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Becoming a SoulCollage® Facilitator in Italy
My SoulCollage® journey started in the summer of 2018 when I discovered the book by Seena B. Frost, and began creating my own deck. Little did I know that a year later I would call myself a certified SoulCollage® Facilitator!
I was fascinated and delighted by the way my collage art was turning more and more into a spiritual practice (see my blog post about discovering SoulCollage®). However, at that point in my life I put all my energy into the creation of my “Inner Compass Oracle” deck, which I would publish and start selling successfully on Etsy later that year. It took me a while to come back to making SoulCollage® cards and focus again on my own healing and transformation journey as I started to face a lot of questions and inner changes inside myself.
Then, at the beginning of 2019 I was regularly talking to my friend Veronica Schauder from New York, who was a SoulCollage® Facilitator. I started to get deeper into the practice of SoulCollage® and developed the dream of becoming a facilitator myself since this wonderful method is a combination of everything I love: Intuitive collage, Creativity, Archetypal Psychology and Spirituality. And since it creates a beautiful sense of community and connection, too, I was convinced that it would enhance my own work with women around creativity, self-exploration and transformation. By the time I invited Veronica to come to Hamburg to teach a SoulCollage® workshop in July of this year, I had already – with the help of an amazing friend and a scholarship – registered for the training in Italy. The workshop with Veronica was a success (blog post coming soon) and I could not wait to get to Italy a month later for a week of training….
When I arrived in Italy on August 17th, I was very sick, suffering from a bronchitis and a very painful throat infection. It was 33 degrees, which felt more like 39 degrees, and I had to muster all my mental and physical strength to make it through the days ahead of me. Because nothing in the world could have stopped me from taking the training at the magical Etruscan village of Tuscania, near Rome, with its historical and archaeological heritage and meeting the legendary head trainer, Mariabruna Sirabella…
At the airport in Rome, I met Aless, the first of a number of soul sisters that I would encounter among the other participants. On our car ride to Tuscania we bonded and discovered many similarities and also spent the last day together to explore some of the Etruscan churches, lakes and archaeological sites in the area.
Within the medieval walls and in a quiet part of the labyrinth of little alleys, I was staying at a sweet little apartment B&B with an enchanting garden. I later learned that the well-known German painter Rudolf Kortokraks used to live here…
I was fascinated and delighted by the way my collage art was turning more and more into a spiritual practice (see my blog post about discovering SoulCollage®). However, at that point in my life I put all my energy into the creation of my “Inner Compass Oracle” deck, which I would publish and start selling successfully on Etsy later that year.
It took me a while to come back to making SoulCollage® cards and focus again on my own healing and transformation journey as I started to face a lot of questions and inner changes inside myself.
Part of the training was a guided meditation to call in an animal companion (this process is described in the book) to work with you in a specific energy center (Chakra). The animal that showed up for my throat chakra was a little gecko. Since my throat infection was still painfully present I decided to work with this animal. I immediately felt comforted and created a card for it. I spent time letting the card , let the gecko speak and journaled a lot of wisdom from this energetic/spiritual companion.
However, the lizard would show up in yet another way later that day. He made himself known in a way that I could not have imagined…
Since I had this beautiful garden that came with the little place I was renting, I invited some of the girls from the training group to spend the evening there, connecting and sharing over some lovely Italian food.
As the evening progressed and night fell there came a moment when I turned around and on the wall, right underneath the lantern, was sitting a green lizard, looking exactly like the one in my collage.
For the first time since getting sick 3 weeks earlier, I was able to break into tears and allow the beginning of my healing process.
It was one of those unique moments where I felt so deeply connected and loved by the Universe. And how lucky was I, to have all those beautiful soul sisters with me to witness this moment and hold my hand.
The rest of the training days passed so quickly. We had the opportunity to create a few more cards and do readings with them – all of which brought immensely meaningful insight and joy to me. Nonetheless, we mostly learned how to ethically and creatively facilitate SoulCollage® workshops for groups. In the evenings we had the opportunity to go bathing in a peaceful lake or the natural Roman hot thermal baths in the area underneath a sky full of stars, to cleanse and rejuvenate
On the last morning, after our wonderful trainer handed each participant their certificate, she created a drumming ceremony for our closing circle so we could all, individually and as a group, give thanks and complete this special journey. Many tears, smiles and embraces accompanied this closure before we all headed for a last delicious lunch together. I’m grateful to everyone who shared this journey with me!
The Snow Owl turned out to be my Guide as a Facilitator.
SoulCollage® cards are for personal use only and are shared publicly only when sharing one’s own personal process. This is a card from my personal SoulCollage® deck. I acknowledge and thank the photographers who make this process possible
