February 4th, 2016
I would like to share a book I have read and consulted many times. Colette Baron-Reid is an author, spiritual intuitive, radio personality and motivational speaker. I like her style of writing because she writes as if she were speaking to a friend. Her entire book is devoted to connecting to the spirit world.
One of the points she makes that I like is that all spiritual traditions have their own way to connect with their Source. Therefore, regardless of your religious or spiritual inclinations, you can dialogue with your Higher Power. The way you do it may be different and, certainly, your name for it can vary but the end result is the same.
Colette warns that her clients must not perceive predictions as a guarantee that things will happen just as they wish. A prediction is set in the present, as things stand right now but, this is based on experiences and actions on your part. If you simply sit back with the information from a psychic reading and assume that all will happen as predicted you may be in for some disappointment.
My favourite part about this book is the tools section. You are introduced to a variety of tools to help you communicate with your Source. She presents ancient systems of divination such as Astrology, I Ching, Norse Runes, Sacred Numerology and the traditions related to Kabbalah.
Prior to entering into communication with your Higher Power she suggests that you become clear about your intentions, that you search for a "higher view" of current situations (as opposed to asking that all your wishes be granted) and, that you approach this process with respect. Depending on your beliefs, you can pray for protection before you attempt any of the tools described below and ask for "the Will of God to be revealed" or, you can meditate to help you slow down, become receptive and eliminate barriers to your communication.
In the tools section of the book, Colette says we all have themes and lessons we are meant to learn during our lifetime. She recommends that we view these as a map. There are times in when we meet certain people or undergo experiences that change our life. These intersections are planned. We also get "wake-up" calls when we need to get back to our journey and we have gone off the path. Our life is determined by how we react to the opportunities and challenges that are presented to us. Therefore, we are encouraged to explore this map. The more informed and aware we are regarding our themes and lessons, the better prepared we are to navigate life's challenges and make wise decisions. I received a gift from a friend when I was in my mid-twenties. It was an astrological life map. It described my husband, my children and my career path way before I knew who I would marry and what I would become. It also described my childhood (in themes) quite accurately.
Tasseography is the practice of reading the symbols left behind by coffee grinds, tea leaves, thick hot chocolate, pureed vegetable soup or leftover oatmeal from a cup or a bowl. There is a separate chapter about reading messages in the bath using medicinal herbs or milk powder. I am determined to find Turkish coffee and experiment with a group coffee grind reading. I love coffee and this sounds so different. I bet it would be lots of fun.
Animal Totems are also messengers to guide us, becoming familiar with our various animals can help us understand the way we are as well as our interactions with others. You have seven totem animals. One for your physical health, the second for emotional health, the third for your purpose or ego, the fourth for your heart which reflects your ability to give and receive love, the fifth is about communication, the sixth represents your intuition and the seventh is the link between the mortal and spiritual worlds. She proposes activities to meet our totem animals. Someone once told me that the Owl was one of my totem animals. When Stella was just a toddler, we went to Build-A-Bear because Molly wanted a stuffed Hello Kitty. I was showing stuffed puppies and rabbits to Stella. She chose an animal that was high up and far from where we were standing. This was her first teddy and she chose an owl. :)
There is an entire chapter devoted to signs by numbers. This caught my attention because, after my 17 year old cousin passed away, I saw 11:11 all the time and I asked my uncle if this had some meaning. I was thinking it may symbolize a date like November 11th or the time he was struck by the drunk driver. The day after I asked him, I started seeing 10:10 all the time and I realized it wasn't the number that was important, it was just a hello. It gave me chills. I still get this signal from him when something significant is about to happen. There is a helpful exercise to complete in this chapter to calculate your Life Purpose number based on your date of birth and your Destiny number which uses your birth name. The descriptions of these numbers blew me away. They confirmed that I was meant to use what I have experienced in my relationships to help others. Wild!
There are several activities you can use to learn from the 27 archetypes describing various ways of being in the world. These include baking 27 cookies, each with an archetype on it or drawing the signs on 27 stones which you can cast for information about your past, present and future. The 27 archetypes are listed and described at the end of the book. There is also a listing of animals and their assigned meanings. This helps you as you complete the totem exercise but it is also useful if you notice an animal and you feel that it is appearing in your life for a reason, to communicate a message to you.
This is such an interesting book, you'll want to keep it in your bookshelf to consult many times in the years to come. I hope you are able to read this book and enjoy it as much as I have.
Anne Walsh
www.artnsoul.org
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