I was drawn to SoulCollage by two factors--collage as an art form, and the name of the process itself. I had been doing much pondering about the soul and the essence of our brief time on earth. The name implied an opportunity to further my pondering through an art form that I'd already found to be a powerful tool for self-reflection and expression.

Once I learned more about the actual practice of SoulCollage, I realized it was an answer to a dream I'd held for a long time--to offer retreats for women.  It was something I had often needed myself, especially as a single mom with a demanding professional job, and I wanted to re-gift the sacred time others had created for me.

I took advantage of Kaleidosoul.com's wealth of resources to learn more about the process, made a few cards, shared the experience with a group of women on retreat, and decided this was the perfect match.  In June of this year, I completed the Facilitator Training with 24 wonderful women! I am so excited to carry this soulful work forward, both with women in retreats and with children in the hospital and their parents.

Since July's theme for Kaleidosoul's Soul Songs is DreamWork, I decided to share the two cards I made at the training. One is an actual dream, but both will guide me as I realize my dream for SoulCollage:

On the first day of training, Seena's guided visualization led me to discover Tortoise in my first chakra. I wrote the following poem that night, but it wasn't until the next day, when we made our first cards, that the perfect images "found" me. 

Tortoise came tonight

Ancient tortoise, lumbering tortoise,

Tied-to-the-earth tortoise.

Step by leathery step

He calls me to join him.

Slow down...

   Slow down...

       Slow way down.

Wherever you are

Be at home.

There's no hurry--

You have all the time you need.

Ancient wisdom

Calls me home.

 The powerful messages from Tortoise, who carries his home with him, are to stay grounded, to slow down, to be in community wherever I am. I have much gratitude for my personal family, which I do carry with me always. Slowing down, being still, and taking time to honor the earth and our many blessings will keep me more balanced.

Wake Up

This card was inspired by a dream I had four years ago as I contemplated retirement. The mountain lion in the card is exactly the one who appeared to me! It was such a vivid dream that I painted the walls of my new small studio the yellow of the cat's muzzle. The following is the stream-of-consciousness writing I did upon completion of the card a few weeks ago: 

I am the one who came to you in a dream, four years ago, to call you back to your creative self. You had been disconnected, had used all your creativity in your work. I want you to create from the ancient well, the place where all mankind has come to find connection and renewal. I invited the ancients to show you the way, to light up the hidden dark places and to reveal that the well has been a part of you always.

Your journey has brought you here--it is a journey that has been made as long as humans have walked this planet. I'm just a reminder to go inside and bring your gift into the light. Share your vision, your wisdom, your light. Know that you still   have much to share. Trust that you can join us and that you have all that you need. There are others supporting you, others who've been waiting for you

           Welcome. I came in your sleep, but I came to wake you up

In retirement, I have chosen to continue much of the same work I did during my career, but I do so with more focused intention and added creativity. I always loved my work, but it consumed me. That's why I'm thrilled to discover SoulCollage. It supports growth in the people I work with, but also in me. This is truly a gift, and easily shared. 

Seena asked this question at the end of our training: "How can we heal our troubled world with SoulCollage?" One participant replied "One card at a time." I will do my part.

BlessingReading
The Blessing reading is a way to share some of your most cherished cards and to receive equally special cards from others.  Blessings have a way of cascading.  As we are blessed, we bless others.  As we bless others, they bless us.  This reading is powerful both in its depth and in its bright energy.

Here's how the original reading goes.  Each participant chooses the same number of cards from her deck as there are members in the group.  Since our group has six members we each chose six cards that we particularly love.  The cards are placed together to form a deck and then shuffled. 

Each group member chooses six cards by going around the circle six times drawing one card at each turn.  We then look at the cards we have drawn and considering each one, give five away, one to each member of the group and keep one for ourselves.  Each card is given with the intuition that is somehow "belongs" to the person who receives it. 

Participants then read each card in turn going around the circle six times until all the cards are read. Readings start with asking who has given the card and why.  The person reading then reads the card for herself- intuiting meanings she finds in the images.  With the readers permission, the card maker may add information about the card. All commentary is written down by a scribe for participants to keep after the reading.  Each card is given and received as a blessing. 

                                                                     -Sara Post,California

July
Sweet Dreams: Using SoulCollage to Find Meaning in Your Dreams
Presented by Diane Trowbridge:
SoulCollage Facilitator inNorth Carolina

What exactly do our dreams mean?  And how can we delve further into their meaning for us by using the process of SoulCollage?  This tele-playshop will answer these questions, and many more!

Diane Trowbridge has been working with dreams since 1985. She was trained in dreamwork by her husband Bob, and other grass roots dreamworkers in theSan FranciscoBay Area.  As a psychotherapist and SoulCollage Facilitator, Diane loves to hear about the dreams of her clients. She considers dreamwork to be a sacred endeavor where you blessed with the opportunity to be touched by your soul.
Date: Tuesday,
July 24, 2007
Time: 8:30 pm  EST


August
Inner Critic Party
Hosted by Anne Marie Bennett,
SoulCollage Facilitator in Massachusetts

This tele-playshop will give us a chance to listen to our often-despised Inner Critics in a safe and enjoyable setting.  Find out where your Inner Critic came from and learn some of his/her strategies for keeping you small and miserable.  Then... we'll also discover how our Inner Critics can help us, in spite of the bad rap they've gotten in our inner lives.  If you have an inner critic card, please post it to the Inner Critic Photo Album on the KaleidoSoul Yahoo Community Group.
Date: Sunday,
August 19, 2007
Time: 8:00 pm  EST