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Inner Surprises Blog

SoulCollage Inspiration

By Anne Marie Bennett

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Peaceful Warrior- Council Suit

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ScwarriorWhen I intuitively made this SoulCollageĀ® card a few years ago, I was drawn to the woman’s face which dominates it.  I added the smaller image because I felt she held the same kind of energy as the larger image. 

Who are you? I am the one who shields and protects those I love.  I am the one who looks forward, eyes wide open and faces what is there with courage, determination, and peace.

I am the one who clothes my body in power and energy and clothing that makes a statement. 

I am the one who protects my Tribe, both inner and outer.

I am the one who first and foremost tries to settle disagreements peacefully.  I am the one who stands strong and sure in the face of the enemy.

I am the one who knows where my center is, so it is harder to push me off balance.

I am the one who challenges wrong-doing, whose by-word is Truth.

What do you have to give me? I give you strength and courage to stand up for your rights and your freedom and your truth. I give you clear-seeing. I give you a peaceful, centered heart and soul. I give you a strong body, a powerful mind and spirit.

What do you want from me? I want you to speak up and fight for yourself when you are attacked.  I want you to protect your Inner Tribe and your Outer Tribe.  I want you to know that revenge is not always necessary, that peaceful argument can accomplish much.  I want you to have faith in yourself.  Have faith in the truth, in the power of your inner truth, in the fact that Spirit is always on your side.

Notes: I drew this card a few months after I made it, about one day after I had been wrongfully accused of something at the place where I worked.  Drawing Peaceful Warrior, and listening to her, gave me the exact energy I needed to call my boss and speak the truth (which, it turns out, he wasn’t aware of).  I actually put the card right beside my telephone when I called him (he was out of town at the time) to remind me of what she was teaching me about solving differences.

Swan- Companion Animals Suit

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Scswans This is my 7th chakra (crown chakra) Companion Animal card in my SoulCollageĀ® deck.

Here is some more information about chakras and animal companions if you’d like to know more.

I made this card intuitively, not really knowing if it was part of my Companions suit or not.Ā  For many years, I’ve been drawn to swans- in real life, in fairy tales, and in art.Ā  And swans had appeared on several of my SoulCollageĀ® cards that were not in my Companions Suit.Ā  So I wasn’t sure.Ā  But after I did the interpretation below, it was very clear to me that Swan is indeed one of my companion animals, and definitely related to the more spiritual, divine chakra that is the Crown.

The background in this card makes a huge difference in its energy, and in what the swan is saying to me.Ā  Ā The swirling background feels kindof like a tunnel to me, a tunnel that looks like it is leading into a brighter light and peace.

Who are you? I am the one who has transformed into a pure white beautiful swan.Ā  I am the one who is not the ugly duckling that everyone thought I was.Ā  I am the one capable of beauty and flight.Ā  I am the one of mystery and magic.Ā  I am the one who crosses into and out of other worlds- mystical realms of color and light. I am the one who sees the future, who travels the tunnel of transformation with you.Ā  I am a symbol to you of the Divine.

What do you have to give me? I give you direct contact with Spirit.Ā  When you die, I will be the one who takes you to the other side.Ā  I am your guide between the worlds.Ā  I will take you safely to the others who have gone before you. I will take you to the place where we are all One.

What do you want from me? I want you to relax into your journey.Ā  I want youĀ  to remember that you are not a duck, that you are not bound by your own or others’ expectations of you. I want you to believe in the power of your own transformation, to trust in the existence of other worlds (imaginary as well as real).Ā  I want you to know that when you die, all really will be well.

SoulCollage® Challenge- Quotation Fun

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Choose a quotation that you really love.Ā  Then stop and think.Ā  If one of your inner voices was saying those words, which part of you would it be?Ā  Dialogue with that part of yourself.Ā  Find out more about it.Ā  Make a SoulCollageĀ® card for it.

The words of this quotation you’ve chosen could also be coming from one of the members of one of the other suits of your deck.Ā  It could be a spirit guide or archetype in your Council Suit.Ā  Or it could be one of your animal totems offering your guidance through the words of the quote.Ā  Perhaps it’s one of your very own community members who passionately believes in the quotation you’ve chosen.

It might take a little while to discern exactly where in your deck this quotation belongs. That’s ok.Ā  Sit with it for a while until it is clear to you.Ā  You might even want to create an entire suit that gives image to your favorite quotations.

Here are some of my favorite quotation sites:

The Quote Garden

Healing Arts Journal

Soul Sisters Group- Community Suit

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Scsoulsisters_2 I made this Community card to honor my group of friends (Elaine, Pat, Lis and Susan) who meet with me one Sunday afternoon each month to make SoulCollageĀ® cards and do readings and get to know one another soul to soul.  Pat has aptly named us “Soul Sisters.”

Note that although this card is honoring real people in my life, there are no photos of them on it (no, that’s not really them in the bathtubs!).  I just chose images that represent how this group feels to me.

Who are you? We are your Soul Sisters.  We are the ones who meet every month to practice SoulCollageĀ® together and to talk about our lives as we cut and snip and paste and create.  We are the ones who form a shelter of serenity, a haven from the “real world.” We are the ones who offer you freedom because we listen to you with love and acceptance.  We are the ones who are relaxed,who are fully enjoying the process of soaking in our own soul’s warmth and cleansing beauty.  We do this each in our own way and on our own inner journeys, yet in full and unconditional accepting witness of one another.

What do you have to give me? We give you support, encouragement, a safe space to be yourself, freedom, kindness, and non-judgmental witness to your own soul’s unfolding.  We give you a deep and present sense of community.  You are a part of us and we are a part of you.  You belong here. What do you want from me? We want you to continue to be there with and for us.  We want you to continue to unfold and grow and witness your own beauty.

Self-Nourishment- Committee Suit

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Scnourish This is one of the first cards I made… and I love her!  I named her Simone, which is French for wise and thoughtful.

Who are you? I am the one who knows how to nourish myself.  I am the one who drinks deeply from the bowl of life and never worries about the bowl being empty.  I am the one who takes care of my body with good food, and cares for my mind and my spirit with rainbows, light, and gorgeous colors that ache with beauty. I am the one who easily says, “Enough.”  I am the one who is grateful for what I have, who isn’t frantic about having more.  There is no desperation in my voice- only peace, wellness, grace and content. I am the one who is comfortable with my true self, who wants to see my true self thriving and healthy and whole.  I am the one who puts good, beautiful things into my mind and body and spirit.  I am the one who delights in taking care of myself.

What do you have to give me? The gift of taking care of yourself.  I am The Slender One’s sister.  We walk hand in hand.  One does not exist without the other. What do you want from me? I want you to give your body what it truly needs, and only that.  I want you to open your body, your soul, to all means of nourishment.  To make self-nourishment a daily practice.