soulcollage

Joyful Pause Studio: Bad News and Good News

Joyful Pause Studio: Bad News and Good News

Bad News: returning home from vacation in November I discovered we had a water issue in the lower level of our house. Magazines stacked on the carpet against the wall, used for the SoulCollage workshops I offer in my studio, I came to discover when moving them that the bottom magazines were wet.

Nothing like a water problem to make your stomach drop to your feet. We pinned the problem to a chimney leak we had late August, which John had fixed not realizing the water had dripped down between the walls.

It had been a hope of mine that we could replace the carpet downstairs with something else eventually. Well, now is the time. At least for the one room.

Good News:  Today John is installing a luxury vinyl flooring that clicks and snaps together (not really as easy as it sounds, as it is a bit more challenging than he anticipated).  But it is backed by 5/8 inch cork board and perfect for basements. It also looks like wood flooring, which I love.

Of course now I wish we could do the whole lower level plus the stairs — but that will have to wait. It will also take much longer to do that amount of space which is about 800 square feet.

The other good news is I painted the room also to match the rest of downstairs – I just love that green!!  Very “zen”  I think for my workshops.

I keep telling John that the nicer he makes our house, the more I won’t want to leave it for a warmer climate which we’d like to do someday. Though honestly, I don’t know if I can ever leave completely, but would like to head to warmer temps just for the winter months.

I’m so excited about 2017 and the workshops I’m going to be facilitating on my own, plus workshops I’m collaborating on with friend Rachel, of LaValley Equine Sanctuary. We both have a fire inside us about offering workshops and it feels so good to have this new passion.

My vision of encouraging women to…

Going down the stairs to Joyful Pause Studio (and yes, John needs to reinstall trim here – always something to do!)

is coming true and that makes my heart feel much joy…which is good, good, news.

Even for women who aren’t local to my area and can’t attend my workshops in person, I’m giving lots of thought to offering workshops online, videos, tele-classes, etc. which I want to record and facilitate from my Joyful Pause Studio…so stay tuned!

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My Twirling Altar

Last week I wrote about two different rituals I did to welcome in the New Year. One was to pick an animal wisdom tarot card and angel card, and the other was choosing three of my SoulCollage cards to represent past, present, and future. I also journaled with each of them.

I wanted to keep them in a prominent place in my writing cottage to remind me of the experience and what I discovered during my journaling as a guide to move me into the New Year. I had planned to just print them up on one sheet of paper and post on my wall.

But then I came up with the idea to make them into a mobile! I love how they twirl – like an altar in motion – a reminder to keep moving in the direction of my hopes and dreams – knowing I have my cards and my own inner wise self as my guide.

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

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.  

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