WEEKLY ORACLE CARD READING
One of my favorite teachers is Mathew Fox, whose book Original Blessing made probably the biggest impact on my life when I was really struggling around the holidays. My mentor, Margueritte, who bless her sweet heart was like Aunt Clara from Bewitched (for those of you who remember the dotty old witch whose spells sometimes landed her in a trash can, or she’d accidentally turn herself into a cat) handed this book to me along with the same author’s version of the Sermon on the Mount. The holidays seemed to trigger all my low self-worth buttons and behaviors, and all she said to me when she gave them to me was, “God doesn’t make junk—and you are a treasure.” She also used to call me her exotic bird too, while others in the church basements we frequented would look at my goth appearance and look away in fear and loathing muttering that there should be a dress code for sobriety. Ya right.
The gist of this book was that we are all born in Original Blessing, not Original Sin, that each of us is born innocent and blessed by the Divine, and that our task in this lifetime is to discover that sparkling thread of this Truth and weave it into the fabric of our lives. In this way we could free ourselves to be human, to keep committed to a conscious contact with a benevolent Higher Power, and if we make mistakes we can be accountable and take action and make amends when needed. We were not the sum total of our mistakes, that they, in fact, are each an opportunity for growth and a return to Love and to Spirit.
For someone newly clean and sober, this was a revelation because I had so much shame and unprocessed rage I didn’t know how to be other than to say, “I’ll show you how hurt I am. I’ll set myself on fire,” or just sit in a corner and stuff my face wondering if I will ever feel safe, or free from myself. (Oh! Right! If you’re new to my blog, I’m turning 34 years clean and sober soon, and the holidays are when I get right into looking for blessings everywhere even in the face of pain).
So this concept changed everything for me. Since then, every year I have started taking my inventory of the year before around now.
It’s when I clean house, both my actual environment and my inner. I take away what I don’t need from my outer, which is relatively easy, but before I focus on what needs to go internally, I do a slightly different inventory. I first look for the treasures in my life, experiences that were both obvious and obscured.
It’s kind of like a hidden object game called Where’s Waldo—Elf of Holiday Blessings?
So I’m going to invite you to do what I do.
The question I ask myself is where can I find the blessings in my life hidden in plain sight?
Example: This is the easy part. I am blessed with sobriety, I’m so grateful for my life. Best husband ever and adorable dogs. In love with my farm. I have the best publisher, amazing loyal friends, and I know what I do makes a difference in people’s lives. I am grateful beyond measure that I have this life.
Now, I feel good, let’s look at the messier bits. This is the hard part and honestly most gratifying. I am blessed with having had some confrontational experiences that forced/invited me to do some serious deep healing and make real changes in my life. I can give myself the gift of blessing, even in the most difficult moments, not run away and do the work.
By the way, I write all this out so I really understand the blessings, accompanied by gratitude and know that I really understand the human experience I signed up for. The other thing is we are never done. Life is a lifetime experience!
One last thing.
The greatest blessing you can bestow on others at this time of year is radical acceptance. Allowing someone to be who they are without demanding they change, just letting everyone be free to be who they are at the moment and place you meet is an extraordinary gift that is rarely noted. The other is listening. How can we accept or know the other if we don’t listen?
BIG LOVE TO ALL. May you all know your own blessings and share them with others.
Thank you for this blog! Just what I needed! Bless you!
Thank you for what you do. I look forward to your Oracle weekly readings, written advice on your blog, and the Asto card reading along with pulling some additional cards of my own from your Oracle deck to complete my personal guidance for the week. I’ve learned a lot from you and You count as one of my blessings. 😊👏🌹 Blessings always.
Thank you so much, Deborah!
I have never heard the term Original Blessing but have believed/used the concept for a long time. I love the name! Thank you for all that you do and share that makes my life richer. Love the new Astro readings too!
Always enjoy your readings. It keeps me connected to the spiritual world.
Again thank you for sharing your soul awakening reading with me– this week’s reading as always made me realize all of the blessings that I have– so much to be thankful for. I want to sit down and list all of them to make sure I know just how much I have to be grateful for. Thank you again for setting me on this path , just in time for the Christmas holidays and all that comes to me with this great holiday.
You are my biggest blessing for without you I would never be in the place that I am in right now. Thank you.
Many thanks Colette ! May this season be full of many blessings for you and all others !
I thoroughly enjoy your blog and readings. You mix truth, kindness and humor so masterfully! You are so real and inspirational. I am so grateful to have “found” you and to be able to follow you.
Many blessings to you and yours…
To take care of ourselves is the best gift we have , when we make some mistakes look at it then step on it and walk away , life is to enjoy 🤙
Dear Colette,
I am so very grateful for your continued work that leads me back, everyday, to my authentic self without fear, obligation or guilt ♥️🙏🏻 There is no looking back Sister! 😇 We are Blessed.
Thank you, thank you, thank you Colette! Exactly what I need today!
Xoxo
Dear Colette;
I love the choice of the word ” bestow “. It means that all of my needs are considered and taken care of. I am unconditionally loved by the power that
created me and gave me the gift of life. The greatest lesson, assignment
is to learn to include myself and to learn to love, accept and celebrate who I am. Courage to change the things I can which means that as I become more conscious, aware and compassionate about who I am and why I might behave
a certain way. I know that I can make a different choice and as I practice this new option with each day it will become more familiar, and less uncomfortable. How much better could it get?? I always have the choice to be, do, act to honor the highest and best version of who I am becoming. OR I can choose to remain stuck in old patterns that do not serve me. Suffice it to say, I am so blessed in many ways and really appreciate everything I have been given. It hasn’t been a picture perfect journey but who I am is the sum total of all of the experiences that life have sent me. How I chose to respond to these challenges has built a core of strength, resilience, empowerment and grace and self-forgiveness.
I couldn’t close without expressing my heartfelt gratitude for your insights, perspective and guiding wisdom that has helped shape and nurture a vision that is possible for all of us to reach toward and integrate into our lives in small measurable increments one day at a time. Many Blessings always.
I am blessed in all areas of my life, my children, my husband, my home, my animals and even my career that I have been in over 40 years. (Even though I’d like to find something else I was good at) I love this time of the year so I can show the ones I love how much they mean to me. Blessings to you and yours as well.
Thank you Colette, this one struck a cord or two! Time for inventory – been doing a lot of outer this past year so I will concentrate on the inner. Merry Christmas
Count your blessings I adapt well. Thank you
Christmas Blessings Colette and family…
YES!! Acceptance – no judgement – respect – everyone is equal!! Thank you!!! What every person deserves – that and love ❤️
I’m so Blessed to have your teachings in my life❤ Sending you Love, Hugs and Abundace of Blessings❤❤❤
I have been following you now for about 3 years and have looked forward to learning fron tge F.B lives Oracle card sessions and your blog They have all been inspiring and have made me look deeper and begin to open to all that I gave been afraid to share in the past .Many thanks forcall you do
Christmas blessings to you & yours Colette, your message as usual is just what we need, always positive & encouraging. Thank you for being you. Exotic bird yes, but I think of you as a gorgeous, genius raven.
xo, Debra from Toronto 😊
I read your question and followed up thinking I have 3 things in my life that are blessings. It makes me depressed. If god doesn’t make junk, then why the heck is it taking him/it 40+ years to have me figure out where I belong? What I’m good at? I’m tired. Sure I have my physical health (mental health is not the greatest) but what good is it if there’s nowhere for me to be, not knowing how I can help, not knowing where I can be successful? I pray for sleep nonstop bc this isn’t quality of life.
I’ve done sooo much inner work and it still ends up all feeling similar at the end with not much more success in any area of life to show. I’m getting jaded and I don’t like it. Surely I must be here for a reason other then to be criticized and be people’s emotional punching bags? You’re so lucky you found your path so young. Why the f can’t this happen to me??
Thank you Colette, you are truly inspirational! I’ll take a leaf out of your book and weave it into mine anyday. Great lessons for all of us to learn and ponder. Many blessings for the festive season and kindest regards xx
This was so nice Collette Thank you ., I wish you a very Merry Christmas you have come a long way and I look forward to listening and learning your teachings ! All the best to come in 2020🤗
Hi Colette,
Thank you for sharing your story again now-you felt it was needed right? I needed it today. First Christmas without my mom and sisters in 59 yrs. They “kicked” me out in the spring for asking too many questions about my moms health (I was an RN)-they were overdrugging her with herbs- then kicking me off as executor-but she went along with it. Our history is abusive and so sad it shatters families. I am the only married one with kids but we had to finally walk away-starting my “family sobriety” I will call it. I have 3 big dogs and two cats that remind me daily of unconditional love and I am trying to write my book too but so much distraction. Your Goddess cards have been my rock-they tell it to me like it is and now I know if I get certain cards what I will be dealing with that day. So funny. I follow the guidance and they really teach you to have faith no matter what. LOVE YOU!!!!!!!
oh Laurie may this holiday be filled with soooo many blessings. So sorry about your family.
bless you xoxoxoxo
everyone’s path is different, with different lessons to learn. I’d invite you to try out A Course in Miracles. It’s so good for shifting you attitude and perception.
big love to you.. yes a Raven 😉
big blessings to you Mary
that is so beautiful thank you for writing Renee
Thank you Colette for this blog and reminder for an end of year reflection and inventory, Gratitude and blessings!! I too am in Gratitude for the blessing of 30 years of sobriety, and I follow you every day for your readings! I just got the Animal Spirits deck and am so enthralled with the divine possibilities awaiting me for 2020! Love and light to you always, you are a treasure!🙏😇💜
Thank You You are a great Blessing
Thank you for your wonderful words. I LOVED Aunt Clara on bewitched. I watched it all the time when I was growing up.
Thanks also for the names of those books. I have Matthew Fox’s Sermon on the Mount and read it regularly to correct my perspective. I will be ordering Original Blesssings, thanks to you. I have several of your card decks, and will be ordering this latest one. Bright Blessings for a joyous Yule. Blessed Be.
Thank you Colette. I am Sagittarius, just had my birthday and every year I unravel physically and emotionally (not my best self) from now through to New Years. It’s rarely good and it’s my two adult children and I and we do not exchange gifts, we have all we need. So we sleep a lot, watch movies together, play a board game or two while listening to Christmas music (always Bing Crosby) So in other words a lot of time to overthink. I will make more an effort to write to release this year so hopefully can pull myself back out of the hole I dug. Sorry to you for obsessively writing looking for spiritual support and can you please tell JH, I’m sorry. I feel like I’m losing my mind and I’ve bothered him too much too. Love to you and yours and send to JH for me too please. Thank you, you both have meant so much to me and the books and oracle cards I have are close at hand when I need guidance and reassurance. Merry Christmas and Blessings for More Time BE_ing 💖 Cheryl from Toronto
There’s a Scottish/Irish song called “Caledonia” with these words: “I have moved and keep on moving/Proved the points that needed proving/Lost the friends that needed losing/Found others on the way…”. Well, that’s been my year and I am so grateful. I found my passions, found my tribe and found my true self. I found your site which has opened doors I never expected to walk through and helped me reconnect with the Universal Power, all for the good. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Love and blessings to you this holiday season and year round.
This is my first time reading your blog and I am so glad I did. Thank you for sharing. I loved the expressions “God does not make junk” and “you are not the sum of your mistakes”. How true! The universe, it’s creation / creator, Mother Nature – whatever you believe for/ as a source – designed which such intricacy and complexity – how can we not be amazed and grateful. It is so easy to get wrapped up in ourselves, especially this time of year, and focus on lack when there is actually so much abundance. We need to remember we have the power and freedom of choice and just need to look to nature for inspiration when we need a little nudge to change our mindset. Dwelling gets us nowhere / nothing but an upset stomach.
Thank you for sharing!
I sure hope you take one giant moment on your sobriety birthday to just sit and bask in the glow of your triumph. My brother is about 30 years sober and he is a hero in my eyes. We grew up being modeled alcoholism and I became the cautious one (and figured out there were other addictions!) and kept my distance from alcohol. He went down that difficult road and, like you, came through it, now sober and a hero to me. You model joy and grace and full on love of life to me, Collette. A road I choose …. and then choose again when I read your blogs and learn from the wisdom in your readings. THANK YOU. (and I love that goat farm…. oh I want to go!) As you navigate what you recognize as a time for inside/outside cleansing and renewal, please don’t let go of knowing the luminous beauty you are in the world and see it for the gift it is/you are. I’m so grateful!!!
Thanks so very much. I try to be thankful every day in life for the most amazing gifts of all- friends and family. I am so blessed. I have had so many opportunities to touch the world with unconditional love. It seems to be my greatest purpose here. Next – I need to write because- experiences when shared help others and your own self to see things from other perspective.
Love n light to you- Colette- and to your immediate family and dogs and alll that you touch. My eyes are open and I am a work in progress. ❤️♥️🤗🌻
Dear Colette:
IM SO GRATEFUL FOR YOU! 🦋💚🦋
I so much enjoy reading your blog receiving messages thru email then re reading them in Facebook
I am very happy for your GRAND accomplishment Congratulations!!!! 🤗👏🏼🤗
I wish my mom would have made it as well. Now in Heaven guess she did too 😊
Thank you for all the teachings and blessings you give
You radiate so much Love I hope you know it
Bright Blessings and Happy Holidays
Hugs
Karen 🦋
big blessings to you Karen
exactly we share our experiences
bless you Diana xooxox
so true and welcome jennifer hope you enjoy my website lots of free stuff to explore!
big love to you Fredda!
bright blessings dear Maxine!
Happy sobriety Lyn!!!
Absolutely beautiful, what an inspiring message and delivered with such insight and honesty. Thank you for sharing and reminding us! I feel blessed to have come across your teachings and insights and now watch all of your lessons and readings and have 5 of your beautiful oracle decks. Thank you for enriching my life just at the right time.
Xxoo
Blessings and Happy Holidays!
Beautiful message, Colette! I appreciate your wisdom and insight plus the fact that you share them with us! May you and Marc have a wonderful Christmas and a blessed, happy, healthy & prosperous 2020! Looking forward to spending it with you!
Blessings!
Thank you for the gift of sharing your experiences with us mere mortals. I do find this time of the year my most difficult too. Being single with no children and a family that is non existent makes for a very lonely and sad time. I am celebrating 13 years of being sober and often during this time it becomes extremely difficult to remain in sobriety. It is during this time that I can truly feel the power of the Creator and the Angels carry my through this period full off potholes, boulders and mountains. When I wake and feel that I can no more, it is then that I am lifted and carried by a power which cannot be seen. For this I am forever greatful and realise just how blessed I am with the gift of life. Thank you so much for sharing your process, for being who you are and giving me tools to use to keep me on track and authentic… 💝
So True and Hits home at a time, not only questioning ourselves around the Holiday and all that means, but the end of the year heading into a new one. Did I learn? Did I grow? Was I kind enough? What can I do better? and the hardest of all…just to be! So grateful for all you share from your journey to help those of us on ours. Blessed wishes for your Holiday, New Years and beyond. xo