| Soul Singing with Anne
Marie |
Hi! I'm Anne Marie,
the creator of KaleidoSoul.com, and a SoulCollage® facilitator
in Massachusetts. If you're just starting to sing your song with SoulCollage®,
this column is especially for you.
Scooter Then and Now
I had only been practicing SoulCollage® for a year when our beloved tiger cat, Scooter,
disappeared. Since he was mostly an outdoor cat, it wasn't unusual for him to be gone for a few
days at a time. But when those few days stretched into a week, I knew in my soul that he wasn't
coming back.
For several days we had been tacking up posters in the neighborhood, knocking on peoples'
doors, and walking up and down very rainy streets calling his name. I'd heard of this happening
to other people, but I never thought it would happen to me. I never thought it would happen to
one of our beloved pets.
It was a heart-wrenching experience, to lose Scooter in this particular way, to not know what
happened to him, to not have been able to hold him in my arms when he moved from this world
to the next. And no matter how many times I was reassured by my own inner guides that the
Angels were with him when he died, I was truly inconsolable.
After a few weeks of deep grieving, I found myself looking through my SoulCollage® journal.
I noticed that in the four weeks prior to the time that Scooter disappeared, I had drawn his card
three times. I remembered that each day that I had drawn his card, I had paid a little more
attention to him, had sat with him longer than usual, played with him a little more than usual,
noticed and loved him even stronger than before.
This was hugely comforting to me because I realized that I had no regrets about my relationship
with this feisty, cuddly, swaggering tiger cat who graced our life for 12 years with love and
laughter (and many dead mice on our doorstep). I felt comforted because I knew for certain that
I had loved him well and that he had loved me in return.
The grieving did go on. Eight years later, I still have occasional moments when I miss him
utterly and fiercely. I don't think we ever stop loving and missing our dearly beloved pets. Each
one of them is so unique and precious, and they give us love in a way that no one else can.
About a year after Scooter's disappearance, I came upon this image
of a bobcat in a National Geographic magazine. As soon as I saw him, a little "ping!" went off
in my heart. It felt like Scooter reaching out to me from Beyond, saying, "Look, I am still here.
I am waiting for you." I made this card to honor my new relationship with him and to this day
when I draw it in readings, it comforts me beyond words.
I encourage you this month to add some cards to your deck that include pets who have touched
your heart and soul over the years. You could include cats, dogs, horses, goldfish, hamsters,
snakes, guinea pigs... any animal friend who served to love you in some way that transformed
you, even just a little bit. This is pertinent for animals who are still alive and in your life today
as well as pets who have passed on.
SoulCollage® is the perfect medium to give expression to this unique love that does indeed
make us whole.
P.S. After making a card to honor a pet, be sure to journal with it. Let your own dearly beloved
animal friend tell you his or her story. You might even turn it into a dialogue between you and
your pet. You'd be amazed at the wisdom they possess!
Anne Marie Bennett is a writer, self-taught artist, website
goddess, cancer survivor, and SoulCollage® Facilitator / Trainer who was
mentored directly by Seena Frost. In 2005, she fell in love with
SoulCollage® and was inspired to use her professional experience along with
Internet technology as a means to serve the world by putting SoulCollage®
"out there" in a really big way with
KaleidoSoul. Anne Marie lives in eastern Massachusetts with her
middle-aged husband, an elderly cat and one youthful dog who keeps them all
young. You can read more about how SoulCollage® assisted her on her cancer
journey on her website SOS
Cancer Journeys.
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OUR NEXT TELE-CLASS |
60 minute SoulCollage® tele-class
with SoulCollage® Facilitator
Anne Marie Bennett
Using SoulCollage® to Cope with Pet Loss
Sunday February 9, 2014
4 pm Eastern
Easily Accessible from Anywhere in the World!
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UPCOMING SOULCOLLAGE®
ONLINE WORKSHOP |
Three Week Online Workshop
with Anne Marie Bennett
Starts March 8, 2014.
What's going on in the inner theatre
of
your mind?
Visit this
page for more info.
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SAVE 25% ON MAT BOARDS! |
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JOIN THE ONLINE COMMUNITY
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| KaleidoSoul Creations |
As promised, we are featuring SoulCollage® cards
from our readers in each issue.
Each card below is a card that represents Community Suit: Pets from one SoulCollager's
Deck.
Maggy Grace
Community Suit
Karen
California
I am one who was meant to join you at just the intended space and time, filling your heart,
waiting for you, being by your side in Soul companion form. I embody the connection of your
heart to our home. I am One who accepts you. One who is the treasure. One who reminds you
to cherish love now and be aware that earthly time together will never be long enough.
Luna Nueva (New Moon)
Community Suit
Mili
Venezuela
I am One who makes you happy and smile.
I am One who relaxes you even in your darkest hour.
I am black AND I bring all the colors to your life.
Max
Community Suit
Valerie
Arizona
I am One Who loves you. I am One Who thinks people are good, even though I am timid. I say,
give affection generously. Find your forever home. Be courageous. Hope as intensely as I do.
Obiwan Kenobi/Beastie
Community Suit
Dawn
New York
I am the one you adopted on the playground. I am the rough and tumble kitty who loves naps with you and especially Cat Cave (sleeping under the blanket). I am the fierce hunter, the playful scamp. I give you ease and playfulness and wily intelligence. All I ask is for is cheddar cheese and a place to nap with you.
Sophie & Tucker
Community Suit
Kas
Pennsylvania
I am the one who may seem to be on top but this changes all the time, and changes again!
I am the one who loves to eat, sleep and play.
I am the one who is always confident that I will be well cared for no matter where I go.
I am the one who loves to snuggle up beside you and feel loved.
Lizzie with Kay
Community Suit
Dot
Pennsylvania
I am the One who gives you love-- almost unconditionally.
I am the One who came into your life as a gift and keep on giving you the gift of love every day!
Please feel free to submit one of your cards for a future
issue by sending a reply email to this newsletter.
Future themes include:
March: Elements - Water
April: Divine Mother
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KaleidoSoul Notes
Noteworthy resources
for anyone interested in SoulCollage®
 Facilitator Trainings:
Information about content and dates/locations of upcoming trainings of
SoulCollage® Facilitators.
SoulCollage website
- Seena Frost created the process of SoulCollage®, and this is her
website.
KaleidoSoul -
Spinning the fragments of your world into wholeness and beauty through
SoulCollage®.
Kindred Spirits
Join our fast-growing worldwide membership of people who put the "soul" in
SoulCollage®!
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CONTACT
US
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Upcoming SoulCollage® Retreats
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PENNSYLVANIA
Sacred Visioning: The Art of Exploring the Mythic
Self
Bangor, PA
May 1-4, 2014
Facilitators: Cat Caracelo MA and Catherine Anderson
Step into a transformative 'art & life' journey with Cat and Catherine!
On Beltaine and May Day, a potent time of welcoming a new season of
growth, gather with us for a powerful four-day journey where you will
explore your deep mythic rivers, stories of your life and connecting to
your mythic self; surrounded by the energies, symbols and sacred
landscape of the Celtic traditions, we will journey with labyrinth,
tarn, stones and circles. This is an all-inclusive retreat, with single
or shared on-site accommodations and all meals. You will explore and
create with individual and group process, experiential creative and
instructional breakout sessions, exploration using SoulCollage®, mixed
media, photography and more. Early Bird Pricing & Easy Pay Plan
Visit this
page for registration information.
MASSACHUSETTS
Be Here Now: Using SoulCollage to Explore the Magic of
Now
Westfield, MA
May 3-4, 2014
Facilitators: Brother/Sister Team:
Anne Marie Bennett & John Pacheco, LICSW
This retreat will be helpful for you if:
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you want to give yourself some calming time and space to get
away
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you are longing to connect with others of like mind and
spirit
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you want to learn how to refocus yourself into the
now
Early Bird Pricing & Easy Pay Plan Available
Visit this
page for more information.
PORTUGAL
A SoulCollage® Retreat: Springtime in Portugal
Algarve, Portugal
May 22-28, 2014
Facilitators: Kat Kirby, Linda Woolfson
Join us in beautiful Portugal for a week of SoulCollage®! Enjoy Monte
Rosa, a peaceful retreat center set on 10 acres of colorful gardens and
natural beauty overlooking the Portuguese countryside in the Algarve. We
will have the entire retreat center to ourselves for the week, and we'll
be able to enjoy the beautiful swimming pool and sun terrace, as well as
gardens and pathways. In addition to making SoulCollage® cards, doing
readings, and learning new journaling techniques, we will enjoy
delicious meals together, visit one of the most beautiful beaches in the
area, and spend some time in a local pottery village absorbing a
time-honored tradition of Portuguese culture.
Contact Kat Kirby or Linda Woolfson for more information:
Kat4clay@gmail.com
linda@collageyourlife.co.uk
WISCONSIN
Finding Your Inner Compass with SoulCollage®
and Musical Soul Journeying
Willard, WI
July 25-27, 2014
Facilitators: Audrey Chowdhury
If you are feeling lost during these times of great transition... This is your chance to stop, reflect, and recover your inner wisdom. This retreat is designed to help you reconnect with your heart's desire. Come join us for a weekend in the Woods of Northern Wisconsin at the Beautiful Christine Center.
You will have the opportunity to:
- journey through the realm of the soul through Integrative Breathwork, or musical soul journeying
- create SoulCollage® cards
- create mandalas (circle drawings using pastels)
- share with like-minded spirits
- consult with Audrey individually
- walk in the beautiful wooded grounds
- eat delicious, organic, nutritious meals
- meditate in the exquisite chapel
Visit this page for registration information.
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Soul Songs Back Issues -
Read back issues of Soul Songs on
this KaleidoSoul
page.
Just look for whatever SoulCollage® topic you are interested in,
and read to your heart's content!
SoulCollage® is a trademarked process created by Seena B. Frost.
For more information about Seena and the origins of SoulCollage®, please
visit her website
SoulCollage® cards are made either from one's own art or from images
found in materials which have been bought by or given to the SoulCollage®
card maker. These collaged cards are used only for the cardmaker's own inner
exploration. SoulCollage® cards are not sold, traded, bartered, or copied
(except as a back-up for the cardmakers own use) as is stated in the "Principles of SoulCollage®."
Where SoulCollage® cards are available to be seen by others, it is for the
purposes either of demonstrating the SoulCollage® process or of sharing the
cardmakers' inner process in the context of community. SoulCollage® is
grateful to the artists and photographers who make this deep awakening
process possible and in all ways SoulCollage® seeks to be respectful of
their rights.
All articles in SOUL SONGS are copyrighted 2014,
by Anne Marie Bennett and
Cat Caracelo, Imelda Maguire,
Kat Kirby, or Catherine Anderson.
Articles may be reprinted by permission only.
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Soul Songs
