UUCY Religious Education, 2015 - 2016 Program
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Our 2015 Summer RE Program was weaving on a Grand Earth Loom. It may have started as a religious education initiative, but it's scope can go far beyond this first use. This is a project of many hands. Facilitated by our Religious Education Program, sponsored by our Program Council, and supported by our Men's Group, the Earth Loom project is an idea of Janet Milstead, UUCY member, a certified Weaving a Life Circle Leader, and our Earth Loom project "consultant."
Our Earth Loom was raised May 16--the work of many hands, and was followed by a picnic BBQ. Thank you to participants young and old, particularly the Men's group and Jim Hershey our "construction manager."
Our Earth Loom was raised May 16--the work of many hands, and was followed by a picnic BBQ. Thank you to participants young and old, particularly the Men's group and Jim Hershey our "construction manager."
The Weaving-a-Life Process
The Weaving a Life Process is a hands-on way to access personal values and goals and weave them into daily action, using an EarthLoom. The experience of weaving the simple keyforms, elemental forms with symbolic value, ignites a new awareness of how our values drive our actions, and how our actions affect our values. The EarthLoom comes in many sizes, from the lap-sized Journey EarthLoom to the Grand EarthLoom, whose plans are in our DVD. A version of the Grand EarthLoom built by Bermuda native from indigenous wood in Bermuda is shown above. The goal is for each of us to live in harmony with ourselves, our communities, and our world: a perfect unity of what we believe and what we do in the world. |
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Earth Looms
Earth Looms are seven-part looms originally created by Susan and Richard Merrill to facilitate the Weaving a Life process of hands-on building of self-esteem and personal vision. The loom architecture itself brings to mind ancient symbolism. A Buddhist monk told us very quietly and sincerely that it reminded him of the gate to the temple, and the angled pieces were the roof beams of the temple within. A woman from northern Russia explained it was almost identical to an ancient Siberian symbol of "Home," called a krusha. The unique shape is easy to create, inspirational to see from a distance, and a blessing for the people who weave together within its window. |