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!

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®.

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.

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!

---

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.

Rainbow Council

I've now got 45 cards made in Painter IX and printed out - its felt like all I was waiting for was a nudge from the SoulCollage® book to open the flood gates and I've been riding the wave ever since.

Here are my cards so far:

Committee

1. Bad Angel
2. Blocked Artist
3. Book Lover
4. ClutterBug
5. Curtain
6. Hoper
7. Hurt Body
8. Inner Magical Child
9. Lady Bountiful
10. Mask
11. Medicine Man
12. One Who Wants To Live In The Country (not printed out yet, part done)
    
13. Pattern Maker
14. Pleaser
15. Problem Solver
16. The Cleaner
17. The Doubter (printed out but already changing!)
    

I got the Blocked Artist done early so I could unblock as much as possible. This seems to have worked.

Companions

• C1 - Snake
• C2 - Elephant
• C3 - Donkey
• C6 - Crow
• C7 - Morning Glory
• C8 - Mistletoe

I also know what my animals / plants are for other chakras and energy bodies. I wasn't thinking of starting these at all until I got a series of Donkeys coming up synchronously - including a strong (but resisted) desire to buy a second hand book on the care of the donkey!

Council

1. Abundant Mother
2. Daughter
3. Death
4. Glorify Patterns
5. New Beginnings
6. Northern Hunter
7. SoulCollager - not happy with this one yet
8. Strange Reflections
9. Strength
10. Unnamed One
11. Wayfinder

Rainbow Council

• 0 White: Council As One
• 1 Red: Well Wisher
• 2 Orange: Gracious Communicator
• 3 Yellow: Creative One
• 4 Green: The Shaman
• 5 Greeny Blue: The Relaxation Teacher
• 6 Blue: Abstractions Muse
• 7 Deep Blue: The Healer
• 8 Violet: Community Healer
• 9 Purple: The Seer

Something that fascinated me was the way a subset of the Council formed. Each of these cards is predominately one colour and they form a rainbow of 9 colours. Once I had them the zeroth one: white - Council As One - emerged too. I love this!

Ancestors

• GowaWaDaDan - ancestral male, met in dream

This is the nearest to a Community card that I've got so far.

Source

• Unity

Today its time to get mounting them onto pieces of mountboard to make them into a usable deck.