This body mind mapping experience allowed me to go on an explorative journey with my identity and it pulled me back into my elementary school self. This project was similar to the activities I’d do back when I was a kid and this workshop was a really fun way to engage with that type of activity during college. This workshop allowed me to rediscover the joy of working on something purely for the sake of personal enrichment. I realized I had been missing that feeling of working on an activity that wasn’t tied to academic performance but instead focused on self development.
The guided questions were thought provoking and it was an amazing way to learn more about myself and my peers on a deeper level. Everyone’s creations were so personable, unique, and expressive. Their personalities shone through their maps and created a visual narrative of what makes them, them. I really loved how there were a variety of collage materials provided, such as New Yorker magazines, it was really cool to see how everyone cut out different sections of the magazine based on what resonated with them the most.
Creating this body mind map on a real outline of my own body added a layer of depth to this workshop. I enjoyed reflecting on what parts of my body I chose to answer certain questions. For instance, adding my hand-craft hobbies to my fingers, Bangladeshi food to my hands, and the traditional Nokshi Kantha embroidery threaded design that twirled throughout my entire body. Some of the collage pieces I cut out were a reflection of my values of community, social justice, and even some silly things such as a cartoon about daylight savings.
I loved hearing everyone’s personal stories behind their body mind maps and it was fascinating being able to see some of my peers come to new realizations about themselves or come to realizations about how big of a role certain aspects played in their identity. I also saw a theme of the current headspace we are in as students, navigating feelings of imposter syndrome, uncertainty for what the future holds, and more. I really resonated with one of my peers’ reflection of intersecting cultural identities and balancing them together. As a Bangladeshi American, I love being able to integrate my cultural identities into my projects, design work, and art. I like to express myself through these modes of expression and my culture plays a big part in what makes me, me.
After the workshop I thought to myself, this is definitely an activity I would love to do with my little sister, family, and my friends. It is a playful way to guide someone through a self-discovery journey and encourages crafting an expressive piece that goes beyond surface level ideas.
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