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 #98  August 2013 Theme:  Queen Archetype
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.

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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.



When Good Queens Go Bad

Besides having a rulership position in a court, the Queen represents power and authority in all women. Symbolically, her court can be anything from a corporation to her home. --- Caroline Myss


I made this SoulCollage® several years ago, completely intuitively. After working with her for a while, she told me that she was Queen of My Authentic Self. Duly noted is that there is double royalty on this card: a little girl Princess and a Queenly woman. They helped me tap into my own power and authority- in my inner world as well as in my home and in the business (KaleidoSoul) that I was creating at the time.

She says: I am the one who has authority over the decisions I make, who makes choices with a calm assurance and certainty. I am the one with the regal poise of one who knows who she is and what she wants and needs. I am the queen who rules my life with faith and trust and hope, who lives from the inside out. I am also the one who is a joyful free-spirited princess, growing up and growing into beauty and authority with joy and grace.

When any Neter's energy becomes imbalanced (either too much of it or too little), we encounter the shadow aspect of that Neter. For example, when my beautiful Queen abuses her power or activates an unseemly amount of it, she turns into the Neter (below) whom I have lovingly named Queen Puritanica.

A few years after I made Queen of My Authentic Self, I was doing some work with my therapist on the reasons why I was holding myself back from so many things- deep joy, my art play, sweeter relationships, happiness with who I was. When I came across the image of this queen, I recognized her immediately as one of my own Neters. Yikes! She totally intimidated me, but I knew her! So I activated some courage, took a deep breath, ripped her out of the magazine, trimmed her out of her background, and then sought out the perfect background- this icy frozen lake.

I went on to do pages and pages of journaling and dialogue with her as she told me her story. Part of what she said was:

I am the one you've been avoiding. I am the one who restricts you from feeling good for too long. I am the one who is old and set in my ways. I have been around you for a long time. I am the one who has a firm hand to hold you down. I am the one who is closed up tight. I am the one who takes your dreams and wishes and passions and locks them up in a heavy metal box that is nailed shut in the middle of an icy frozen lake. I am the one who says you can't always have what you want. You can be happy some of the time, not all of the timeā€¦ that is just not how it is in the world. It isn't proper. I am the one who keeps you in your place. I am the one with all the power and authority in the land, in the Queendom of your inner world.

My gift to you is protection from disappointment and loss. I give you safety in smallness. If you stay small, you risk nothing and stay safe.

The ultimate lesson I received from this venture into my own Queendom, is that BOTH of these Queens play a mighty important role in my inner and outer worlds. Contrary to the title of this column, Queen Puritanica is not bad or evil. She is simply misusing her power in order to get my attention. And the bottom line is that it is up to ME to notice when this happens, and to bring her back into balance. If I don't, she wreaks havoc in my life and I suffer the consequences.

Here is a helpful resource for better understanding of this archetype:

The Queen of My Self: Stepping Into Sovereignty in Midlife, by Donna Henes. The author proposes a completely original idea to add to the usual triple goddess archetypes of Maiden-Mother-Crone. She introduces the archetypal Midlife Queen (between the Mother and Crone stages). The Queen is a woman in her prime who has achieved wisdom, mastery, and self-esteem. Drawing on history, mythology, literature, and her own life experience, as well as stories from women in many different cultures, and situations, Donna provides upbeat, practical, and ceremonial inspiration for all women.

 
Anne Marie Bennett is a writer, self-taught artist, website goddess, cancer survivor, and d 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, two elderly cats and one youthful dog who keeps them all young. You can read more about her on her website SOS Cancer Journeys.
  
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Guest Columnist: Cat Caracelo

I am Cat Caracelo,M.A., a SoulCollage® facilitator, life coach and transformative artist from Petaluma, California, in the San Francisco Bay Area. This column is for those of you who have already made some cards & are ready to discover more depth your SoulCollage® journey.


Exploring the Queen Archetype

Do you remember, in the early 80's, when the illustrator Mary Engelbreit created her art and declared this truth, "It's good to be Queen?" Her art showed glowing round faces painted with bright colors and exuberant expressions, claiming power with paper crowns and mop handle scepters. This declaration of self-expression reminded many of us of our own early claims to sovereignty and youthful expressions of queendom. The truth is, there are many reflections and incarnations of Queen Archetypes.

Queen is thought to be aligned with a fully grown woman. Expressed through the divine feminine, she is both mother and goddess. Queen is a leader with qualities and attributes that include Gracious, Loving, Fierce, Fair, Capable and Wise.

Most of us know that this is only a few facets of the Archetypal Queen; the full expressions are more varied. Lewis Carroll's Red Queen exudes madness. With her shrill cry, "off with their heads," she illuminates the impact of a callous, vengeful, self-serving queen.

Some of us have known or even lived with strong and cruel Queen types, expressed through archetypal distinctions like the Imperious Queen, Abducted Queen, Dissatisfied Queen, Silent Queen, Ice Queen and Vindictive Queen. If this is so for you, then your reaction to the Queen might be met with sorrow, dismay and even fear.

There is rich source material that is embedded within this archetype. The Queen invites you to cultivate purpose, creating a centered calm and growing your capacity. The Queen insists that you feed yourself whatever it is that you most need. Queen energy activates empowerment, direction and voice, broadening your leadership abilities and experiencing sovereignty in ways that serve the whole self.

It is valuable to remember that Queens are both chosen and created. Within a bee hive (a natural community that offers a divine mirror for this conversation) the Queen is chosen by the worker bees from ordinary everyday larvae. Once chosen she is nurtured and fed special nutrients; she must literally receive this specific food to grow and become the Queen. An adult Queen Bee expresses her maturity with focused purpose having received all that she requires. Royal Jelly is her food and through her consumption of this rich source food she is transformed. Abundant in size, the Queen retains the full expression of her original potential, growing until it is time for a new life cycle.

The gift of the Queen archetype is experienced in varied ways but is always dependent on the ability to receive. In very few cases Queen is chosen by others; this energy is more commonly activated through our own maturity and growth which guides us to claiming our full true expression and sovereignty. In all circumstances, our empowerment and expression of the Queen is developed through our ability to receive, and FIND the source-food that will feed our full expression.

My own ability to receive has grown as I have matured. My ability to discern and direct my life, choosing to feed myself from the deep source and rich inner wisdom has become a practice. I have learned more about my own direction and capacity through the archetype of the Queen. May this conversation feed your expression of the Queen as you take this exploration into your SoulCollage® play!

Here are some questions to journal with this month:

How does the Queen Archetype appear to you?

Do you desire something that is currently unexpressed or under-expressed in your life?

What are the qualities and attributes of the Queen that can assist and support your life?

What nutrient rich "food" feeds your Queen-Self?

Do you need assistance to develop this archetype in the directions of your deep desires?

What kind of guidance, help and care do you want to receive and how can you ask for this help?


Cat Caracelo, M.A. is a Life Coach, SoulCollage® Facilitator and Artist, supporting and guiding individuals through depth work, transformative process and conscious life design. Cat has been working with SoulCollage® since 2007, offering regular workshops, retreats, global eCourses and coaching process utilizing the cards. Offered throughout the year, Mythos Journey Circles, using SoulCollage® and transformative process as a base, is designed to explore personal myth, life-stories, patterns and transitions. For more information please visit Cat's website, learn more about Archetypes of the Creative Wild being offered in the early fall, PLUS new ebooks, classes and retreats.
 

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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 the Queen Archetype from one SoulCollager's Deck.




Queen
Council Suit
Karen
Tennessee

I am the one who rules, who is sovereign.
I am the one who knows her purpose, who likes to be in control.
I am the one who likes to be pampered.
I am the one who likes being a queen.




Drama Queen
Committee Suit
Daryne
Maine

I Am One Who is larger than life.
When I take the stage, my voice reverberates beyond the Beyond and drowns out all those around me.
Performance is everything, appearance is everything, substance is of no consequence.
Are they moved?
Does the audience just DIE?
Then my work here is done.




Queen of My Domain
Committee Suit
Tamara
Colorado

I am the one who has claimed my sovereignty over my own life.
I know who I am, what I want, and how much power and value I have.
I am the one who knows that by my taking my rightful place, the realm is served.
I am the one who knows that sacred self-care (for example, taking a nap) will help me stay clear and focused so that I may rise to any occasion.




Evil Queen
Council Suit
Dot
Pennsylvania


I am the One who is striking in my beauty, striking fear in the hearts of those who recognize my power to wreak havoc and destruction in their lives.
I do that mostly when my presence and existence is denied.
I am the One who lives within each of us-- yes, even YOU, my dear, who often pretends not to see me or to own me, but too often gives voice to me when you feel betrayed or threatened or are tired and hungry or feel lonely.
 Mirror, mirror on the wall, you can be the fairest one of all-- but only when you recognize and own shadow parts and welcome them into your own Committee and accept the wisdom of their Council/Counsel.




Queen Mother
Council Suit
Marti
Illinois


I am the Ancient, Wise and True One Who has witnessed many joys and sorrows, While walking the Spiral Path In Dignity and Beauty, Eternally journeying inward and upward.
I am the Blessed One Who has been granted The Serenity to accept the things she cannot change, The Courage to change the things she can, And the Wisdom to know the difference.

 
 

Pirate Queen
Council Suit
Anne
New Hampshire


I am the Pirate Queen!
I am the One who rules her ship and crew.
I am the One who doesn't take prisoners.
I am the One standing on a pile of treasure.
Don't mess with me or you'll be sorry!



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

Future themes include:

Worry/Anxiety
Open Call (Any Cards)
Community Suit: Fathers

 

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®!

SUMMER STOCK UP SALE


Save 25% on all quantities
of precut 5x8 mats
for your card making pleasure!

Click image above for KaleidoSoul Shop.

Use Coupon Code STOCKUP
on checkout screen.
 
Expires August 19. 2013

 

Upcoming SoulCollage® Retreats
CALIFORNIA

Face of the Soul: SoulCollage® and Sacred Maskmaking
Petaluma, CA
August 9-11, 2013
Facilitators: Cat Caracelo MA and Michelle Minero MFT


CEUs available.

Visit this page for registration information.
 

MASSACHUSETTS

All Hallowed Be: An Autumn SoulCollage® Retreat
Westfield MA
October 31- November 3, 2013
Facilitators: Anne Marie Bennett, Anne Boedecker, Jeanne Marie Merkel


Join us for an unforgettable weekend experience combining the magic of SoulCollage® with the mystery of mask making. The card making tables and the Mask Making tables will be set up round the clock all three days, so you can make SoulCollage® cards AND/OR work on your mask(s) while breakout sessions are going on, in the middle of the night, and in your jammies by the light of the moon if you want! The focus of this retreat will be on reclaiming our power as women, the power of community in our lives, and the lessons of the archetypal season of Autumn: letting go and transformation. 

Visit this page for more information.
  


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.
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 2013,
by Anne Marie Bennett and
Cat Caracelo, Imelda Maguire,
Kat Kirby, or Catherine Anderson.
Articles may be reprinted by permission only.