I’ve been doing a lot of inner work with my Inner Critic lately, and part of that work included reading the book Embracing Your Inner Critic, by Hal and Sidra Stone.  Their teaching includes the fact that the Inner Critic is entwined in our psyches with two other inner parts: the Rule Maker and the Perfectionist.  I had a major aha! moment when I read about these three parts, and immediately began working on cards for these new parts I’d discovered.  So here is my SoulCollage^® card for my Inner Perfectionist.

Who are you? I am the one who has to do everything perfectly right, all the time.  I am the one who lies awake at night worrying and wondering how I can be sure to do everything perfectly the next day.  I am the one who spins my mind around and around until I’m dizzy with the desire to get everything just right.  I am the one who is centered in and focused on the gold star.  I am the one who loves to get the gold star each time. What do you have to give me? I give you the impetus to do your best work.  I give you the desire to do well.  I give you a good critical eye. What do you want from me? I want you to always do your best.  I want you to know that my energy gets out of control and keeps you up at night because you allow that to happen, and it doesn’t have to be that way.  I want you to remember that making a mistake is not the end of the world, and that you can learn from your mistakes too.

This was a very intuitive card that I made a few months ago, and I liked it when I made it, but it puzzled me greatly.  I drew it in a Daily Reading this week and here is what it said to me:

Who are you? I am the one who leans back into life with ease and contentment.  I am the one who is content with my self, my body, my life.  I am the one who faces the light, whose feet are grounded in flowers and water and the green eternal springs of life.  I am the one who knows and gladly accepts who I am and what I have. What do you have to give me? I give you contentment, a deep inner satisfaction with all that your life is.  I give you the soft glow of inner light and inner harmony. What do you want from me? I want you to close your eyes and smile!  I want you to lean back and trust and relax and know that contentment will only lead you in the right direction.

I made this card a few months ago and last week it showed up in my Daily Reading.  I had made it completely intuitively.  At first all that was on the card was the open window background, and the woman on the bottom right (if you click on the image, it will get bigger so you can see more detail if you want).  Then I found the man in the turban and just KNEW he belonged on this card too. And guess what?  He fit exactly right!  When I did the interpretation below, I finally understood what part of me this card represented!

Who are you? I am the one with a surprising secret to tell you.  I am the one who winks at you and teases you and shares jokes with you.  I am the one who steps blithely in through your open windows and enters your life with a light step and a sense of humor.  I am the one who can laugh at myself, even though I am bound in chains and black leather.  I am the one who loves to laugh and who brings acres of fresh air into a room with my laughter. What do you have to give me? I give you open windows, fresh air, laughter, secrets, the scent of fresh flowers.  I give you the ability to laugh at that which is funny, and to find the lighter side of everything.  I give you the ability to laugh at yourself. What do you want from me? I want you to seek out that which is funny, light, and laughter-inducing.  I want you to laugh at yourself when you need to.  I want you to remember not to take life so seriously all the time.  I want you to open up the windows of your soul and let the fresh air come in with the laughter.