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The Companion Suit The cards in this suit consist of your ‘chakra allies’. There will be a total of 7 different cards (one for each chakra) unless you’re working with more than 7 chakras. These chakra allies are ‘power animals’. “Power animals” embody the energy, qualities or essence of the whole species of the particular animal. So for example, it’s not ‘a bear’, it’s ‘Bear’. What does ‘Bear’ mean to you. The same power animal can mean different things to different people. To me, Bear means hibernation, conserving energy, retreating to its ‘cave’ and needing (plenty) of 'alone-time' or solitude. Bear is strong, solid and powerful. Bear is generally slow, steady and lumbering (to the point of 'laid back'). On the whole, Bear does not rush, but Bear can move like lightening when necessary! Bear is at home on land, in water and climbing trees, Bear is adaptable. Bear (when pregnant) has a long gestation period so Bear may take time to give birth to new projects and to bring ideas to fruition.
photo credit: www.stock.xchng twmagoo
You will get to know the qualities and essence of the power animal or chakra ally who comes to you for each chakra. You will come to understand the gifts it brings you. In order to do this you may find it useful to learn about its habits and habitats, You can do this after the visualisation (that follows below). You might ask yourself: What does this animal eat? How does it move? How does it look? Is it large or small? What are its prey, and what preys upon it? You may find it easiest to discover your chakra allies one by one, i.e one per session. Set your intention to find the ally for a particular chakra before you start your session. Make sure you can have some quiet time without disturbance You may want to do some yoga or stretching, or a meditation, or some breathing exercises beforehand to get you ‘in a relaxed space’. Or you may just be able to relax with some peaceful music and a comfy sofa and blanket and go straight in to your ‘chakra ally’ visualisation. Your chakra ally visualisation: Once you are relaxed (in whatever way works for you) you can then imagine yourself in a place of peace and beauty. You can imagine a place that you know and love, or you can imagine a place where you would love to be. Would you prefer a beach or a forest, a flower meadow or a mountain? Imagine the surroundings as best you can, employing all of your senses. Make the colours bright. Animate the scene. Bring it to life: perhaps waves lapping and seagulls flying above if on a beach: or leaves gently rustling and clouds slowly rolling by if in a forest clearing. Can you smell the grass, or the blossom, or the salty sea spray? What can you hear? Birdsong? Wind in the trees? Surf against the shore? Use all your senses. Feel the sand running through your fingers or touch the smooth bark of a silver birch tree. Once you are nicely relaxed and enjoying the scene, intend that you are about to meet your power animal for the particular chakra you are focussing on in this session. You may imagine your power animal appearing out of the sea, or from a distant cave, or from far in the forest, or from ferns. Let the animal appear, let it be whatever it is, even if it is surprising. This animal is your friend, your ally. Welcome it, and see it come and settle down beside you. Ask ‘are you the animal ally/power animal for my ………….chakra?” It will say yes or no. If no, ask if it is for another chakra. Whether the answer is yes or no you can still speak with the animal and learn what ‘gifts’ it has for you. You might ask: “What gift do you bring for me, what can you teach me?”The animal might mention qualities and strengths. Or it might show you, or give you a sense of what it brings for you. You may be surprised. Give it time to answer. You might ask: “What can I do for you? How can I help you?”Allow the animal to answer. Again, it may speak or, it may show you with images what you might do. Please do not worry if you cannot remember the exact questions to ask. In fact it is perfectly fine for you to ask any questions you wish. It does not matter. Also, even if you get no clear indication of what the animal has to offer you at this time, you WILL get the answers later. (NOTE: At any rate you will probably find it interesting to read up later on the animal that has come to you. A book I love is by Ted Andrews called “Animal Speak”. He gives very detailed interpretations of both Power Birds and Power Animals. Jamie Sams and David Carson’s ‘Medicine Cards’ (book and card deck) are also good for learning about power animals. In fact there are many books on the market now, - just search Amazon Books need to put link here but those are two of my favourites.) When you feel you have communicated sufficiently with your power animal, thank it for coming to you. You may want to tell it that you are making a soul collage card to honour it. You may want to ‘absorb’ it into your relevant chakra using your imagination or you may want to wave goodbye to it as it retreats into the distance, thanking it as it goes. Repeat this process another day for each of the other 6 chakras. You might want to start with the base chakra and work your way up. OR, do whatever feels right for you! The Companion Suit was one suit that I was reluctant to produce for myself. This was because, through shamanic training, I had already received ‘chakra allies’ or ‘archetypes’ which were placed within each of my chakras - and I’ve become very familiar with, and fond of them! I also have several other power animals who have appeared at various points over the years and my main power animal of Bear who I believe will always be with me. So, I decided, in the spirit of SoulCollage-freedom, to design my own suit simply called ‘Power Animals’. This suit features my own chakra allies or archetypes and also my other power animals. I shall honour them all! Remember, the Soul Collage deck is your deck and you can do what you like! The ‘final’ suit is the Council Suit – though you can invent and add any number of other suits if you so wish! Your deck is all about you so add whatever you wish. I rather fancy a ‘season’s suit’ and a ‘celtic festivals’ suit. Or what about a ‘things I love’ suit?! I’d like there to be a place for my allotment and my home – both sources of nurture for me. You could have a ‘gratitude’ suit. Or a planets, crystals, elements or astrological suit. The possibilities are endless. Remember, the Soul Collage deck is about you and you can have anything you want. However, having said all that, I do believe that the four suits together with the Source card as devised by Soul Collage creator, Seena B Frost, are brilliant, all encompassing and are probably all you need in this wonderful process of self-discovery! As soon as you create your first card, no! – as soon as you select your first image – your journey of self-discovery begins.
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