A simple, fun, profound, unique, appreciated and a special process that no money can buy.
NOTE: This blog is more of a how-to on making a card for another person. The card can be for any occasion. Birthdays, anniversaries, births, or any of life’s big events. It is much work, but the end product is amazing. gm
Instructions on how to make your own cards. Suggest you read through all the instructions two or three times before beginning. These guidelines come from many years of personal experience and guiding others.
To Begin: Picture the person you want to make the card for. You can also place a photo of them in front of you. Feel how you can serve the expansion of life for that person. Expansion can include happiness, prosperity, greater health, better relationships, or anything other items of your choice. Make this the theme, the guiding base for the creative flow to follow.
Gather the material you will need:
– blank paper (any type, size, color, shape, thickness, or finish)
– glue stick (works faster than tube glue)
– old magazines (ones you can cut up)
– photo’s you can cut
– sharp scissors
– fancy paper (used for accents)
– unusual designs (can be created in a computer and printed out)
– cloth, string, feathers, etc.
– just about anything that is reasonably flat and will fit into a book
Intention & Trust: Remember that this card/book has no limits, special shape or size. it is a creative process of trust, fun, and breathing. yes, breathing. Remembering the breath while in the process can be enormously helpful in allowing something of great value to come through you. Without this remembering, we may begin to ‘think’ too much and this can lead to censuring, editing, changing, and in general destroying what we truly feel and know. We must care about this person to make such an effort and in that caring, we know something of who they are. Trust is all-important in the creative process just as in a successful relationship. This card is an expression of that relationship.
Preparing the Paper: You can choose any size paper to work on. I often work with normal letter (A4) size. A one-page card is a great start or you can use multiple pages. The instructions work for both. I like to put 4 to 8 pages together, first by folding them all on one edge, about half an inch (1.5 cm) is good. then using a liberal amount of glue to stick the pages together one at a time forming a ‘book’ type card. Remember that every page has 2 sides. (for those who are unsure about this process, you can start with one page to create an experience and over time you can add pages as you like. During this stage, you can even stick in other pieces of paper or string into the edges you are gluing. Just remember to allow a way for the pages to bend like a book so it can be opened flat and enjoyed. Using a good quality glue stick, you do not need to wait for the glue to dry so you can get on with the work.
Gathering of Material: This step can be done days or weeks before. Begin collecting and gathering things you associate with that person. Some of the items may not make sense to you – they don’t have to! You are working on the soul level. They are for the other person. This is where trust comes in. Don’t worry, you know more than you think you know. The key is to have fun in the process. Cut or tear out photos, drawings, words, color, patterns or anything, that you ‘feel’ you would like to put onto the pages. You can use books, magazines, old calendars, postcards, shopping bags, wrapping paper, or anything! Really! This step can take hours if you have 5-6 pages. If you have the skills, you can even create stuff on a computer, print them out and add them to your car.
It’s Your Creation: The order of what you do and how you do it is NOT important. I am only giving you the way I have developed this for myself and how I teach others to do this. You may find another way that works better for you. Great!
Preparing the Material: Now review all the bits and pieces you have cut and gathered. You can begin to trim some of the images and cut out some of the objects, shapes or figures. This helps to visualize and ‘feel’ what the pages will look like. In truth, I never know what the pages will look like when I start. You must start somewhere and then let the process unfold like the petals of a flower. Keep breathing deep and relaxed.
Assembling: Now it is time to start putting the items on the page. It is good to have some clean paper to apply the glue to protect the images and other surfaces. This gluing paper needs to be changed so you do not put your images on top of the sticky glue. You can start on the first page or somewhere in the middle. It is not important, except to keep trusting, ‘feeling’ and enjoying the experience. It really can be fun.
Tips: During this gluing down process here are some important tips that I have learned that can help:
– it is okay to glue one thing on top of another, making layers
– stuff can stick out from the side of the page (outside the box)
– images can even fold over to the next page or cross the fold (be creative)
– you most likely will not complete each page all at once. This is a gradual process of discovery. Again like the petals of a rose taking time to reveal its beauty.
– leaving blank space is very helpful. You can always fill it later or leave it blank. It is difficult to unglue what you have done.
– it can be helpful to position your images before gluing them down. If you spend too much time rearranging the images, you run the risk of undoing something truly beautiful that is still revealing itself. Trust also requires patience.
– it is okay to take a short break. Continue to work with the energy, awareness and ‘feeling’ of this process. It can be more effective to stay in the flow until you are done. Again, there are no rules, just some ideas from my own experience you may or may not find helpful.
– if nothing ‘feels’ right for a particular page or space, then leave that space blank for now. I often go into my computer and type some words, or short phrases that I print out and paste onto the card. Word processing programs give you many options in letter size, color, shape, shading, special effects and so forth. Keep the page open in front of you that you are designing for. This will help you design something that will best fit in with the energy.
Keep Up: This pasting down process takes the most time. I may spend 3-5 hours in this step for a card containing 6 pages. remember that 6 pages are 12 sides.
One must be very careful to NOT do too much. Meaning sometimes a page will ‘feel’ finished, but our mind will tell us that there is a big blank space and we ‘need’ to fill it with something. In most cases leaving it blank is best. Again this is not a rule!
Visualize: Think of a forest full of trees. We see different shades of green and the outline of the trees. One tree is standing alone in a field with a small wooden bench underneath to sit watching butterflies and the other creatures. Let these images fill you with a greater sense of peace.
In a typical western culture, we tend to ‘fill’ most of our days and nights with work, noise, the internet, and an endless assortment of activities. Yet in the quiet moments (a sunset, a child laughing, a floating cloud, blowing snowflakes) we feel the power and beauty of life. Not just the life outside, also the life inside, which in truth is the same.
Finishing: At this point having completed most of the card. Take the time to look it over as if you were the person receiving the card, seeing it for the first time. This process is about respect. During this review process, I learn more about myself than the person I am creating the card for. I may add a few finishing touches, to one page, or to the cover, or may just sign the card somewhere, not necessarily the back. I may sign it in the middle. whatever seems best – do that!
Finally: Giving away of the creation which came out of an inspiration connected to the person. This card is best wrapped like any present or gift and then given freely. Meaning without any expectation. This is not easy, but very helpful if one can learn how to be neutral and not hope for any special reaction. In my work, I am often given gifts. Some I can use, but many are not of value to me and my work. The person who gave me the gift did so out of a loving heart, but once you give something, it is best to give up all rights to that gift. Meaning that we cannot control what happens next. With all the gifts I receive, they first go on my altar. The ones I cannot use, I find someone who can ‘use’ that gift and I pass it along. It is NOT just a getting rid of unwanted stuff. It is still a process of consciously ‘tuning in’ which requires trust, practice and more patience.
Grace: If you have followed the instructions above, both the practical ‘how to do it’ process and the ’emotional/mental process’, then you will have created something of value both to the person and to you. This expression of love enriches the entire world. Hard to imagine? Perhaps – but it is true. If you think about it, you will know the truth of this statement. Better yet, make a card for someone you care about and then you will experience the truth.
©The Divine Human, revised 2019
