Highlights of this
issue:
Quotation of the Week
Where there once was confusion, may you discover keys.
Where there once were walls, may you discover doors.
Where there once was darkness, may you discover Light.
~ Barbara De Angelis
Soul Friends
The Voice of a Different Kindred Spirit Each
Week
 Karen Regina
Cincinnati, Ohio
Like so many others, I stumbled across SoulCollage® accidentally. A year into retirement, and with plenty of time on my hands, I was searching for a new creative outlet. Writing, I thought; that would be just the ticket. So I scoped out local writing classes; one organization offered numerous courses, but I zeroed in on a listing for something called SoulCollage®. Not my original intention, but it sounded interesting, so I signed up for that instead.
However, when the morning of the first session arrived, I almost didn’t go. It meant venturing across town on a blustery January day and frankly, I was having second thoughts. “You know nothing about doing art,” an inner voice squawked; “you can’t even draw a straight line.” But since I’d already paid for the six sessions, I went. My Higher Self guided me there, despite “someone’s” initial resistance. As soon as I entered the room and noticed the circle of chairs, flowers and stones anchoring the center, images spread out on tables along the walls, and the serene energy, I knew I had found a home. I made no cards that first session, too unsure to paste anything down and make a “mistake.” But I took home multiple images and mat boards and returned to session two with four completed cards to share with the group.
That was January 2014. Fast forward two years; my deck now contains 650 cards. I feel fortunate to have the luxury of both time and space to accommodate my SoulCollage® obsession. I create cards in my home office, where supplies and image files are easily accessible and work space is ample. I store and work with my cards in my meditation room, where two altars hold sacred space and two large dresser drawers hold my cards. Here is where I display and dialogue with my cards and do readings. For multi-card readings like 11-Card Draw, I spread them out on the floor, where they might remain for several days as I ponder their message.
I tackled SoulCollage® with a passion and intensity I hadn’t felt for anything in decades. I became consumed with collecting images, and that quest led me to the public library warehouse. On my first visit, I explained what I needed to the staff person in charge, and she led me to a back room and invited me to take what I wanted from a waist-high bin full of assorted old magazines. Best of all, she offered me - for free - nine huge packing boxes filled with past years of
National Geographic’s. I could barely get all the boxes in my car. What a gift! What sources of inspiration! It took me months to scour those magazines for images while I watched television in the evenings. Among other favorite image-rich magazines are
American Art Collector, Arabella, Hunger, Porter, Reiki News, and Psychology Today. I turn to specialty magazines like
Faerie for unique kinds of images.
A step I took to learn as much as I could about SoulCollage®, one I recommend to others, is reading through every back issue of Soul Songs and Soul Treasures newsletters at Kaleidosoul. I’m still working my way through its audio library sessions. Those resources suggested rich topics for potential cards, so I compiled a list of ideas. When I’m not clear what a new card is about, I look over the list and see if it illustrates any of these topics I’ve been subliminally holding in mind; sometimes, it does. I also get ideas from books and movies. For example, the novel
Illuminations, about Hildegard von Bingen, impacted me at a deep level and spawned four cards. The book
Soul Shifts sparked multiple cards that illustrate concepts taught by the author. I made a Community card to honor Venetian courtesan Veronica Franco, whom I learned about watching the film
Dangerous Beauty; Franco embodied the Aphrodite archetype, which I strongly identify with.
What I like best about SoulCollage® is how it combines art, psychology, and spirituality. I love to play with color, and that guides me in choosing and combining images for cards. If colors match or complement each other, I figure those images belong on the card together. I even have a Color Muse card. Psychologically, SoulCollage® has led me to explore archetypes and the shadow (dark and golden). From Caroline Myss’ Archetype Cards deck, I identified 12 main archetypes active in my life and made cards for each. I gamely made cards that illustrate shadow sides of me like anger, impatience, crabbiness, and stubbornness; these cards shine light on less-than-stellar aspects of me. After reading the book
The Women’s Wheel of Life, I combed through my deck and realized I already had cards that represented most of the 13 stages of a woman’s life; I quickly made cards for the two stages missing from it. Spiritually, SoulCollage® brought my heart and soul back to information I’d studied decades earlier. The Companion suit enriched my understanding of the chakras; I devoted one month to studying each chakra and recognized that many cards in my deck illustrated chakra issues, such as security, power, or communication. I spent months exploring ancient Goddesses and making cards for many of them; they are some of my most beautiful cards (of course; could a Goddess card not be?). I made a series of cards for each of the 22 major arcana of the tarot; by making my own tarot cards, the meanings of these archetypal energies are now clearer and more personal. I also have series of cards for the seasons, the senses, the elements, and spiritual values like faith and grace. For me, most any concept can turn into a card!
SoulCollage® enhances my intuition and brings me greater insights into myself. My first year of SoulCollage®, I made cards in a frenzy. In year two, I slowed down, taking time to dialogue and work with the cards; I took additional classes. As year three of this journey begins, I plan to incorporate Anne Marie’s new book,
Through the Eyes of SoulCollage®, into my practice. I still enroll in online and local face-to-face classes; I enjoy opportunities to read cards with others, as so far none of my friends has turned SoulCollager. I’m not an art therapist, social worker, or Facilitator myself; I’m content to explore this creative process just for me, while occasionally contributing cards to Soul Songs and Daily Oasis and in private Facebook groups. One of the unanticipated blessings of becoming a SoulCollager has been getting to know Anne Marie. That happened because she made mention of singer Josh Groban in one of her newsletters. Being a huge Josh fan myself, I initiated contact with her about him, and we’ve been email buddies ever since. We shared our Josh cards (Community suit) with each other, of course!
Here are three cards I’d like to share:
 The Empress
Council Suit
This card is from my personal tarot series. The Empress is Number 3 in the major arcana.
I am the eternal and maternal Earth Mother, ripe with feminine power.
I am one who is mysterious and intuitive, open and receptive.
I am one allowing life to flow fluidly around me.
I am one who nurtures growth and creativity throughout my Earthly realm.
 Inner Temple of Wisdom
Committee Suit
I had made this card but wasn’t quite sure what it was about until I read the words ‘inner temple of wisdom’ in
Soul Shifts by Barbara DeAngelis and instantly realized that’s what this card represented to me.
I am one crossing the threshold to the sacred temple deep within me where answers await.
I am one who takes time to smell the roses and reflect on what I notice.
I am one whose fire of truth burns brightly.
Clarity
Committee Suit
This card relates to the brow/third eye chakra.
I am one who wants to see with crystal clear clarity.
I am one whose inner eye opens when I sit in quiet contemplation.
I am one becoming a seer, willing to see what there is to see.
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SoulCollage® Idea of the Week
Weave It In
Cut images into strips and then weave them together. Glue vertical strips at tippy top of a mat board before beginning to weave. This technique takes patience but looks amazing. --- Shared by
SoulCollager Angelique in South Carolina
Featured SoulCollage®
Audio
Kairos: The Gift of Timeless Time
with Alia Calendar,
SoulCollage® Facilitator in Washington
Living in a modern culture steeped in what the ancient Greeks called Chronos (the linear world of clocks, deadlines and day timers), we often catch ourselves yearning for a more spacious experience of time. The Greeks also recognized and honored Kairos, the time frame of seasons,cycles, tides, nature, and soul. This tele-class includes a discussion on images and SoulCollage® cards that evoke in us the sense of Kairos. Listen to this recording if you want to stop, slow down, take a breather, and savor the moments of your life (a good way to start a new year!).
Visit this page of the Kindred Spirits section to find this audio now.
Upcoming
Tele-Classes and
Presenters:
March 2016 - Claiming Your Personal Power
with SoulCollage®, with Diane Montgomery, SoulCollage®
Facilitator in Georgia.
April 2016 - Finding the Deep River Within, with
SoulCollage® Facilitator Isabel Phillips in Massachusetts. Stay
tuned for more details.
May 2016 - Connecting with Our Animal Friends, with
SoulCollage® Facilitator Barbara Techel in Wisconsin.
June 2016 - Spirituality and SoulCollage®, with
SoulCollage® Facilitator Joan Stockbridge in California.
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 KALEIDOSOUL'S
GLORIOUS
GIVE-AWAY EXTRAVAGANZA
Every month we'll be giving away several gifts to several
different Kindred Spirits, so be sure to renew your membership on
time which means you are eligible to receive. Winners will be
chosen randomly from the random number generator at random.org. We'll announce all winners
in each month's first issue of Soul Treasures. If you're one
of the lucky winners, we'll send you an email as well, to verify
your address....
Our 7 Glorious Give-Away Gifts for February 2016:
If your Kindred Spirits renewal payment is due this month,
please be sure to send it in by February 29 so you are eligible
for one of these fabulous 7 Gifts.
Our Next Fr*ee Tele-Class
Using SoulCollage® to Heal Your Relationship with Money,
with SoulCollage® Facilitator Minette Riordan in California.
 Join SoulCollage® facilitator and creative business coach Dr. Minette Riordan for a 60-minute tele-class on healing your relationship with money. You will learn what your top 3 Sacred Money Archetypes are and how to align your spiritual and your financial success.
We all have money blind spots that are likely causing an "invisible ceiling" on our income. Surprisingly, this invisible ceiling exists at every income level. Breaking free from these blind spots will help to remove any limits on your financial freedom and inner worth.
Minette will share how we can use the intuitive process of SoulCollage® to work with our Sacred Money Archetypes so that we can transform our relationship with money, empower our voice when discussing money in any situation, discover key areas where we may be giving away our power with money, and identify steps we can take to own our value, with confidence and clarity.
To prepare for this class:
1. Take the Sacred Money Archetypes Quiz online
2. Then read through the descriptions of your top 3 archetypes.
3. Find three images that represent the energy of each of your top 3 Sacred Money Archetypes. If you have time to make cards for each one, that is wonderful but not required.
4. Please have a notebook and pen with you for the tele-class along with the descriptions of your top 3 archetypes and 3 images
5. It's perfectly okay to just call-in and listen if you don't have time to do the prep work beforehand, but the class will be more helpful to you if you can.
Date: Saturday, February 6 2016
Phone number to call: 1-605-475-6333
Access code: 58111#
Time:
4 pm Eastern, 3 p.m. Central,
2 p.m. Mountain, 1 p.m. Pacific,
11 a.m. Hawaiian, 9 p.m. in London,
Sunday 7 a.m. in Melbourne Australia,
and Sunday 10 a.m. in New Zealand
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Upcoming SoulCollage® Online Workshop
February - April 2016
On our life-journey, we often explore the themes of how to mother ourselves, how to return from the deep, how to grieve and how to
move into wisdom.
Through the resonate myth-journey of Demeter, Persephone and Hecate, facilitator Cat Caracelo, with her daughter Darcy Lubow, will lead a deep exploration into
rebirthing the divine within ourselves.
Kindred Spirits save $50
Use Coupon Code: wayfinding (no caps, no spaces)
Visit this page now for lots more information.
Upcoming SoulCollage® Facilitator
Trainings
 These
beautiful retreat centers are the perfect setting for learning how
to Facilitate SoulCollage® in your own communities. Join us at one
of these Trainings and you will get a lovely sense of community as
well as a deeper understanding of the SoulCollage® process and how
to facilitate groups and individual sessions. There is so much
information packed into this unique weekend experience, and when
you leave on Sunday afternoon, you will have a Certificate
declaring that you are a "SoulCollage®
Facilitator."
ENGLAND with Linda Woolfson, MA, PhD
April 21-24, 2016
Hawkwood College, Gloucestershire, England
Visit
this page for more information.
ILLINOIS with Audrey Chowdhury
May 20-22, 2016
Springfield, IL
This is the first time we are offering a training in this centrally
located area: easily accessible from St. Louis, MO or Chicago! If
you have never been here, plan to take some time before or after
the training to visit the home of Abraham Lincoln and his tomb in
historic Springfield.
Visit this page for more information.
MASSACHUSETTS with Anne Marie Bennett
September 7-11, 2016
Westfield, MA
9 month payment plan
Visit this page for
more information.
PORTUGAL with Linda Woolfson, MA, PhD
October 20-23, 2016
Hotel Baía, Cascais
Visit
this page for more information now.
Thinking of attending a Facilitator
Training?
Visit this page for more
information.
Upcoming SoulCollage® Retreats
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.
MASSACHUSETTS
Pieces of You: Fitting Your Life Together with SoulCollage®
Westfield, MA
May 7-8, 2016
Facilitator: Anne Marie Bennett, John Pacheco
Since 2009, SoulCollage® Facilitator Michele Manos has been creating and sharing meaningful ways to explore your SoulCollage® deck as a whole - honoring and integrating your ever-evolving aspects. These "Card Games" offer an understanding of the cards' intricate relationships. Ideas for new cards come forth, as do new perspectives on old ones. Through storytelling from her own deck, Michele will provide group and individual instruction - with ample time to explore your deck, journal, make cards and share. You'll learn new ways to utilize your deck as a supportive resource for embracing life's challenges and as a powerful tool for inner balance. This retreat is intended for Facilitators as well as for experienced SoulCollagers who have a lot of cards that are mostly categorized into suits.
Visit this page for more information now.
MASSACHUSETTS
Playing with a Full Deck: Deepening Your SoulCollage® Practice
Westfield, MA
September 2-3, 2016
Facilitator: Michele Manos
Since 2009, SoulCollage® Facilitator Michele Manos has been creating and sharing meaningful ways to explore your SoulCollage® deck as a whole - honoring and integrating your ever-evolving aspects. These "Card Games" offer an understanding of the cards' intricate relationships. Ideas for new cards come forth, as do new perspectives on old ones. Through storytelling from her own deck, Michele will provide group and individual instruction - with ample time to explore your deck, journal, make cards and share. You'll learn new ways to utilize your deck as a supportive resource for embracing life's challenges and as a powerful tool for inner balance. This retreat is intended for Facilitators as well as for experienced SoulCollagers who have a lot of cards that are mostly categorized into suits.
Visit this page for more information now.
Soul Nourishment
(Resources for SoulCollagers)
WEBSITES
 Simply Grace - A vibrant, organic, sustainable, sincere, purpose driven community and brand which mindfully fuses and integrates women’s intrinsic values (inner beauty) with their extrinsic values through an abundant generosity of grace. Women are longing for sincere authentic connections with communities who embrace them emotionally and spiritually. Simply Grace honors diversity of faith and experience by providing a sacred space of compassion, kindness, love, respect and no-judgment. In this beautiful community we honor ourselves, each another and God in whatever ways honors you.
SoulCollage® & the Spiritual Journey - This is a fabulous article by SoulCollage® Facilitator Joan Stockbridge in California. It’s not very long so do spend a few minutes absorbing its wisdom this week.
Seena Frost on Aging - Here’s a beautiful video from our own dear Seena Frost, on graceful aging, a topic that is becoming near and dear to my heart.
MUSIC
 Once In A Red Moon - by Secret Garden. A friend of mine sent me this for my birthday a few years ago. I had never heard of them, but now I'm addicted! Here's the official description:
The duo of Irish violinist Fionnuala Sherry and pianist-composer Rolf Lovland refine their specialty of making classical/contemporary/Celtic mini-epics in small orchestral and choral settings. Moreover, each piece elicits reflection, celebration, or atonement with the divine.
There are many e-courses at
Daily Om that are relevant and interesting to SoulCollagers. Go ahead and browse around. There are classes on Animal Guides, getting to know yourself, meditation, Spirit, guided meditations and more. Their daily emails are also right on target, short and inspiring. I highly recommend this site.
One of the best things about these e-courses is that you get to choose how much you pay for each one, starting at $1.00 and going up. There are also classes here by people you know, including Debbie Ford and Deepak Chopra!
Visit this page
to find out more now.
InnerSurprises
- Anne Marie's blog with an intimate look into her SoulCollage®
Deck.
SoulSongs
- Complimentary monthly newsletter. Each one has a theme, 4-5 cards
from SoulCollagers around the world, plus an article by Anne Marie
Bennett and another SoulCollage® Facilitator
Trainer.
The January issue
is all about Doorways.
KaleidoSoul
Community Yahoo Group - This is a safe space where
you can connect with other SoulCollagers, post your cards (only if
you want to) and ask your questions.
SoulTreasures is brought to you by
KaleidoSoul.com,
Spinning the fragments of your world
into wholeness and beauty
through
SoulCollage®.
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 card maker's 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
of sharing the card maker's 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.
Soul Treasures is published by
KaleidoSoul.com and Anne Marie
please do not reproduce or forward this newsletter in
anyway.
Inner Journeys,
copyright 2015,
by Anne Marie Bennett.
All rights reserved.
To give us feedback, we invite you to send a reply email to this
message.
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