Sacred Contracts

Chart of Origin created according to the method given in Sacred Contracts: Awakening Your Divine Potential by Caroline Myss (the title links to amazon.co.uk see amazon.com for the same book in the US).

All the images used here are ones created with creative commons licenses that allow remixing. Their attributions will be given with bigger versions of the cards as I describe them.

I forget all the different things that were signaling me to get this book - but I listened and ordered it. CM says that we only have 12 archetypes so rather than mix these cards in with all my other SoulCollage® "archetypes" (currently about 60 in my pack!) I've made a special suit for them. A suit of Guardians.

CM sees everyone as having the following four archetypes, whether you want them or not:

• Child - there are a variety to choose from: Orphan, Wounded, Magical/Innocent, Nature, Divine, Eternal Boy/Girl - the Child is your Guardian of Innocence
• Victim - the Guardian of Self-Esteem
• Prostitute - the Guardian of Faith
• Saboteur - the Guardian of Choice

My other eight primary archetypes, the ones I chose for myself, are:

1. Goddess
2. Artist
3. Seer
4. Liberator
5. Wounded Healer
6. Pioneer
7. 21st Century Shaman
8. Well-Wisher

CM has for some reason associated each of these 12 with a 12 house model that is used in astrology - not something I know much about. She suggests that to find one's "chart of origin" one puts the names of the 12 onto pieces of paper in one pile and the numbers 1-12 on 12 more pieces in another pile then with due ceremony (see the book for details) pull a number and an archetype from each pile. So this process has less to do with astrology and more to do with synchronicity which is something I love!

I used both the archetype and its house to inspire the making of my twelve guardian cards.

House 1 - Ego and Personality

(Remix of: Mary, Queen of the World by Sighthound, The Brimstone by dippybiscuit, Brimstone Side by Strange Ones)
I was surprised to find that my Goddess energy ended up in the house of my Ego. But it really is a good way to help me understand some of the clashes of personality that I've had...

One of my reasons for choosing it as one of my twelve was that when my mother named me she called me "Caroline Diana Felicity" with the Diana part being specifically after the Goddess Diana. So perhaps in this respect I did already identify with a certain Goddess energy.

It has made me warier than ever about things which are likely to over build my ego - I'm on an introspective path (hence the reflection I put in here) but the idea of that is to know oneself better, not to be egotistical.

House 2 - Life Values

(Remix of copying Monet (West Wing) by robin.elaine and A rainbow of dyes , Pots of colour , and Coloured dyes all by Dey)

I was delighted that Artist came up here!

One of the things CM says about this house is it indicates what one most needs to feel grounded. And I already knew that making art is one of those things.

It is also the house that is meant to show one's appreciation for the physical nature of life - and looking at things with an artist's eye certainly does that for me.

And aren't those tins and bags of pigment yummy!

House 3 - Self-Expression and Siblings

(Remix of Rusty Plumb-Bob by apes_abroad , run, caroline, run by magullo, reflective balls by goandgo, microphone by Leo Reynolds )

This is where Seer turned up.

I see my Seer energy as being that which guides me even when I don't really understand why I'm going the way that I am.

It does make the expression difficult though... when I did maths, finding the answer was always much easier than explaining the reasoning... mathematicians are notorious for saying "clearly so and so" which means that they know the answer is right but it'll take the whole lecture to prove that step if you question it!

I don't know yet how to relate this to my siblings. Maybe not directly.

House 4 - Home

(he haunts me ... by k-girl , Sydän (Heart) by mwri, Annie's Corset by spaceninja, {dpad} is heart obsessed by {dpade1337}, lock and key by Zoe52 - tiny green blob is Relaxation Teacher)

In the fourth house, the house of home the first of the compulsory four came up - Saboteur - the guardian of choice.

Certainly early on in my life I was aware all too often of the truism that we hurt those we love the most. And in my past relationships with partners (prior to Jim) I certainly backed myself into corners with no way out... except the drastic one of leaving which of course in the end I did...

I've put Relaxation Teacher into this card as the place I most need to learn to relax in, as its the one I spend most time in, is my home. Also the place, again as I'm here more than elsewhere, that I'm most likely to sabotage myself...

House 5 - Creativity and Good Fortune


(Remix of Nagahama Hachimangu well by MShades and four leaf clover by Greencolander)

Here is where Liberator appeared. I see Liberator in terms of one day becoming enlightened (whatever that means) and helping others to become so too.

Luck is an energy that I've become aware of over the last few years - Jim and I have an equal number of premium bonds but very, very different track records with our wins. I'm not sure how to improve one's luck consistently - but I'm working on it!

Having made this card the encased four-leaf clover looks a lot like a slice of lime being added to a drink!

House 6 - Occupation and Health

(Remix of: when's the last time you played THIS? by nats, Lynn's Star Circle by Fort Photo , Pole Star by daita)

Now this is where I started to sit up and pay attention.

I'd already had to come to terms with CM's description of what a Wounded Healer is - something I'd always refused to even read about before because I disliked the name so much! - but I got into Health Kinesiology and other subsequent therapies because I was ill and I slowly became aware that the only way to get myself better was to treat myself.

The biggest problem, from the point of view of this house system, is that the training I've had requires me to get "energy permission" to work on others - and currently I'm not getting that in the standard context of 1-1 - I do get it for distance work in general though not very everyone (that's one of the reasons for checking in the first place - not everyone is ready to accept healing even if they have asked for it).

These images of stars that I've put in are to show life paths... and how following several is beginning to show me where the still point in the middle might lie.

House 7 - Marriage and Relationships

(Trailblazer by AlbinoFlea www.flickr.com/photos/albinoflea/. Also the Eagle Nebula by NASA. The very small image in the upper right is my Council-As-One card.)

Now this one I really don't understand - this is Pioneer and its come up under Marriage and Relationships...

The best I can do is to refer to the test of one's political leanings that Andrea posted yesterday - I came out as the Dalai Lama and Jim came out as Nelson Mandela - clearly a marriage made in heaven!

On the image I was searching for images that had something to do with pioneers and when I saw this footprint it felt exactly right - I've no idea why yet.


House 8 - Other People's Resources

(Remix of rosita by schaaflicht, Empathy by Lastexit, double-helix-coin-060422 by rabinal, TWO POUNDS by Leo Reynolds, Heart with Flowers Pendant by Bob.Fornal )

Here is another of the standard four - the Victim - guardian of self-esteem.

"Other People's resources" are explicitly defined to include one's genetic heritage and any other form of inheritance (or not) that one might have.

I see one of the values of victim in this house as a way to have empathy with others.


House 9 - Spirituality


(Remix of Hand prints by Xipe Totec39 and berlin bar by julkastro)

And here in the house associated with spirituality is my 21st Century Shaman - hurray!

I see the 21st Century Shaman as a newly emerging archetype that consciously draws on all the energies of shaman throughout the ages and world-wide - finding a way to make these spirituality experiences available and relevant to the 21st century.

A good placement!



House 10 - Highest Potential

(Remix of Wishes to Buddha by Suviko and Chorten and Ama Dablam by Sam Judson)

This is my Well-Wisher - one who inspires distance healing. And this has come out as my highest potential!

Well-Wisher is not a standard archetype. I put it in because long ago I got a strong message that one of the things I would one day be able to do is wish for others. So far this has been translating into doing some distance healing. And just like wishes in fairy tales it has to be very specific - not just sending good thoughts but well identified energies.

I think all those coins that have missed the fountain show just how many goes its taking to get it right.



House 11 - Relationship to the World

(Remix of Pieces of Tibet by lecercle, Our World by MarkyBon, Leap by amortize, Astronomical Clock by simpologist. The bottom of the small images on the right is a mini-mix of these two:Say what... by djking, Bald Man Graffiti, Edinburgh by treefell also the topmost small image on the right is The Healer)

My Child turns up here - I'd decided that my most frequent child personality is the magical child though, naturally, I have other forms too.

The child is the guardian of Innocence and where does one need that more than in relation to the world as a whole!

Incidentally I love this dancer image - someone who is dancing to remove all the negativity!


House 12 - The Unconscious

(Remix of Street art | Tea ceremony (Sado, 茶道) by tochis and squared circle: compass rose by thomwatson)

And here is the last of the four "compulsory" archetypes - the Prostitute - Guardian of Faith.

I really do not like the name, Prostitute. And when I need to represent something whose name I don't like I look for a way to make it more beautiful so that I won't reject it.

I decided that the most beautiful form of prostitute image is that of geisha who are not as much prostitutes as all that (though selling one's virginity to the highest bidder and living off men does seem to me to put them in that category) but at least geisha have many talents that are related more to their role as entertainers and hostess than to pure sellers of sex.

Strangely though I do have a great deal of faith in my not conscious self... so this one fits too.

I've not done the "I am One's" for these cards yet. I'll add them to this blog whenever they do come up.

The Shaman & The Relaxation Teacher

4th Member of the Rainbow Council - The Shaman by Caroline
with a Creative Commons License that allows non-commercial use and further remixing provided all attributions are given and a similar license is given on new images.

Images used in this remix include from flickr with appropriate CC licenses:
Sunlight Under a Live Oak Tree by Old Shoe Woman
Regal Queen by laszlo-photo
Malachite Butterfly by rich66
Aspiring to Lucha Libre? by alumroot

I am One who is able to shift energy by shapeshifting.
In shadow, I am One who gets lost by shifting and forgetting I am me.
I am One who wants you to use shapeshifting to increase your strength, not deplete yourself.

For the sharp-eyed amongst you the above card has certain similarities with the Illustration Friday image I did for green in my other blog. That is a related but different card:



5th Member of the Rainbow Council - The Relaxation Teacher by Caroline using Corel Painter IX

Images used in this remix include from flickr with appropriate CC licenses:

Here Be Squirrels by Nyx
Fluorite octahedron by MShades
Regal Queen by laszlo-photo
morning glory by only alice
nuez (a tropical nut) pendant with malachite inlay by kafka4prez
Graphium sarpedon by melop

I am One who relaxes by shapeshifting into things without emotion, or different ones.
I am One who uses the energies of my companions to increase my ability to relax.
In shadow, I am one who is so relaxed I do nothing!
I am One who wants you to be moderate in your use of this power.

---

If you are wondering if I really think I am bird or a tree or something like that, no, I don't mean that.

But have you ever used a relaxation tape that suggests you become a tree?
That is what I mean.

I've found it really important to not become a tree alone but to intend to be both a woman and a tree (or whatever) and once done to actively intend to be just a woman. And in the case of being a tree - 30 seconds is enough!

Council: Mother of Transformation

Mother of Transformation by Caroline
with a Creative Commons License that allows non-commercial use and further remixing provided all attributions are given and a similar license is given on new images.

Image used in this remix include from flickr with an appropriate CC license:
Human Skull In Canyon De Chelly by Sublime Dharma
and a butterfly I took myself.

---

I noticed that the current challenge on KaleidoSoul Inner Surprises is to take inspiration from others. Rather than look through the yahoo group images again I went to soulcollage.com to see if the synchronicity of a reading would produce a useful starting point.

This is the reading I got:
Mother (Housewife), Success, Death, Achiever (click on the links to find out what the cards mean and who made them - these links are all to the soulcollage.com site)

The soulcollage.com site keeps on giving me death cards - I've had as many as three in a reading recently - at least I'm down to one here. I take all these death cards to show that I'm in a phase of rapid transformation. Currently I have one actual death card in my pack and also a couple of world event cards that can be interpreted that way (9/11 and Tsunami 2004).

As I was recording this reading I heard wings flapping against the window - I looked and saw a peacock butterfly that had just come in through the open door. My camera was handy so I took a photo of it then gently caught it and released it back outside. Looking at the butterfly's markings I saw that some looked a little like skulls - that inspired me to find an appropriate picture of a skull to use to emphasize this. All that seemed necessary apart from this was a black background - and then I realised that the card I've really been inspired by all through this is one that Imelda made last weekend - Going into the Deep.

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I am One's for Mother of Transformation

I am One who reminds you that all life is changing. Life is change. Life is transformation. Death is one of the processes of change that is part of life.

In shadow, I am one who clings to things as they are and is not ready for change, yet that does not stop change happening, it only makes the process less comfortable and more scary.

I am One who wants you to open your arms to change and accept the transformation that is coming your way.

The Healer & Review of Imedlda's workshop

7th Member of the Rainbow Council - The Healer by Caroline
with a Creative Commons License that allows non-commercial use and further remixing provided all attributions are given and a similar license is given on new images.

Images used in this remix include from flickr with appropriate CC licenses:

• Sea at Night by magnusvk
• A Red-spotted Purple by The Horned Jack Lizard

and, from the Hubble Telescope:

• Hubble Refines Distance to the Pleiades Star Cluster by NASA

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On Saturday I went to Imedla's SoulCollage® workshop in Letterkenny, Ireland. (GreenishLady and SoulFragments)

Imelda put on a wonderful workshop - I was very impressed with how she encouraged everyone to get into making cards so easily and also with the cards that everyone else present made. I loved the way Imelda encouraged us to start by choosing an image with which we then did an "I am..." statement as part of our introduction of ourselves to the group - this started the day as she meant it to continue and was very successful. I've never thought of doing this directly with an image without having made it into a card first.

Although I have made many, many cards this was my first experience of making them directly with scissors and glue, also my first experience of making them in a group. I have however used collage often in the past so the experience of using scissors and glue is not in itself new - it was however interesting to revisit it after so much digital work. At first I found myself frustrated by not being able to shrink my images and other limitations of not working digitally. But that was the only real difference for me about the mechanics of the process. What made the major difference for me was working in a group.

I made two cards, and, as these were from magazines I won't be posting them here. (I am too conscious of copyright.) What was only clear to me at the end of the workshop was just how much I'd been influenced, unconsciously, by the women on either side of me. I know that I am an empath and pick up things very easily. I feel that the cards I made, whilst being relevant to me, were also ones that resonated with my place in the circle. It also feels potentially like revealing other people's things to go into that more deeply; but for me the main message of the workshop was to increase my awareness of how I resonate with others.

The atmosphere whilst making the cards was that wonderful intense concentration that I've often loved in art classes - with everyone's creative juices flowing and very little chit chat.

In the afternoon we did a "gallery walk" around the cards which was too slow - that would be my only criticism of the day - it was truly at a snail's pace!

We then split into groups and did some "I am ones" about our cards, not always easy but interesting.

But it was only when we were back in our circle again and we each showed one of our newly made cards and said something about it that I realised how much what I had done reflected where I had been. As a normally solitary maker this was quite a revelation to me. If I were to belong to a group that made cards together I'd be sure to also make cards on my own too.

I felt that Imelda facilitated very well - she also provided an abundance of varied images to choose from and she allowed everyone to make their own cards at their own pace - I think some people made only one, whilst others made five or six.

The room we were working in was a wonderful space for such a workshop too - a very light airy room - so a great choice of venue.

Another great joy was to look through Imelda's lovely cards. Such a privilege!

So all in all an experience I greatly appreciated and enjoyed and one I'd recommend to anyone interested in starting, or continuing, SoulCollage®.

Council: Gatekeeper to Success

Gatekeeper to Success by Caroline

with a Creative Commons License that allows non-commercial use and further remixing provided all attributions are given and a similar license is given on new images. Images used in this remix are all from flickr with appropriate CC licenses:

North Lees track by Roger B.
Gatekeeper by Ben Werdmuller
Gardening Trophy by east_lothian_museums
Glum beardy man by hugovk

---

On KaleidoSoul Inner Surprises, Anne Marie has put up a challenge to do a card from a quotation.

I rarely remember exact wordings so I was really glad to see Anne Marie had provided some suggestions of places to look for inspiring quotes. I picked the middle link: The Quote Garden. And was hit right between the eyes by the "Daily Harvest" quote of the day:

Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning.
~Bill Gates

From this seed the card above grew.

Anne Marie asked which inner voices might be saying this and I heard one I've not named before - Gatekeeper of Success. I was immediately both amused and contented by the play on Bill Gates' name and his status as a successful man. It even gave me the words to search on flickr with.

So the first search I made was for gate and when I saw this one, within a few pages of images, I knew it was perfect. I realised that for me future success and living in the country are inextricably linked - the story is too long to relate now but I have been struggling to sell our house and leave Bristol for several years, actually I no longer feel that I am struggling, but do feel that it will be lovely to live in the country once more whenever that happens. Two of my future self cards are about living in the country.

Then I wondered if I could find a gatekeeper. I wasn't sure if this would be a person or not until I saw the image of a greenman in gold on blue. Who else is a better gatekeeper to the country?

Then I wondered what would signify success? How about a trophy? My first search for champion's cup was a washout - I quickly realised I needed to be more specific and tried silver cup - on the third page I found this classic cup. What's more it is a Gardening Trophy which chimes well with my country ambitions. And I liked the fact that it also said "Young Cup" - I don't want to be too old when I get there!

But back to the quote - how was I to represent the unhappy customer. I did a search for unhappy man and found this "Glum beardy man". He was in grey but I did some image manipulation to make him blue and he became a little like a dull blue version of the gatekeeper himself - I placed him so that he is supporting the gatekeeper.

This all came together very quickly and easily. There were lots of little additional clues that nudged me on - ones that I saw and acknowledged but that to explain would be too cumbersome - the way was littered with synchronicities of names, places and ideas.

Now I've printed out the card and can hold it.

I am One who shows you the way.

I am One who beckons you with both my welcoming and my unhappy faces.
Find the energy work needed whenever you see my unhappy face.

In shadow, I am One who has been pulling you from behind for many a year, now you have turned to see me it'll be much easier to lead you on!

---

This feels like a really major card, so thank you very much for this challenge Anne Marie!

Review Xyron Creative Station

Yesterday I got a Xyron Creative Station. I got it because by changing the cassette you can swap between laminating something on both sides to spreading adhesive evenly over one side. You can buy other cassettes too but I've just got these so far.

It comes ready loaded with a laminating cassette. So I also bought a permanent adhesive cassette.

It's the adhesive that I'm most interested in for my SoulCollage® cards.

As all my cards so far have been collaged digitally I've not had to use glue for that part. I have however been having lots of problems with gluing on wrapping papers to the mat boards. Most glues made the paper wrinkle. Spray glue did not - but its horrible to use and quite a few of my older cards are losing their paper backing as the edges peel away despite having used "permanent" adhesive.

Using this machine to apply glue to one surface has been reasonably successful. Only time will tell how well stuck they are. It took some trial and error to get it right so I'm writing up how I did it as much as a reference for me as for anyone else.

The main thing that did not work was putting the wrapping paper through the machine - it wrinkled badly - I therefore had to put the mat board through - the glue does not adhere to it as well as it does to the back of the print outs but I think (hope) enough went on.

The main con against working like this is sheer cost. This is an expensive way to apply glue. But it minimizes the amount of contact I have with glue and as someone who has, in the past, been allergy prone and sensitive to chemicals I like to avoid them as much as possible.

From printout to backed SoulCollage® card:
Here is the mat board having been through the machine.
It comes out of this with a shiny covering on the unglued side and a paper backing on the glued. They suggest using fingers or a spoon to press around the edges - I've also been pressing the mat board itself to improve the amount of glue that sticks to it. You then peel off the clear film.
As the mat board is so stiff its best to roll off the backing paper carefully - this maximises the amount of glue left on the board.

I found that putting the wrapping paper best side down on the table and then positioning the glued board over it was the best way to work with the smallest amount of excess wrapping paper. I did try working with pieces exactly the right size but found it much better to allow a little excess to trim off later.
Here it is from the other side. Wrapping paper now in place.
Now lets put the picture through the machine. Notice that you put it through right side up.
Wind the handle and out it comes. Make sure it has come completely through the machine before cutting it off the roll with the integral cutter. Several times I cut a little bit of white border off.
Once out go through the same process of rubbing around the edges - this helps to ensure that all the spare glue is taken away by the film. Peel the film off.
Then peel off the paper backing to expose the gluey side.
Position on the mount board.


Then trim to get a finished card.


Here are two pictures of the wrapping paper - one with the label.


The card I've been backing here is Plunger and attributions for the images used are available here.

Committee: Plunger

Plunger by Caroline with a Creative Commons License that allows non-commercial use and further remixing provided all attributions are given and a similar license is given on new images. Images used in this remix are all from flickr with appropriate CC licenses:
springs15.jpg by j.s. clark
Victoria Totems by Will Pate
Princess of the Park by cobalt123
Coyote by publicenergy

The little images on the right are also remixes for their credits see:

Council-as-One
Gracious Communicator

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This card was made today in an attempt to find the committee member who leads me to plunge in out of my depth so often. The little cards on the upper right are council cards that I've already made and major guides for this one. These two are Council as One and Gracious Communicator.

I've been adding in appropriate little versions like this most of the time though this is the first card I've blogged with them. I was guided to do this - my guides like me to acknowledge them not just as council members but also as actively guiding various aspects - and it does seem to help.

One of the advantages of working digitally is that its very easy to simply scale down an image to 15% and include it.

---

I am One who plunges in where fool's fear to tread. I am Coyote.

I am One who regrets opening her mouth and does not cope well with having coyote as a totem animal.

I am One who feels that I am drowning in this pool of self-induced emotion.

I am One who looks to help from my guides. Council-as-One and Gracious Communicator please help me to speak appropriately, to keep on telling the truth but in ways that communicate more effectively.

In shadow, I am One who doesn't realise when I'm about to put my foot in it. Others see it coming, but I do not.

In shadow, I am One who tries to laugh off my faux pas and makes it even worse.

In shadow, I am One who wants to play dead once I've danced the coyote dance.

In shadow, I am One who reminds you that you've plunged in many times and survived; often reaping huge rewards from your daring. You have thrived on baptisms of fire. Don't throw the baby out with the bath water.

I am One who would like you to take a deep breath before you plunge in - its so much easier to survive underwater with full lungs!

Celebrations: Birthday Card

Birthday Card by Caroline with a Creative Commons License that allows non-commercial use and further remixing provided all attributions are given and a similar license is given on new images. Images used in this remix are all from flickr with appropriate CC licenses:

• Spitzgogo_CHEN (Nokia 6230i) for the Cake
• Miss Loisy for the Bike
• Jeff Kubina for the Balls
• brokenchopstick for the Bubble

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I have a suit called Celebrations they include New Year, Summer Solstice etc. I'd been planning to do Birthday but was putting it off, then I got a kick to do it when I discovered it was a new friend's birthday on Feb 13th. I looked for images that it was okay to share so that once made I could also e-mail it to her straightaway.

It was one of those cards that practically made itself once I got going. I really like it and using it as a birthday card on the day of its birth seemed to be an essential part of its energy!

Suit: Celebrations
Card: Birthday Card

I am One who celebrates with you now, whatever your age, whatever the occasion.

In shadow, I am one who counts the years and regrets their passing; worrying too much about numbers, comparing the ages of everyone and not putting enough value on experiences.

I am One who wants you to value your time without regret for those moments of non-productivity - the moments of frippery and joy - they are a part of you that needs expression too.

I am One who can inspire great, if transitory, joy in your inner child.

I had been saving blogging this card for a suitable birthday to happen. I had almost sent it straight away to Seena, for the soulcollage.com gallery, as I had just had a brief email exchange with her, initiated by reporting a blank image on soulcollage.com. I do wish I had as it would have been in time for Seena's 75th birthday - (for those who do not know Seena is the creator of the SoulCollage® process)!

I've checked my e-mail folders to see which card it was that wasn't showing - it was "Female Creator" (one of Seena's own) a mysterious aspect of it currently is that the page I've linked to shows the card with two words on it: Creator and North. But if you click on the card to see it larger the words disappear!

New I am One's:

I am One who tells you to trust your intuition to listen to both your concerns and your impulses. You know that no one part is the truth but amalgamated together they tell you what you need to know.

I am One who wishes you well but warns you that the ride ahead will sometimes be over rough ground and you may need your umbrella too. Enjoy both the sunshine and the showers.

In shadow I am here to tickle you once again with the knowledge that your intuition is far greater than you give it credit for - a truly bright spark out of an already bright card!

I am One who wants you to let go of all your feelings of sadness and regret - smile, blow out the candle and make a wish!

Thank you very much to Imedla, of the Greenishlady and Soul Fragments for letting me know how close I was.

Gracious Communicator

Rainbow Council - Gracious Communicator

I am One who will eventually lead you into a much more graceful way of communicating with others.

In shadow, I am one who finds humour too readily without communicating sufficient compassion.

I am One who wants you to curb your sarcastic tongue and your ripostes. You have improved but there's a way to go yet!

---

Attributions

This image by Caroline has a Creative Commons license that allows further remixing provided the same license is used for resulting images.

This license requires that all attributions are given whenever it is published.

It is itself a digital remix of the following images available on flickr with appropriate cc licenses:

ionian sunset by Ron Layters

the glow after sunset by DanielJames

Masdevallia veitchiana by Boyd_

The Seer

Rainbow Council - The Seer

I am One who brings you knowledge of other times and other places.
I am One who knows the future in its most likely forms.

In Shadow, I am One whom you deny, scared of the foreboding tides of doom that you detect.

I am One who wants you to be more courageous in facing the future and your foreknowledge of it.

---

Attributions

This image by Caroline has a Creative Commons license that allows further remixing provided the same license is used for resulting images.

This license requires that all attributions are given whenever it is published.

It is itself a digital remix of the following images available on flickr with appropriate cc licenses:

Sunset Orchid by Aaron Webb

Amethyst by starmist1

Tomar - Church Entry Canopy Detail - Prophet by wordman1

Creative One

I am One who inspires you to create in many ways.

In shadow, I am one who can go overboard creating and forget that other things need to be done.

I am One who wants you to explore all sorts of different media and to rise to the challenge of this new set of portable cards.

---

Attributions

This image by Caroline has a Creative Commons license that allows further remixing provided the same license is used for resulting images.

This license requires that all attributions are given whenever it is published.

It is itself a digital remix of the following images available on flickr with appropriate cc licenses:

20040502 Capitol Reef Yellow Flower by jeroen020

Butterfly by eqqman

Yellow Flourite by jaja_1985

Do you come here often? by baboon'

New format!

Yesterday I ordered some printable tarot card blanks from PlainCards.

This means that I'll need to rework my images to fit in a different format. I've also decided that as much as possible I'll use flickr images with creative commons licenses that allow manipulation which are the only obvious source to me of images I can use, manipulate and then blog.

I've started by remaking my Council-As-One card and also from that designing a card back:


Council-As-One

I am One who is able, if asked, to keep other guides and inner voices focused on their most valuable contributions to you.

In shadow, I am One who DOES need asking specifically - there are no shortcuts!

I am One who wants you to continue to look for more ways in which I can curb your excesses and moderate them via SoulCollage® cards.



Possible card back.

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Attributions

These images are both by Caroline and have a Creative Commons licenses that allow further remixing provided the same license is used for resulting images.

This license requires that all attributions are given whenever it is published.

These images are themselves digital remixes of the following images available on flickr with appropriate cc licenses:


Ephemeral Sea by jahdakine

White Sands by melastmohican

"Honesty" Lunaria also Money Plant by bc anna

Daisy Raindrop by audryjm529

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I've previously blogged about the Rainbow Council subset of my Council cards.

Other Suits

One of the things that I have been drawn to do is make many other suits. Some are ones that are suggested in the SoulCollage® book, others are ones that have emerged as I've worked. I currently have the following non-standard suits:

1. Ancestors
2. Celebrations
3. Dream Cards
4. Future Selves
5. Guardians
6. Past Lives
7. Science
8. Stories
9. Synchronicities
   
10. Witnesses
11. World Events

The reason I've made them separate is that their energies are different and to work with them I need them to feel different. Some of the suits have only got a couple of cards in them, some a fixed number and others grow and shrink as I work with them.

Over the last few days I've started to make dream cards, this is something that is suggested in the book, but what I've noticed is that my dreaming self has a dream and then it processes it and presents me with a name for a new card - this morning I woke up with one in my head "On top of the bed" and this wasn't referring to my current bed at all...

My favourite suit is that of my future selves - two titles in it at the moment are: Lucid Dreamer and Soul Artist. I hope these work! I used to have lots of lucid dreams but recently that's not been happening so I'm hoping to unblock them with this and some of the other things I'm doing.

My Mother

I am One who loved you dearly as a baby and loves you still though in a different way.
I am One who always allowed art to take precedence over tidiness or meals.
I am One who kept your magical child as alive as I knew how; it was a precious charge to me.

In shadow, I am One who showed you what happens when an artist stays blocked and also I showed what happens when one stays married to one whom in life I would have left but in death I felt too guilty to leave.

I am One who wants you to keep on making art. I love that you do!

Ancestor: My father

I am One who is here to tell you I love you and always have, my little big daughter.

In shadow, I am One who reminds you that working 364 days a year is a way to miss out on everything else.

I am One who wants you to feel loved and special, always.

Community Suit

SoulCollage® advocates having a community suit - I have split mine up into more separate suits. Currently these suits include:

1. Ancestors
2. Synchronicities (often involving friends or relatives)
3. World Events (those things that have created/reflect the culture we live in)
4. Science (another aspect of current culture)

No doubt there will be more, for instance I've yet to include World Religions.

Cinderella

I am One who is transformed.

In shadow, I am only successful through the help of men, yet my primary aid is my fairy Godmother.

I am one who wants you to see yourself in the union of your masculine and feminine sides.

Can't See the Wood for the Leaves

I am one who wanted a wide angle lens but ended up with a macro.

In shadow, I am one who doesn't even see what's in front of my nose.

I am one who wants you to glory in detail and seeing what's there.

4 cards for week: Renewal

As I've finally got most of my cards backed I've been able to do my first proper reading - this is it. If you look on my other blog you'll see that this week is one for which the word Renewal has come up. This is a reading for this week:

These cards are: New Beginnings, Black Panther, Snake, Creative One

I started off intending to do a 3-card reading which is how I've been reading cards recently. The first card, in this type of spread, is the key card and the next two either show constraints or expand on it.

New Beginnings is a Council card that I made prompted by a post on KaleidoSoul Inner Surprises. The picture here isn't all that clear - it shows a butterfly shape made out of yellow rock and wood, and another rock in the distance. These are the words that came with its appearance today:

I am one who:

• Makes new things out of old
• Sees all things as new
• Has beginner's mind

In shadow, I am one who forgets that everything is made anew in each moment.

I am one who wants you to:

• Remember that making babies or creating art both make the connection clearer but are not, in general, necessary as you are a carrier of the sacred flame that is life, in and of yourself.
• Drink deeply of all life's experiences and to be made anew in each moment.
  

Black Panther is my companion for the South. This is the direction of the inner child, the emotions and water.

I am one who can support you in your emotions.

In shadow, I am one who tends to be lazy with respect to anything that isn't urgent.

I am one who wants you to ask the Council-As-One to regulate my laziness and to call me in to support you before its urgent!


This Snake is my companion from Chakra 1. (I have a different snake for one of the directions)

I am one who:

• Has been sleeping most of the last 10 years and more.
• Is ready to become fully engaged in a way different from before - this is a new beginning.
• Has a tremendous appetite for life in all its forms; I don't distinguish between good and bad - I just live in the moment as though it were my first and last.
• Keeps you ticking over even whilst I sleep. You will be surprised at your extra energy when I'm awake!

In shadow, I am one who

• Stays asleep throughout a lifetime, even during the 49th year. This is a special year, a real time for awakening as is every 7th year thereafter. (The 49th year is the one when you are 48 - it finishes at age 49).

I am one who wants you to

• Be more aware of your root chakra and how it holds your whole body.

I then got a message that I needed a 4th card to clarify something:

Creative One is the 3rd and Yellow member of the Rainbow Council subset of my council suit. It features a yellow butterfly on a yellow flower on yellow rocks with a yellow sky.

I am one who

• Wants to emphasize that although it is not necessary to create art in the sense of the New Beginnings card, it is part of your essential nature to make art!

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I was surprised at the Beginner's Mind interpretation of New Beginnings. I'd previously only got from it that it was one who got me to start new things.

I like the fact that the 4th card also contains a yellow butterfly, but this time a real one. Manifesting real art is part of my path.

After I'd got the Snake companion for chakra 1 I found this posting by Taexalia about her chakra 1 Snake. Before I saw that posting I'd completely forgotten that one of the classic ways of visualising kundalini energy is as a coiled snake in the root chakra that can be awakened to rise up through all the chakras. Now that this snake card has spoken it does seem to be an appropriate way of thinking about it.

Incidentally the 49th year business is probably based on the idea that each year we are focussed on one chakra, on (or near) our birthday we move on up to the next one, or back down to the root if on the crown. So in the 49th year we are in the crown chakra having visited each chakra seven times.

New suit: Synchronicities

Since synchronicities are one of my great treasures its only natural to want to honour them with a suit of their own. Here are a couple that I'm working on:

I did some energy work on transcending HK and then went out and bumped into the woman who had first done HK on me. This was the first time I'd seen her in at least 6 years. Within a fortnight I'd also bumped into a woman I'd introduced to HK and who is now well-established in her HK practice. I hadn't seen her for a few years either.

I later discovered that both of these women were born in South Africa... I'm not sure what that means, if it means anything.

The image above is my own version of the HK logo.

Another synchronicity involves winning money on the premium bonds. These are an unusual form of saving. Instead of interest one relies on winnings. I've actually done rather badly so far but have been very interested in them as a way of gauging my luck. I didn't really believe in luck before... but it became clear that Jim was consistently luckier than me. However I have twice had good wins... better than anything he's had... he's a consistent sort, usually £50 or £100 every month... my luck comes in bursts. Both these wins happened to coincide with going out with a friend of mine... someone who had given up her premium bonds as she wasn't getting enough of a return on them and, although an energy worker, didn't see them the way I do. Someone I probably wouldn't have mentioned these wins to if they hadn't just happened...

Companion: Connection to Spirit - Wren

I am one who flies higher than the eagle by hitching a ride.
I am one who sees beauty in everyone and everything.
In shadow, I am one who can be hard to find, hard to spot. Listen for my song - it is much bigger than I am!
I am one who wants you to enjoy your ability to see the beauty in small things.

See: The Wren