Soul Treasures

 

Discovering the depths of our precious

inner beauty through SoulCollage®
 
KaleidoSoul's Members-Only Weekly Newsletter
 
Trial Issue- April 3, 2006
 
Quotation of the Week

If struggling were the way to get there,
we'd all be there by now.
---Victoria Castle


SoulCollage® Wisdom
from Anne Marie Bennett
There is so much that I want to do... create SoulCollage® cards, write some short stories, actively market my book, interpret my SoulCollage cards, play guitar, get together with friends, do readings with my SoulCollage cards, play around with altered books, watercolor, spend time journaling and art journaling, read that stack of books on my nightstand.... Well, you get the idea! Sometimes it feels like a struggle, just listening to all of these yearnings inside of me.

When the many different voices of my passions threaten to overwhelm me, I try to remember that struggling to choose just one of them isn't necessarily an option. I have struggled all my life with trying to rein in my creativity, and I just don't want to do that any more!
So I take a deep breath and I listen within, asking myself these questions: What does my soul really, really want right now? What do I need in this moment? Which part of me is asking for attention?
The answer might be a walk in the woods, a nap, or a few hours at my art table creating SoulCollage cards. I might discover that my rebellious child needs some TLC, or that my inner writer needs to actually sit still and write all afternoon. Or... the answer might be: none of the above. And that's okay too.

The key is getting quiet and asking myself the questions. No more struggling to do it all at once, no more struggling to get "there." This is what I've found- there is no "there" to get to.... there is only "here"- right here, right now, this moment.
Reflection questions of the week: What do you really need right now, in this moment? How can you give this to yourself in some way (big or small) this week? If you get quiet and listen within, which parts of you are clamoring for attention, asking for expression? Can you honor one of these parts by making a SoulCollage card for it this week?

 

 

 

 

 SoulCollage® Expressions

Idea of the Week

Try using blank paper to write your card interpretations. Sometimes writing on paper with lines can stifle our creativity. You might find that the I Am The One Who... exercise flows more easily when you toss out the lined paper. Also, use crayons or colorful markers/pencils to write your card interpretations. See if your inner knowings can be coaxed out to play in this way. ---From Cheryl in Illinois
Want to share a unique SoulCollage® idea with us?
Send all your cool ideas to members@KaleidoSoul.com.
We'd love to hear from you!
 

Question of the Week

Why should I make SoulCollage cards to honor the parts of myself that I don't like?

Because they are all parts of YOU! If we try to get rid of the parts of ourselves that make us uncomfortable, they usually just get louder and more annoying. What happens when you ignore a baby who is crying because it's hungry, or a child who is pulling at your sleeve to tell you something? The baby cries louder and the child begins to whimper and maybe even acts out to get your attention. The best way to approach this baby or this child is with love and gentleness. The same is true of approaching those parts of ourselves we dislike. Making a SoulCollage card to honor one of these parts is a good way to befriend those parts of ourselves that are out of control and in desperate need to be heard (and don't forget to make cards to honor the parts of yourself that you DO like!).

       Have a question about SoulCollage® that you'd like answered?
            Send your questions to members@KaleidoSoul.com.
       We'll try to use your question (along with an answer, of course!)
                   in an upcoming issue of Soul Treasures.

Soul Friends
The voice of a different Kindred Spirit each week!

Fran Pullara- Redondo Beach, California

Hello Kindred Spirits! I am a 68 year old partially- retired educator who lives in a little bit of heaven-- Redondo Beach, California. Writing and journal keeping have been life-long passions for me, and I have been a consultant for the National Intensive Journal, Ira Progoff's in-depth journal-keeping process, since 1984. I have also had ongoing monthly drop-in journal groups since that time in my home, which I had been preparing to transform into a healing center and occasional spiritual bed and breakfast. As it synchronistically turned out, I gave a home to my two older grandkids instead and have back-burnered Sanctuary Center until my grandson graduates from high school in 1 1/2 years.

I've long pooh-poohed my artistic ability, but about 8 years ago I began to create collage art as another way of expression to enrich my writing. I was (and still am) working with a Jungian art therapist spiritual director and during this time, I decided I wanted to also consider being a director and I attended Mt. St. Mary's Center for Spirituality's three-year spiritual direction program. I was certified in 2002.

About three years ago, I saw an article about SoulCollage® in Somerset Studio Magazine, a paper and rubber stampers resource guide and immediately purchased Seena Frost's book. It was the perfect way for me to express myself artistically using depth psychology.... and I guess one could say I became obsessed. I took my first hands-on workshop last spring and completed the SoulCollage facilitator's training last fall with Seena Frost in Santa Cruz .
At this point, I have more than 100 cards in the four suits, and am beginning to express myself further in a Dream suit as well as a Prayer suit. I carry my cards in two nice canvas totes, and whenever I have spare time, I go through piles of magazines and recycled art books that I acquire from the local libraries and from friends who save them for me. I often feature cards and write about them on my blog, Sacred Ordinary and several people who have found my blog, tell me that they are also SoulCollagers now.

SoulCollage is yet another tool in my personal self-help toolbox. It helps me to transcend my busy, human-doingness life, at least sometimes. SoulCollage has become one of my spiritual practices. I draw cards for personal readings nearly daily, and I work on making cards at least four hours per month.

The beauty of SoulCollage is that anyone who can use a pair of scissors and can thumb through magazines for images is capable of being a SoulCollage artist. It's a process you can begin to use immediately after you read the book and/or take a workshop. It's an intuitive process and I stress that there are no rights and wrongs. What I tell people who write with me, and will tell SoulCollagers when I begin to facilitate groups, is that we just have to give up our comparisons, judgments and our need to understand. Everything slowly reveals itself.

Here are 2 of my favorite SoulCollage® cards:
 
Amaria
Council Suit

I am the one who has long accompanied Fran on her journey through life and when she needs to get perspective on life's joys, sorrows and get new perspectives about old issues, she calls on my wisdom and guidance.

Note from Fran: Amaria came to me more than 25 years ago as an inner wisdom figure when I was staying at La Casa de Maria in Montecito. I often dialogue with her in my journal, and glue a small copy of her card in my journal prior to our dialogues.

The Prince &
the Showgirl
Committee Suit

We are the ones that Fran has carried in her heart since she was a young girl as the ideal of romantic love, or conjunctio. We are the ones who she and Ray could never begin to be like, but even today, though long-divorced, Fran likes to think that this kind of love can exist.


Want to share your SoulCollage story and cards with other
KaleidoSoul Kindred Spirits?
Send them to members@kaleidosoul.com.
We'd love to hear from YOU!

 
Soul Nourishment
Books, movies & websites to support your inner work as you dive deeper into your soul....

Books:

The Book of Qualities- by J. Ruth Gendler
An insightful, whimsical exploration of the rich diversity of human qualities. You just might be inspired to create a few more Committee cards for your SoulCollage deck!

The Art of Dreaming- A creativity toolbox for dreamwork,
by Jill Mellick.
Learn about the creativity your inner being already possesses and bring it to life... Through guided exercises and practical work, you can learn to understand your dreams (and yourself) better than ever before. Over 50 ideas for different types of creative work to use with your dreams, including mask making, poetry writing, sculpture creating...and more. These are things that everyone can do.

Refuse to Choose- by Barbara Sher.
Don't know what to do with your life? Are you drawn to so many things you can't choose just one? Did you relate to Anne Marie's story about her struggles with all her passions? Then you will love this book..."a revolutionary program for doing everything that you love."



Movies:

Calendar Girls- If you haven't seen this one yet, buy it or rent it as soon as you can! It's a celebration of friendship and life, and a lively, touching exploration of staying true to your soul in spite of...well, in spite of everything.


Websites:

WOW Women- Women Online Worldwide Network... chats, ezine, links, and more.

Center for Self Leadership- An excellent resource for anyone wanting to know more about our inner voices (the Committee Suit).

Comfort Queen- A virtual wellness oasis for women seeking more balance and intentional comfort in their daily lives. Hosted by author Jennifer Louden. Highly recommended!

Creative Commandments from Moondance- a must-see for anyone interested in creative expression!

Spirituality and Practice- Abundant resources for anyone on a spiritual journey.

                  
Brought to you by KaleidoSoul

Spinning the fragments of your world
into wholeness and beauty
through SoulCollage®

Published by KaleidoSoul.com and Anne Marie Bennett.
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