SoulPages is a Visual journaling method developed by Rakefet Hadar in 2015.

SoulPages is a powerful tool that allows you to connect to a place of transformation and healing, using various mixed media techniques within a personal journal.

Working within the visual journal under the gentle guidance of a facilitator enables processes of growth, healing, and ignition of the joy and passion of life.

SoulPages values

•         Playfulness. Playfulness improves relationships and our connection to others. It relieves stress and leads to creative thinking and smarter decisions. Through the relaxation and pleasure of playfulness, we have the unique opportunity to exercise both the analytical and creative aspects of our minds.
•         Imagination. Imagination influences everything we do, think about and create. By loosening the grip of perceived obstacles, imagination allows us to open to what may be possible through innovation and a shift in perspective.
•         Creativity. Creativity has an amazing power to provide renewed enthusiasm and energy, even in difficult circumstances.  Creativity helps us to discover new experiences, gain insight, and build resilience in all areas of life. When creativity is encouraged in group settings, we enjoy a deeper connection with each other.
•         Connection. Connection to ourselves allows us to understand better who we really are, what we are feeling, and what we need. This place of awareness then allows us to build friendships and healthy social connections essential for wellbeing, empathy, and personal health.
•         Friendship. Friendship is based on mutual respect, honoring our differences, and opening to the value inherent in each other. Through friendship, we come alongside each other to support one another in our journey toward belonging, purpose, happiness, and sense of self-worth.
•         Joy. Joy arises when we are being our very best selves and have a sense of safety, community, and purpose. Joy helps us to look to the future with hope, clarity, and confidence.

An easy art practice that can change your life

“I’m not good enough”

“I could never do it, it’s too hard for me”

“I’m just not creative enough!”

These are sentences that we all say to ourselves on a daily basis.

But guess what…these sentences are not real! these are just rooted thoughts that your inner critic sends you as a regular routine.

We all heard that in order to change our life,we need to get rid of destructive beliefs that we have about ourselves.

we have to go through a painful process of dealing with our inner critic and letting go of these negative feelings.

But what if I told you there is a sweeter, joyful way to feel better, to be more secure, productive, and happier in our daily life?

I went through years of therapy, soul searching, and blaming my parents until I realized that I could activate positive inner parts that I never knew existed within me.

Jung talked about the archetypes as existing in the collective subconscious. Jung also said that each of us has the potential to know all the archetypes that exist in this realm.

When I developed the SoulPages method, I discovered a very important archetype inside me that was dormant – The dreaming child.

I learned how to activate it and it started to thrive and changed my life.

Our subconscious is a very powerful part of our brain, It holds lots of beliefs about ourselves that were created when we were very young. belief such as I can’t do it, It’s too difficult, I’m not good enough, etc..

The thing most people don’t realize is that our subconscious “speaks” in the language of symbols and images and we can use this language in order to re-program our minds and change these limiting beliefs.

one of the most powerful tools is creating mindful art inside a visual art diary or a visual journal.

Mindful art is any art practice that is based on mindfulness, meditation, or visualization to spark a creative practice. Our mind is more relaxed and open after we meditate and we can create more open and honest work of art.

When we work in a visual journal we can let our subconscious “choose” special images that we can dialogue with and discover important insights about ourselves.

One of the techniques that I teach in my courses is dialoguing with an image.

We start with picking a random image and we ask the image certain introductory questions:

Who are you?

Can you tell me about yourself?

why did you come today?

Do you have a message for me?

What part of me needs your help?

After you finish the dialogue you can create an environment for your image, an environment where it feels safe and protected.

You can start an art therapy journal even if you are not working with a certified therapist.

In the SoulPages method, I use mindful art techniques that are very therapeutic and can help us overcome some of our childhood wounds.

Art therapy is a modality of healing that was developed originally by artists that knew how much working with materials in a loose, nonjudgmental way- can be healing to your soul.

I started to developpe the SoulPages method when I was in my last year of art therapy certificate. I was looking for a way to heal my inner wounds and my connection with my parents.

I started working on an altered book that I made from scratch, I only used the cover of the book and saw in new pages… I wrote on one side all my feelings and on the other side I allow myself to paint, glue, draw and basically just play with materials..

 It took a few months until I realise how strong this work was.

I started to feel compassion for my mother, I started to feel that I have more power and energy to do the daily activities.

I can truly say that this practice changed my life and helped me heal some deep inner wounds in a fun creative way and without the need to go to a certified therapist.

If you want to try one session for free you can check out this link

https://soul-pages.com/the-transformative-book-the-dreaming-child/

In one of the most difficult periods of my life, I found the visual journal and it helped me find my own inner guidance. It was after my mother died and I dealt with grief and shame.

In the beginning, I called my journal- an artistic Journal because it was all about expressing my feeling in an artistic way… I just enjoyed the visual effect of playing with different mixed media techniques.

But after a few months, I started to feel that what I create in my journal can be described as meditation art.

I would meditate on a subject, visualize it and then I would start work in my visual journal. I felt that the meditation continued even when I opened my eyes and started to create.

Every week I felt better, I felt that I can heal myself.

But… the most amazing healing started when I started to teach others.

I knew that I discovered something special and I decided to try and create lessons for others.

I developed SoulPages method I thought it for a few years. My student wanted more and more lessons and I started to feel that when I’m teaching others- I’m also healing myself.

Very soon I noticed that all my students also wanted to teach others..

This was the time when I developed the Mentor program- I understood that collective healing is so important!

I started to teach the Mentor course 8 years ago and since then I feel that when I create lessons that are coming from my inner soul, lessons that are created with my knowledge- I managed to help others and heal them-and the fact that I’m an agent of healing- help me maintain my mental health.

So if you want to heal yourself through healing others you should consider the SoulPages Mentor program. You can read more here:

https://soul-pages.com/courses/soulpages-facilitator-training-22-23/

The art journaling world is full of possibilities and sometimes you can feel overwhelmed “how can I start?”

In this article I want to suggest 3 simple activities that can kickstart your artistic practice:

Meditation art– you can start by simply listening to meditation or visualizations by different teachers and then letting your hands and heart create what you felt/ saw in your meditation. give it 20-30 minutes and remember that there is no place for the inner critic in this activity!

You can start by listening to one of my visualizations here:

https://soul-pages.com/junes-offering-connect-with-your-magic-fairy/

The 7 elements of visual journaling

In my book “Layers of meaning” you can learn all about the 7 elements of creating, This is a very simple way to start working in a journal. the 7 elements are Intention, magical coincidence, background, Image, color, line, and text.

you can start working with one element a day and create intuitive art only with that element.

you can read about the elements here:

https://soul-pages.com/the-book-layers-of-meaning-is-released/

A visual poem

choose a poem you like and create a work of art that is a visual translation of the poem. You can print the poem and cut out the lines and glue them over your art.

This piece of art journaling spread I did after a poem that my mother wrote.