While Visioning®
a dream is an amazing process, collage also works when
seeking solutions to daily stress. For instance, I work a full-time
job, a part-time job and also care-take the ranch where I live. My
life is completely opposite from my recent two-year stint as a pet-sitter. Needless to say,
I've struggled to maintain balance.
I've endured shoulder, arm and hand difficulty as I've acclimated to
computer work most of the week. I've learned to say “no” to many
friend invitations in order to say “yes” to me. I've become bad
at returning calls. While I know it is vital to create a schedule
that includes creative time, I'm struggling
with time management.
Now
that my body is used to my work life; thanks to my stand up desk and
willingness to try a variety of keyboard, mouse, and chair
combinations—my stress has taken the form of an eczema breakout.
And it is no big surprise that it's happening on my shoulders and
arms.
In
order to accept and listen to my symptoms, my go to solution is the
three-part collage.
 |
| Image courtesy of http://youngmommymemoirs.blogspot.com |
Here's how it works.
Take
a large rectangle paper (18 x 24 inch) and fold it into three equal
sections. (Three pages of 8 1/2 x 11 works too.) Lay the paper on the
table in front of you and number them as follows:
The
left section is Number 1: where you are now.
The
right section is Number 2: where you want to be.
The
middle section is Number 3: the solution.
Take
several minutes to breathe, grab a magazine and go. The key is to
work quickly, only using a few images per section depending on the
amount of time you have. The process is focus on one panel at a time
in number order.
Rip
out a few images that grab you, trim and glue (or tape) to the page.
Then work the next panel. In between each section, take a few minutes
to breathe and look at the images, but don't stop to journal.
For
example: I just took a break to complete a collage on 18 x 24 inch
paper in 40 minutes.
Regarding
the eczema question, my surprise about section 1 is that I don't have
a picture of skin anywhere. Instead I have the
truth-telling phrase:
“I'm
aging and panicking. Where can I find peace?”
Gulp.
This really is where my head has been at: I've been feeling my
age in all aspects of my life.
Panel
2 depicts a sleeping woman and the phrase OWN every Sunday.
Sunday
is my one day off and basically, sleeping on Sunday is exactly where
I have been for the past several months.
The
middle section, representing the middle path between worrying about
aging yet wanting to sleep my time away is an image of
two horses standing in a field with the word Soulbringer across the
photo.
So.
Without picking up the pen I've already discovered two things: my
stress has to do with growing older and that my sleep through Sunday
solution is no longer working. I have an inkling about what the horse
images are, but I want to spend time gaining clarity before I
share!!!
NEXT
MONTH: My favorite techniques for discovering the secrets of my
vision board.
If
you don't want to wait that long to learn how to work with your own
collage, check out Lucia's book, Visioning: Ten Steps to Designing
the Life of Your Dreams. The
chapters are loaded with journaling methods you can use to gain
insights to your vision.
To
purchase Lucia's book or information on her 2014 workshops, click
here to go to her website.
Dorothy Segovia is a certified Visioning Coach, writer and musician who practices the art of collage in all of her creative projects. To find out more, visit her at www.writeinside.com
