My Story: The Healing Power of Pottery

More about Paula

By Rev. Paula Buford, Th.D.

God, the master potter, created us in God’s own image--to glorify God, to sustain relationships through play and creativity, and to keep growing toward wholeness. But many of us are simply too busy to be about re-creating ourselves with God’s help. Work, My Story: God’s Healing Power in the Clay necessities of life, fear of rejection stop us from listening to and sharing our deepest desires and feelings.

Playing with clay is one way that we can reconnect to God, to ourselves, and to our larger world. When we work the clay over and over silently, we calm ourselves down; we meditate; we are more open to God. When we work with others or make whimsical pots, we dare to laugh at ourselves and our world. We break down barriers that we didn’t even know were there.

I began working with clay when traditional healing failed me. After I had a concussion in a car accident in 1992, I was falling apart. Though I continued my work as a minister and counselor, I was sicker than those I worked with. One of my doctors finally told me I had to "take up a hobby." I chose to learn handbuilding—building pots by hand. I felt like a child again playing in the mud, and I found an expression for some of my deepest feelings. I learned anew that I could have fun, that I could forget my crumbling life for a while, that I could still minister to others. I made symbols and reminders: the serenity prayer, the 12 steps, scripture, communion chalices, and “funky” pots.

In deep depression, I made black pots (candle holders) with the word “hope” brightly carved on them. These pots described my life: I felt like I was in a black pit, yet I held onto the hope that life would be better and that God was present with me even in the pit. Now out of severe depression, I make chalices and patens, teapots, pitchers, large thrown candleholders, bowls, candle altars, and pots that glorify God’s creative activity in the world. I also carve scripture or prayers on the rims of pots. I use rubber stamps with a stained-glass look or with images of persons relating positively to each other and to the world. I raku pots with metallic glazes. I make vessels for ministers and counselors to use in healing rituals-- vessels can hold prayers and painful emotions that persons wish to offer up to God and leave with the minister/counselor.

Because working with clay is so healing for me, I have spent the last five years developing my own pottery studio and ministry center in my home. I offer pastoral counseling, pottery lessons, raku firings, pottery painting parties, art and spirituality groups, and art therapy.
Besides being central to my vocation, throwing on the wheel is a spiritual discipline for me. I often throw pots on the wheel just before going to bed. I literally feel God’s presence in the clay that moves repetitively through my fingers. Throwing pots helps calm my spirit, center my soul, and make me open to God.

The "Earthen Vessels" logo that I use for my ministry comes from a scripture passage which describes the grace of God amidst the brokenness of life:
Therefore, since it is by God's mercy that we are engaged in this ministry, we do not lose heart….For we have this treasure [God’s own self] in earthen vessels [our bodies] so that the power of God may be revealed. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down but not destroyed…. So we do not lose heart (2 Corinthians 4:1, 7-9, 16).