What I learned about SoulCollage(R) from reading Through the eyes of SoulCollage(R)
by Anne-Marie Bennett, published 2015
(Note: SoulCollage(R)
www.soulcollage.com is a process of making a deck of cards that represent various parts of one’s
life journey. There are four suits that represent either people we have loved,
archetypal energies, inner personality parts and animal guides or instinctual
energies).
On Facebook recently I saw a quote that read, I have been a seeker all my life and still
am, but I stopped asking the stars and the books and started listening to the
teaching of my own Soul. (Rumi) Stopping to listen in, and dialogue with
parts of myself as represented in my SoulCollage(R) cards, is the best thing I
have ever done to get to know myself better. And not only that, but it’s helped
me accept all of me, the good and the bad, the light and the dark.
The lovely essays and reflections on life in the book Through the Eyes of SoulCollage(R), Reflections on Life via the SoulCollage(R) Lens, by facilitator
and trainer Anne-Marie Bennett, grew out of the last ten years of her
SoulCollage(R) journey, and were originally written as newsletter articles for KaleidoSoul,
Bennetts’ SoulCollage(R) community. http://www.kaleidosoul.com/
In this first book, of two planned books of essays on seeing
life through the lens of SoulCollage(R), Anne-Marie covers two of the four suits
– Community and Companions. (Council and Committee are the other two suits). Community
cards are made for all the actual people who have lived, touched us in some
way, or been close to us (including pets). Even teachers you have known or
celebrities you admire fit here. Cards can be made to grieve and honour lost
ones, and can increase our sense of connection, or “nettedness” as Bennett
calls it. The Companions section has some wonderful ideas about how to receive
messages and gifts from our animal guides or totems.
The book includes a list of vocabulary for the uninitiated,
and a Time to reflect space to encourage readers to journal along with each chapter, as well as additional ideas for
card making. She provides a link to her SoulCollage(R) cards on her website,
with other resources and recommended sites and books. Facilitators can mine the
book for workshop themes based on the topics in each chapter, with the author’s
full permission.
There is a chapter on spirituality that I found especially appealing. Bennett sees SoulCollage
as a form of prayer, as a tool to stay close to spirit. I like that Bennett describes the
cards as more than just pieces of cardboard with images glued on them – they
represent our wholeness, all the parts of self gathered together. Using the cards
allows one to access deeper layers of soul, through active imagination and
intuition, seeing patterns, themes, and writing about what one sees.
Bennett suggests that sticking close to your SoulCollage(R)
cards through readings is a way of coming home to yourself. She strongly
encourages makers of SoulCollage(R) cards to either do daily readings, picking
two cards and sitting them on your bureau, or journaling about them, or Focused
readings, where you set aside a special time and space to ask a question, clear
your mind, and receive guidance from 3-4 cards you choose at random. Again,
journaling is a component, as you dialogue with the cards and receive messages
– in actuality, your sub-conscious selves, or inner self replying to your own
questions. Bennett’s book is full of instances of synchronicity and
learnings. It can be a fun, light process or one of transformation and deep
healing.
After finishing the book, I spread all my SoulCollage(R)
cards on the floor of my bedroom – they covered most of the room – and did what
Bennett suggests – separated them by darker Neters or shadow parts, and Light
Neters. I put the darker ones on the left, for no apparent reason, and the
lighter, more playful cards on the right. Right away I noticed the difference in
colour – the darker cards (representing anger, shame, old hurts and
abandonments, painful heritage, etc) were mostly dark coloured. And the joyful,
juicy creative cards (representing whimsy, joy, spirit of play, sanctuary, love
and marriage, sexuality, freedom and creativity, were much more colourful and
light – reds, yellows, blues predominating.
This was a very good exercise and I’m glad to have learned
it from Anne-Marie’s book.
Some of my favorite essays were about learning how to trust
the intuitive process. How does one begin to listen in and discover which inner
parts need attention? I put a star beside a few chapters: What lights you up,
and Inner Beauty (writing a love letter to the self, sealing and mailing it is
a great idea and one I use in my journaling classes). So many creative moments
are explored in this heartfelt, inspiring book...simple moments, from stopping
to pause and admire nature, lessons learned riding the metro, to having the
courage to tell all your heart.
Read
this book and discover many artful ways to pause, wonder at, and savour the
moment.
You can find the book on Amazon, or read more about it here: http://www.kaleidosoul.com/books.html
Jennifer Boire is a published author and a facilitator of the Creative Circle class, (creative journaling and SoulCollage(R)) and leads retreats for women.
Anne-Marie Bennett– KaleidoSoul founder, SoulCollage(R)
Facilitator and Trainer lives in Massachusetts.
No comments:
Post a Comment