GENERAL QUESTIONS
Do I have to be an artist to do this?
Absolutely not! Anyone can do it! The purpose of SoulCollage® is to explore your inner self and nurture your own sweet soul. If you can cut pictures out of magazines, use scissors and a glue stick, you can do this!
I’m new at this. Where do I start?
Please start by going to our SoulCollage® Beginner’s Page. Everything you need to know to get started is right on that page.
What kind of materials do I need to make SoulCollage® cards?
The basic materials are: mat boards, magazines, an acid-free glue stick or rubber cement, and a pair of scissors. For more information on these materials, including where to get them, please click here.
How many cards should I have in my SoulCollage® deck?
You can have as many cards as you like in your deck. Some people have as few as 20 or 30, and some have more than 100. It’s totally up to you! As soon as you make two cards, you’ve got a deck!
I found a quote in the book by Seena Frost, and I like it but I don’t know what it means. Can you please explain it to me? “Each of us is a SoulCollage.” — Seena Frost
This means that each of us (including YOU) is a collage made up of many different pieces. Some pieces of us are dark and shadowy; other pieces are brighter and clearer. Yet each piece has an important role in the wholeness of the collage, and therefore in the wholeness of our individual lives.
Can I use words on my SoulCollage® cards?
It is strongly suggested that you don’t use words on your cards. The reason for this is that the images alone are very powerful and speak to our subconscious in meaningful ways. Adding words on top of the images can sometimes get in the way of and limit this inner “communication.” However, you may make an exception once in a while.
My children are curious about my SoulCollage® cards. Can I teach them the process too?
Yes! The process may need to be modified a bit, but please feel free to share it with your children.
I want to purchase some items in your Shop, but I don’t want to use PayPal. How can I do this?
Please just send us a check or money order for the total amount, along with a list of exactly what you are ordering. Don’t forget to add shipping costs if applicable. Send to: KaleidoSoul, PO Box 745, Beverly, MA 01915. Be sure to include your email address!
COMMITTEE SUIT QUESTIONS
Can I make a SoulCollage® Committee card that has more than one voice or energy on it?
It’s usually best to make one card for each voice. It is easier to work with the cards this way, and in this way EACH voice is honored. For instance, you might be exploring the part of you that is lazy and loves to sit around eating chips and watching old movies on TV.
You also know that it isn’t good for you to be doing this all of the time. You recognize that there’s a voice connected to the one who would rather get up off the couch and go out for a walk or plant flowers in the garden.
In this case, it would be best if you made a card for the couch potato voice as well as a card for the get-up-and-take-care-of-yourself voice, instead of putting both of them on one card.
What do I do if I’ve made a Committee card and several months from now I find that it’s not one of my “inner voices” anymore?
You can add an image on top of what you thought was a “completed” SoulCollage® card and thus change its meaning a bit. You could set aside the card in an inactive pile (or Reserve Deck), in case it becomes important for you to work with it again. You can even make a new card for that voice if you happen to find more appropriate images, or images that you like better.
Why should I make SoulCollage® cards to honor the parts of me that I don’t like?
Because they are all parts of YOU! If we try to get rid of parts of ourselves that we dislike or hate, they usually only get louder and more annoying. Think of a small child throwing a temper tantrum. If you ignore her, she’s just going to scream louder and louder. The best thing to do is approach this child with love and gentleness. The same holds true for accepting and being gentle with the parts of ourselves we don’t like. Making SoulCollage® cards is an excellent way to befriend those parts of ourselves that are out of control and trying to get our attention.
COMMUNITYÂ SUIT QUESTIONS:
How can I make a SoulCollage® card for someone if I don’t have any photographs of them?
You can try to capture this person’s essence by using color and images. Explore different types of papers, patterned or solid. Try to find images in magazines or calendars or cards that express that person’s personality to you.
If they love nature, you could include a sunset or forest scene. If they are always talking about their cat or wanting to go to Tibet, include pictures of these items as well. It might take a little longer to make a card for someone when you don’t have a photo, but what’s important is that when YOU look at the card, you know who it represents.
Can I put more than one person on one of my Community cards?
Yes! If there is a group that you belong to, it’s perfectly fine to make a card with all of the group’s individuals on it. You will find that a group’s energy has its own voice in your life.
One friend of mine has one card for each of the people in her family, AND she has one card that is of her whole family, all together. The group can be a family group, a school group, women’s group, theatre group, choral group, church group….. you name it!
Think about the groups that have meant something to you as you’ve traveled your Life’s Journey. Think about which groups are in your life now that you want to honor with a SoulCollage® card.
COMPANIONS SUIT QUESTIONS
I don’t believe in all this New Age mumbo jumbo about chakras and animal totems. Can I still do SoulCollage?
You certainly can! A good way to begin is to focus on the Committee Suit and the Community Suit. You can always decide (or not) later to add some Companions and/or Council Members. It’s totally up to you.
What if I don’t like the Companion animal who appears to me in the guided meditation?
The best thing to do if an unexpected or unwanted animal appears to you is to simply relax, take some deep breaths and promise yourself to withhold judgment for a while. The animal might have something really important to give you if you accept it and honor it and listen to what it has to say. Read the short story about “My Summer of Skunks” on the Companions Suit page for a good example of this.
COUNCILÂ SUIT QUESTIONS
What are archetypes and why include them in my SoulCollage® Deck?
Archetypes are energies and patterns that transcend time, culture, race and creed. We include them in our decks because they represent the Larger Story, and getting to know them helps us to understand our personal journey better.
I still don’t “get” it!  Can I start making SoulCollage® cards anyway?
Yes! Yes! Yes! Just take a deep breath, smile, and jump right in! Make several cards intuitively at first. Don’t even think about (and definitely don’t worry about) the Suits. After working with the cards for a while and letting them speak to you, you will have a better idea of archetypes. You can also visit this web page to begin learning more about archetypes now.
QUESTIONS ABOUT WORKING WITH THE CARDS
I’ve made a beautiful SoulCollage® card, but I just don’t know what it means! I’ve tried doing the I Am The One Who… exercise with it but nothing comes to me. What should I do?
It might be a good idea to put it in your deck and forget about it for a while. I still have several cards like that! What I’ve found is that as the days and months go by, their meanings become clear to me one by one. I may read an article about something, or hear a friend talking about a movie she just saw and suddenly I will see a connection to one of my cards. Then and only then will I begin working with it by doing the I am the one who exercise, or journaling with it.
I’m really excited about all of this! I don’t live anywhere near a facilitator but I really want to do this. How can I find some people to do this with?
Start by joining our online KaleidoSoul SoulCollage® Community, where you will find others who are passionate about this process. We have a private Facebook group, so you can post questions, ideas, and your SoulCollage® cards if you want to share with others. Next, be sure to sign up for Soul Songs: Your SoulCollage® Newsletter. You’ll receive, absolutely free, a monthly newsletter in your email box, full of articles about SoulCollage®, examples of readers’ SoulCollage® cards, and lots of joy and inspiration too. You can read a sample issue here. You’ll also find lots of free information on all over KaleidoSoul.com, plus there are many e-books and self study courses that you can purchase in the KaleidoSoul Shop.
Do You Have A Question About SoulCollage® That Wasn’t Answered Above?
Please just ask! There is no such thing as a silly question.