Good Health-I'll drink to that!

Whew! January.
I survived frosted cookies, egg nog, fruitcake, and yummy pies.
Now I'm ready to think about repairing the damage. I know not everyone goes overboard during the holidays--just most of us.

This card by Anne Marie Bennet reminds me that healthy eating can be just as beautiful as something smothered in chocolate.

NOURISH-
I am the one who knows how to nourish myself, who drinks deeply from the bowl of life and never worries about the bowl being empty. I am the one who easily says, "Enough."

On her website Anne Marie has several cards relating to eating, body image and weight loss. She suggests that everyone could benefit by making a SoulCollage card for "I am the one who knows how to nourish myself". Of course this is not just about food.

Winter Solstice

Today is Winter Solstice. From Garrison Keillor's Writer's Almanac comes this: In the northern hemisphere, today is the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year and the longest night. It's officially the first day of winter and one of the oldest known holidays in human history. Anthropologists believe that solstice celebrations go back at least 30,000 years, before humans even began farming on a large scale. The stone circles of Stonehenge were arranged to receive the first rays of midwinter sun.

Last night our SoulCollage group here in Ashland, Oregon, celebrated with a huge bonfire. The ancients believed this would encourage the sun to return. We mostly wanted to stay warm.

The fire was incredibly beautiful. Sparks flew into the damp air. There were billows of golden smoke which occationally burst into flame. We had light enough to share SoulCollage cards around our fire.

It is a joy to share this Council card by Leslie Primus. Leslie began SoulCollage at one of our SoulCollage Adventure workshops last spring and recently joined our monthly group. Her card beautifully depicts the extremes of this season. Here are Leslie's words in speaking from her card.

I am the one who represents inner knowing, balance, and alighnment of the chakras.
I am the one who uses the elements to bring forth that inner knowing.
I am the one who brings joy, light, reverence--the feminine aspect of God.

Floating in flowers

This card could also be called "fun with fatigue". I was in a very low energy space recently and realized that I just needed to rest. What a concept--resting as a natural response to a busy day (life?). This idea has been discussed recently by several friends. Could be catching on.

I am the one who is completely out of her mind.
I am the one cradled by beauty.
I am the one at peace.

Since starting this blog I've been confonded by how to put my text along side of photos. My brilliant daughter Sally (Harvard, class of 1984) started a blog last week, Martinology, and figured it out in 5 minutes. People used to need kids to help out on the farm; now we need them to explain the latest technology.

Molly Gordon

This is my community suit card for Molly Gordon. Molly is a coach for artists and the like who want to know how to market themselves authentically. She offers a great newsletter and has begun a blog. I've taken several of her classes and found them interesting and inspiring. I have her e-book Authentic Promotion. The work I've done with her has not been to learn to market--it's been to work with an enthusiastic, smart, savy teacher who models the way I want to live my life.

I am the one who is full of ideas.
I am the one who likes challenges--most of the time.
I am the one who delights in creating--with words as well as fabric.
I am the one who loves to learn.
Learn more about Simply Silence, the Timer with Soul

Learning to love brokeness

Learning to love brokeness

This amazing card is by Sheila Filan (my friend and SoulCollage Adventure business partner). Sheila is a surface design artist, paper maker, dancer, martial artist, gourmet cook and cat lover. She has struggled through some painful break-ups this past year and is healthier and stronger as a result. Recently she made this card and spoke about it.

I am the one who loves wholeness but is learning to appreciate the value of brokenness.
I am the one who loves things to be smooth but also am fascinated with transparency and rough edges.

Asked about the core meaning/energy of the card she said, "When you are being really authentic there is no way to control the outcome of what happens".

The card is a beautiful example of the intuitive use of images to clarify and heal life's painful tumbles. Our group heard Sheila's comments on the card and added some of our own. There was a sense that this card spoke for us all and that it was probably a Council card. Let it nourish you as it did us.

A rich, new resource

Pause by Anne Marie Bennett

I am the one who pauses at the gate, who is drawn to quiet empty spaces, who thrives on time alone.

Anne Marie Bennett, on the east coast, has just produced an incredible website, KaleidoSoul. It augments the "official" SoulCollage website offered by Seena Frost and Kylea Taylor. Both are wonderful ways to see SoulCollage cards; get information, insights and information; and order helpful products.

Anne Marie has several freebies you will want to check out. Her newsletter will be presenting a column by Karen Mann. I have had several of Karen's cards on this blog. Scroll down for the beautiful card "fearless" (April). Karen is encouraging, warm, and offers a refreshing perspective from Down Under. Can't wait to read her first offering.

Anne Marie is also offering an e-course (free!) called Wisdom for the Journey. I just read my
first installment. I loved the SoulCollage card featured on it. It is "Pause" shown above. If your e-mail basket is not too overflowing, getting daily inspiration could be a delight. You'll find the sign-up on the newletter page.

I am the one who answers the call.

Warrior - Iraq by Sara Post

Sara Post, a SoulCollage facilitator from Davis, California, tells of her experience exploring the archetype of the Warrior.

Here is what she says about her own Warrior card, pictured above.

"This particular warrior card is directly connected to the war in Iraq. I had no idea that I was going to make this card. I know now that the war has been unconsciously very painful for me. I think one of the most disturbing ironies--and there are many--is the fact that soldiers are in frequent contact with their families, by cell phone or email and yet for those of us without a relative involved in the conflict, the war has been conducted essentially without personal sacrifice or really much awareness....This card is for remembering; for remembering those who are now in Iraq; for remembering those who are managing to maintain a life at home--both acutely aware of the threat of death or injury, both living each day and fulfilling whatever is demanded. "I am the one who answers the call."

Here is what Sara says about the group's card making experience of the Warrior. It ends with one action available to all.

"Several weeks ago a small group met in a SoulStudio workshop to explore the archetype of the warrior. We really had no idea what to expect, but with our national situation vis a vis the warrior archetype, we felt impelled to dig deeper, to find our own relationship to warrior energy, to find the interface of our personal reflections of this archetype with wider social events.
After some reflection on how the warrior operates as an archetype, we moved to card making. When we laid our cards out at the end of the session we were stunned by how broadly and deeply we had explored the territory.

Initially we examined cards that evoked the warrior's courage and awareness on a personal level in struggles with health/emotional/family issues. We then moved on to cards that called forth the warrior in the social sphere, associated with activism--affirming and fighting for causes we believe in. We realized we often (far too often) feel blocked or frustrated when confronted with national or global problems.

Yet because the warrior does call us to action, we continued to look for a way or practice. One particularly contemplative card led us to this: the affirmation or prayer for enemies. It is a daily practice that though extremely simple is said to be very effective. It a form of metta meditation— opening the heart to all.


This is a prayer/affirmation for another person when you are feeling estranged from that person, or have a problem with that person. Pray for 30 consecutive days—three times each day. If you miss a day, start the 30 days again. Pray the following prayer:

Thank you for _______________. Thank you for all the good that ________________ has done for me. Forgive me for the things that I have done to harm or hurt __________________. Bless ____________________ this day and make ___________________ very happy.

Repeat this affirmation whether you feel the things or not. Do not try to see if it is working. Leave the results to God/the universe.
Believe that blessing is available for all, including the one(s) who you have trouble with. Know that love is not dependent upon human understanding. Use this prayer/meditation/affirmation as a discipline and leave the results to powers greater than ourselves.

Comments

If you wish to comment on Sara's warrior post, do so here.

Pawpaw

J C Teague, my Pawpaw - Community suit

My dad's father was pretty old when I was born. He died when I was about 5 or 6 years old. What I remember most about him was him standing in our living room with his hands behind his back. I knew he had a surprise for us (my sister Barrie and me). It was often a book. I was a little young to understand Alice in Wonderland, but I loved the pictures.

I am the one who holds the past , steady, for you.
I am the one who offers you journeys into your own imagination.
I am the one who becomes more real as you grow older.

Recently I was given some wonderful photos of buildings J C had done in his younger years, years before he met and married Bessie, my grandmother. It has added dimension to my knowing him. I wanted to include them on this card, but they just didn't fit. You can see them on my blog Show Off! There also is a picture I love of my dad, Gordon, holding me. We are standing outside the window shown on this card.

In honor of Lyn

Death - Council


I am posting this card tonight to honor the passing of Lyn S. -- a member of our SoulCollage family. I did not have the privilege of knowing Lyn personally, so she is like a beloved cousin I never got to meet. She traveled into SoulCollage ahead of me and now has gone further still. My blessings to her, her family and all those whose lives she has touched.