How I’m Using SoulCollage® to Illuminate a Key Scene in Act Three of My Novel
Nothing like an intimate image to reveal mood, tone, and emotional nuances
I’m in the final birth pangs of act three of my novel, Man Pregnant!
Feeling my way, scene by scene in the dark, now there’s a light at the end of the birth canal — I mean tunnel. Not huge, but it’s there. And I’m writing towards it with a sense of awe and wonder that my heart reveals.
But there’s nothing like a visual image to catalyze that process.
So when I knew it was time for Pastor Silver–the pregnant pastor who’s hidden his affair from his wife–to reconcile with her, I created a SoulCollage@ card to capture the intimacy of that moment.
To do that, I needed a different image for Silver.
So I searched on Canva.com for a humble man. A man who’s been kicked out of his house and forced to face his demons while sleeping in his car in the rain. A man who gets repeated reminders that the baby he’s carrying is just that, a baby, not a messiah.
And indeed if there’s any miraculous healing going on, it’s from the liquid concoction in the pictured mason jar, affectionately known as La Tonica. He and his congregation have been sipping it all along and erroneously attributing its positive health effects to Silver’s unborn.
I found just such a man.
Even though he looks younger than my character, he’ll do. The point it not to make an exact replica of what my character looks like. But to capture the emotions of the moment. And allow the energy or soul of the images to speak to me about my characters and their story.
In SoulCollage®, we try not to prejudge the conclusions while assembling the images into a pleasing collage. We’re just playing with images at this point. Browsing, exploring, seeing what wants to be revealed, and staying open to surprises.
For me, it was finding the iced drink in the mason jar.
Because I’d been looking for something that would bring Silver and Wendy together. Silver was way more than willing. But Wendy was still very upset with the way her husband had broadcast their personal business all over his church in hopes of receiving the forgiveness that was extended to other parishioners.
La Tonica to the rescue.
Something they both needed at the same time. The aha! For me was having Silver drive up to Wendy’s aunt’s house and see Wendy’s car there.
The aunt, Ophelia, is the Wiccan herbalist who developed La Tonica and is the purveyor of its magic. And it works wonders on relationships, not just bodies, born and unborn.
Mindful of Wendy’s feelings, he doesn’t waltz right in. He calls ahead and asks permission. It takes a while, but it finally comes. In the healing heart of Ophelia’s kitchen, he sits and waits. Will or won’t she? The question runs through his heart. And he remembers the wisdom from a mirror moment earlier — show her your heart. Something shifts in him and Wendy appears in the doorway.
To prepare myself to write the scene, I read the card.
Here’s how it spoke to me:
As Silver: I am one who’s been given a chance to confront my demons and take responsibility for the hurt and damage I’ve done to myself and others. I am one who’s taking a hard look in the mirror. One who’s learning to surrender my ego to Spirit, and to listen. Really listen.
And what I’m hearing is, show God my heart and show Wendy my heart. But in order to do that, I have to show it to myself. Stop running and hiding so I can feel the full force of my pain, and touch and taste the love buried underneath. When I touch that love, the magic happens. Doors to reconciliation open. God, grant me the courage to walk through.
As Wendy: The last thing I want to do is forgive this bastard who betrayed me and welcome him back to bed. He needs to suffer for his sins. After all, he didn’t just hurt me, he hurt the kids and our whole church family. Got his ass fired in the process. So why the hell is Ophelia so goddamn insistent that I go in there and see him?
Well, there he is. What can I say? He’s looking down as well he should. But there’s something different about him. A heaviness in his shoulders, yes, I’d expect that.
But he’s looking up now, at me. There’s a light in his eyes I haven’t seen in a long time. It’s gentle and humble, like the man I married years ago. A man called Theodore. A man I adored, and so did God. Now I’m curious to see if I’m right. So maybe I’ll just edge over to the table and sit down. If nothing else, there’s La Tonica…
Overall: I am the one who tells a story of relationships and reconciliation. I am a writer who knows the power of redeeming love and uses it in her fiction. I am a writer who brings people together for healing, life, and in stories that inspire and uplift. At a time when we so need it.
Now I’m ready to write the scene…
What is SoulCollage®?
SoulCollage® is a process of allowing our souls to select and arrange images into collages, typically on 5 X 8-inch matt boards. It’s like creating our personal Tarot or oracle deck. In addition to being ‘read’ when created, we can do readings with one or more cards to answer specific questions.
Marilyn Flower’s a sacred fool who writes every day — fiction, poetry, and blogs — inspired by a process called SoulCollage®. She’s the author of Creative Blogging and Bucket Lister: Get Your Brave On. Follow her Sacred Foolishness or SoulCollage® for Writers, and Stay in touch!
