From Broken Pieces to Something New - Murmurings from the Phoenix

In our 2022 Sedona retreat, I lead our group in a Kintsugi practice (a Japanese practice in which broken objects are mended and sealed/decorated with gold). It involved giving our attendees a ceramic pot, which they then broke - many were NOT happy to do this. The practice was about what came next … the journey of putting the pieces back together.

Now, this became one of the most challenging activities I’ve ever held space for. The group moved through waves of emotion. Some had smashed their pots into tiny pieces. We had frustration, impatience and sadness. “This glue doesn’t work!!” “I don’t know what to do - I have a thousand pieces to put back together!”

They collectively sat in the mud for a bit, until someone said “It’s OK, the glue works if you hold it a while!” And then, “I’m going to make something completely different, I’m not even going to try to put it back the way it was!”

Small sparks of inspiration emerged, and a beautiful loving wave of encouragement and creativity moved through the group - before long, they were moving forward in a bubble of chatter.

In a sense, I feel have been living the broken pot practice since the California fires in January, which left much of our town was completely destroyed. More than buildings, the fire left our lives in pieces - our community dispersed.

I’ve been pretty quiet through this time, recognizing and honoring the waves of emotion …. similar in a way, to some of those waves which moved through our retreat group. The shock, overwhelm and sadness. That feeling of being stuck in the mud and truly not knowing where to start!

However, I find myself returning to that profound statement, like an echo through time … “I’m going to make something new from these pieces”.

This journey, which began with the fire element in the raw, is all about transformation. A truly difficult journey, but an important teaching nonetheless … whatever fire touches, it changes. Whether we like it or not, we are a part of this transformation journey. And I know that being alongside this journey, in allowance, will be easier than resisting.

While I sit with my pieces … which are more energetic than physical … my memories, learnings, and resiliences, I see these are not destroyed in any way, they are alive and present, and ready to be part of the re-creation process. As I step forward, I hope to honor this process and truly be alongside the “what comes next”, being open to the new possibilities.

It’s the message and medicine of the phoenix … and slowly, I’m beginning to feel and hear the murmuring of its rise!

Back to our retreat and remembering the truly original creations which emerged from our broken pot practice. One became a representation of a river, another a butterfly … others re-emerged back as pots … yet all sealed with the rejuvenating promise and beauty of gold.

Jess Lakin, August 2025