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SoulCollagers

Top Ten Lists

2011

Books: Non-Fiction

Shadow Dance, by David Richo. Liberating the Power and Creativity of your Dark Side. David shows us where and how the Shadow manifests in personal life, family interaction, religion, relationship, and the world around us. He shows us how to use the gentle practice of mindfulness to work with our shadow parts, and provides many exercises for us to use to go deeper into our inner lives. Excellent companion for those of us practicing SoulCollage®. 

The Gifts of Imperfection, by Brene Brown. Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are. I am still reading this one, a little bit at a time. It’s very rich and uplifting at the same time. My inner imperfectionist is calming down a little bit more, every time I read more of this! Highly recommend.

The Joyous Body - This CD program features original stories, poems, and psychological commentary on the challenges, remedies, and ancient knowings of the holy female body, "that which is not a dumb servant but a divine fellow traveler and consort." Includes talks on: How to Love the Body Truly (a prayer), The Body as Radiant Being, Overcoming Body Shame, The Body Bill of Rights, The Distorted Mirror, On Remarkable Life Emerging From the Midst of the Wound, The Dancing Grandmothers, The Fairy-Ring Tree... and lots more.

Make Miracles in Forty Days, by Melody Beattie. Don't be turned off by this grandiose title. The author is really ON to something here. And look at this amazing subtitle: Turning What You Have Into What You Want. I have just finished reading this and am starting to practice it. It's a very simple process that adds a new and powerful twist to the regular idea of gratitude lists. I recommend this one SO highly that we're going to be having a fr*ee book discussion group on it sometime in April. Stay tuned! You can get it on Amazon, or try your library. Melody Beattie is a best-selling author from the codependent era of the 90's and beyond, so I believe most libraries will have this one! Highly, highly recommend.

The Book of Awakening, by Mark Nepo. Having the Life You Want by Being Present to the Life You Have. This is a very powerful book of daily readings that is helping me to deepen my personal experience of mindfulness. Highly recommend.

The Goddess Within, by Jennifer Barker Woolger and Roger J. Woolger. A Guide to the Eternal Myths That Shape Women's Lives. Explores in depth six goddess archetypes: Athena, Artemis, Aphrodite, Hera, Persephone and Demeter. Also includes a questionnaire to help you determine which goddesses are more active in your life and which energies are lacking, as well as some really cool activities you can do in small groups to work with these goddess energies.

Animals Divine Tarot[pic], by Lisa Hunt. (Set of cards) Gorgeous and graceful, Lisa Hunt's watercolor imagery showcases sacred creatures and deities from a myriad of cultures: Aztec, Incan, Indian, Japanese, African, Native American, Greek, Roman, and others. Inspiring imagination and contemplation, this soulful tarot deck invites us to recognize our inner creatures and merge with our animal energies.

Living Into Art: Journeys Through Collage, by Lindsay Whiting. This book outlines and gives many full-color examples of a collage process that is unique BUT very similar to SoulCollage®. Would make a beautiful gift for any collage lover in your life (including YOU). Highly recommend.

Blessings of the Cosmos, by Neil Douglas-Klotz. Wisdom of the Heart from the Aramaic Words of Jesus. This thin volume is very deep and wide in wisdom. Neil takes the original Aramaic words of Jesus and delves into the meaning of words that we rarely take the time to think about today. The first meditation is called "Permission to Shine" and it is a meditation on the all-too-familiar saying of Jesus "Let your light so shine before men..." He goes into depth about the meaning of this word "light" and broadening its definition to include shining the light on all of our inner voices as well. I feel so peaceful and at home with myself when I read his words. Also there is a CD of short spoken meditations (he calls them Body Prayers) that comes with the book, one for each written meditation in the book. Highly, highly recommend.

The Tarot Handbook, by Angeles Arrien. Practical Applications of Ancient Visual Symbols. If you're looking for some in-depth and deeply relevant descriptions of many archetypes, look no further! The author writes about each tarot symbol/archetype from a psychological, mythological, and cross-cultural perspective. Recommended by Kindred Spirit Cat Caracelo in California.

Books: Fiction

The Butterfly's Daughter, by Mary Alice Monroe. This is a brilliant, breathtaking novel about journeys. There is the journey of las mariposas, the beautiful monarch butterflies that fly more than two thousand miles every year on fragile wings to return to their winter home in Mexico. There is also the journey of Luz Avila, a young woman who is journeying to Mexico to honor a promise to her beloved grandmother to return her ashes to her native land. Along the way, we meet other journeyers, and it is a joy and a blessing to watch all kinds of transformations taking place. Also interwoven into all of the pages is the tradition of Dios de los Muertos, the Mexican Day of the Dead, which is a day to celebrate with joy the lives of those we love who have transitioned before us. This is women's fiction at its very, very best. Highly recommend.

The Blessings of the Animals, by Katrina Kittle. Powerful novel about love, loss and the transformation that comes with each. This is the story of veterinarian Cam Anderson, and her love of animals, as well as the story of several others who join her on her journey of love, betrayal, loss, and change. Cam ultimately discovers that her menagerie of maltreated critters are her most reliable instructors. With subtle yet wise insight, we explore, with Cam, the resilience of human nature and the powerful role that animals play in healing shattered emotions. Highly recommend.

Eternal on the Water[pic], by Joseph Monninger. A deeply tender, very wise novel about a couple who are brought together by a love of wild nature and each other. 75% of this story takes place out of doors, in nature, and the descriptive writing will have you sighing at the sheer beauty of it all. I felt like I was THERE. Also tells a beautiful love story of strength and courage. Highly recommend.

The Way, by Kristen Wolf. This is an amazing novel that I could not put down. It tells the story of Anna, a young woman in the time just after Jesus’s death in Palestine. She learns to survive in the male-dominated society after she is sold as a boy shepherd, and then is found by a sect of women living in the desert who follow “The Way,” a spirituality that is centered on The Mother and living close with the earth and all its gifts. Anna. As part of The Way, Anna grows up into her womanhood and discovers her rightful place as a healer. Highly recommend.

The Summer Kitchen, by Lisa Wingate. This beautiful novel has everything I love about good women's fiction: strong, believable characters, a plot line that keeps me turning pages and a lovely thread of spirituality (that is truly hard to find in fiction these days). Highly recommend.

How High the Moon, by Sandra Kring. A joyous, heartfelt novel narrated by 10 year old Isabella "Teaspoon" Marlene. This one is about unlikely families, unlikely friendships, choices, loyalties, theatre, and a young girl's witty, sometimes irreverent self-expression. I laughed out loud many times, and wiped a few tears away as well. Highly recommend.

The Usual Rules, by Joyce Maynard. This is an absolutely unforgettable novel about a 13 year old girl who is dealing with loss, love, and the true meaning of family. Joyce draws these characters in ways so vivid, so tender, so REAL, that when I read the last page, I couldn't pick up another novel for several days because I felt they were all living inside of me so clearly. I read this in a couple of days and my heart overflows still with the wisdom I received. Highly, highly recommend.

Home to Woefield, by Susan Juby. This is the funniest novel I've read in a long time, maybe forever! Each of the characters has their own distinct voice. It's a story about a cheerful, positive young woman who inherits a failing farm and goes to live there with assorted other characters who "come with" it. All the characters have their own challenges to take on and fears to face, and their stories are all woven together into one delicious tale of friendship and community spirit. Highly recommend.

The Provence Cure for the Brokenhearted, by Bridget Asher. A beautiful, rich story about Heidi who is still grieving the loss of her husband two years later. She travels to Provence with her 7 year old son and 16 year old niece. They stay in a crumbling old stone house that is one of the main characters of this delightfully magical novel. Yes, that's right. The house itself is a presence, as is the mountain it rests against. Here's my favorite quote from this book: Love is infinite. Grief can lead to love. Love can lead to grief. Grief is a love story told backward just as love is a grief story told backward. Every good love story has many loves hiding within it. Highly, highly recommend.

Red-Robed Priestess, by Elizabeth Cunningham. This is the fourth novel in the "Maeve Chronicles" series by one of my very favorite authors. This series focuses on the life of Mary Magdalene, and maybe a different version than the one you've been hearing all your life. I love this series because it's based on historical fact. Maeve (Mary) embodies several different feminine archetypes that just might resonate with you! Highly recommend!

Music

Serenade at the Doorway[pic], by Ann Mortifee in collaboration with David Feinstein. This CD combines beautiful music with profound lyrics that speak to anyone facing a major transition or loss. The album is a standard at many hospices. Titles include: Come With Me, I Always Thought I'd Have Tomorrow, Healing Journey, Alone, The Garden Gate- Lead Me On.

Bakongo! by Geoff Johns. From the drumming traditions of Africa, Cuba, and Haiti, Geoff Johns offers eight sessions for playing or dancing along. Each one is a testament to the magic of ceremonial drum music.

Vox De Nube[pic], by Noirin Ni Riain. An authentic re-creation of medieval liturgy’s most breathtaking masterworks, treasured both as spiritual statements and for their deep healing powers. Recorded live at Glenstal Abbey, Ireland.

Sacred Massage[pic], by Soulfood. This is a compilation of music by an enclave of spiritually-minded musicians, yoga teachers, and healers. This music has a beautiful warmth to it that kind of feels like you are being massaged from the inside out.

 

The Musical Body, by David Ison. Balance and open the flow of your chakras with this music-based system. Helps you create a deep state of relaxation and bring you closer to your highest, creative self.

The Sound Healing Collection: Six Healing Music Sessions[pic] from composers who are pioneering the use of music and sound for healing and enhanced well-being. Artists include David Ison, Steven Halpern, Dr. Jeffrey Thompson, Silvia Nakkach, and more.  

Oremi[pic], by Angelique Kidjo. A brilliant combination of soul, rhythm and blues. My favorite song on this CD is "Open Your Eyes." One reviewer calls her music "a wave of higher consciousness." Immensely soothing and dance-able.  

Spiritual Healing[pic], by Deuter. This music is beautiful, ethereal, and whenever I listen to it, it slows me right down... in body, mind and spirit  

Liquid Mind VI: Spirit[pic] - Deep relaxation music that is ideal for Yoga, massage, meditation, anxiety management, and all healing activities. Like the other Liquid Mind albums, this gentle album is used by people everywhere to relieve stress, by parents and teachers to help quiet hyperactive children, by insomniacs to assist themselves in going back to sleep in the middle of a difficult night,and by just about anyone to relieve the stress of a busy day at work.

Starfish, by Catriona McKay. Catriona is a Scottish musician/harpist. She seems to have stepped "out of the box" that defines harp music as delicate and fairy-like. The music here is refreshing and complex. One reviewer called it "Celtic with a twist."    

Movies/TV

Dead Man Walking[pic], featuring Susan Sarandon, Sean Penn. Sister Helen Prejean, a Catholic nun, agrees to be the spiritual adviser for Matthew Poncelot, who has been sentenced to death for the brutal murder of two teenagers. Regularly visiting him in prison, she demonstrates the power of love , compassion and forgiveness. Even as he is put to death, she never wavers in her roles as the messenger of God's love for Matthew.

The King's Speech[pic], featuring Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, Helena Bonham Carter. Fabulous acting and an endearing story of friendship and courage. In American Theatres now. Highly recommend.

Being Erica: Season One, featuring Erin Karpluk, Tyron Leitso and Michael Riley. This is an amazing, creative, fascinating, non-superficial Canadian television show that Kindred Spirit Cheryl in Illinois recommended to me a few years ago. It's on the SoapNet channel but we don't get that so I watch it on Hulu and DVD. Erica is a young woman struggling to get her life together with the help of the mysterious "Dr. Tom" who leads her on journeys to her past in order to relive her regrets so that she can change what is happening in the present. Besides Dr. Tom's ability to offer just the right quotation for the right moment(!), I also love how deep the characters go into their lives and their relationships, as well as how non-preachy the whole thing is.

Fried Green Tomatoes, featuring Kathy Bates, Mary Stuart Masterson, Mary-Louise Parker. An unhappy middle-aged woman and an octogenarian living in a retirement home strike up a friendship. The older woman lifts the younger one's spirits by recalling the story of two Depression-era women whose close relationship gave their lives grounding and meaning. This movie highlights those moments when individuals find fulfillment in sharing, giving, and supporting each other from the bottom of their hearts. ---from Spiritual Rx, Prescriptions for Living a Meaningful Life, by Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat

Beastly[pic], featuring Vanessa Hudgens, Neil Patrick Harris, Peter Krause, Lisa Gay Hamilton. Modern take on Beauty and the Beast, with a beautiful twist. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this when it was in the theaters and intend to rent it again right now! Imaginative, uplifting, thought-provoking.

Angels in America[pic], featuring Patrick Wilson, Al Pacino, Meryl Streep, Mary Stuart Masterson, Emma Thompson. This started as a Broadway Play by Tony Award winner Tony Kushner and was re-created in 2003 as an HBO adaptation. Powerful, witty, gritty, emotional. Am watching it again right now and loving it even more. Some will be offended by the language, but it really is a powerful statement about life, love, family and being true to ourselves no matter what. Oh, and where else can you see Meryl Streep portray 3 characters: a distraught mother, an elderly rabbi, and a Jewish ghost all in one movie?!!

Spitfire Grill[pic], featuring Alison Elliott, Marcia Gay Harden, Ellen Burstyn. Percy Talbot arrives in the small town of Gilead after serving five years in prison. She begins working for Hannah, the owner of a local eatery, and makes friends with Shelby, an insecure young mother. She also draws out a mysterious recluse living in the nearby woods. Because she has known pain herself, she is able to transmute it for others, creating new possibilities for the people around her.

Lars and the Real Girl[pic], featuring Ryan Gosling, Paul Schneider, Patricia Clarkson. This is a tender love story woven with laugh-out-loud humor. It is also the story of how a community pulls together to support an awkward young man on his life journey. Recommended by Kindred Spirit Nancy in California (and me too!).

Oh My God[pic], featuring Hugh Jackman, Seal, Ringo Starr, David Copperfield and more. Filmmaker Peter Rodger explores the profound, age-old query "What is God?" in this provocative nonfiction feature film. Rodger set out on a global quest to understand why the concept of God has become politicized. The result is a stunningly beautiful film featuring inviting faces and personalities who are a touching reminder of the melting pot that we call humanity . . . and the mystery that we have given many names.

Joan of Arcadia, Season One, featuring Amber Tamblyn, Joe Montegna, Jason Ritter, Mary Steenburgen. I was religiously addicted to this show when it was on TV (2003-2005) and am enjoying it even more the second (okay, third!) time around. Deals with real life issues in a down-to-earth yet spiritual manner.    

Websites

Okay, so we couldn't help ourselves! This list is the top 15 Websites of 2011.

It was just too hard to settle on 10.

Morningstar Animal Totem Medicine - Scroll down for lots of info on many different animal totem energies.

Good News Network - Now here's something novel! This site is full of heartwarming stories and positive images. Spend some time here after watching the evening news and you'll be all set.

Holy Mole - These spiritually-flavored cartoons are very profound and wise, at the same time as making us laugh. Click on the red arrow on the right of each cartoon to see more. Visit this page to have a new Holy Mole cartoon emailed to you each week.

Goddess Power - Fabulous and informative website recommended by Kathryn Antyr, who led our most recent tele-class on "The Goddess Within" (it's in your Members Only Audio Library, go listen!). There's also a quiz here to make you more aware of goddess energy in your own life today.

LunaGirl Images - Fabulous copyright fr*ee images for collage work. I’m thinking some of these might find homes on some of your upcoming SoulCollage® cards!

StickK - A smart, creative way to identify, name and reach your goals

Institute for Jewish Spirituality - Comprehensive, beautiful site on... you guessed it: Jewish Spirituality! Includes sections on prayer, meditation, yoga and lots more.

Goddess Gallery - Click on a goddess, any goddess.... And you'll be led to a beautiful painting of that goddess, as well as lots of info about her. Excellent resource for expanding your Council Suit (archetypes).

Daily Oasis - Are you receiving this wonderful bit of daily® joy? I LOVE receiving this every day. If you're not getting this shot of creativity in your email box every morning, I suggest you sign up for it right now. Best of all, it's fr*ee!

Chakra Meditations - from The Inspiration Station. These are from Kindred Spirit Fran in England. At only $7 each, they are a steal! There is one 13-15 minute meditation to help you go deeply into the energy of each chakra. You will love her soothing voice, and the quiet music in the background. Go ahead and purchase just one... if you're like me, you will want all 7 of them right away! Excellent resource for working with the Animal Companions Suit.

Mystic Healing Portal - A beautiful combination of visual and sound that allows you to receive and send energy and love. Try it and see! (Scroll down to see the remainder of the directions.)

Distant Healing Network - If you or someone you love is in need of healing/prayer, check out this lovely site. You can request prayers and healing from practioners all over the world.

Visions of Healing - There are some simply stunning collages on this site, each with a different intention for healing and wholeness. Just gazing at them makes me feel good!

Foxfires - The art of Aimee Stewart. I came across some of Aimee's art in the newest edition of the Somerset Studio magazine "Digital Art Studio." It was love at first glance. Take a look at her "Gypsy Firefly" (4th row) and you will see the newest piece of art that is gracing my Quiet Room (aka "Study") walls. Warning though, diving into her images here might be habit forming!

Gaian Tarot Reading - Based on Joanna Powell Colbert's beautiful new Deck of Tarot Cards. Hold a question in your mind and heart, then scroll down and click on one of the cards for a 3-card reading. Aha!

Quotes

Healing may not be so much about getting better,

as about letting go of everything that isn't you -

all of the expectations, all of the beliefs -

and becoming who you are.

~ Rachel Naomi Remen

Darkness deserves gratitude.

It is the alleluia point

at which we learn to understand

that all growth

does not take place

in the sunlight.

--- Joan Chittister

The SoulCollage® process is a practice, similar and complementary to other practices like prayer and meditation, yoga, or running. It is something you build into your life, and doing it with others makes it far more interesting.

--- Seena Frost

Spiritual growth is… an inner journey from one insight to another, in which helpful realizations fall into place as you are ready to receive them.

--- Marianne Williamson

 

Those who love you are not fooled by mistakes you have made

or dark images you hold about yourself.

They remember your beauty when you feel ugly;

your wholeness when you are broken;

your innocence when you feel guilty;

and your purpose when you are confused.

~ Alan Cohen

Guilt is punishing yourself before God doesn't.

--- Alan Cohen

The small version of you

is immersed in putting out fires,

while the expanded version

uses the flames to illuminate your path.

-- Alan Cohen

I embrace my mistakes. They put me in the right direction.

--- Renee Zellweger, quoting a friend in an interview

All journeys have secret destinations

of which the traveler is unaware.

--- Martin Buber

It is, after all, the dab of grit that seeps into an oyster's shell that makes the pearl,

not pearl-making seminars with other oysters.

--- Stephen King (with thanks to Nancy Norbeck!)

Give thanks for unknown blessings already on their way.

-- Native American saying

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