April 20, 2016: ‘Maahi Roj 2016‘ (Earth Day, Every Day) entered into its fourth day with a power-packed session on ‘Signs for the future’, and a workshop on’ Itagame Paper Dyeing’ outside AnanTaya’s bespoke outlet at Hotel Narain Niwas, Jaipur.

The day started with Sapna Mehra’s talk on “Signs for your future: Numerology, Tarot & Talismans“. A jewelry designer by profession, Sapna Mehra has mastered the art of tapping into her intuition and providing guidance to the lost souls through numerology and tarot card reading.

You can catch some of the extracts from her talk down below:

“As human beings, we all have experienced the power of intuition. Now what is intuition, though? Intuition is nothing but the Divine speaking directly to you. Every human is put on Earth to serve a purpose, which we need to find. Life is a journey which is undertaken to find out what exactly you are supposed to accomplish and do. Which is why, we need to tap into our intuition through the means of meditation, yoga, etc. You need to create a practice for yourself which will allow you to look within yourself, ground you, and help you breathe a little peacefully. The more grounded you are, the better you can connect with your intuition.

As children, this sense of intuition was very strong. That internal voice is quite loud. But as we grow up, societal restrictions, daily routines, preconceived notions, etc. do not let that inner voice reach you. But, you are never truly lost. I firmly believe that if you sincerely ask the universe for guidance, the universe will respond in one way or another. The universe puts things in your path in order to guide you to your purpose. This belief has led to the birth of tarot and numerology.

Tarot cards and numerology are solely means for intuitive guidance, where the person asking the questions is always in charge of his free will. They cannot predict the future, but they can guide you through their intuition. Hence, it’s ‘intuition’ which paves the way to everything!

Therefore, it is necessary for everyone to cultivate their intuition and think positively. I would advise everyone to create this ritual for themselves: Before going to bed, say out loud three things that you’re grateful for. This helps you send out positive vibrations out in the universe, which will ultimately come back to you!”

Her session was met with a huge round of applause by the spectators. They identified with her personal experiences and hugely appreciated the ritual she suggested. She spoke a bit more about how numbers are everywhere and how they play a significant role in the process of guidance.

 

Next was an interactive workshop carried out by Dr. Skye Morrison on “Itagame Paper Dyeing Transformed into Prayer Flags”. JWB caught up with Dr. Morrison before the workshop and took a peep into her life.

The Workshop

Itagame is the Japanese art of folding paper, and creating something beautiful out of it. I have infused this Japanese art form with that of “Leheriya”, an Indian art form, to create distinct designs through paper dyeing. Once the designs are created, we shall chop them into flags and hang them all around to commemorate Earth Day.  

I have bought these papers from Japan, and they’re called “Sumi” papers. They are very thin and perfect for dyeing. The colours that we shall use would be bright foods colours. Everything is going to be environmental friendly. 

About Dr. Morrison

I live in Canada, and I have been teaching ‘Textile Design’ for nearly 40 years now. I visited Japan in 1982, where I learned this technique of Itagame. I started weaving when I was a teenager, after which I enrolled myself in an Arts & Crafts course in Toronto. Today, I hold a Diploma in Design (Textiles)
from Sheridan College, MA in Design and Environmental Analysis, and a Ph.D. in Folklore Material Culture from the University of Pennsylvania.

Design & Environment

For me, design equals problem-solving. And, there is an abundance of problems on our planet Earth which need solving. I whole-heartedly believe that through smart and careful designing, we have the power to make this world a better place to live. ‘Design’ not only holds the power to make things look good, but it has the power to solve a lot of problems.

Right now, I am reading “Emotionally Durable Design” by Jonathan Chapman, who says that humans need to start making more things by hand so that they can be used longer and therefore, lowering the rate of consumption.

Her inclinations

I have always been fascinated by cloth, and not fashion. And, I always try to infuse design with the environment! Also, I love making and teaching the art of ‘kite-making’, using cloth as the base. I call them ‘magic-carpets’! But, I make sure that all the elements of my kite are environmental-friendly. SO, even if the kite drops down from the sky, and lands on a cow, it won’t hurt her since it’s made out of cloth. In addition to that, I use cotton strings in place of manjha, which is extremely harmful to everybody.

Environment protection in Canada

Back in Canada, the rainwater harvesting system is so efficient that I haven’t watered my plants with a hose in over eight years. Apart from that, automatic waste composting and recycling help tremendously in protecting the environment. I have a car back home, but I call and ask everybody if they would like to share the ride with me. Car sharing decreases the pollution levels to a great extent.

 

You too can meet some amazingly inspiring women at until 24th April 2016. Apart from these sessions, you can get your hands on India’s first Vegan (Dairy-free) ice-creams by White Cub and many more organic treats by Kitchen Secrets, Mason & Co., R&D, and Cows At Dayspring.

Next session is on 22nd April 2016.