| Soul Singing with Anne
Marie |
Hi! I'm Anne Marie,
the creator of KaleidoSoul.com, and a SoulCollage® facilitator
in Massachusetts. If you're just starting to sing your song with SoulCollage®,
this column is especially for you.
The Sounds of
SoulCollage®
A few years ago I
led a SoulCollage® Facilitator Training in Connecticut. On Saturday night at our
Trainings, new facilitators experience doing a reading with their decks. They
are seated at tables in groups of four, and after I lead them through the first
round, each group continues their reading in its own pace and time. Usually,
after giving directions, I wander among the groups to see if anyone needs
additional guidance or support.
In Trainings that I've led in the past, the tables were arranged in rows and I
sat on a chair in the front of the room to hold sacred space for everyone as
they were doing this sacred work. At this particular Training, however, we had
arranged the tables in a large square with lots of space in the middle. So after
I'd wandered among the groups and made sure everyone was okay, I moved my chair
to the center of the square and sat down.
 I truly love
this hour of the Training weekend. Spirit is palpably present as people access
their deepest intuition. Even though people are talking, there is a sacred hush
in the room. Minds and hearts are opening all over the place! It is a beautiful
thing to witness, to be a part of, and I love holding the space for that deep
inner work and community connections to evolve.
On this particular weekend, however, I was given the gift of an added dimension
to the experience. Because I was surrounded by card readers, I was being gently
showered on all sides by the sounds of peoples' readings.
Imagine it! From front, back and left/right sides, I was hearing the beautiful
voices of women speaking in hushed reverent tones:
I am the one who...
I give you...
The thing I want you to remember is...
I know that you can...
I want you to know that...
Your journey is...
My gift for you is....
And so on.
I felt like I was in the middle of a sacred chapel and all I had to do to access
divine grace was close my eyes and listen, open my heart and take it all in.
I don't know if I'm explaining this well enough. When I was in the middle of
that square of SoulCollage® readings, I wanted to capture the essence of that
time-out-of-time experience, and figure out a way to share it with you, but I
couldn't have captured it with a video camera or MP3 recorder if I'd tried. So I
have turned to writing, in the hopes that this might be as inspiring to you as
it was to me.
The sounds of SoulCollage® are all around you. Just listen, open and receive!
Anne Marie Bennett is a writer, self-taught artist, website
goddess, cancer survivor, and SoulCollage® Facilitator / Trainer who was
mentored directly by Seena Frost. In 2005, she fell in love with
SoulCollage® and was inspired to use her professional experience along with
Internet technology as a means to serve the world by putting SoulCollage®
"out there" in a really big way with
KaleidoSoul. Anne Marie lives in
eastern Massachusetts with her middle-aged husband, an elderly dog and two
adolescent felines who keep them all young. You can read more about how
SoulCollage® assisted her on her cancer journey on her website SOS Cancer Journeys.
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| OUR NEXT TELE-CLASS |
60 minute SoulCollage® tele-class
with Laura Lyon,
SoulCollage® Facilitator
and Carolyn Jennings,
Journal to the Self® Facilitator,
both located in Colorado
Saturday - July 11, 2015
4 pm Eastern
You've created SoulCollage® cards with deep personal meaning. Now let
journaling uncover mysterious or evolving layers of your cards and yourself.
Journal to the Self® tools deepen access to your intuition. Laura and
Carolyn will introduce you to their Three-Part Writing Process that reveals
new facets of understanding and enhances your work with the cards.
You will need a journal, a pen, and a couple of SoulCollage® cards you wish
to explore. If you don't have cards yet, bring a pile of images that
intrigue you.
For three years, Laura Lyon and Carolyn Jennings have brought
images and writing together to gently and playfully foster healing,
transformation and wholeness. They have taught together at the Eating
Disorder Foundation in Denver, offer ongoing workshops at Joyful Journey
Retreat Center in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in Colorado and at Laura
Lyon Studio in Boulder, and will be presenting at the Expressive Therapies
Summit in November.
A full 6 hour Journal to the Self® and SoulCollage® class is available from
SoulCollage® Institute.
Easily Accessible
from Anywhere in the World!
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| Guest Columnist:
Imelda Maguire |
Hello! I'm Imelda Maguire, SoulCollage® facilitator from Donegal, Ireland. Also
a counselor and poet, my joy is in working with others in healing and
creativity. This column is for those of you who have already made some cards &
are ready to discover the symphony of voices inside of you and around you.
Seasons of SoulCollage®
If you have been in touch with the world of SoulCollage® for any length of time,
you might have noticed something that I have long been aware of. There are two
types of SoulCollagers:
- 1. those for whom SoulCollage® is a
regular/daily practice or who attend monthly or weekly gatherings or workshops
- 2. those of us who experience more of
an ebb-and-flow, more cyclical patterns in our SoulCollage® life.
I?d like to share some thoughts from this
perspective, because I?ve come to accept that this is how it is for me, and
because, in coming to accept that, I?ve thought there may be others who feel
(dare I use the word?) - guilty - about their lack of "consistency." I prefer to
think of this back-and-forward process, as a form of seasonality. I think of it
as I would my garden - there are times of great activity, times of dormancy,
times of abundance, times of hard work, times of appreciation.
I usually describe my very first encounter with SoulCollage® as "love at first
sight." Just one workshop, just one day with images and cards, and I was hooked,
aflame, avid for more, more, more. But the truth is that the seed for that
awakening was sown over a period of months, during which NC, a member of the
counseling team on which I served, offered repeatedly to include something
called
SoulCollage® in a nurturing day for our team. She cast the seed (more
than once), and eventually it was given its place, and the furrow had been
ploughed sufficiently to prepare the ground for immediate germination.
Do you remember Pete Seeger?s song Turn, Turn, Turn?
To everything (turn, turn, turn)
there is a season (turn, turn, turn)
and a time to every purpose under heaven.
Of course, it?s a verse from Ecclesiastes, and familiar to many:
A time to be born, a time to die, a time to plant,
and a time to pluck that which is planted...
The first time I noticed myself experiencing a lack of impetus to make cards, it
frightened me. What if it never came back? But as a writer who has also
weathered times of prolific work, and times of waiting patiently and quietly for
the muse to return, I was able to allow myself to trust that this was another
"waiting period."
Sure enough, when I found myself with the urge to make cards, new and unexpected
things happened. Here again, is an instance where the dictum "trust the process"
applies. It applies in making a card, in reading your cards, and in the
long-term lifelong relationship we each have with the process of SoulCollage®.
Trust the process. Trust yourself. Trust your soul.
 Even if you have never experienced these
seasons in your SoulCollage® life, I think it is useful to know that that is how
it can be for some of us. If you are a facilitator, and you realize that someone
hasn?t come to workshops for a while, don?t assume they are no longer
interested. It may be that they are in a cycle of quiet contemplation of what
has happened during their previous active cycle. Wait. Keep the door open. Once
SoulCollage® has touched someone in some way, a seed has been planted, and that
seed never dies.
I do not have a card that specifically represents this theme, but I would like
to share "Working in a Stormy Field" (see above), because it says:
I am one who works under a stormy sky, who will wait patiently for the fish
to rise, who will tolerate discomforts and trust that the work will eventually
yield its fruit.
Imelda Maguire is a SoulCollage® facilitator from Donegal, Ireland. A
counsellor, poet, Bach Flower Remedy practitioner, and creative-writing
facilitator, her joy is in working with others, in witnessing a-ha moments and
experiences of healing. She has been sharing SoulCollage® with groups since
2003, when she first discovered the process, and delights in others' excitement
on meeting their Neters for the first time.
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|
Archetypes Emerging:
A workbook to access the wisdom of archetypes through
intuitive multi-sensory exploration
by Lisa Clark, SoulCollage® Facilitator in Ohio
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 Are you a bit stymied by this
whole idea of archetypes? Would you like to add some archetypal
energies/cards to your Council Suit but aren't sure how to go about it?
Is there a yearning, a whisper, or a loud and obvious prod from the Universe
to unlock your own amazing body wisdom?
Feeling adventurous enough to combine archetypal exploration with movement
and body wisdom?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you're in for a treat!
Lisa Clark, my sister SoulCollage® Facilitator in Ohio has written an
amazing and in-depth 161 page workbook that is chock full of with
multi-sensory exploration activities including journaling prompts, guided
meditation audio files, simple art processes, pampering breaks, gentle
invitations to become more comfortable with movement and body image, wild
card challenges if you need to shake things up a bit, video files, quick
start pages for when your time is limited, organization tips, and movement
and dance activities.
This workbook will support your intuitive, self-paced journey into the
exploration of archetypes. The activities included may also inspire and
generate ideas for those who facilitate archetype and body image workshops.
161 pages. E-book is sent to you as a PDF file.
Only $22
Visit this page for more
information.
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JOIN MEMBERSHIP - WIN A BLESSING BUNDLE!
|
Join the affordable and inspiring
Kindred Spirits Membership
anytime in July
and you'll have a chance to win
one of THREE (3) Blessing Bundles!
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| KaleidoSoul Creations |
As promised, we are featuring SoulCollage® cards
from our readers in each issue.
Each card below is a favorite card from one SoulCollager's Deck.
The Bridge
Council Suit
Karen
Ohio
I am One who illuminates the way for women easing into the autumn
of life. I am poised on the bridge leading from the Motherhood stage I have
left behind to the Cronehood stage still ahead in the distance. I stand
peaceful, calm, and self-assured, safely above the swirling waters of
emotion that so dominated my younger selves. "Let go of resistance," say the
waters, and "embrace transition," hum the changing leaves. Bear watches over
me, ready to show me how to nourish and regenerate myself during this period
of quiet introspection and new-knowledge-seeking. I am Queen, Matriarch,
Mid-Woman - and I am thriving.
Heart Chakra Bear
Companions Suit
Natalie
Colorado
I am one who is courageous and strong of spirit. I am one who is
balanced, loving and compassionate. I find comfort in solitude, rest and
introspection. I take good care of myself and others.
Strange Birds
Community Suit
Michele
Arizona
We are the many "strange birds" you've welcomed and entertained
through the years - perhaps with a hint of your scientific curiosity. We
remind you to look below the surface and to view wayfaring strangers as
potential wisdom-bearers. And, we find that you're quite the eccentric
hostess, amusing us as much as we do you.
Untitled
Committee Suit
Claudette
California
I am one who is strong, a fighter stepping into a new arena and speaking my
truth for the first time in a long time. Are you listening?
By Your Works You are Known Committee
Connie
California
I Am One Who is free, who knows my heart, and who has strong
hands. I Am One Who wants to put my mark on the world and let people know I
am here.
The Explorer
Council Suit
Denyse
Connecticut
I am the one who invites you to this new journey. I am the one who
will lead you to explore all aspects of yourself and soul. I am the one who
will gently guide you through this process and keep you safe. I am the one
that will help you safely explore opening new doors and new depths.
Time Passages
Committee or Council
(it changes)
Kat
Arizona
As Committee - I Am One Who realizes I cannot control time. It
moves at its own pace and takes me along for the ride. Things can take
forever or be over in a flash. I can see how time is in charge.
As Council - I Am One Who sees beyond the clock, the watch, the timer.
Time has no boundaries, no physical presence. I find myself looking beyond
time and into the future, back to the past. I remind you to make use of
every moment that you are given.
Blanket Fort
Committee Suit
Do Mi
Oregon
I Am the One Who is safe in my blanket fort. No matter what
dangers or worries are happening in the outside, grown-up world, I get to be
a child and be safe and warm and happy. I have my cheese and crackers. I
have my bookshelf. I have my sleeping kitty. I do not have to do the hard
job, or talk to the difficult person, or figure out the finances, or make
anyone happy. I get to be a child.
Friends
Committee Suit
Denise
California
I am the one who is a friend to everyone I meet. I am loyal and
trusting. I share my love with all. I am here to remind you that as you are
a friend to others, remember to be a friend to yourself. In doing this you
become a better friend to others.
Please feel free to submit one of your cards for a future issue
by sending a reply email to this newsletter.
Future themes include:
August: Healing
September: Perfectionist
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KaleidoSoul Notes
Noteworthy resources
for anyone interested in SoulCollage®
 Facilitator Trainings:
Information about content and dates/locations of upcoming trainings of
SoulCollage® Facilitators.
SoulCollage website
- Seena Frost created the process of SoulCollage®, and this is her
website.
KaleidoSoul -
Spinning the fragments of your world into wholeness and beauty through
SoulCollage®.
Kindred Spirits
Join our fast-growing worldwide membership of people who put the "soul" in
SoulCollage®!
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CONTACT US
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Upcoming SoulCollage® Retreats
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NORTH CAROLINA
A River Runs Through Us:
A SoulCollage® Women's Weekend Retreat
New Bern, North
Carolina
September 25-27, 2015
Facilitators: Glenda Cedarleaf and Stephanie Anderson-Ladd
Please join us as we explore all 4 suits through presentation, imagery,
ritual and movement. We will make cards and share readings. We will go on a
chartered sunset cruise down the Neuse River, share lovely lakefront villas
and most of all delight in the connection with kindred spirits as we flow
into the divine feminine energy of the river.
Bring a Friend Discount: $525 per person through August 1.
Please visit this page for
more information now.
WEST VIRGINIA
Spiral Journeys: Finding Ourselves on the Labyrinth of Life
Marlinton (Frost), West Virginia
September 4-7, 2015
Facilitator: Catherine Anderson
Using SoulCollage®, photography, storytelling and the labyrinth, you will
connect to your inner wisdom and the rhythm of the natural world of which
you are an integral part, as you are guided on the next steps of your
journey of life.
Please visit this page
for more information now.
COLORADO
Art of Self SoulCollage® Retreat
Lyons, CO
October
8-11, 2015
Facilitator: Christiane Olivo
Located in the inspiring
Rocky Mountains, the Art of Self Retreat combines SoulCollage® with the
Equine Gestalt Coaching method®, facilitated by Jennifer West of Capriole
Coaching. Working with horses will offer you a completely new, unique and
exciting way to deepen your SoulCollage® practice. With SoulCollage®
workshops complementing work with the horses and a 24-hour open studio,
there will be plenty of time to make new cards. The retreat is designed for
all levels of experience with SoulCollage®--from beginner to facilitator. No
experience with horses is required. Space is limited to 10 participants.
Register by July 15th and save!
Visit this page for more
information.
PORTUGAL
SoulCollage® Facilitator Training
Cascais, Portugal
October 8-11, 2015
Facilitators: Linda Woolfson
Visit this page for
more information.
IRELAND
Exploring Inner and Outer Landscapes
Mulranny, Ireland
October 11-17, 2015
Facilitator: Catherine Anderson & Lynda Griebenow
Using SoulCollage® and creative photography we will spend seven days and six
nights exploring our interior landscape. We will develop "new ways of
seeing" through reflection and connection to the mystery and the wisdom of
the land. Through guided meditation, mindful photography practices,
SoulCollage® and focused time in nature we will immerse ourselves in
creative process - nurturing our imagination and spirit, sharing insights
and the emerging wisdom in sacred circle.
Visit this page for
more information now.
ENGLAND
Return to Avalon Goddess Retreat
Glastonbury, England
April 26-May 23, 2016
Facilitator: Cat Caracelo
We are gathering again for Beltane in Glastonbury, England for eight days in
a beautiful restored farmhouse compound with a stunning view of rolling
hills and the nearby Glastonbury Tor. We will be a small circle of women
celebrating the rising Spring energies of this sacred place, tapping into
mythic connections with visits to local and nearby sacred sites while
exploring the ancient history, lore and our own mythic roots through journey
work, SoulCollage® and expressive arts in our private studio space. Very
limited space and six payment plans are available!
Visit this page
for more information now.
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Soul Songs Back Issues -
Read back issues of Soul Songs on this KaleidoSoul page.
Just look for whatever SoulCollage® topic you are interested in,
and read to your heart's content!
SoulCollage® is a trademarked process created by Seena B. Frost.
For more information about Seena and the origins of SoulCollage®, please
visit her website
SoulCollage® cards are made either from one's own art or from images
found in materials which have been bought by or given to the SoulCollage®
card maker. These collaged cards are used only for the cardmaker's own inner
exploration. SoulCollage® cards are not sold, traded, bartered, or copied
(except as a back-up for the cardmakers own use) as is stated in the "Principles of SoulCollage®."
Where SoulCollage® cards are available to be seen by others, it is for the
purposes either of demonstrating the SoulCollage® process or of sharing the
cardmakers' inner process in the context of community. SoulCollage® is
grateful to the artists and photographers who make this deep awakening
process possible and in all ways SoulCollage® seeks to be respectful of
their rights.
All articles in SOUL SONGS are copyrighted 2015,
by Anne Marie Bennett and
Catherine Anderson, Cat Caracelo,
Imelda Maguire, or Linda Woolfson.
Articles may be reprinted by permission only.
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Soul Songs
