SoulCollage®

“The greatest challenge in life is discovering who you are. The second greatest is being happy with what you find.” ~unknown source

On June 1, 2013, a new art exhibit will go up in our sanctuary.  This exhibit is different from the previous ones—it is an exhibit of SoulCollage® cards from participants in the workshops that have been held monthly at PUUC over the last year.  This article is intended to give you a frame of reference for the cards you’ll be seeing. 

You may have seen the regular announcements over the last 12 months about the SoulCollage® workshops that I facilitate with the assistance of Eva Dew Danner.   This exhibit is an amazing, powerful, creative and intriguing display of the personal SoulCollage® cards made by many of the workshop participants.  If you’ve been curious about SoulCollage®, I have a small caution for you.  After seeing the cards in the exhibit, you may find that you have new questions in your mind rather than the definitive answer of what SoulCollage® is.  So maybe a little explanation here will be helpful.

I have several spiritual practices that help me live with more compassion and kindness toward myself and toward others.  SoulCollage® is one of those practices.  I was introduced to SoulCollage® in 2011 and in 2012 I completed the training to be a SoulCollage® Facilitator.  It has brought me such joy to share this healing process with my spiritual community at PUUC. 

SoulCollage® is an insightful process of self discovery using images from magazines, calendars, books, etc. to create a collage.  Developed by Seena Frost, M.Div., M.A., the process guides each SoulCollage® participant on a personal journey of exploration to acknowledge, welcome and accept the various aspects of who he or she is. 

This process is designed to encourage the participant to temporarily give our frequently overused judging, analytical aspects of the brain a short vacation. And while our analytical brain is resting, we invite the more subtle and subconscious inner wisdom to guide in creating the SoulCollage® cards that represent one aspect of self. Catherine Anderson, trained SoulCollage® facilitator, describes it this way:  “SoulCollage® is a gentle, playful and often joyful way of exploring your life and your deep self.”  

Frost has developed a series of 5 questions that are used to glean wisdom from and interpret the cards.  This questioning is usually referred to as “reading the cards”.  You will see some readings posted along with the SoulCollage® cards in the exhibit.

The SoulCollage® community now includes almost 1,000 trained Facilitators in 44 states and 20 countries.  As stated on the SoulCollage.com website, “SoulCollagers everywhere are discovering the transformative power of images, imagination and intuition through the simple yet profound process of SoulCollage®.”  At PUUC, 50 individuals have participated in at least 1 workshop and many of those individuals who have participated in as many as 6 workshops over the last year. 

To participate, one doesn’t need to think of oneself as an artist although every one of the cards that is created is beautiful as evidenced by this Exhibit. In the workshops you will be lovingly and gently guided.  No special skills are required.  All materials are provided.  Registration fee is $15.

Summer workshop dates are:
Jun 22, Sat 10am-2pm
Jul 20, Sat 10am-2pm 
Aug 17, Sat 10am-2pm

Workshops are limited to 14 participants.  Pre-registration is required because the workshops often fill up.  To register for a workshop, send an email to collage@puuc.org. 

I hope you enjoy the exhibit.  If one of the collages intrigues you, talk to the creator about what you are feeling when you look at the images  or ask them about the workshops.  I’d also be happy to answer any questions.  And, if you’d like more general information about SoulCollage®, access www.soulcollage.com.

~ Darla Davis