My name is Catherine Anderson and I'm a SoulCollage® facilitator from Charlotte, NC. I am delighted to be adding my voice to Soul Songs and hope that my words inspire you to look more deeply into your deck of SoulCollage® cards.



My Water Element Chakra Companions

I spent the first 36 years of my life living near the Indian Ocean which runs along the east coast of South Africa, and most of that time with a view of the water and the morning sunrise. Of all the things I miss most about the country of my birth, it is the ocean, so it isn't surprising that I have two chakra companions that live in water: the dolphin and the whale.

I used to see dolphins swimming in the ocean frequently. It always felt magical when I spotted the dolphins catching the waves close to the shore. The dolphin is my second (sacral) chakra animal, the chakra that controls our physical health and well-being, our creativity and passion, as well as our emotions. This chakra is co-incidentally ruled by the water element. Water follows the path of least resistance and reminds us to flow. Our bodies are made mostly of water and water makes growth possible. We cannot survive without water. When I am in creative flow life feels juicy and full.

When I think of dolphin I think of the flowing lines of its body and the sleek fluidity of its movements in the water. Dolphin reminds me to be kind to myself and in particular to my body. One of the meanings associated with dolphin is learning to listen to the more subtle levels of communication of the world around us, being attuned to our intuition, listening more and talking less.

This is in contrast to my fifth (throat) chakra water animal which is the whale. The throat chakra is connected to self-expression, speaking our truth, and clear communication with self and others. Although the voice is the main organ of communication, we also communicate through our actions, our artistic and creative expressions and our body language.

Barbara McAfee, author of Full Voice: The Art and Practice of Vocal Presence tells us that the most important way to take care of our voice is to drink lots of water. She has also developed an elemental framework for the different sounds contained in the voice, and she says this about the water voice: The water voice is the voice of the heart, the sound of human kindness. It is sourced in the chest and throat area and carries a warmer, softer tone than the earth and fire voices. Barbara believes that the tone and expression in our voice influence how people hear us.

The whale encourages me to express myself not only by talking but by singing, humming or chanting just for the joy it brings, and to let go of the self-consciousness that I feel when I do these things. To strengthen your throat chakra, consider singing out loud when you are in the car alone!

My throat chakra card made itself one day (you know those cards that seem to "just happen") and it took me a while to realize that this was in fact my throat chakra. The realization came in the closing circle of a SoulCollage® retreat I was teaching. I looked down and the joy that emanated from the card combined with the rich experiences of the retreat made me realize I had at last found my true voice.



Catherine Anderson is the author of the book The Creative Photographer.  She trained with Seena Frost as a SoulCollage® facilitator in 2004. In addition to SoulCollage® workshops, Catherine teaches photography, visual art journaling, creativity and bookmaking workshops from her studio in Charlotte, NC. She also teaches in South Africa, at Art & Soul, the John C. Campbell Folk School and will be leading a photography retreat in Orvieto, Italy in 2013. You can visit Catherine at her website. .
 

with SoulCollage® Facilitator, Cat Caracelo

Series of 4 tele-classes
PLUS
10 monthly Full Moon follow up calls in 2012

December 30, 2011 - January 20, 2012

Visit this page now for lots more info!
 

FRANCE 

SoulCollage® in France
Carcassonne, France
May 24-29, 2012
Facilitator: Kat Kirby


Come to a beautiful part of France on the outskirts of Carcassonne and join me for a 6-day SoulCollage® retreat. We will meet in a 200-year-old stone barn, renovated in Art Deco style with 8 comfortable bedrooms, private pool, tennis court, bicycles and home-cooked meals. We will combine our SoulCollage® sessions with a visit to the local market and optional field trips. Whether you are new to SoulCollage® or an experienced Facilitator or Trainer, this retreat might be just what you've been waiting for! You might even want to add a few days before or after our gathering and explore parts of Europe you've always wanted to see. Cost includes everything other than air fare.

Registration Info Here


MASSACHUSETTS

Coming Fully Alive: Awakening the Divine Feminine with SoulCollage® & Altered Art
Westfield, MA
June 14-17, 2012
 
Facilitators: Anne Marie Bennett, Anne Boedecker, Jeanne Marie Merkel


We will use SoulCollage®, journaling, small group sharing, drumming, ceremony, altered books, and card readings in order to embody the innate knowledge of our own feminine power. We'll also create rituals together that bring our deep engagement with our cards and art to life. There will be LOTS of time for card making, sharing our SoulCollage® cards and card making ideas, as well as doing readings with our Decks. No previous artistic experience is necessary. For beginners as well as experienced SoulCollagers. Relax. Renew. Connect. Create. Ahhhh.....

Lots more info here
 

with Facilitator Tamara Brody

Dolphin
Companions Suit
Linda
New York

I am the dolphin, the energy of the second chakra, who communicates with humans and sea creatures by clicking. I am of the sea, my waters are Holy. I am the one who knows how to play and takes things lightly. I know how to explore the depths feelings with my sonar and when to just go with the flow.


 

Pikea ~ Whale Rider/Whale
Dawn Z
New York

I am the one who holds the Records ~ a keeper of the present, past and future. I sing the songs of life. I sing of the cosmos and your existence. I sing of coming together and dissolution. My song is eternal. Ride on my back to the deepest ocean ~a journey of power and peace.




Porpoise- 5th Chakra
Companions Suit
Dot
Pennsylvania

I am one who communicates through my voice... sharing with others what I understand and sometimes sounding the alarm of danger in our midst. Sometimes they listen and sometimes they don't. Sometimes I listen to myself and sometimes I don't. Sometimes my voice cannot be heard because of all of the competing sounds around me. I am one who can dive deep into the silent depths and sing my song in the deep, luminous darkness of my soul. I am also one who can let my spirit soar as I jump so high that I seem to fly. I am one who can almost walk on water, using my tail (tale) to tell others what's going on. I am one who can dance on the surface, singing for joy.




Water Spirit
Companions Suit
Geri
Illinois

I am the one from which life first emerged. I am the stuff that cradles life within and without I fall from above and rise from below I am the one who quenches and purifies.




Beaver – Sacral Chakra
 Companions Suit
Sylvia Switzerland

I am the one who carries large heavy weights, and fells huge trees easily. I am the one who engineers and builds my simple wooden house with love and care, for my family and for those I love. I am the one who feels powerful in my role of home provider.

 

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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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