Part of basic SoulCollage® is journaling the “I am one who…” (IAOW) statement for each card, but you’ll also get a card reading question at SoulCollage® with Megan Menkveld workshops which is different than the IAOW statement. They are different, and here’s how!

IAOW is written once, typically, when you create the card. Of course, it can change, and you can continue dating and journaling, but generally, it’s a blank slate for you to state what that card says about you at the time the card comes together.
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Card reading, on the other hand, happens whenever you draw that card in the future, and it tells you about you, rather than you telling it, as in the IAOW statement. It’s like asking a question to a pet, and then intuiting their answer, “How are you today, puppy?” and it says, through you, “I can’t wait to play outside!” You spoke for the puppy, but it was the one who answered. It’s also about a specific topic, the subject of the card reading question, rather than a blank slate. 

For example, with the card above, it was created on March 1, 2018, and I wrote, “I am one who takes the plunge.” It’s about being brave, bold and hopeful. All good and helpful. Then I drew it today while contemplating the card reading question, “What do I need to feel physically better?” and it said, “Take the plunge! Into nature, water, listen to waves, breath ocean air while you move and stretch your body,” which is not at all what I was thinking when I made it, but when I asked, it answered me partially with what I’d said initially and went on from there.
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Both are important, fun, and effective ways to use your SoulCollage® cards. Even if you don’t journal the IAOW statement right away, I always encourage their creators to do it eventually. I also encourage people to draw cards for inspiration, affirmation, problem solving, and card reading! Seena Frost, the creator of SoulCollage®, used to say making cards and not reading them is like making a meal and not eating it. That would be a shame.

My first card – that brings back memories, good and bad. I was on a girls’ weekend with two former best friends who, a couple years later, became toxic people. It’s been said that people come into your life for a reason, and one of those people was apparently meant to introduce me to SoulCollage® so that I would have the right tool in my box for when things fell apart with those friendships!
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But back to the card – when I look at that card today, I smile because 1) It has words on it and I rarely put words on my SoulCollage® cards, and 2) It still has active energy. My designs and layouts have changed (improved ?), I think, but it still describes parts of me that I wanted to bring forward, years ago, and what’s still important to me now. I’m proud of how far I’ve come since then. SoulCollage® has changed my life because it’s taught me how to change it, starting one card at a time. Good job, me.

I didn’t focus much on the Council suit until Soul Collage® facilitator training. I had many cards by then, but very few were Council suit, which contains archetypes, for instance Mother Earth, Death, and the Joker, or other energies like the elements, muses, and gods.

During one of our facilitator card-making sessions, I decided to look for potential Council suit images, and I ended up with my Death card, above, just two images. When I first saw the creepy tree hands, it looked like they were discarding the leaves, death-like, but then there’s the bird feeding off a blossom being held by the tree hand, too, and I liked the message of death feeding life and releasing what we don’t need anymore.
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The other Council suit example above is my Nurturing Mother card. There’s a vessel, flowers and the most loving female face. She says, “Rest, drink some tea, and tell me what you need. We will make it happen. I love to help you.”
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Do you have Council suit cards in your deck? Are there Council members wanting to speak to you through Soul Collage®?