SoulCollage® Mining the Gold

In the past couple of months I have been fortunate to attend some free art and SoulCollage® classes on-line. SoulCollage® for those who have never heard of it is a creative process that utilizes images to engage your imagination and intuition by creating collages and journaling with your creation. One of the SoulCollage® classes I attended was facilitated by Michele Manos, a facilitator in Arizona. She reminded the group of the Japanese process called Kintsugi which is the art of putting broken pottery pieces back together with gold creating something new and perhaps stronger all the while honoring the flaws and imperfections of this new creation. We were invited to create a SoulCollage® card by first choosing an animal to work with, one that had meaning for us at that moment. I chose a powerful jaguar. We were then instructed to either cut or tear the animal in some way with the thought in mind of putting it back together. I chose to neatly cut the jaguar thus making it easier to put back together. It was a very purposeful cut with lots of thought about the journaling that would come from this visual. I chose to put the leg back to almost touching it’s original position, leaving just enough space to draw in some gold in that area so that I could remember the process of working with the energy of this card. Then, I saw how other people chose to glue their animals on the card in the torn or cut up expression. It was really powerful to see it left this way. After seeing these cards, I knew I wanted to create a card with the pieces left scattered to experience the words that would pour out from this visual. It is truly not my desire to leave things all in tatters, but rather to heal situations, people, animals, etc. So, it is incredibly useful to contemplate the energy that this card portrays. It can aid my own spiritual journey reminding me that not all situations are meant to be healed. Some may be meant to teach a specific thing or are just part of the movie and meant to be observed, nothing to do but observe. Healer heal thyself, be the lighthouse in the middle of the storm lighting pathways when requested. I know this card may be challenging to look at, try to consider what it can teach us on a deeper level. I admit that before I tore up the elephant I thanked it for being a messenger and serving as a teacher.

This is an example of how one might journal with a SoulCollage® card. Keep in mind this is a more challenging card and perhaps not where a person might begin with their SoulCollage® journey, but you never know where you might go on your intuitive journey.

I ask the card: Who are you?

I Am One Who is torn from stem to stern.

I Am One Who destroys or releases that which no longer serves me.

I Am One Who is sometimes really uncomfortable in the midst of destruction.

I Am One Who would rather just quickly heal the wound, but deep in my core there is ancient wisdom that whispers to let the wounds be and let them teach us.

Finally, I ask the card: What gift do you bring?

As you observe the resistance to the changes in your life and the earth, remember that there is always a place like the eye of a storm that is perfectly still and abiding.

Just a quick note that I am a SoulCollage® Facilitator. I am gearing up to share the process on-line. Keep your eyes open for classes where you use scissors, glue, images, intuition and imagination. Please remember that you create your own cards and get to choose which images you use. You can be as light or as challenging as you choose with your cards.