journaling

Moving into the New Year with Ritual. I Invite You to Join Me.

Posted by Barbara Techel

Moving into the New Year with Ritual. I Invite You to Join Me.

Christmas Eve morning I awoke around 4:30am. I couldn’t go back to sleep. My SoulCollage® cards which I keep out in my writing cottage were calling to me.

I decided to follow the impulse. A half hour later I had lit a candle, had meditative music playing, and got out my box of over fifty SoulCollage® cards I’ve made since November 2014.

Past, Present, and Future was what felt right to me in picking three cards – one to represent each as a way of helping me to begin to move into 2017 which is just hours away now.

The first card I chose at random to represent past was my “Window to my soul” card which you see on the far left. The next card to represent the present is my “Ballerina/Horse” card and the last card to represent future is my “Follow your light” card.

I sat with the past card, “Window to my soul” first and thought about it’s meaning for me at this time in my life. This is what I journaled:

I am one who for the past thirteen years has been working diligently on the whispers of my soul. This has prepared me for the new work I’m stepping into.

Next I meditated on the present with “Ballerina/Horse” card:

I am one who feels taller and more confident than ever before. When I look in the mirror I like who I see and who I have become. Horse reminds me that I did the deep inner work to heal a long held wound. I now can hold my head high and dance. Horse reminds me to prance out into the world and bring my gift to others.

Lastly I tapped into the message for the future with “Follow your light” card:

I am one who reminds you that the light within you is a gift I (I being Frankie, my dog) helped bring forth in you. I’m here to remind you to never let that light dim. Use it to help ignite the light in others. Follow your own north star and the light within you will magnify out to the stars ten-fold. I am here to also remind you to not be afraid as my spirit is now one with you for eternity.

To continue a ritual that I’m feeling as sacred and true, I’m planning to choose an animal card from the Animal Wisdom Tarot card deck to serve as a guide for 2017 and an angel card to do the same, which I’ll do this evening. I’ll share those with you tomorrow.

I will be making copies of these cards, plus my SoulCollage® cards, and putting them in a visible spot my writing cottage. It will be my reminder of this special ritual and what it means for me as I move with more conscious awareness of how intuition and following my heart into 2017 will serve as the best way in which to continue to live a fulfilling and meaningful life.

If you have SoulCollage® cards, Oracle, or Tarot cards I invite you to do the same. Should you not, a suggestion would be to find a favorite magazine, hold your hand on it, eyes closed in meditation for as long as feels right to you, and perhaps posing a question on something you wish for guidance on in the New Year. When it feels right, open your eyes, and randomly open to a page in the magazine. Then work with really tuning into that image that appears and listening to what the message that image has for you. Don’t second guess yourself. Go with what immediately comes to mind and start writing it down.

I’d love to know what transpires for you, so please do leave a comment in the comment section, or feel free to email me.

I’ll be facilitating a workshop in my home studio, Joyful Pause, on Saturday, January 14th, Intuitively Creating your New Year, working with images in collaging and journling with the SoulCollage® process.  I’d love for you to join us! The class is half-full and I only have room for five more. If interested, register soon here.  

Thank you for sharing and subscribing to my blog updates.

Tap into Your Inner Wisdom. Live a More Meaningful Life.

Posted by Barbara Techel


I’ve often talked about SoulCollage® here on my blog – a creative collage process that helps you tap into your inner wisdom.  I’ve found that when I really listen to my intuition it helps me live a more meaningful life.

One of the reasons I became a SoulCollage® facilitator is that I want to encourage others to tap into their own inner wisdom and discover how they too can lead a meaningful life.

I put together this short video explaining a little more about SoulCollage® and would love to have you join me for a workshop at my Joyful Pause Studio or online.

My next Introductory to SoulCollage® workshop is Saturday, April 9th at my home studio, Joyful Pause. Space is limited. Register early. Hope to see you!

Register here today.

Early Morning Cottage View: This is What Surrendering Looks Like

Posted by Barbara Techel

IMG_2193 (The view outside my writing cottage at 6:15am this morning)

Okay, some of you committee members in my head need to go on vacation. I’ve had about all I need to hear from you for a good, long time. You’ve been heard. I acknowledge you. Now find yourself a peaceful place to reside.

As I closed my eyes last night, I asked those pestering and loud members that seem to reside on the left side of my brain to please take a break.

The members on the right side of my brain, where it is so much more peaceful, raised their white flags as a symbol to the left side that they have been heard. We surrender — meaning we don’t have the answers for you, but that we understand your role in the community.

The community and its committee members that make up the whole of who I am. Me, Barbara Techel. All these parts, the good and the bad, the frustrating and the peaceful, the happy and the sad, each member important to my evolution of growth.

But the committee members who want immediate answers to life’s challenges have been making way too much noise lately. So I surrender to them. I see you. I hear you. But now it is time for you to see and hear what the other members in the committee have to share.

And so I surrendered as I drifted off to sleep last night… to more peace, joy and honoring of self.

As I stepped out of my bedroom patio doors heading for my writing cottage this morning, I realized my prayers from the night before were heard.

“” See,” the right and creative side of my committee members said to the left side members, there is peace when you surrender.

The proof and the only answer you need is right before you. A new dawn.

When you surrender to not having to know all the answers, the answer reveals itself in the light and promise of  a new day — a new day to live in peace and joy, and the true whispers of your heart.

What’s that I hear from all my committee members? Ahhhh, silence. Welcome, and please stay a good long while.

As always, I welcome your comments…

PS:  The winner of Dawn’s book, Dreaming with Polar Bears is Catherine.  I’ve sent you an email Catherine, for your mailing address. Congratulations!  And thank you to everyone who left comments!