A colorful jellyfish, flowing and moving in water, through water. A jellyfish with grown and connected tentacles that inspires us to grow tentacles from our own fingers, to “being like water”

One of the events part of the 2021 IA National Gathering was the “Jellyfish Joy” workshop. The workshop was an hour-long interactive session that included a guided meditation, a collective movement, and a community reflection. Having practiced yoga and meditation for more than 18 years, I signed up right away when I saw it in the schedule. I simply loved it. Having the possibility to move and reflect together, even if physically apart was an inspiring experience. I loved the image of the jellyfish, its movement and flow, its fluidity…At some point, the facilitator asked us to visualize ourselves as “growing tentacles from our fingers”. That image stuck in my mind and I still cannot stop thinking and reflecting on it. For this project I thought about connecting creative expression and collective movement. I thus drew a jellyfish, with lots of tentacles flowing and spreading through the water to signal those tentacles that I want to grow through my work. I seek to work and practice to reach new spaces, people, languages and ideas beyond academia, to grow tentacles in communities, and to contribute to the work these communities are doing, so they can grow tentacles in new spaces, reach new people, new ways of creating and experiencing joy, life, and social justice.