15 Hints (Not Rules) for Making SoulCollage® Cards

by Seena B. Frost

It is not important for the picture to be technically or aesthetically satisfying, but merely for the fantasy to have free play and for the whole thing to be done as well as possible..a product is created which is influenced by both conscious and unconscious, embodying the striving of the unconscious for the light and the striving of the conscious for substance. —  C.G. Jung Portable Jung p. 290

  1. Each card should represent one energy, one of your guides, allies, or challengers. Often this means there is one primary image on a card with supporting symbols.
  2. Have all your cards the same size and shape so they can be held in a deck, and so you will not recognize who a card is from its back. Be consistent in the material used for the base as mat board, or something thick enough not to warp.
  3. Do your first cards by collaging directly on your blank card so you have a sense that less is more. Later you may want to make some collages on larger pieces of paper and shrink them down to the size of your card.
  4. Both left brain and right brain are involved. Some images you will know what the energy is from the start. More often you will not consciously know what the meaning is, and thats OK too. Hang out in the Dont Know Mind and watch what is manifesting. Sometimes much later, in readings, the message bubbles up.
  5. You can collage on your cards either vertically or horizontally, which ever way fits your images.
  6. Take time to carefully cut out an image and put it on a new background. Use sharp scissors or an exacto blade on a cutting board.
  7. If you choose to include the background that is already around your image, tearing it out instead of cutting can make a vibrant and interesting edge.
  8. Sometimes, though not usually, you may want to use a picture exactly as it is, with no collaging. In SoulCollage® this is OK. It is your personal card.
  9. It’s better not to collage words on to your card as it defines and limits the intuitive wisdom that the card may give you in the future. If there are some words as part of an image you may want to cover them up with another image.
  10. There are many kinds of glue. I use really good, archival glue sticks. Rubber cement works OK but may cause headaches. The “Yes” brand of glue is good. Eventually glue your pieces down well. You can use a brayer to smooth them down. As you construct you may want to fasten down very lightly. Use a frame the size of your card to help organize your images. Sometimes just part of a very large image will work well on your card, and the frame can help you see what part.
  11. Eventually put backings according to suits on your cards after you have found where they belong. (Difficulty in distinguishing between Committee and Council is the main problem people experience. Wait till you are sure of these two. Community, sentient beings who have lived historically on the planet, and Companions, animal guides in the chakras, are not hard to distinguish.) The backings can be wrapping papers that complement each other. Make sure the pattern on the paper is such that you will not recognize what card it is from its backside. Also dont put writing or quotes on the back. Use a journal for that. If you dont want to do backings you can use stickers to distinguish the suits. (Some SoulCollagers never mark the backs of their cards with the suits at all, and that is OK too!) Back the Source card and the other two transpersonal cards with yet another pattern.
  12. Better not decorate cards with sequins, feathers, etc., as you will want cards to lie flat so you can shuffle them and spread them out for readings. Also dont have pieces that stick out off the edge of the card, creative as that may be.
  13. Putting a permanent finish on cards is always an issue. Cards represent parts of our Soul and are ever capable of transforming so we want them to be accessible and able to reflect change. You may want to paste on top of an image later on, or add new images. Never discard cards; we cant discard parts of ourselves. But some cards that no longer have any energy for you, or seem to be irrelevant or repetitive of other energies, can be put away in a reserve deck. Then if and when that ally or challenger resurfaces, you can locate it and put it back in the deck.If you scan your collage and use the scan as your card to give you a smooth surface, reserve the original somewhere. Likewise if you shrink and laminate your cards, save the originals. Some people cover their cards with a light acrylic varnish so the edges dont come up. Another good solution is these thin, plastic bags that exactly fit the card. They protect well, look fine, and can easily be slipped off for reworking. Website: www.clearbags.com.
  14. Find a box or container for your cards so they can be carried easily. But have a place in your home where cards can be displayed. Find a daily way to honor your guides, and work with them. Draw from your deck. Journal. This is Soul Work, and not to be tucked away and forgotten for weeks.
  15. Finally, even after youve made a hundred cards and think you are playing with a full deck, watch for images that grab you, and find time to create new cardsor add to current ones. Let it be your personal and alive SoulCollage® Deck!

Seena B. Frost, M. Div., M.A. studied theology at Yale Divinity School, married, raised four children, and then received a Master’s degree in psychology from Santa Clara University. She is a California licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. Special trainings with Jean Houston and Robin Van Doren inspired the combining of three of her life passions: spirituality, psychotherapy, and creativity. The SoulCollage® process and book have issued from this magical mix.  www.SoulCollage.com