‘Language, after all, is only the use of symbols and art also can only affect us through symbols.’ George H Lewes

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Chair

Church

Circle

Clock

Cloud

Coffin

Compass

Cross

Diamond

Dog

Door

Envelope

Feather

Flag

Flower

Footprint

Gate

Gift

Gravestone

Half empty/half full

Hammer

Hand (cupped)

Hands (prayer)

Heart

Heart (broken)

Horse

Hourglass

Key

Knot

Ladder

Leaf

Lightening

Lighthouse

Lock

Masks

Maze

Mirror

Mobile phone

Moon

Musical notes

Mountain

No entry

Peace

Pen

Question mark

Racquet

Rainbow

Rocket

Scales

Seedling

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Sorry but this page is only available in the hardcopy version of this booklet

Seesaw

Shell

Sickle

Signpost

Snake

Spiral

Star

Suitcase

Sunrise/sunset

Swing

Sword

Teacup

Teardrop

Teddy bear

Telescope

Television

Train track

Treasure chest

Tree (bare)

Trophy

Wand

Wave

Wedding rings

Wheel

Winding road

Window

Wine glass

Yin/Yang

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Sorry but this page is only available in the hardcopy version of this booklet

Wedding rings

Wheel

Winding road

Window

Wine glass

Yin/Yang

handle with care‘I paint to evoke a changing language of symbols, a language with which to reflect upon the qualities of our mysterious capacities which direct us toward reality.’ Morris Graves

Our card sets never come with rules or instructions—but we are big on suggestions! One of our hallmarks has been to try to publish materials that just about anyone can pick up, enjoy and find useful—without a manual or a training course.

Users of our materials have complete freedom to use the cards in any way to meet their needs—and they do (apart from reproducing them, of course!) We are constantly delighted by the novel and inventive activities that people discover when they let their creativity take hold.

We hope that Innovative Resources’ books, card sets, stickers, posters

and picture books enhance the creativity of therapists and never get in the way of anyone’s skills or creative spirit. Most of all, we hope that anyone using our resources finds them strengths-building and hope-expanding.

Any tool, no matter how well-constructed or well-intentioned, can be used in a ‘power-over’ or oppressive way. So over the years we have developed a rough checklist of reminders for respectful practice. Here are some:

> As a therapist do you enjoy using these materials? Do they work for you?

> Are you fully comfortable and confident in using or recommending them?

> Do you know your client well enough to take the risk of introducing them?

> Is there anything in the materials that may not accord with the culture that the client brings with them? Will they be understood?

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> Is the timing right? Will the cards contribute to a useful conversational pathway or will they be a distraction?

> Does the client have a choice? Can they choose the materials they want to work with? Can they choose not to use them?

> Do you have a clear purpose in suggesting the use of a card set? What outcomes do you anticipate?

> Tools have the potential to unlock powerful emotions. Are you ready for the consequences, whatever they might be? Is the setting and timing right to deal with such feelings if they arise? Have you considered issues of confidentiality if the cards are being used in a group setting?

> Do you believe that the client has the literacy or other skills to confidently use the materials without embarrassment or intervention?

> In five years time how might the client remember their encounter with you and the cards?

the blank card‘Her absence is like the sky spread over everything.’ CS Lewis

A blank space can be anything and everything you want it to be: a diamond ring, a red Ferrari, a favourite colour, a meaningful quote, a special object, a precious memory—perhaps held within, of a time now past.

For this reason we thought it was important to include a blank card within the Symbols set. The notion of blank may not be a true symbol but it can be used as a space for you to symbolise, signify, imagine, paste, decorate, draw—anything you wish. You may envisage your own symbol, 11

a representation of a thought, feeling, a dream, a hope, a memory. The blank space may be your very own creation. Start exploring!

You may wish to ask yourself, write about or discuss with others:

> What message might this blank space have for you?

> What might this empty space allow for?

> What story might this blank card hold?

> If you had one wish what would it be symbolised by?

> What would you expand or include in your life given more space?

> Do you have enough space in the world for yourself?

> How much space do you need between others and yourself?

> Are you afraid of emptiness?

> Can you be with uncertainty?

Drawing a blank: telling a story‘This blank card reminds me of how my grief feels like a tearing out of my heart.’ Mifumi

‘When I learned that I had breast cancer, I felt an absolute disconnection between my body and my emotions. This blank card reminds me of the initial shock.’ Alice

‘I chose this blank card which symbolizes the emptiness I still feel as a result of my partner leaving.’ Andy

Grief, loss, change and transition, in all of their intensity and passion, often lead people to describe their feelings using symbolism, imagery and metaphor. The Symbols cards provide some representations which may resonate. However, selecting the blank card is an invitation to describe your own experience of grief, as the above quotes from people using the prototypes of Symbols illustrate. Reflecting on a blank card may open up possibilities to explore the richness of your experience and may include colour, shape and texture to complement image.

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the poemSymbols of peace Symbols of hopeSymbols to keepYour dreams afloat Russell Deal

This delightful little poem sits beneath the title for Symbols. The simplicity and gentle whimsy of the poem may act as a prompt for readers to reflect on peace, hope, and the huge challenge it can be, at times, to keep our dreams afloat.

At times, an image may give us an opportunity for reflection; an opportunity to stay in the present moment—calm, at peace. At other times, the order of the day requires us to find the momentum to gather energy, motivation, commitment, confidence and hope. And, at times, we all need a sense that no matter what, we can keep our all-important dreams afloat.

The following questions are an invitation for you to ponder, wonder, explore, play and examine all that holding symbols and looking forward may inspire:> Select a Symbols card that represents

a sense of peace.> Do you currently hold this sense of

peace or is it longed for?> How do you find peace? How might

you hold peace?> Select a card that represents a sense

of hope.> Do you currently hold this sense of

hope or is it longed for?> How do you find hope?

How might you hold hope?> Select a card that represents keeping

your dreams afloat.> Do you currently have a dream afloat

or is it longed for?> How do you find a dream to hold?

How might you keep your dream afloat? > Can you use the cards you have

selected as prompts to write your own simple poem?13

spread and scan‘Everybody is a story.’ Rachel Remen

Probably the most common way that Innovative Resources’ card sets are used is to spread them out, briefly scan the array, and then make choices according to pertinent questions.

A great advantage of using cards as therapeutic, conversation-building tools is that you do not need to use the entire set. A valuable conversation can be built around a partial set or even just a few cards. These can be sorted according to themes, priorities or goals. They can be stacked, flipped through, turned face up or down, dealt or even randomly selected.

There are 100 cards in the Symbols set—a lot to scan at once! So, for some people, it may be preferable to reduce the pack. At times, the facilitator may want to include only those cards that seem directly relevant to the person or group concerned.

While spreading the cards on the tabletop may be the most comfortable way to view them, you might also consider working on the floor. Walking around the cards and scanning from a greater height can provide a different perspective and adds an extra degree of physicality. Even placing a group of cards on the floor in the room can encourage movement. This is particularly effective for people with kinesthetic learning preferences (those who learn best by using the hands or moving the body).

Another option is to mount the cards on a board to save space and capitalise on the way in which the individual cards can combine to create a single work of art, possibly with layered meaning for some participants. Sometimes when all the cards are presented in this way they can combine to create a symbol of the multi-faceted nature of our experience.

Spreading and scanning can work with an individual but is also ideally suited for working with groups where

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the activity can act as an icebreaker; a means of breaking up ‘the talk’ or as an evaluation exercise.

Once scanned, an array of activities can be developed. While many of these are discussed in subsequent sections some of the commonly used questions are:

> Which cards resonate with you the most?

> Which cards best describe how the past year (or week or month) has gone for you?

> Which cards say something about one of your pet likes or dislikes?

> Which card is what you feel inside and which card is what others see?

> Which card/s represents a challenge for you?

> Does any card repel you? Can you say why?

> Can you sort the cards into three bundles such as:

– those you are most comfortable with?

– those you are least comfortable with?

– those you are unsure of?

Symbols cards can also provide a means of closure and evaluation for a group.

> Which Symbols cards sum up what you have got out of this group?

> Which Symbols cards could you use to remind you of what you have learned?

random choiceAn alternative to spreading and scanning is random choice. This method works like many traditional card games. Cards are shuffled, placed face down on the table and selected randomly by the person. Or a ‘hand’ of cards can be dealt to each person.

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Whether the activity is designed for an individual or a group, it is the reaction to the serendipitous ‘arrival’ of a card that is important. The following questions may be useful:

> What does this symbol mean to you? > What words come to mind when

you see this symbol?> What other pictures come to mind?> Do any particular memories come

to mind?> Would the symbol have significance

at different times?> Are there certain people you

associate with this symbol?

A small group allows for individuals to compare and contrast their different interpretations of a symbol:

> Does the symbol have different meanings for different group members?

> How do members react emotionally to each symbol?

> What does this reveal about the similarities and differences between group members?

exploring identity‘The place…or medium of realisation is neither mind nor matter, but that intermediate realm of subtle reality which can only be expressed by the symbol. The symbol is neither abstract nor concrete, neither rational nor irrational, neither real nor unreal.’ Carl Jung

A potent mix of cultural and personal meanings gather around a symbol. Symbols are part of our reality and our identity. We may miss opportunities for self-discovery and growth when we lack a way to describe or access the symbols that shape us. Because the images in the Symbols card set are highly interpretive, they can lead to some powerful and unexpected insights into our identity and the meaning we give our experiences.

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Questions such as those below can be used in counselling and groupwork but are also available for us to use in our personal reflection and self-exploration: > Which symbols would I use to

describe myself to someone who doesn’t know me?

> Which symbols are fundamental to who I am right now as a person?

> Which symbols reflect parts of myself I could readily give up?

> Which symbols represent the person I would most like to be?

> Which symbols would my partner, parents, children or colleagues say were me?

> Do any of the symbols reflect my shadow side—parts of me I would rather not have?

> Do any of the symbols scare me, challenge me or repulse me?

> Are there parts of me that no one sees or that I don’t want others to see? Which symbols speak to these parts?

Sometimes a symbol can have a profound capacity to help us integrate (or at least hold) seemingly opposite feelings within our identity. This is particularly important in grief and loss work where people can be confused and distressed by their experience of seemingly opposite emotions and desires at the same time. For example, a grieving person may be feeling relief and sadness, anger and love, wanting to be alone and wanting to be with others. The following example illustrates how a symbol helped one person to find a more useful place between two extremes within an experience.

Bridging polarities and finding wholenessMelanie was invited to select some cards from Words and Symbols that reflected her current experience. She was hesitant in making her selection saying she was keeping away from all of the ‘places I don’t want to go’. The counsellors suggested that they start with what was most immediate

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and present, asking her what best captured her sense of ‘where she does not want to go’.

Still with some hesitation, Melanie chose the words ‘crying’ and ‘struggle’ (from the Words set). When she was invited to pay attention to these words Melanie said that she often seemed easily upset; brought to tears. Crying led her to feel afraid of being judged —judged as not coping, not healthy, dysfunctional and unprofessional. She described feeling vulnerable, embarrassed, misrepresented and diminished; she felt a loss of credibility when she cried.

Melanie was asked to choose a card from Symbols which might allow her to experience tears and struggle in a way that felt more acceptable to her. She chose the symbol of a gift. She felt that this symbol could represent herself as an experienced professional who did have a lot to offer; she was more than her tears.

When asked to place the symbols and words on a continuum, Melanie placed the words ‘crying’ and ‘struggle’ at one end and the symbol of the gift at the other. A large space lay in between, ‘like a gapping hole,’ she reflected. Melanie was invited to find more words and symbols to place around both ends of the continuum. She added the symbol of a teardrop, to the words ‘crying’ and ‘struggle’ at one end, and added the words ‘love’, ‘spirit’, ‘sacred’ and ‘strength’, around the symbol of the gift at the other.

Noticing the size of the space in between, a final invitation was made to see what might be placed in the space. Melanie placed the symbol of the candle in the middle of the continuum along with the words ‘intimacy’, ‘possibilities’, and ‘wound’ describing these as accepting of, and linking with, both ends of the spectrum.

Encouraged to take a moment and look at her creation and to make a

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few statements in closing, she said the depiction looked whole now. Her counsellor asked her to say ‘I feel whole’. The placement of the symbol of the candle and the associated words gave Melanie a sense of wholeness by bridging those parts of her which tended to feel and think in polarities.

exploring grief, change and transition‘Nothing is static. Nothing is permanent. Life is always in process. Change is occurring all the time.’ Sills, Fish and Lapworth

Grief is an intimate personal experience. While there are many similarities in the ways individuals use language and draw on symbolic and metaphoric representations to describe how grief impacts, no two people can share the same experience. We may have a deeply felt connection or resonances

as we listen to others tell their story. We may also have an

understanding and appreciation of their personal journey, but we can never really know how it is for another.

Any experience of grief will involve some form of change and transition, regardless the situation. Grief may occur after any perceived experience of loss. Some examples of situations that may evoke a grief response include relationship breakdown, illness, death, divorce, retrenchment, moving home, changing jobs, death of a pet, relationship conflict, loss of personal items, robbery, ageing, migration, incarceration, homelessness, disability, isolation, loss of esteem/confidence, drug/alcohol misuse, abuse, loss of peer group/community. The following example captures the feelings of fear associated with an impending change, but also the sense of excitement that exists alongside the fear.

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Symbolising a new direction Stephanie (age 19) was going to move out of home in three weeks to study ministry interstate. Using Symbols and Words (another set of 100 cards published by St Luke’s Innovative Resources) she selected the symbols of ‘footprint’ and ‘balloon’.

The footprint card represented a journey and a new start for Stephanie. She talked about the steps forward into unknown territory but talked with enthusiasm about this move as a new and fresh start. This new course of study represented working towards a new career. The balloon symbol was connected with excitement and creativity as well as taking a risk; as in ‘big bang’.

Invited to select cards from Words to assist in reflecting on her move interstate, Stephanie chose ‘friends’, ‘growth’, ‘fear’, ‘comfort’ and ‘passion’. She talked about the loss of friends as well as gaining new friends interstate. She recognised her impending journey as one of growth

but also one that contained some feelings of fear about her time away from her familiar environment. Stephanie expressed that this change in her life would take her out of her comfort zone although her need and desire to follow her passion were foremost.

The experience of grief and loss may feel utterly overwhelming or shattering for some people, while others may experience a sense of relief or ultimate peace, depending on the circumstances. Here are some questions that can be used to explore this often life-changing experience using the Symbols cards:

Can you use a Symbols card to help you describe:> your initial experience of grief?> how your grief has challenged you?> how has your grief changed you?> how your experience of grief has

impacted on your relationships with family, friends, and work colleagues?

> your grief here and now?

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Other questions (with or without the cards) might include:> What has helped you most in your

experience of grief?> What has been least helpful in your

experience of grief?> What have you learned about

yourself as a result of your grief?> How has your health changed as a

result of your grief?> How are you different now than

before this experience of grief?> Can you locate your grief in your body?> Is grief, death and dying still a

taboo in our society? If so, how is this apparent?

> In general, how does society respond to people who are grieving?

> What have you come to appreciate about others in your life as a result of your grief?

> Does grief contribute to a person’s resilience? If so, how?

Preparing for rituals and occasionsPart of the expression of mourning after a death may involve participating in rituals and occasions attended by family members and friends. Navigating these can be a great challenge for anyone. The Symbols cards can play a part in helping people to prepare for these events, especially children, young people and those with a disability, as the following example illustrates.

Preparing to attend the funeralA disability worker selected several Symbols cards to help prepare her client, Sarah, to attend her father’s funeral. Those symbols chosen were:

> coffin > flower> teardrop > cross> heart > gravestone> candle > hands (praying)> book

Using each of these Symbols cards the worker was able to speak with Sarah

about the various possible images and symbols she might see at her father’s funeral. The worker and Sarah had three separate conversations over a few days which helped Sarah prepare for and better understand what she might experience. They also used Words to talk about the emotions of grief as they related to the symbols ‘heart’, ‘teardrop’ and ‘gravestone’. Sarah was also invited to draw her own feelings and thoughts about her dad’s death and funeral, using her own symbolism.

‘We see grieving all around us, for this condition is us.’ Robert Sardello

exploring relationships‘This language of friendship is not words but meanings.’ Henry David Thoreau

Symbols cards can provide a very different way of thinking and talking about relationships. The nature of symbols is that they can ‘speak’ in ways that words cannot. Thus inherent

in symbols is a different, but potentially powerful way of developing insight into the nature of our relationships.

Choose a relationship you would like to explore: spouse, partner, parent, sibling, child, grandparent, extended family member, housemate, colleague, supervisor, etc.

> Which symbols describe the way you feel about this relationship?

> Which symbols do you imagine the other person would choose to describe you and your relationship?

> Which symbols might sum up how the relationship has evolved or changed?

> Which cards might describe something that may be absent from the relationship?

> Which cards represent qualities you would like to see more of in the relationship?

> What qualities do you value most in any relationship?

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Symbols in ordinary connectednessAlistair was drawn to two Symbols cards—a bed and a tree. He described his relationship of four years with his partner as rocky, yet ordinary and complex. Alistair previously lived a solitary life—for him the bed symbolised a twin, paired experience which was vastly different from his earlier way of being in the world. Similarly, the tree represented an important relationship with an elderly neighbour who Alistair described himself as having ‘come to love’. His neighbour plants and cares for Alistair’s garden. Both relationships are described as solid and ordinary. Alistair reflected on having let both people ‘take a hold of me’ as he pointed to his heart. Alistair pondered the ordinariness of things; the daily act of making the bed, the daily act of the seasons. He noted that there is something reassuring about the ‘everydayness’. The ‘taking hold’

is something he said he cannot allow himself to fully know yet; to be able to count on these people

in his life and to be touched by them in ways that are unexpected is very new for him. ‘They are ordinary men,’ he said and, ‘I have found a new ability to take hold of ordinariness in my life.’

Symbolising the end of relationshipReflecting on the symbol of a pathway, Annie placed herself on the narrow end of the pathway. She talked about having a sense that she has to go forward which, when asked, was about living and surviving the relationship’s end and the deep sadness and despair she felt. The counsellor invited her to select another symbol, which might be placed in relation to the pathway. Annie selected a bridge and said with confidence, ‘There will be a bridge, perhaps many bridges along the pathway.’ When asked to contemplate her statement Annie said that she will learn to live with her loss and talked about the bridge as not a block but movement from one side of something to another. The bridge reminded Annie 23

that her grief, whilst deeply painful was not insurmountable; that it was manageable and she would, in fact, survive.

Connecting through shared griefBrian and Jill both agreed that they needed to see someone. Their 30 years of marriage had had plenty of ups and downs but with their children gone their expectations about being contented ‘empty nesters’ just weren’t happening. It wasn’t open warfare but both sensed a wobble, a fragility in their relationship.Midway through their second session the relationship counsellor suggested that they might look at their marriage through a different lens. She introduced the Symbols cards and started with a very neutral question: ‘Would you each pick those cards that might tell me something about who you are as individuals and as a couple?’Each chose a range of about six cards. The only card they had in common was the symbol of a dog.

This was an initial surprise but as they talked, it seemed to make sense. Their long-time pet dog, Buster, had disappeared some six months ago. They had never heard what had happened and while they had resigned themselves to not seeing Buster again they had never talked about getting another dog.

Buster had really been Jill’s dog as she was around the house more and did all the feeding. For Jill, Buster had been a companion. He represented security and became a substitute for the kids. For Brian, the walks at weekends had provided physical exercise, but also a way of letting off steam from the pressure of his job. Both were acutely missing Buster but had never found a way to talk about him or getting another dog. The selection of the same card by both of them highlighted the feelings they had in common and opened up this shared experience as a starting point for connecting emotionally once again.

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exploring spirituality and meaning‘What am I living for? What should I find pleasure in? What will happen to me in the future?’ Tomihiro Hoshino

Spirituality is, for many, a difficult area to define and describe. Much attention is given to physical, emotional, social, cognitive and psychological approaches to further our understanding of ourselves and our place in the world, yet voyaging into our spiritual realm, as a deeply personal and intimate expression, is oftentimes uncharted territory—avoided, overlooked. Concepts and phrases including ‘personal journey’, ‘search for meaning’, ‘mystery’, ‘possibility’, ‘higher power’, ‘ritual’, ‘belief’, ‘religion’ are generally more openly acknowledged and discussed. Some attempts to describe spirituality include notions of multidimensional yet intangible aspects

in nature, our internal world, deeper forces and forces beyond.

Symbols can be used to explore spirituality and meaning in one’s life—past, present or future. The cards may provide a ‘way in’, an ‘opening’ or ‘beginning platform’ for exploring thoughts, feelings and reflections that are spiritual in nature. Regardless of individual levels of familiarity, curiosity, comfort, confusion or discomfort, the following questions may provide a platform to broaden spiritual reflection and connection, either alone or in conversation with others.

> Which Symbols card or cards help you define or describe your understanding of spirituality?

> Can you find a card or a set of cards which represent meaning in your life?

> Is there a card which represents mystery?

> Is there a card that depicts personal transition?

> Are there any cards which describe spiritual dimensions that are within your life currently or which you are seeking?

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> Are there any cards you could draw on to broaden spiritual possibilities?

> Which Symbols cards might deepen your connection within a spiritual realm?

> Which Symbols cards seem contrary to your beliefs or understandings of spirituality?

> Do any of the cards hold a religious resonance for you?

> Is there a card that might fulfill a spiritual role or function for those grieving?

> Is there a card that might fulfill a spiritual role or function for those living with a chronic or life-threatening illness?

> Is there a relationship between spirituality and faith, religion and prayer?

> Are there any cards that might offer you a greater sense of purpose or direction in your life?

> Is there a card that might strengthen your spirit?

> Which Symbols cards signify how you connect with your spiritual self?

> Which Symbols cards might support you to deepen your spiritual enquiry?

> Is there a card that might support you to find greater meaning in your life?

> Which Symbols cards seem to you to be connected to particular rituals or to signify certain cultural practices?

> How might you create a ritual using Symbols cards to represent a current personal experience or an experience within your community?

I felt someone was looking at me I turned my wheel-chair A small flower was blooming there. Tomihiro Hoshino

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mind-mapping‘The map is not the territory.’ Malcolm Parlett

Creating a picture or map of the connections between cards is an activity that can be developed either through scanning or random choice. Cards are physically placed in an arrangement according to how they are associated. Cards that connect closely are grouped closely. Cards with little connection are spread further apart.

Select a card that speaks to you in some significant way. Then choose other cards that seem connected. > Can you say how the cards connect?> Can you arrange them to reflect this

connection?> Is there a sequence of connections?> Is this like a story?> What is the theme of this connection?> Does the map have a centre or

a pivotal point? Is one card the central figure?

> Does the map say anything about what is important to you at present?

> Does the pivotal point sometimes change? What happens if you select another card as the pivotal point?

A variation on this theme is to draw a meandering pathway on a sheet of paper. Cards can then be arranged along the pathway to represent stages or points of significance on an unfolding journey such as grief.

Mind-mapping activities build upon our powers of association. We construct meaning around a word or a symbol through association with other words and symbols. Therefore, visual and physical activities such as this can provide valuable new insights into the meanings we give our experiences.

writing and journalling‘One of the obligations of the writer is to say or sing all that he or she can, to deal with as much of the world as becomes possible to him or her in language.’ Denise Leverton

Who imposed the rules on writing that most of us have absorbed? Many of the conventions we have are useful, even necessary, but writing can come in many shapes and sizes. For the human service worker or the person on a voyage of self-discovery, who is to say what is best or of most value?

Symbols can be used to ignite and inspire ideas for a range of creative writing activities including stories, prose, poetry and song. They can provide prompts and suggestions for story lines, whether used by themselves or in conjunction with other tools.

Choose a card that interests you or select one at random.

> What does the symbol mean to you? > What does it remind you of?> Can you write a poem about that

symbol?> Who might you address the poem to?> Which Symbols cards suggest a story

you would like to write?

> What is its key message? > How long would it need to be?> Who could you imagine reading it?

Journal writing, using a variety of techniques, is also a very fertile activity for many people wanting to record and explore their life events, emotions and goals. Journalling helps many people to navigate their experiences, experiment safely with imagined replies to people (in the form of unsent letters) and explore their own reactions and thought processes. (For those particularly interested in journalling as a therapeutic practice please see Inside Out: a journalling kit published by Innovative Resources or contact us for information about our journalling and creative writing workshops.)

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Lists as a journal writing techniqueProbably the simplest journalling technique is the list. Lists are an almost universal activity—such as the ubiquitous shopping list. In fact, many card packs from Innovative Resources begin their development as lists. Symbols, for example, began its life as a list of 100 possible visual images.

Lists are a great means of playing with words and ideas. They are a way of capturing lots of information very easily and quickly, especially if we unleash the censor and allow ourselves to list anything that comes to mind under a given topic. Often the initial words in a list come easily, but after about 30 or so the mind needs to delve deeper and things may get even more interesting! Try lists of 50 or 100 and apply some simple percentages. For example, in a list of 100 things that make you happy, what percentage of the time is an aspect of nature mentioned?

Later, lists can be edited, shaped, ordered and prioritised, if desired. The process of listing can be therapeutic in itself but the end product—‘The List’—can provide the starting point for lots of creative writing.

Pick 10 Symbols cards that interest you and list the objects. > Can you include all of these objects

in a single sentence?> Can you write a poem for each

symbol?> Can you create a story from this

list of symbols?> Can you find a Symbols card

that represents a recent event in your life?

> What can you say about the event and the card?

> Choose seven Symbols cards and use one card as a theme for your journal writing each day.

Writing about our experiences and stories can take many forms. Sometimes there are no suggested steps or

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sequences to follow. At other times it may be fruitful to write using a structure for dealing with perceptions and issues in a particular way.

Critical reflectionCritical reflection provides a more systematic framework for deconstructing an incident with the intent of developing insight and understanding. (See Mezirow J 1991, Fostering critical reflection in adulthood: a guide to transformative and emancipatory learning, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco.)

Critical reflection is a process whereby a person challenges and confronts his or her own thinking by asking probing questions such as:

> Why do I think this? > Are there inconsistencies in

my thinking?> What are my underlying

assumptions?> What story am I telling myself

about this?

> Whose knowledge and experience has been included or excluded?

> How might I do things differently?

Perhaps somewhere between the looseness of journal writing and the rigour of critical reflection is a range of writing that can include traditional case studies and the more recent emergence of autobiographical writing as a teaching tool.

Interviews and short storiesSometimes people’s stories and perceptions are captured via interviews and presented with very little editing or authorial intervention. The ‘voice’ of the person being interviewed is authentically preserved. For example, David Ritchie’s and Allan Kellehear’s book Seven Dying Australians (published by Innovative Resources) presents interviews with seven people from different walks of life and circumstances, all speaking about their experiences of facing death.

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Also published by Innovative Resources is Jennifer Lehmann’s book, The Harveys and Other Stories, where fictional stories are presented almost as case studies for critical reflection about social work practice. Both of these books are examples of writing that can be used for reflective practice and learning.

Short stories can take many different forms, from as small as a single sentence to a few thousand words. Picture books and poems are other forms of writing that are rich in symbols and metaphors.

Whatever the writing style, the Symbols cards can be used as prompts for a central idea or theme that may be full of meaning and significance for the writer and reader.

> Before you begin to write can you pick the Symbols card (or cards) that sums up the key message you wish to convey on paper?

> If you are having trouble getting started, is there a Symbols card that

has rich associations for you? Place this card in front of you, list all the associations that come to mind, and see if this acts as a ‘springboard’ for getting the pen to flow.

> Which Symbols cards suggest a story you would like to write?

> Who could you imagine reading it? > How long would it need to be? > What is its key message?> Imagine you are being interviewed

by someone. Imagine an interesting question they might ask you. Begin your writing by answering that question.

‘A picture is a poem without words.’ Horace

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storytelling‘Our habitual stories usually protect us from the mystery of our lives. But there is always the opportunity to take our storytelling deeper.’ Thomas MooreStorytelling is indeed an art form and some of us are better at it than others. We probably all know accomplished wordsmiths who can hold an audience spellbound with a story or a joke.

For millennia people have sat around the fire or over a meal telling the stories that create identity and embody the wisdom and adventures of their culture. Storytelling is a great tradition and worthy of retaining, despite the array of options that technology has provided for our society.

Adding a visual dimension to a story can help the audience engage and focus as well as provide simple and effective prompts for the storyteller. Anyone can use the Symbols cards to illustrate and add layers of meaning to the stories they choose to share with others.

Select the cards that are relevant to the story you wish to tell. You may not need many. Respectfully challenging, at the right time, the cards initially chosen can be a highly effective way of keeping the story alive. Even retelling the story using different symbols can help an alternative perspective to emerge.

Telling stories can be a great way of remembering people in your life:

> Thinking of a person who is dear to you (it may be someone who has died) use the Symbols cards to tell a story about that person. What Symbols cards would you choose to represent their strengths?

> Use the Symbols cards to tell a story about something you learnt from this person.

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A great tool for conversation-building and storytelling in groups is BWF: Best, Worst, Funniest.

> Can you think of the best, worst and funniest things that have happened to you today (or this week, this month, etc)?

> Scan the Symbols cards and see if you can find one that might represent each of these three events. Tell your stories to the others in your group.

In days gone by families of nobility (or pretence to nobility!) would, in many cultures, construct their own crest. Most people are familiar with the crests and heraldry of Britain.

As a light-hearted storytelling activity, the 100 Symbols cards provide an opportunity for individuals or family groups to create their own crest.

> Choose four symbols you would want on your heraldic shield and tell the others in the group why. Remember, the Symbols set has a blank card so you can draw your own symbol to add to the mix.

‘Beneath the favourite tale of the moment a deeper story always lies waiting to be discovered.’ Thomas Moore

researching a symbol ‘I believe that symbolic language is the one foreign language that each of us must learn.’ Erich Fromm

If you are intrigued by the possibilities created by Symbols as a storytelling and conversation-building tool you may be interested in conducting your own research into the significance that symbols hold. There are many books around that explore the role and meaning of symbols. You may want to look at some of the literature on dreams,

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myths and legends, or at religious scriptures and parables. These are all full of symbols.

> Select a Symbols card that has particular resonance for you.

> Does that symbol appear on the internet or in any books that you have found on symbols?

> Is it a symbol with universal significance or significance within a particular culture?

> What meanings have others ascribed to it?

> What meaning and impact does this symbol have on others close to you?

> How are the symbols interpreted differently by different people?

> What arrays of meanings emerge?

> What different emotional response does a particular symbol evoke?

Is there a history to this? Irvan Yalom

using symbols with other resources‘All in all, art represents the need of one human being to communicate with another by whatever means—each as good as another.’ Edvard Munch

Symbols was developed in conjunction with two other card sets; Words and Picture This. These three sets of cards complement each other well and can be used together very easily. For example, all of the cards from each of the three sets can be spread out so that the cards can be scanned. Participants can be asked to choose one card from each set according to the given question. Alternatively, one set can be scanned and sorted and then participants can choose cards from other sets to ‘surround’ or ‘overlay’ a selected card.

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The following questions might be useful:

> Is there a Symbols card or a Picture This card that sums up how you are feeling at present?

> If you put this card in the centre, which of the cards from the Words set add meaning to, or help describe, these feelings? These cards can be placed on or touching the Symbols or Picture This card to create a loose collage.

> If this is how you are feeling now, which cards describe how you would like to be feeling?

> On the right of your original collage can you build a collage of how you would like to be feeling?

> What can you do to move towards your picture of how you would like to be feeling?

> Which cards from Symbols, Words or Picture This might describe the activities that can lead to change?

St Luke’s Innovative Resources publishes a wide range of card sets and stickers, each of which can be used either on their own or in conjunction with others. Graphic styles vary from cartoon characters and edgy photographic montage, to watercolour and oil paintings. This enables you to select the style that is most appropriate for those who will be using the tools.

Some other card sets to consider using with Symbols are:

everyday goddessThis is a set of 36 cards created from the paintings of internationally acclaimed artist, Katharina Rapp. These cards take a wry and compassionate look at the lives of everyday women and the challenges and adventures to be found there. This set is particularly suitable for women who are experiencing depression and loss, and those who want to take a fresh look at how we ‘story’ our own lives.

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growing well ways of noticing our mental and emotional wellbeingGrowing Well is built around 50 key statements that are important indicators of mental health and balance. Topics include health, organisation, relationships, connection, etc. Accompanying each statement is a ‘scale’ using simple illustrations of a seed growing into a tree. A user checks the box that is relevant to them and in this way the scale can be used to notice change and describe growth—even when words seem inadequate.

inside out a journalling kitJournalling is a powerfully creative way to ‘name’ our feelings, and navigate life’s challenges. This is a set of 32 full-colour, gate-folded cards designed to stand upright on a desk. A key word (with an evocative illustration) appears on one side of the card, while the reverse features a quote and a range of simple, yet effective journalling techniques.

reflexionsThis set of 32 cards or stickers uses street and techno style photography for encouraging adolescents to explore their lives. What do I think? What do I feel? What is important to me? Where am I heading? Each card features a key word and a layer of images to illustrate it. By encouraging conversations about the good stuff and the hard stuff, this is a powerful tool for building identity, self-esteem and goals.

shadows and deeper shadowsShadows uses evocative and interpretive watercolours to depict situations of struggle, sadness or ambiguity. These emotionally-charged representations often bring latent feelings to the surface. It can be helpful to overlay words on top of the pictures to help express the feelings that surface. This set is also a great resource for teachers of creative writing and workshop facilitators.

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signposts exploring everyday spiritualityEach of the 48 cards in this set features a photograph and a short phrase such as ‘valuing simplicity’, ‘sharing the load’, ‘lasting the distance’, ‘walking through shadow’ and ‘dancing with joy’. These phrases can be used by people to describe their life journeys and purpose. Signposts alludes to the ‘big questions’ in life and again carries an emotional poignancy for many.

wordsA single word can be jam-packed with meanings and power. Words is a set of 100 cards, each elegantly designed but starkly minimalist in order to capture the beauty and transcendence of words that resonate with the human spirit. While this card set grew out of discussions with counsellors who work daily with grief and loss, it is a tool that can help us describe our feelings and stories in any circumstance.

‘You can practice mindfulness, because there is forgetfulness; but you cannot practice awareness, because there is only awareness.’ Ken Wilber

about the authorsLinda EspieLinda is a loss and grief counsellor, educator, supervisor and consultant in Melbourne, Australia. She has worked in the field of loss and grief for 24 years. Her counselling and lecturing areas include: death, dying and illness, traumatic death, suicide bereavement, pregnancy loss, child and adolescent grief, road trauma, disability, separation and divorce, and compassion fatigue.

Linda was a foundation member of the stillbirth and neonatal death support organisation (SANDS Victoria), and was one of two consultants who established the Centre for Grief Education in Melbourne. Since 2001, Linda has provided lectures and workshops in

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Japan and travels to Japan twice a year.

Linda is the author of three books:It’s just different now, Spectrum Publications, Australia, 1999A to Z reflections on loss and grief, Spectrum Publications, Australia, 2003Let the children be our teachers: a guide for Japanese health and welfare professionals, Medical Publishing, Seikaisha Co Ltd., Tokyo, 2005

Russell DealHaving been the initiator of St Luke’s first every published resource Strength Cards in 1993, Russell has seen Innovative Resources grow into a busy, sustainable publishing enterprise.

As Creative Director his continued passion is to bridge the worlds of publishing and human services. The creation of ‘therapeutic artifacts’ that use visual metaphor, design, colour and humour to open up transformational possibilities remains Russell’s abiding fascination.

about st luke’s innovative resourcesOver the past 15 years or so Innovative Resources has evolved from a bunch of artists and book lovers having a go at publishing to a team of over 20 people committed to producing products of excellence. Along the way have accumulated a loyal bunch of graphic artists, illustrators, professional experts and enthusiastic practitioners who support and inspire us.

Just as importantly we owe much to St Luke’s Anglicare and their staff who have prompted, tested and embraced our hands-on materials. They—and others who take our resources into homes, counselling sessions, classrooms, conversations and meetings—are the conduits between our hopes and the actual transformations that occur as people explore their lives using our books, card sets and tactile resources.

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Innovative Resources began with one product that was sold locally. We remain committed to supporting our local printing industry but now publish in four languages other than English and export across the world with the assistance of over 70 retailers. Any profit made is used to develop further resources or returned to St Luke’s Anglicare for investing in programs to support children, young people, families and communities.

To find out more about Innovative Resources and St Luke’s visit our website:

www.innovativeresources.org

For more stories, articles and reviews of Innovative Resources products visit:

www.strenthscafe.com

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further readingBertman, S (ed) 1999, Grief and the healing arts: creativity as therapy, Baywood Publishing, New York

Cirlot, JE 1990, A dictionary of symbols, Routledge, London

Fontana, D 1993, The secret language of symbols: a visual key to symbols and their meanings, Universal International, Gordon, NSW

Jung, CG 1964, Man and his symbols, Aldus Books, Jupiter Books, London

Jung, CG 1973, Mandala symbolism, Bollingen Series, Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ

Mackewn, J 2004, Developing gestalt counselling, Sage Publications, London

Marris, P 1996, The politics of uncertainty: attachment in public and private life, Routledge, London

Moore, T 2002, The original self: living with paradox and originality, Harper Collins, New York

Moore, T 2004, Dark nights of the soul: a guide to finding your way through life’s ordeal, Piakus Books, London

Tresidder, J 2006, Symbols and their meanings, Duncan Baird Publishers, London

Yalom, ID 2001 The gift of therapy, Piakus Books, London

Zinker, JC 2001, Sketches: an anthology of essays, art and poetry, The Gestalt Press, MA Cambridge, MA

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Concept and booklet: Linda Espie and Russell DealIllustration and design: Brad WelshEditing: Karen Masman