To Catch & Contain Oneself or How to Repurpose a Cootie Catcher to Meet Your Emotional Needs When Writing the Difficult Narrative

NOTE: If you pen or journal or sketch difficult experiences, this tool might prove a useful method to “contain” yourself once you exit your writing. Of course, you can “catch” yourself anytime you’d like.

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Gather what you need

Paper…Colors…Fave pen…Scissors…A small witness…Stones…Crystals

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Fold paper diagonally, lining up two sides

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Cut the top edge so you are left with a…..

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square

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Fold all corners

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Towards center

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Seek your center

Have you forgotten…

…you have a center?

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Fold your square in half

How many times have you folded in half?

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Fold the corners towards the center

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Keep folding…

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Yes

Sometimes you must repeat yourself

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Fold the square in half

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…and, yes…

you are again repeating

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Slide your pointers and thumbs under the four flaps

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Yes

It resembles an open mouth

Yawn if you must

or

Howl

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Like you, your Catcher lives in layers

First Layer: Label colors

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Second Layer: Label Senses

Yes, you’re a writer

Have you forgotten?

Be specific

Include sensories you love—your musts, your longings

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Divide your Final Layer, your Deepest Layer

Don’t hurt yourself

Use a pen

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Deepest Layer: Label an activity that centers you, grounds you, elevates you

Fill in remaining triangles

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Now play

You only need yourself

Did you forget?

Place your thumbs and pointers back under the flaps

Choose a color from the first layer

Move the flaps in and out and side to side and, in time with the letters, spell out the color

Stop on the last letter

Note the sense

Move the flaps in and out and side to side in time with the letters, spelling the sense (ie, smell)

Stop on the last letter

Note your destination

Catch

&

Contain

&

Restore a piece of yourself

You might end up taking a bath while listening to cellos surrounded by lavender

You might find your center