A Secret Message from Psyche
Creation of a collage with an open mind and an open heart can reveal to you the mysteries of your life and the greater unfolding.
Many folks create “vision boards” with the idea of manifesting or “calling in” what they hope to achieve, receive, experience in the next year or chapter of life. This is one way to do it. I feel most people are putting demands on Providence by dictating what they think should happen. Life is Grace. It is a great unfolding mystery.
Let’s let go of our limited ideations for a moment, and see what the Divine truly wishes for us, which is to be more of ourselves, and to express that true nature.
One lovely way to get in contact with this great mystery is to create a collage sans intentionality. Open up!
Want to try it? Here’s how:
SUPPLIES
1. Posterboard; white or black are usually best (but you can use a color if you prefer). Large size! At least 11x17, although I like much bigger ones. Drugstores or art stores have them.
2. Glue sticks.
3. Scissors – and bonus if you have an additional extra-fine pair (even as fine as nail scissors) to cut directly on the borders for extra effect.
4. Magazines – a healthy stack. Any style. Ask friends or neighbors, collect throughout the year. I had a bunch of Outdoor, National Geographic, Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair, and travel mags on hand.
5. Time – I suggest about three to four hours minimum; can be spread out over a couple or few days.
6. Space to work on a clear, big table.
7. Background music (optional) that helps you get into a dreamy, otherworldly space. This time, I listened to a variety of Bach, Beethoven, Philip Glass (try his Metamorphosis I-IV, for example.)
Suggestions for the Process
- Begin going through the magazines and simply pulling out images that speak to you. Don’t try to get caught up in what they mean, or why you are pulling something out. Just let it come. Rip and tear. Pull out the pages and keep them in a stack; don’t try to trim them down just yet. And don’t make final decisions as to what is going to be on your collage.
- Depending on the number of magazines you have (I would suggest having 10-20 on hand), this part could take twenty minutes or two+ hours. See where your eye goes, what appeals.
- When you have a healthy pile of image pages, go through them all again. Select the ones that still appeal to you. You may have a third pile of “maybes.” Keep them close; you might come back to them.
- Be on the lookout for backgrounds, too – textures, colors, nature scenes and the like.
- Start trimming the images down. The closer you are to the border, the more effect the image will take. This part takes patience. You might need to take breaks – stretch your shoulders and neck, rest your eyes. If you are in a hurry, you can cut the outline around the picture instead of closely trimming, it’s quite alright.
- Now, the hard (easy) part: Trust. It’s time to start arranging them. Remember your intention/non-intention of no intention, of letting Psyche speak to you. Soul is in charge, not ego. Cut, and arrange. Mock up the scene. Where do colors go? Where are characters or symbols or animals facing? Can you use up most of the posterboard area so there are less gaps? Or do you feel you need more white/black space surrounding the scene? Is there one scene, or are many smaller portals coming into view?
- Remember the sayings: Perfection is the enemy of the good. Perfection is the enemy of creativity.
- After the mock-up, you may start pasting. This part also requires patience, because you’ll have to decide which piece requires glue first, especially if you’re layering. Take your time. Remember to trust. There are no mistakes or errors. The images are coming alive. They are expressing themselves, talking to you. They will be laid down and assembled exactly as they are meant to, to reveal the essence and magic to you.
Finished? Wonderful!
Now, have a look. Share it with someone you trust, someone who loves you. Take a picture and send it to them. Or, keep quiet and journal about it. Place it on a wall you can admire it. See how the messages imbue your space over days, weeks. Perhaps this is a scene coming to you for the next few weeks, months, or years. Pay attention to your dreams.
The most important thing is allowing Consciousness to speak to you, not to dictate to Consciousness what you think should be unfolding. That is the gift. The revealing of the mystery.
You may not even receive a conscious message from the finished piece; the process itself is the healing. You are giving a nod to Psyche that you are listening, that you are hearing with your heart and your soul. Psyche loves this and will generously respond!
Enjoy the process, and let us know what happens! I’m opening up my first Substack Chat room thread, where you can go in and talk about this collage process, and share your creation with us. I look forward to seeing what happens, and some of your creations!
Thoughts, feelings, responses to this piece? To this process itself? See you in the comments, or in the chat.
thanks erin, going to try this with my boys!