Soul Songs: Your SoulCollage NewsletterSoul Songs
Your SoulCollage® Newsletter

Enabling us to sing the songs
we were born to sing
through the practice
of SoulCollage®
Issue #119   May 2015 Theme:  Community Suit - Teachers
Welcome!

Greetings, and welcome to Soul Songs, the official KaleidoSoul Newsletter, and the only monthly newsletter that focuses exclusively on SoulCollage® ideas, resources and artists.

Our intention is to fill each issue (and your life) with inspiration, soul-solace and delight. Whether you are new to SoulCollage®, or already immersed in the creation of your deck, Soul Songs is for you.

Please feel free to forward this newsletter to any friends, colleagues, or family members who will enjoy it.

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Read back issues of Soul Songs on this KaleidoSoul page.

Soul Singing with Anne Marie
Anne Marie, the creator of KaleidoSoul.com
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.


The Teacher Did Appear

I was 31 years old, shopping in a quaint and crowded little New Age bookstore. I was in the throes of an overly dramatic, very difficult relationship with an alcoholic. On that day, in that bookstore lightly scented with sandalwood incense, I found a cassette tape titled simply Peace. There was a scene of a beautiful sunset on the cover and the marketing lingo promised "guided imagery and soothing music for relaxation, healing and inner harmony." It sounded like exactly what I needed right then, so I picked it up and added it to my growing pile of self-help and spiritually oriented books.

Over the next few years, I listened to that cassette tape over and over and over again. There were several short guided meditations which were spoken in a gentle, soothing male voice with a comforting accent. Restful music by Steven Halpern played in the background. I don't have the cassette any longer, and it is out of print, so I don't remember the exact titles of the meditations, but I do remember the feelings of security and empowerment and relaxation that they evoked in me.

At the age of 33, I was able to let go of the alcoholic relationship for good. Yes, I had the support of a church community as well as a couple of regular 12 Step groups. But looking back, I can see that it was the messages on that cassette tape that led me to seeking community and support because I was finally able to grasp the fact that I was worthy of, and in dire need of, a life that was free of emotional abuse and so much drama.

Flash forward to me at the age of 48. I was attempting to recover from the after-effects of my first journey with cancer. The guided meditation tape called Peace was long forgotten. In fact, cassettes themselves were long forgotten! But I was still seeking solace in bookstores, and at some point that year, I stumbled across a book called A Deep Breath of Life, by someone I'd never heard of named Alan Cohen. The subtitle was Daily Inspiration for Heart-Centered Living, and that really spoke to me as something I desperately wanted and needed.

A Deep Breath of Life is a book of short daily readings. To say that this book breathed new life into me and opened my heart to a world of possibilities is minimizing the effect that it had on me. It didn't happen right away, and I wasn't hardly even aware of what was happening inside of me, but that book accompanied me throughout that whole year and beyond, and it reshaped me, it gave my heart a wideness that I didn't know existed.

After a year or so, I began to notice a difference inside of me as a direct result of reading this book daily. "Hmmm..." I thought. "I wonder who this Alan Cohen person is." So I went online and discovered he'd written many other books. I purchased several and dug right in!

Now, it wasn't simply the fact that this man had a lot of wisdom to impart. He truly did (does). For me, I resonated most with the way that he shared his wisdom, which was mainly through the mode of storytelling. He used real stories from his own experiences as well as ancient stories from wise ones past. I was filled with gratitude that I had found a teacher who spoke so directly to my heart and to what I was needing at that point in my life.

At some point after delving into more of his writing, I went to his website and discovered that many of his books are published by Hay House and that he had (has) his own online radio show via Hay House Radio. I was excited by this opportunity to listen to him "live" instead of just reading his books, so I went online the next time his show was on and had a listen.

It took several minutes before I realized that his voice sounded familiar. It didn't hit me right away. I think it took a couple more hours of listening to that strong male voice with the comforting accent before I remembered. That cassette tape. So many years ago when I was lonely and hurting and afraid. Those guided meditations that I listened to when I so sorely needed to come back home to myself, to remember who I was, to let go of a relationship that no longer served me. That cassette tape was also from Alan Cohen.

How marvelous that I was drawn to this particular teacher not just once, but twice in my life when I was in desperate need of guidance and inner nourishment. Ever since that moment when I realized the powerful affect this one teacher has had on me, I finally viscerally understood the meaning of this golden nugget of wisdom: When the student is ready, the teacher appears. Indeed. How marvelous that Spirit watches out for each of us so closely, so genuinely, so tenderly.

Last year I created the above SoulCollage® card for some of the many teachers who have graced my life over the years. Alan Cohen is the first one on the top stair!

 
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 dog and two adolescent felines who keep them all young. You can read more about how SoulCollage® assisted her on her cancer journey on her website SOS Cancer Journeys.
 
OUR NEXT TELE-CLASS



60 minute SoulCollage® tele-class
with SoulCollage® Facilitator
Lisa Clark in Ohio

Saturday - May 30, 2015
2 pm Eastern
 
In this class, we'll explore these four rich developmental archetypes through a variety of activities. After the call, you will be invited to create your own cards, or re-visit cards you've already made with some fresh perspective.

You will need a journal and a pen for this workshop, as well as some space to move about freely.
 
Easily Accessible from Anywhere in the World!

Visit this page for more info now.
 
Guest Columnist: Catherine Anderson

My name is Catherine Anderson and I'm a SoulCollage® Facilitator and Trainer from Charlotte, NC. I am delighted to be adding my voice to Soul Songs and hope that my words inspire you to look more deeply into your deck of SoulCollage® cards.


Creating a Community Card Wisdom Circle

Have you ever wished you could ask someone like Nelson Mandela, Margaret Mead or Frida Kahlo to give you guidance with a project or a challenge you are going through in your life? What if you had a group of people you admired who could call on whenever you needed support? How might that change working through certain decisions and challenges?

In the business world, entrepreneurs often create what they like to call “mastermind groups” or “dream teams.” These are small groups of people who gather together on a regular basis to support and encourage each other as they reach towards their goals.

I believe our SoulCollage® cards fulfill a similar purpose for us in our everyday lives. We already know what wonderful wisdom comes from cards that we intuitively draw in response to a question. Imagine what powerful insights you might get if you intentionally created your own wisdom circle using a group of your community cards to guide you with a specific challenge or transition you are experiencing.

Consider choosing your group members depending on the particular issue you wish to resolve. For example, the group I choose to guide me as I transition to caregiver for my mother would be different from the group I choose to help me become a more skilled teacher. The exciting part is that you can choose anyone in the world, living or dead, famous or not, to be part of your wisdom circle! Who would you choose if you were able to consult anyone in the world (including famous people you never expected to meet) about a problem in your life?

I like to get to know the person I am inviting to my wisdom circle more personally by reading their memoir or life story if possible, so I feel I really know them. This allows me to clarify what particular capacities they are bringing to my group. I also write down some of the things they have said so that I get a sense of how they approach life.

Clarify the purpose of your group and the concern you would like them to enlighten for you. How many people you would like in your group? I recommend between five and eight. As you think about the people you are inviting to this circle, consider what talents and abilities you might be lacking which can be provided by members of the group – do you need persistence or patience or self-confidence?

For example, if I knew that deep faith combined with a lightness of being and a sense of humor was important to help me move forward, I might include the Dalai Lama. If I wanted imagination and creativity, I might include Walt Disney. You may have to create additional community cards to honor these mentors if you don’t already have them in your community suit.

I recommend setting up a schedule to meet with your dream team – it might be once a week, or even daily during a period of upheaval. You might create a group that you check in with once a month to make sure you are being true to yourself.

By creating a group like this to guide you, you are able to call in their point of view and natural talents and see things from different perspectives. Ask your question and let your circle guide you. You will be amazed at how creating a circle of wisdom advisors with your SoulCollage® community suit will help you with decisions and challenges!


Catherine Anderson is author of The Creative Photographer, Collage Imagery, Journaling the Labyrinth Path and is a SoulCollage® Facilitator Trainer.  Catherine leads creative pilgrimages to Italy, France and Ireland and is a teacher in the 2015 Spectrum Holistic Creativity series. Catherine's website is catherineandersonstudio.com.
 

UPCOMING SOULCOLLAGE®
ONLINE WORKSHOP


Once Upon a Mythos: Celtic Mysteries

Once Upon a Mythos: Celtic Mysteries invites you to explore familiar characters and elements from tales, myths and stories that will surprise and inform you as you are led further into your own personal myth. Follow the patterns of archetypes and symbols that call to you, leading you into your journey path. Using a creative form of journeying you will discover a place of deep knowing as you activate ancestral remembering, story-weaving and mythmaking.

Be guided by this journey, following the path of:
  • Mysterious Portals and Pathways
  • Sacred Groves and Hollow Hills
  • Ancient Stones and Garden Gnomes
  • Harts, Hawks and the Hedgehogs
  • Selkies, Springs and Stormy Seas
  • Underworlds and Otherworlds
  • Hillwalking and Homecoming
KaleidoSoul Creations
As promised, we are featuring SoulCollage® cards from our readers in each issue.

Each card below is a card that represents the Community Suit - Teachers from one SoulCollager's Deck.




Seena Frost
Community Suit
Dot
Pennsylvania

I am the one who has given the gift of SoulCollage® to the world, inviting people everywhere to discover the wisdom that lies deep within and to use it to inform their decision-making and self-awareness. I am the one who has seen this gift expand far beyond my wildest hopes and dreams, enriching the lives of women, children and men who bring their many Neters into one beautiful deck of committee, community, companions and council cards.

Haiku:
With this gift, discern
wisdom deep within your Self:
find fine ways to be.




Ray of Son (Sondra Ray) Council Suit
Karen
Ohio

I am One who has traveled the world seeking metaphysical truths for myself and has been called to share what I learn with others through seminars and books. My work reached you, and our paths crossed for a time, setting you on the path to self-exploration. I am student first and teacher second. Birth, rebirthing, death, immortality, relationships, forgiveness, Divine Mother—these mysteries of life, and more, are my passion. Above all, I believe in the power of breath to heal and transform mind, body, and spirit.

Haiku:
Learn to breathe, you said
Inhale love and exhale fear
So I inspired Source




Herb
Community Suit
Carrie
Wisconsin

I am the one who is student, teacher, mentor, friend, family, brother.......vulnerable human.
I am the one who holds and shifts energy and carries an embodied presence to support you to grow and bloom to your highest potential.
I am the one who listens deeply and sees your soul.
I believe in you and offer prayers and blessings on your behalf.
I am the one who knows Slow is Fast, Less is More, Small is Big.





Love as Teacher
Council Suit
Kas
Pennsylvania

I am the one who is always here with you showing love. I am the one who teaches you to allow your heart to open to all that is love. Joy, wonder, pain, loss and newness. It is the greatest gift that is infinitely tied to the universe. On and on and more and more surrounding you as you open to love. I am the one who supports you with the infinite and eternal layers of Love. All that is and forever deepening. Do not fear but rejoice in all its myriad and shades of expressions.




Dalai Lama
Community Suit
Bee
Colorado

I am one who is about compassion, gentleness, and joy. I am in the moment, calm and present in the now. I am about letting go, just being, truly alive and present.




Please feel free to submit one of your cards for a future issue by sending a reply email to this newsletter.

Future themes include:
June: Celebrating Summer
July: Seasons of SoulCollage®
 

KaleidoSoul Notes
KaleidoSoul Notes

Noteworthy resources for anyone interested in SoulCollage®

Facilitator TrainingsFacilitator Trainings: Information about content and dates/locations of upcoming trainings of SoulCollage® Facilitators.


SoulCollage websiteSoulCollage 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®!

JOIN THE ONLINE COMMUNITY



Join the Circle of loving, creative Kindred Spirits this month and you'll save $5 for a whole year of juicy benefits including:
  • Weekly SoulCollage®- focused newsletter
     
  • Monthly tele-classes
     
  • 24/7 access to over 100 SoulCollage® audios
     
  • Monthly Give-Aways
     
  • 50% discount on SoulCollage®
     
  • e-books & ecourses
     
  • ... and lots more!

Visit this page to see a list of 100 SoulCollage® audios
available in the Members Only Audio Library.

Visit this page for more info about Kindred Spirits.


Use Coupon Code SAVENOW
 

 

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Upcoming SoulCollage® Retreats

MASSACHUSETTS

Be Here Now: Mindfulness & SoulCollage®

Westfield, MA
June 18-21, 2015
Facilitators: Anne Marie Bennett, Anne Boedecker, Jeanne Marie Merkel
ONLY 2 SPACES LEFT

The card making tables will be set up ‘round the clock all three days, so you can make SoulCollage® cards while the optional breakout sessions are going on, in the middle of the night, or in your jammies by the light of the moon if you want!

Visit this page for more information. 
 

CALIFORNIA

The Muse and the Creative Wild Retreat

Sonoma, CA
July 7-10, 2015
Facilitator: Cat Caracelo

This all inclusive creative retreat is offered in a lush Sonoma Retreat space nestled in the oaks, surrounded by gardens, water, trees and sacred space where you can travel into the dance of life as you explore the many faces of your creative wild. Seek archetypal energies of your muse and find the language of your soul's path through SoulCollage®, mixed media and assemblage. Find enchantment and delight as you gather your gypsy stories and connect to your mythic self in the Valley of the Moon. Pay in four smaller payments if you like.

Visit this page for more information. 
 

WISCONSIN

Finding Your Inner Compass with SoulCollage®
and Musical Soul Journeying

Willard, WI
July 24-26, 2015
Facilitator: 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. 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 kindred spirits
  • walk in the beautiful wooded grounds
  • eat delicious, organic, nutritious meals
  • meditate in the exquisite chapel
The Christine Center is such a spiritual place. I immediately felt calm and centered when I arrived….Audrey's skill at facilitating a workshop and making everyone feel inclusive is outstanding. -- Sherida W., participant in 2013

Visit this page for more information. 


NORTH CAROLINA

A River Runs Through Us:
A SoulCollage® Women's Weekend Retreat

New Bern, North Carolina
September 25-27, 2015
Facilitators: Glenda Cedarleaf and Stephanie Anderson-Ladd

Please join us as we explore all 4 suits through presentation, imagery, ritual and movement. We will make cards and share readings. We will go on a chartered sunset cruise down the Neuse River, share lovely lakefront villas and most of all delight in the connection with kindred spirits as we flow into the divine feminine energy of the river. Early bird discount through May 31 for this all- inclusive weekend.

Please visit this page for more information now.


PORTUGAL

SoulCollage® Facilitator Training

Cascais, Portugal
October 8-11, 2015
Facilitators: Linda Woolfson

Visit this page for more information.


MASSACHUSETTS

Autumn Transformation: Learning to Let Go

Westfield, MA
October 22-25, 2015
Facilitators: Anne Marie Bennett, Anne Boedecker, Jeanne Marie Merkel
ONLY 3 SPACES LEFT

The card making tables will be set up ‘round the clock all three days, so you can make SoulCollage® cards while the optional breakout sessions are going on, in the middle of the night, or in your jammies by the light of the moon if you want!

The focus of this retreat will be on using the process of SoulCollage® to help us let go of anything we are holding onto too tightly. This could be a loved one, a lifetime pattern or way of thinking, old memories that no longer serve us, or even clutter in our homes.

Visit this page for more information. 


ILLINOIS

Playing with a (Your!) Full Deck -
A SoulCollage® Retreat for Facilitators and Friends!

Chicago, Illinois
October 23-25, 2015
Facilitator: Michele Manos

Yearning to dive more deeply into your SoulCollage® practice rather than just skimming the surface? On the shores of Great Lake Michigan, rediscover and renew your relationship with your cards and deck! This beautiful autumn weekend in the Windy City will include explorations of your deck (and you) as a whole - integrating your aspects into revealing and effective inner teams of allies. This opportunity to learn meaningful "Card Games" with Michele is for Facilitators AND others who have a SoulCollage® deck that is organized into the 4 suits and transpersonal cards.

Please visit this page for more information now. 


PUERTO RICO

SoulCollage® in the Caribbean!

Vieques, Puerto Rico
December 5-12, 2015
Facilitator: Kat Kirby

Spend your mornings making SoulCollage® cards, doing readings, journaling, sharing and deepening your relationship with your deck. Then… spend the afternoons exploring various unspoiled beaches, nature preserves, markets, restaurants, and more. Join Kat on the island of Vieques, off the coast of Puerto Rico, for a week of SoulCollage®. We will stay at a small compound of cottages surrounding a swimming pool, and will have the place to ourselves for a whole week! Please contact me for more information.

Please email Kat Kirby for more information. 
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 2015,
by Anne Marie Bennett and
Cat Caracelo, Imelda Maguire,
Kat Kirby, or Catherine Anderson.
Articles may be reprinted by permission only.