Issue #211 - January 2023 |
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Greetings, and welcome to Soul Songs, the official KaleidoSoul Newsletter, focusing on SoulCollage® ideas, resources and cards. Our intention is to fill each issue (and your life) with inspiration, soul-solace and delight. Whether you are new to SoulCollage®, or already immersed in the creation of your deck, Soul Songs is for you!
Please feel free to forward this newsletter to any friends, colleagues, or family members who will enjoy it.
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Hi! I'm Anne Marie, the creator of KaleidoSoul.com, and a SoulCollage® Facilitator in Massachusetts and worldwide online. This column is all about presenting ways to get your soul singing with the deep, wide, wonder-full process that is SoulCollage®. |
The Archetype of Belonging |
If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.
~ Mother Teresa
According to vocabulary.com, belonging is a sense of fitting in or feeling like you are an important member of a group. Synonyms include: connection, inclusion, relationship, kinship, association, rapport. In my early years, I found a deep sense of belonging to my family of origin, my group of best friends, the library staff where I worked, and the Girl Scout troops that I joined. In college I was part of several groups but the one that issued me a true feeling of belonging was the Women’s Glee Club. Later, I was given the gift of belonging to a wonderful elementary school staff in small-town Virginia, a welcoming Episcopal church, and a Bible study group made up of several friends from various faiths.
I’ve also belonged to the organizations that I worked for over the years: a national educational software company, two book store staffs, a computer learning center, and the local regional music theatre staff which became my second family for ten years.
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Is this reminding you of all the places you’ve belonged over the years? I hope so, because belonging is one of the basic requirements in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. We need the comfort of love and belonging in order to continue to grow as humans. If we aren’t given even the most basic sense of belonging, of connection, of kinship, of inclusion, then our personal and spiritual growth is stymied.
I also remember times when I convinced myself that I didn’t belong; times when I isolated, creating my own inner suffering and misery. Most notably was the year I moved from Virginia to Boston—not knowing a soul—to start a new job. Another time I felt overwhelmed with the sense of not belonging was during my forties in what I now call “The Stepfamily Years.” My husband had three young children from his first marriage and they had a bond that did not include me. Those were difficult years for me; my self-esteem was at its lowest ebb.
Was I really alone when I moved to Boston? Of course not. I had friends and I still belonged to my family of origin; there were nieces and nephews, brothers and parents to whom I still belonged. Did my husband and his children purposely exclude me? No way! Did they actually think I didn’t belong with them? They did not, nor do they to this day. I am the one who allowed myself to feel disconnected and alone.
Thinking back on those two chapters of my life, I become aware of the compassionate outreach of others who made an effort to include me: the teachers whose computer labs I was consulting in when I moved to Boston, and later—during the stepfamily years—the second family that I found at the theatre where I was lucky enough to work. Looking back, I can see the archetype of capital-B Belonging at work in my life through those who made connections with me during those difficult, lonely times.
I encourage you to look back on your own life at those times when you might have felt a sense of not belonging. How was the archetype of Belonging at work through others who reached out to you, who made you feel at home?
Also, take a look around the current landscape of your own life. Is there someone who might be feeling like they don’t belong? Whether it’s a friend, relative, or just the bagger at your local grocery store, how might you allow yourself to be used by the archetype of Belonging to offer connection and inclusion to this person?
This month, consider spending some time reflecting on the archetype of Belonging. What does it mean to you? How does it feel when you truly belong and when you don’t belong? How have you helped others into a sense of belonging? How has the theme of Belonging played itself out in your life? Consider seeking out images for this very important personal and societal archetype. Create a card for it and allow its wisdom to permeate your life.
The SoulCollage® card that you see at the top of this column is one I created after my second cancer journey in 2011-12. For me, it symbolizes the archetype of belonging, represented by our international SoulCollage® community. I’ve known I was a part of this community ever since I found the practice and became a Facilitator in 2005, but the support I received (through emails, cards, prayers, and energy) during my cancer journey cemented this fact in every cell of my body, and played a huge part in my recovery.
Take a look at my card. Imagine yourself at the center of it. Know that you belong here also. You are the one who belongs.
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Anne Marie Bennett is a SoulCollage® Facilitator / Trainer, published author, website goddess, and two-time cancer survivor 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 web 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, one adolescent feline, and a treasury of birds, squirrels and chipmunks who keep them hopping. Her books about SoulCollage® are available here.
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90-minute SoulCollage® Zoom
with SoulCollage® Facilitator
Dee Relyea from Wisconsin
Date: Sunday, January 15, 2023
Time: 1 pm Eastern
FR*EE for our
Only $10 for non-members
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SoulCollage® as
an Act of Belonging
Love lift us up where we belong
Where the eagles cry
On a mountain high
~ Buffy Saint-Marie
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A sense of belonging is a core human need. Cornell University defines it: Belonging is the feeling of security and support when there is a sense of acceptance, inclusion, and identity for a member of a certain group. Indeed, it’s wonderful to feel welcomed and honored as we are.
SoulCollage® is an act of belonging. Exploring the paradox of the One and the Many, we find “belongings” and interconnections. Our entourage of Neters belongs uniquely to us, and we have a sense of belonging with them. We’re a part of Source and the unique spark of Source that “belongs” to us becomes our SoulEssence card. We have cards for people or places to which we belong. Council archetypes may belong to us, and we may belong to them as their emissaries.
As we build and consult a SoulCollage® deck, we embrace our whole and complete identity. Whether honoring a stellar trait or a less admirable habit, we create a sense of security and support for our authentic self. We can distinguish what belongs to us from what is not ours to carry. Also, we may rediscover what’s ours and bring it back where it belongs.
Your inner story belongs in Committee. These cards reflect a spectrum of unique aspects including personality, skills, roles, and child parts. This suit holds the opportunity to reconnect with overlooked pieces of our past, such as abandoned dreams or abilities we’d forgotten. We may choose to welcome, heal, and perhaps repurpose childhood experiences that belong to our life story.
It may be challenging to accept that certain traits belong to us. Yet it’s exhausting to deny entry to such authentic aspects, whether shadowed or brightly shining. Fortunately, an uncomfortable energy can often be diffused by simply inviting it to be where it belongs. I share here my recently made my “Depression” card, a single image that captivated me with joy. What a relief to give it a sense of belonging! Its first words were “thank you for giving me some dedicated time.”
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Explore your Committee for any Neters that don’t truly belong there. They may no longer feel relevant, in which case you might retire them. Or perhaps they belong in another suit; sometimes the card is really reflecting someone else (perhaps a parent or a sibling) or the larger, less personal energy of an archetype.
Council has universal, archetypal energies that belong in your story. While archetypal energies are collective, our Council suits are unique to us. It’s useful to identify which energies really belong in our Council. Check whether they each represent an archetype of specific importance to you. Perhaps some were created in a thematic workshop and are interesting, but not particularly relevant to you. Those cards could be repurposed or retired. Also, try to identify at least one archetype that belongs, but is not included yet. This may be an intimidating force such as Destroyer or an unrecognized ally such as Grief. Or it may balance a dominant archetype in your Council. I share here the duo of my Destroyer and Creator Neters, perhaps my most influential Council cards. They are singularly powerful but belong together for maximum impact!
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Who belongs in your Community suit? Let’s first recall who doesn’t belong: anyone toxic or harmful to your well-being. But other challenging influencers from throughout your life can serve in your deck. You might review your Community cards and your life’s influencers to see who’s missing. When you and a difficult Neter are ready, you can reap valuable insights. I have recently been talking with my stern, unapproachable grandfather Community Neter – I am now better able to understand his family dynamics and, in turn, my father’s strengths and struggles.
Don’t forget that places belong in Community. I suspect there are locations where you have felt an overwhelming sense of belonging. Do you have cards for those places yet?
Companions find where they belong in mysterious ways. Your animal helpers may have come to you in a dream, or a guided meditation, or the physical world. They are acknowledged as Companions because you have accepted that their energy belongs within you as a beneficial resource. They have volunteered their powers to be embodied in a specific chakra or in some other way within you. Ideally, there is a mutual sense of belonging with your special friends, the Companions.
Remember, your SoulCollage® deck belongs to YOU. Seena Frost (the beloved founder of SoulCollage®) often reminded us that our cards and deck need to “work for” us, thus she offered guidance rather than rules. So, please continue your SoulCollage® journey of belonging as best serves you. Remember to have fun along the way!
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Dr. Michele Manos lives in Marin County, California and is the developer of SoulCollage® Card Games and Playing with a Full Deck Retreats. She trained as a Facilitator in 2008 with Seena Frost and has enthusiastically shared the magic of SoulCollage® ever since. Learn about her upcoming virtual gatherings and courses on her web page. Deepen your practice at Michele’s retreat “SoulCollage® as Symphony” March 3-5 in Marin County.
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SoulCollage® & Your Senses of Humor
with Linda Woolfson, Facilitator/Trainer
February 2 – 23, 2023
- Revel in discovering dynamic new connections between SoulCollage® and your unique senses of humor
- Be supported as you let your senses of humor come out to play through SoulCollage®
- Let SoulCollage® reveal to you the joys of your unique comedic soul (even if you don't think you have one!)
code to save $20.00!
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Here are some of our readers' cards on the theme of the Archetype of Belonging. |
Holding Hands and Hearts
Companions Suit
Karen
Oregon
I am One who holds the hands and hearts of my loved ones. We work and play best together.
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Team Work
Committee Suit
Karen
Oregon
I am the one who enjoys working with others to create lasting value. I’m part of the team.
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Faith Community
Community Suit
Natalie
Colorado
We are the ones who support and nurture you in your faith development. We encourage you to explore your personal spiritual path while giving you a deep sense of belonging to a beloved community. We offer you both solace and joy throughout your life's journey.
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Heart Chakra Companion
Companions Suit
Anne Marie
Massachusetts
I am the Companion who resides in your heart. I am the one who teaches you about opening your heart to others. I am the one who reminds you of those in your life who have opened their hearts to you. You are loved. You are beloved. Your open heart teaches you much about belonging.
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The Individualist
Committee Suit
Jo
Australia
I am the one who challenges you about the contradiction of how you wanted to blend in and now you do your utmost to stand out in different ways by what you wear, the way you look, the ideas you espouse, etc. Is it important to you to show the world how much you don’t belong? Are you proud to be thought of as The Rebel?
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The Listener
Council Suit
Kayle
Michigan
I Am the One Who hears your story. I listen without judgment and I hear your brokenness.
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Together, Not Alone
Committee Suit
Anne Marie
Massachusetts
I am the one who chooses to let go of the old belief that I have to do everything by myself. I am the one who loves being part of a group. I am the one who is stronger because I consciously choose the places where I belong.
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Belonging
Committee Suit
Dot
Pennsylvania
I am one who belongs. I am one who belongs to a Small Group Ministry group at my Unitarian Universalist congregation. I am one who is held in love; listened to, and supported by our SGM members. I am one who is also held in love by the Spirit of Life, whose folds me in an eternal circle of Love. I am one who is lucky to belong and to be loved.
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Please feel free to submit one of your cards for a future issue by sending a reply email to this newsletter.
Future themes include:
February: Compassion
March: Goddesses
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Noteworthy resources for anyone interested in SoulCollage®
KaleidoSoul - Spinning the fragments of your world into wholeness and beauty through SoulCollage®.
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The Great Big SoulCollage® Archetype Adventure of 2023
A magical, informative, experiential deep dive
into the mysterious realm of archetypes
via the SoulCollage® Council Suit
* 7 Months *
8 Facilitators
* 20+ Archetypes *
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This all-new, totally-unique SoulCollage® Zoom series is for you if . . .
… you are curious about archetypes and want to know how they are active in your life today
… you are ready to learn, discover, and explore the depths of your own SoulCollage® deck, particularly the mysterious Council suit
Save 50%
Use the special Kindred Spirits payment button when you register.
You can pay in full or make 7 small monthly pays.
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Creative Writing with SoulCollage®
with Kimberly Lee, Facilitator
February 2 – 23, 2023
Looking for a unique way to bolster your creativity and infuse your writing projects with new energy? Join Kimberly for four fun weeks of writing with SoulCollage®! Participants will create a new SoulCollage® card each week, then use the new card with imaginative writing prompts. With attention to point of view, setting, themes, and other considerations, you'll come away with exciting elements for a new or existing card!
code to save $15.00!
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CALIFORNIA
SoulCollage® in Symphony:
Honoring Inner Harmonies
San Rafael, California
March 3-5, 2023
Facilitator: Michele Manos
Find deeper meaning in your full deck of SoulCollage® cards and create new cards from a bounty of images. In surprising ways, discover how your many parts and life experiences have formed you. Meet archetypal energies that manifest within you, people in your life, and your cards. Explore life’s tempos to identify yet-unrecognized influences that continue to impact your well-being. With a guided reading, consult a quartet of Neters to guide a future endeavor. Throughout the weekend, try intriguing short-forms of poetry to honor the essence of your discoveries. This retreat in beautiful Marin County is for experienced SoulCollagers, including Facilitators.
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ITALY
Magical SoulCollage® Retreat in Damanhur
Cuceglio, Italy
June 4-10, 2023
Facilitator: Lucy Schaaphok
Are you ready to transform your life into something magical? Damanhur is the place to be as you reach with your soul for your higher goals. Nowhere in the world you will find a place like this with so much knowledge, art, the Temples of Humankind, and the special energy. We will work intensively with the different Temple halls; each Temple is unique with a specific, dedicated energy and meaning. Combined with SoulCollage® we will dive deep into our own inner magical places and make our lives even more inspiring, magical and uplifting.
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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®,
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.
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All articles in SOUL SONGS are copyrighted 2023,
by Anne Marie Bennett, Cat Caracelo, Linda Woolfson,
Michaela Daystar, or Michele Manos.
Articles may be reprinted by permission only.
Image of singing birds Copyright: Kudryashka from Deposit Photos.
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