by Laurel Aston,
Creativity Coach, Artist, and SoulCollage® Facilitator
Goal: Tap into trust and faith in your ability to play
Keep it simple:
1. Spread out your cards. Add one playful element to the space where your cards are. (I often take apart a fresh rose and sprinkle the petals around the cards, or I put the cards on a piece of painted paper Ive made, or Ill blow some bubbles for 10 seconds.)
2. Read a few lines of sweet poetry to your Neters.(Choose a really special poetry excerpt that is positive and celebratory, a piece which connects youto your hope and trust. You can also use music and music lyrics.)
3. When you finish, visually scan your cards. Choose a card that wants to be with you and these poetic lines or special verbal (or musical) rhythm today. (If youre someone who has made miniature versions or back-ups of yours cards, take your card with you during the day.)
4. Keep the process present in your heart and mind, and see what happens. Notice if the Neter is talking to you or vice versa. Journal.
For smaller steps:
5. Read these inspiring poetry lines again as you go through the day.
6. Formulate a question for your Neter, for example, How can I bring more of me into daily playfulness? Observe and/or journal as your Neter speaks, your thoughts expand and contract, and your feelings become describable.
For a longer writing exercise, (break it down into steps)
7. Take one line of the poetry and create a partial sentence with it, for example, the line I took was May the music of my soul be accompanied by (*see below)
8. Invite your Neter to help you write as many sentence completions as you can from your SoulCollage® card/s using the images on it.
9. Which completed sentence magnetizes you towards believing in the value of play, your ability to play, or an impulse to play?
10. Shape this one into an affirmation, a positive intention, or just something you like hearing.
11. Repeat your inspiring set of words to yourself during the day, in the evening, through the week, and make some notes in your journal about how this affected you.
Give yourself permission to make this exercise work better for you by asking the questions:
How can I change this exercise to make it more fun?
How can I modify this exercise to suit my playful inclinations?
Keep track of what happens as you try new things with your deck, and consider this question:
Do I want to dedicate one journal to playful explorations with my SoulCollage® Deck?
May the music of our souls be accompanied by grand gestures and the persistent clapping of hummingbirds wings. —from Prayer, by Lisa Colt.