[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’][/author_image] [author_info]Jana Kemp’s multifaceted interests shine in Nesting. As an author, facilitator, community contributor, business owner, and parent, Jana watches for the ways in which we nest to create HOME, and shares her discoveries in the blog Nesting. Nesting: is a blog about the objects and experiences that create a sense of home. Without home, it is difficult to maintain health, find joy, or to be productive during our workdays. I hope you enjoy the Nesting series of blogs as much as I enjoy writing them. –Jana[/author_info] [/author]
Summer 2017, Rathdrum, Idaho: I took a class called SoulCollage® that has improved my life. SoulCollage takes multiple models for understanding oneself, marries them, and adds the element of visual collage creation. SoulCollage is a relaxing way of understanding oneself and serves as an ongoing journal-prompting tool.
With the creation of each SoulCollage card, I realize that there are consistent images that feed my soul and remind me of who I am. Images of flowers, nature, books, porches, tables set for large gatherings, mothers/daughters, thought-leaders, and inspiring places populate my SoulCollage card deck. I’ve added photographs of friends and family members to my Community deck. Some days when I draw cards, a theme is evident. Other days, the cards point to the very activities of my day: book club, a presentation, or a prompting to rest and regroup. The journaling provoked by the cards has helped me reflect, express gratitude, address some of my fears, and to keep moving forward with faith that all will be well.
Each month, I find myself making new cards. The images I find remind me of past experiences or hoped for activities. A few images represent some of my fears and things I’d like to overcome – like the cliff-diving card. Most of the cards represent happy memories of daily life. The beauty of the collage process is that every card represents the person making it and no two cards are the same. Sharing the cards with others can be inspiring and thought provoking too. Even sharing cards and questions to prompt journaling can be helpful.
SoulCollage is something a person can become certified to lead. I encourage those of you who work with youth or adults, who serve as counsellors or teachers, or who are looking for a creative stretch to explore SoulCollage as a tool/course for your practice.
If you, like me, are looking for a new way to understand and express yourself, search for a SoulCollage class near you and sign up. Whether the class is your only time collaging, or whether you continue the collage-card creation for years, the SoulCollage experience is a worthwhile stretch and a creative push toward greater self-expression.
For more information: https://www.soulcollage.com/