Marya Mann : Blog : Quantum Jump For Planet Earth | Eco-Arts Camp Angels

Quantum Jump for Planet Earth | Eco-Arts Camp Angels

Aloha Noble Friends! You are on the Angel List!

Eco-Arts Camp revived my joy in the universe. My belief in the power of gratitude, dance and song to stir the poetry of the soul has been re-ignited. My understanding of how a small group of people like us can make such a huge difference in people’s lives has deepened.

You are on the Angel List! The goal of ArtWavEs — to create more happiness for more people – is clearly already happening. At the fun, messy, unconventional, inspirational, superfood—rich, outdoor-rolling-down-the-hill-in-the-grass and exciting multi-media arts camp, we brought healthy nutrition and transformative experiences to dozens more Hawai’i Island children.

You are on the Angel List because you’re one of the Compassionate Creatives who share the vision of 108 Blessing Banners created by, for and with Hawaii Island keiki and families to express positive dreams for our future.

Our intention to uplift the next generation with effective whole brain skills they will need to navigate through our multi-dimensional world is manifesting at playshops, art gardens and events. What if happiness, better relationships and sustainability were simply a matter of honoring the field of creativity we are all a part of, and then setting up arenas for vital energy to emerge, inspire and motivate?

Twenty keiki signed up for the week-long Eco-Arts program at Kealakehe Elementary School, and as they prepared to be initiated as Earth Caretakers and Blessing Banner painters, four of them dropped out. The 16 who showed up in our opening circle were ready for this accelerated learning experience. The call of the Tibetan bowl and the ringing of a bell brought the kids to attention but didn’t initially hold that attention for long. Children between 5 and 12 can be so rambunctious, but through quiet deep breathing, stretching like cats, roaring like lions and becoming a seed, going inside to before a light rhythm blossoms into a flower. Kids, volunteers and teachers settled into the week amd started to function like a weird four-headed organism. We all practiced yoga together throughout the week but separated into A-Mazings and Be-Positives who took dance and song with Elisha, Piper and I, while the other group enjoyed learning in Heart Circles and Plant Education with Asolaria, Dana, and EJ.

Everyone was nourished with healthy food prepared by our amazing volunteers and supporters at Patz Pies, Island Naturals, Lotus Café, ‘Ai Pono and Vegan Aloha, with help from Dr. Jodi Leslie, Mark Morphew and Dr. Randyl Rupar (who helped to gather food, cook, teach nutrition and organize even in the midst of a difficult family crisis!)

Each of these restaurants deserve your patronage. Not only do they provide excellent cuisine with high nutritional value, they serve a vision for a healthy society, one built on caring for children and nurturing a more conscious, positive future.

Besides nutritious meals and snacks, kids enjoyed playful movement improvisations, relaxing meditations and the Heart Circles of Asolaria Liberalis and Dana Tomasino. The children learned songs like, “Leela Leela, Life is Just a Play,” “Good and More Good is Mine,” and “The Earth is our Mother,” making a significant visceral link between a thriving planetary ecology and a healthy human habitat, i.e., maximum happiness for everyone — the kids, their parents, all beings.

There are so many people to thank . . .

– Angelo at Patz Pies for his personal delivery – twice! – of delicious pizza pies that thrilled the children. They learned that food can be delicious, nourishing and enormously fun to make, serve and enjoy.

- Ellen Jacobs who brought planting pots, soil and sunflower seeds to guide the children in experiencing how a seed in soil turns into food for families.

Elisha Southworth for sharing vocal and trust exercises that brought out a thoughtfulness and appreciation you often don’t see in 5-year-old children, and in those older ones, 11 and 12-year-olds, on the cusp of adolescence, who may find it hard to trust at all. And for bringing Leslie and another new song!

- Piper Pearson, Solomon Choo, John Float and Josh for offering music!

- Jo Ann Iwane, Amy Moore, Cathie Amelotte and Dr. Koakane Green for being so kind and helping to hold the space.

- Pohai Kirkland, the Kealakehe Parent-Student Coordinator for welcoming us!

- Principal Nancy Matsukawa for having the vision and commitment to see that ArtWavEs could resonate with the Kealakehe community and make a big difference in young lives.

- The beautiful Shirley and Johanna of Akamai Art Supply for turquoise, brass, scarlet and sun Yellow Dy-Na-Flow paints, round paintbrushes and 6-well palettes.

- Last but certainly not least, Hawai’i Island Food Basket, an organization which has consistently, compassionately and professionally served vulnerable and food insecure families with a quality of respect and dignity that supercharges our community, making charity something that goes beyond simply giving, catapulting it into the category of trusted social services as an art form!

Because of you, we painted five new Blessing Banners to share our warm aloha through “supercolors” on silk, we learned the first part of the choreography to Israel Kamakawiwaole’s “Somewhere Over the Rainbow/ What a Wonderful World” medley and we made plans to continue ArtWavEs painting and power-raising harmonies toward the December 22nd Holiday ‘Ohana Dinner, our third annual celebration of food, art and soul in West Hawaii, to be held at Daifukuji Temple in Honalo.

Nourishing keiki by teaching them nature’s “superpowers” — life skills that help them develop into happy, productive adults who feed themselves and live in balance – serves us all. We’re learning to create as if the world depended on it, because in fact – it does!

And most of all, mahalo nui loa to the children and parents who teach us the meaning of ‘ohana. You are the light of love! Keep shining!

Marya for ArtWavEs
& Nourish the Children

Please let me hear from you! Contact me at “Dear Dr. Marya”