This is one of the first SoulCollage^® cards I made.  I created it intuitively… not knowing what the card was about, just responding to my inner self being drawn to the images.  As it turns out, this is one of my most powerful archetypes, the Survivor.

Who are you?

I am the one who has survived fire and storm and famine.

I am the one who has danced in the flaming forest and wrestled with the fierce wild animals of the night.

I am the one who is so sure of my own inner being that I can close my eyes and be with myself even when the enemy is right beside me.

I am the one who tames dragons and tigers and leopards even when they are looking at me with a deathly hunger in their eyes.

I am the one who knows that these wild enemies will never go away completely.

I also know that they do not have the power to destroy me unless I give them that power.

So I am the one who befriends them and listens to them and allows them to teach me what they will.

I am the one who feels the beating of my own precious heart and knows that that is where my strength and courage come from. I am the one who is in touch with my innermost core of power, who allows that power to burn through my fears until I see them for what they are- proud sentient beings who have been sent to protect me. I am the one who sends you mysterious angels after you have faced down the wildness of your own fears.

What do you want from me?

I want you to hold your hand over your own heart, and feel and hear the rhythm of your own authentic power.  I want you to know that you can call on me to lead you through the flaming forests, to show you how to sit still and befriend the enemy of your fears.

What do you have to give me?

I give you power, and authority and inner strength to face the wild tigers of your night, whatever they may be.

NOTES FROM DAILY READINGS:

March 2006-

I am also about Courage.  It is a courageous thing you do- going to therapy, all your inner work, being in relationships, dealing with your body issues, creating the depths and layers of KaleidoSoul.  I am with you, and my eyes are open.  You can rest easy and go deeper within, because my eyes are open.

August 2006-

I am the one who has survived breast cancer, an emotionally deprived childhood, codependent mothering, difficult stepchildren, an alcoholic love relationship, Jeff’s cancer, the deaths of my parents, an emotionally abusive boss.  I am the one who has brought you through it all.  Today I am saying to you: look at where you are, on the other side of the fiery drama.  In a place of peace and rest, where it is easy and safe for you to sit still and close your eyes and be with yourself.  So remember to do that this week, and every week.  Sit still, hand over your heart, remembering who you are.  Do not mistake the power there is in that.

July 2007-

I am the one whose fiercest, most difficult battles are behind me.  I am the one who has survived everything with my own sense of self intact.  I am the one who is at home with the wild animals.  This one is my sister.  She has been my companion on the journey and she sits with me, rests with me now.  My message for you today is this: The fiery dramas are BEHIND you.  They do not need to define you any more.  Pause now in this resting place that is your life right now… and give yourself time to be with yourself.  This position I am in is the ultimate healing posture.  And you can close your eyes and go within with no fear, because you can trust that the others are watching out for you.

This card has been in my Deck for a few years now, and I thought it appropriate to share it with you the week of Valentine’s Day! For me, it represents the archetype of Love. I am the one whose primary force/power/energy/strength is LOVE! I am the one whose main direction is love, who operates only from love, who guides the direction of your life with love. My message for you today is this:  Love is a strong, deep force in your life.  Pay attention to how Love flows through you from above and outward into the world.  Be aware of the many, many ways you are loved today, and be aware of how you are passing that love on to others.  You know that famous Beatles song… All You Need Is Love?  Well, it’s TRUE!  That is my story and I’m stickin’ to it!

I read somewhere several months ago about the archetype of “Spiritual Warrior” and I instantly KNEW in my soul that I have one of those!  And almost as soon as I recognized this truth, I found these two seemingly unrelated images.

And then… if that weren’t enough, I read this quotation from Pema Chodron:

The Spiritual Warrior sits in the middle of the fire.  — Pema Chodron

Well, there are truly no coincidences!  This card was simply meant to be!

I am the one who stands guard at the Tree of your Life.  I am the one who throws poisoned daggers at anyone or anything who gets in the way of the beautiful Light pouring down from Spirit. I am the one who protects you and yours with a circle of flames which has special power to burn in water.  The waters are your life story.  My flames form a circle of protection for you. You are safe at all times. I am always on guard, always on the lookout, and I am ruthless towards anything which stands between you and Spirits’ Light.

I made this card completely intuitively this summer while working with
some friends who were new to the SoulCollage^® process.  I was mainly
drawn to this fierce golden dragon.  I don’t know if you can see it,
but his scaled and jeweled back turns into a paved brick road which
leads to a castle, and that fascinated me.

It wasn’t until I started letting him speak with the I Am The One
Who… exercise that it became clear to me that he is my Destroyer
Archetype.

I am the one who has burst out of a narrow doorway.  I am the one
with fierce gnashing teeth.  I am the one with jeweled scales on my
back.

I am the one whose tail turns into a castle.  I am the one who is the
keeper of your Journey.  I am the one who destroys anything that gets
in your way. 

I am the one who leaves the old black and white world behind.  I am the one who comes away from that old, stale, shadowy world.

I am the one who fires up your life.  I am the Destroyer.  I cut away
anything that doesn’t belong to your true authentic self.  I am
dangerous to anything on the pathway of your Journey that doesn’t
belong to you. 

You used to hide me in the shadows, in the misty dark, behind a narrow
opening… but my energy is growing now.  I am getting stronger and
more powerful because you can now see me as an ally instead of a
danger.  I AM HERE!!!  And I am here for YOU.

Now is the time to access my Energy, Fierceness, Power, and Strength… and make it work for you. 

My message for you today is this:  I can help you with the remainder of
your food issues.  Tap into my Energy.  I know that extra food is not
welcome on your Journey.  I can help you to destroy those cravings. 
Tap into my fierce ability to destroy EVERYTHING that isn’t necessary
for your Journey.

I made this card intuitively at the KaleidoSoul Annual Retreat this spring. I was drawn to the woman weeping tears that turned into pearls, and I was drawn to the quiet strength in her face, the serenity, in spite of her tears.  I tried her against several different backgrounds and this one just “clicked” for me.

And I haven’t worked with her until today, when I drew her in my Daily Reading practice.  This is what she said to me today:

I am the one who weeps peacefully under the setting sun.  I am the one who is beautiful in my sadness.  I am the one whose tears turn to valuable jewels.  I am the one who is blessed both by the sun and by the spirits of the night.  I am the one who lifts my face to meet the pain.  I am the one who stills my soul to greet the pain and sadness that is a natural part of life. I am the one who gracefully transforms your pain into blessing. My message for you today is this: I am the one who takes the pain of ending and loss, and turns it all into blessing and treasure.  What is ending in your life?  Can you honor and respect the passing of these parts of yourself?  Can you celebrate these endings as you celebrate new beginnings?