0924

Inner Journeys

with Anne Marie Bennett

Integrating the Practice of SoulCollage® into Your Daily Life

My Singing Secret Self

A few months ago I was working with a group of friends on the "Secret Selves" exercise from Julia Cameron's book Vein of Gold. The idea was similar to SoulCollage, in that it was helping us to get in touch with some parts of us that we'd locked away for a while, some parts that were asking for full expression in our lives now.

A few of my inner voices were willing to come forward at this point, and I was more than happy to listen. One part of me in particular seemed to be asking for attention. This is the part of me who loves performing as part of a group. I remembered in great detail just how much fun and excitement I always derived in Junior High, High School and College, from singing in various Choruses, Girls' Glee Clubs and Mixed Choirs.

This part of me told me that I'd shoved her aside when I graduated from college because I believed that fun things like that were over and done with once I became an "adult" in the "real" world. But lo and behold, this part of me was also telling me that that wasn't the truth. That she still passionately loves to sing. That she still absolutely loves the idea of performing in a group, even though we are 51 years old.

And since I've learned through this gentle practice of SoulCollage to listen to and honor and value all the parts of me, I was able to give her some space and some time in journaling and meditation. I haven't found the right images to make a SoulCollage card for her yet, but that isn't necessary for me to be aware of her, to listen to her, to try to meet her needs.

A few weeks after my secret singing self made herself known to me, I received an email announcing that registration was open for the fall season of the Mystic Chorale, a very large singing group in the Boston area whose mission is to:

Make music a participatory experience, creating a dynamic collaboration among the bold and the shy, the untrained and the trained, the audience and the performers, challenging all of us to be truly amazing.
Promote singing as an act of compassion, believing that when we create harmony we make the world a more beautiful place, and, in so doing, become a healing voice for our communities and ourselves.
Explore through song the musically rich and diverse cultures that abound in the world, celebrating the very best in all of us.

I'm certain it was not a coincidence. I'm also certain that if I hadn't just done that "Secret Selves" exercise, I probably would have looked at the email invitation and brushed it off as something I might like to do but don't really have time for right now. But because I was so very aware of this newly-remembered Singing Self, I paused and I really read the whole email.
I was distinctly aware of this part of me getting very excited about the possibility of singing with this amazing group (the best part is there are no auditions).

So yes, I signed up right then and there. Our first rehearsal was last week and it was a bit strange at first. I felt like an adolescent entering a brand new high school where almost everyone already knows each other (there's about 250 people in this group). But I was also, again, distinctly aware of the part of me who had led me there, and because of this it was easy and exciting instead of nerve-wracking and anxiety-producing.

The concerts are in November, right before Thanksgiving. My Singing Self and I will let you know how they go!

Soul Friends

The Voice of a Different Kindred Spirit Each Week

Editor's Note: Our Soul Friend this week, Melanie Silver, lives in the MidWest and her family was unfortunately affected by the harsh storms there last month. Her SoulCollage cards were mostly ruined, so she is unable to share her SoulCollage journey with us this week. We'll be hearing from her in the spring, though, so stay tuned for her story then. In the meantime, we're reprinting Cheryl Finley's SoulCollage story from last September.

Cheryl Finley
Chicago, IL

I was introduced to SoulCollage in late summer of 2005 at the Creativity Portal website, when I read Anne Marie's article: "Fall in Love With Yourself With SoulCollage." Well who could resist a headline like that? I was immediately fascinated. The card that accompanied the article also intrigued me. I didn't know that collage could be so beautiful. Then there was the refreshing, beautiful, creative KaleidoSoul website. I knew I wanted to be a part of this. I immediately began collecting images. I even found an image that I saved from six years ago, long before I heard of SoulCollage. I remember looking at the image and thinking "yep, this is exactly how I feel sometimes," so I saved it not knowing what I'd do with it. Time revealed why I saved it. I love it when I heed my intuition...it reaps bountiful rewards.

I made my first card in April 2006, when after an exhausting day at work I decided to "read a few pages" of Anne Marie's e-Workshop. I thought I would simply read a few pages to relax, but my soul had a different agenda. The e-Workshop pulled me in and wouldn't let me go. I actually "did" the entire e-workshop that night...including the dancing breaks - and my first card, Layla, was born. After I completed the interpretation I knew I was on to something wonderful.

My sense of well-being soared, and I intuitively knew that SoulCollage would help address my inner-voices and allow me to better enjoy the creative process of designing and making my brand of beaded jewelry. I felt clearer, and calm.

And I will never forget this: the next morning, and for three mornings thereafter, I awakened to the sound of silence in my head. It was like nothing I'd ever experienced. I was hooked. Since then I've made about 17 cards and have interpreted about half of them.

I love that SoulCollage is fun, artful, powerfully-creative and soul-revealing. I've been in love with the creative process ever since I can remember. I love how unpredictable it can be, actually that's my favorite part. SoulCollage has that element naturally. It also adds yet another way for me to witness my process. I get to discover and acknowledge all of my inner-parts and voices by letting them have their say; as well as honor and celebrate the people in my life, learn about animal companions, and contemplate the mysterious and powerful archetypes that are so much a part of the soul's DNA.

Equally...I'm ever-aware that I'm abundantly blessed to be a part of the KaleidoSoul Yahoo Community. I sense that an incredible, larger Presence resides in that space that is the Yahoo Group. I believe "It" holds the sacred space for our work, and bestows "Its" greater intention for the Soul Treasures that we're all unearthing.

About Cheryl:
Cheryl Finley is an all-around Creative-Enthusiast. She works her full-time day-job, and decisively (although challenging at times) weaves her creative passions into the canvas of her life. When she's not day-jobbing, she spends time in her Magical Mango Studio creating SoulCollage cards, blogging, writing, and coaxing various textures, colors and sizes of beads into unpredictable, colorful, and eclectic jewelry creations for her business, Tactile Passions Handcrafted Jewelry. She takes creative pauses by relishing her muse walks, imbibing Red Zinger tea, reading, conversing with friends as well as her orange tiger-kitty Ike; and of course...looking through magazines.

Cheryl's SoulCollage Card Gallery

9/08 Update from Cheryl: In May of this year I participated in a Breathwork workshop weekend, facilitated by SoulCollage® Facilitator, Audrey Chowdhury.  Creating mandalas was a significant part of the work, as was SoulCollage®. I'd never made mandalas, and that weekend I made three...and I have not stopped! I've made 75 mandalas to-date, since May and I share them on my my blog, Art in Everyday which is 99% mandalas.

Initially I was going to create a Mandala Suit for my SoulCollage deck, but I've decided to keep them separate for now. I create them spontaneously, it's a "stream of consciousness" expression. Like SoulCollage® cards they are very therapeutic, insightful and fun to make, and I'm always surprised by what shows up on the page!  This mystical art-making helps me so much that I've decided to call the process "Mandala Medicine" which I've written about on this page.

And, from the comments I received on that blog post, I'm delighted that others were also inspired to create their own and share them as well. A beautiful online kinship has resulted, and a big bonus is that more people are learning about SoulCollage® via my mandala blog!  I find that both SoulCollage® and Mandala Medicine are wonderful prescriptions for inner-expression and self-discovery.

You can contact Cheryl at: cheryls_world608@yahoo.com

Here are 2 of Cheryl's favorite SoulCollage® cards:

Immersed in Creativity

Suit- Council

I am the one who is immersed in the Galaxy of Creativity. I am the one who floods you with a sea of creative ideas & inspiration. I am the who lets them takes flight.

I am the One who keeps you up at night, creating.
I am the one who delights in the creative process.

Creativity Held Captive

Suit- Committee

I am the one who yearns to create, yet I tie my own hands with thoughts that analyze, paralyze, and criticize. I am the one who's not enough. I am the one who's anxious and thinks too much. I am the one who desperately craves balance between my creative and analytical mind. I am the one who pines to being free, and create with abandon.

SoulCollage Expressions

Idea of the Week

Did you know it's easy to turn your art into your computer's wallpaper? Just right-click on the image and select "set as background"... and you're done. You can change the image anytime you want. Try using an image of a particular SoulCollage card that you're working with as your wallpaper for the time you're working with it, as a reminder of its energy in your life.

Kindred Spirits Member News

Making the Most of Your KaleidoSoul Membership

Keep track of all your Member Benefits on the
Kindred Spirits Home Page.

If you ever forget your password, please send a
reply email to this message.

Special Discount for Members,

This Week Only

Purchase a set of 35 mat boards and receive a complimentary Surprise Images Pack
(100 images). Allow the fun of browsing through a big stack of new images to inspire some great new SoulCollage cards for your deck.

Offer expires this Sunday, September 30.
To order, please visit this KaleidoSoul page.

Upcoming Tele-Playshops

Dialogue With The Mysteries:
SoulCollage As a Journey of Mythic Discovery

Presented by Robin Cooper-Stone, MFA,
SoulCollage-Facilitator-To-Be in Virginia

Seena Frost has said that the Council suit and Companion suit make up "the larger story." What is this larger story, and what does it mean for our lives? In this tele-class, we will be discussing our SoulCollage cards as the revelation of the "hero's journey" we have undertaken and what the stages of this journey are. We will also consider the potential value of reading certain myths to enrich our SoulCollage work and our participation in "the larger story."

We will also discuss what Seena Frost calls "the local story," the Committee and Community suits, relative to our own personal mythologies. To paraphrase William Blake, "We must more consciously create our own myths or be enslaved to the myths of another." Towards this end, we will be answering questions with the potential to open new vistas in our SoulCollage work.

Robin Cooper-Stone, M.F.A., taught The Heroic Quest in freshman composition courses at theUniversity ofAlabama. A few years ago, she took a workshop with Dr. James Hollis, author of Tracking the Gods: The Place of Myth in Modern Life. She is one year into her personal SoulCollage journey and will attend the SoulCollage facilitator training in Maryland this October. She lives in Virginia with her husband and two children.

Date: Monday September 24, 2007
That's Today......
Time: 7 pm EST (one hour)

Phone number to call: 1-218-936-1600
Access code: 73180
SoulCollage Cards to look at before/during the call

Save the dates now. All of our tele-playshops are complimentary for members, always. And remember, don't worry if you can't attend... we'll be recording them and you can listen to them anytime in your Member's Only Audio Library.

Upcoming SoulCollage Retreats
All Things Bright & Beautiful- April 10-13, 2008 in Essex, MA. You asked for it, you got it! A three-night retreat focusing soul-ly on the SoulCollage Animal Companions Suit.

If you're longing to bring the wisdom of the Animals into your life in a creative, personal way within the safety of SoulCollage.... please join us.

As a member, you can pay in several smaller amounts, so we've made it affordable for you.

More details are on your Members Only Retreat Info Page.

Also...we've extended the deadline for the very special Gratitude Goodie Gift. Sign up for the retreat (ie: make your first payment) before September 30 and you'll receive a Jana Stanfield CD, a 5-pack of Anne Marie's handmade cards, the brand new 2008 Soul Colors Desk Calendar, and a pack of 60-70 images of animals.

Soul Nourishment

Resources to support your inner work
as you dive deeper into your beautiful soul

Books:

Child of My Heart, by Alice McDermott. If you have ever loved a child, you will love this original, luminous novel that tells the story of 15 year old Theresa, a beloved babysitter in her neighborhood. You'll meet the young ones that are in her care, plus one special child, her eight year old cousin Daisy. It's a beautiful story of life and love and what it means to be a child and to love a child.

Art is a Spiritual Path, by Pat B. Allen. Author of the also popular Art Is A Way of Knowing, this book explores spiritual fulfillment through the creative process.

The Art of Serenity, by T. Byram Karasu. In this both profound and accessible book, we receive the key to an extraordinary state of mind -- authentic, soulful happiness -- in the face of everything our life has to offer and take away. It involves the soul through the love of others, love of work, and the love of community. Brilliantly synthesizing psychology and spirituality, Dr. Karasu guides us to explore the deepest yearnings of our hearts.

Healer: Dancing with the Healing Spirit, Volume 2 of the Archetypes of the Collective Unconscious Series. Introduction by Andrew Weil, M.D. Beautifully illustrated with contemporary art and photography, this volume shows archetypal energies at work in the memoirs of Caroline Myss and M. Scott Peck, in the touching tales of Ram Dass and Oliver Sacks, and in the verse of William Carlos Williams and Langston Hughes. In these stories of survival and faith we witness how the archetypal healer reaches beyond the individual to address the illness of society, the acknowledgement of which may bring recovery, acceptance, and joy.

Music:

Acoustic Soul, by India.Arie. Even if the only song you ever listen to here is Strength, Courage and Wisdom, you'll be happy to own this one. Her voice is smooth, rich and full of spirit. I See God in You, and Beautiful are also favorites of mine. If you've never heard India.Arie, you'll find her music inspiring and centering in a special, soul-full way.

Websites:

Interlude: An Internet Retreat- A place to renew your spirit, sponsored by the Cybermonks. I especially love the meditation suggestions and meditation archives.

Spiritual Cinema Circle- Movies that will warm your heart, expand your mind, and stir your soul. I've never been unhappy with any of the films I've been led to through this organization.

Art-o-Mat- Art-o-mat machines are retired cigarette vending machines that have been converted to vend art. There are 82 active machines in various locations throughout the country and you can use their site to see if there's an art-o-mat near you.

Geek Philosopher- Images and beautiful photos to use for your art.

More Resources

Ongoing resources that our Kindred Spirit Members find helpful

Inner Surprises Blog: Anne Marie's blog full of an intimate glimpse into her SoulCollage Deck. There also are bimonthly SoulCollage Challenges posted here. You can read past Challenges by clicking on "SoulCollage Challenges" in the right column.

Soul Songs, Your Fr*ee Monthly SoulCollage Newsletter: The September issue is all about our Creativity! You can also read all back issues at the link above. The topics are listed with each issue, so this is a guaranteed excellent resource for you as well!

KaleidoSoul Community Yahoo Group: This is a safe place where you can post your cards (if you want), ask your questions, and virtually "meet" other Kindred Spir

Final Treasures

Soul Treasures is brought to you by KaleidoSoul,
Spinning the fragments of your world
into wholeness and beauty
through SoulCollage.

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 cardmaker's 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.

Published by KaleidoSoul.com
and Anne Marie Bennett.
Please do not reproduce or forward this newsletter in any way.
Inner Journeys, copyright 2007, by Anne Marie Bennett.
All rights reserved.

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