At a recent Facilitators SoulCollage® Card Consultation group in Santa Cruz California, I mentioned that in Seena's groups we sometimes asked a common shared question, instead of individual questions. One of us instantly suggested, "How can we take care of ourselves during this difficult time?" We all four quickly agreed that was the right question.

Though each of us has our own unique journey, concerns, and challenges, we all must also grapple with the many collective issues swirling about our world these days -- climate change, refugees, inequality, racism, pollution, injustice, violence, prejudice, human rights, women's rights, kids' rights, etc. And the media amps it up for us, compounded by the fact that we can be instantly and continually connected to events and people from all over our planet via the Internet. No wonder many of us feel challenged to keep calm and centered. We can envision a world more peaceful, tolerant, generous, just, and compassionate -- yet how can we best contribute to bringing that into reality?

The Wild Woman (Council Suit) by Jeri Bodemar  Have you howled at the moon lately, becoming one with Her, or acted crazy, or laughed uproariously just for fun? Get into Me, Your Wild Woman, and let go and let it be. Open yourself to dancing wildly, freely, and furiously with abandon -- perhaps swinging some colored fabrics or allowing yourself to make sounds -- whatever comes. Radiate that free, expressive energy out into the world, for it can transform things and BREAK THE SPELL!

In The Genius Myth, Michael Meade speaks to this question:
Rather than the need to heroically save the whole world, the real work of humanity at this time is to awaken the unique spark and inner resiliency of the genius within each person. (p. 12)

If those holding the threads of imagination and meaning would carry them from the edge and draw them toward the center, then things could begin again. (p. 229)

SoulCollage® certainly enhances both those processes.

In our group, after centering, we each drew three cards from our decks to help us through this time of "dire beauty," as Caroline Casey calls it. Certain themes recurred, such as "Be Here Now," self-nourishment, and the value of simply keeping on.

Renee Robison's cards included Pause & Nourish (be with your cup of tea), Patience (like the Grand Canyon, things do change), and Tough Journey (yet one does eventually arrive). Beth Dyer drew Tropical Beauty (colorful flowers and island travel), Inner Child (spend time with me) and Yoga & the Ocean (stretch and breathe by the water). Erica Crawford's were Bliss Out in the Midst of It All, See the Chaos with New Eyes, and Attitude (if you can't change reality, change this!).

Here are two of my cards (key phrases in bold): 

My Piscean Self (Committee Suit)   by Jeri Bodemar  I Am One Who loves floating and letting go. Get into water, or anything that helps you release and let go, float and rest - be it actual water, or simply lying on a bed, hammock, sand or grass, -- or simply attending to the present moment and drinking your tea. Be one with all the elements -- water, fire, earth, and air. Entrain with the clouds, a sunset, tree, or candle flame. . . all of it. Express gratitude to the elements we are all made of.  The dream (at Chichen Itza years ago) recalled in this card came to remind you to call on Spirits from other worlds as well, helpers such as animals, plants, stars, or beings we may not see. Call on these Spirits to help evolve yourself and our world. Let yourself feel supported by these other Beings.

Wheel of Suffering (Council Suit) by Jeri Bodemar I Am One Who feels deeply the wheel of suffering, within myself and, perhaps more acutely, in humanity. Sometimes it breaks me apart. I wonder why, what is the purpose or meaning of the suffering? I know that this is a part of our human condition; we all share the reality of suffering. Some make efforts to avoid it, others can't escape or suffer horribly. I came today to remind you to envision and affirm that compassion and solidarity of the heart is rising in humanity, even in the midst of heartbreak. Ultimately, I believe that allowing ourselves to feel the pain has the power to open the heart and grow compassion for oneself and for others. Perhaps you four can share with each other practices for coping with the pain of these times.

My favorite practice these days is simply returning to the breath, saying "breathing in compassion, breathing out compassion" (or "peace," or "love") as I focus on the breath, just being here now. 

My Wild Woman card appears at the top of this article. I could truly feel her transformative magic, so needed in our world today, as Scott and I recently joined a dancing crowd of all ages at our local beach bandstand. A babe in arms next to us was delirious with happiness at the scene.

Even the pelicans flew slowly right over the crowd as if in amazement at all the celebrating, joyful humans having fun. What a gift to have these Neters who remind us to practice, to learn and to live more!

Dancing is a symbol for being fully present in life, being part of the vital flow, being a channel of, and expression for, the immediate and universal rhythms of existence. (The Genius Myth, p. 236, Michael Meade)


Jeri Bodemar became a Facilitator at the first Training in 2003. A somatic therapist, writer, and designer of wearables (JeriDesign.com), she also teaches self-care movement and creates radio essays. A long-time neighbor and friend of Seena Frost, she participated in her early groups, assisted at Trainings, and loves sharing the wisdom, connection, and creativity of SoulCollage®. Email her at jbodemar@baymoon.com