Time to Regroup and Dream!
Updated: January 29, 2018
Life at the beginning of the New Year is such a funny thing, isn’t it? It’s like we’re split in two. There is one side of us which is aware that we’ve set intentions and made resolutions and we feel driven to get things done in order to prove to the world we’re going to change! We think to ourselves; life in this New Year is magical and filled with P*R*O*M*I*S*E ! Now is NOT the time to waste!
Then there’s this other inconvenient self that wants to curl up and rest and dream and perhaps not move so fast too soon. That part of us can seem lazy, and not at all in alignment with our highest intentions!
Or, is there wisdom in this self? Maybe we need to listen to this need to regroup and dream?
The tension between these two selves, two perspectives, creates a kind of guilt for some of us. We start thinking that we better get off our butts and prove that we mean business! The treadmill calleth! We have dutifully thrown away the leftover holiday sweets and have begun a new and healthy plan.
Regrouping and dreaming can seem like a waste of time at the beginning of a new year when we put pressure on ourselves to perform miracles right out of the gate. The truth, however, is that taking time is exactly what we should be doing. Whether you are in the dead of winter like we are in the Northern Hemisphere or midsummer Down Under both these seasons ask us to stand still and contemplate what we’ve set in motion and refine our intentions slowly and honestly.
This is the time to dream, to plan, to dream some more, to intend and to plan, and to be present in the day without stress and anxiety to “ make things happen now!”. Someone mentioned today they were “dragging their feet”. Yet walking slowly and softly is the way forward and slow and steady, with breaks in between, is the smart way to work with our current energies.
If we look at astrology as a calendar our new year begins with Aries at the spring equinox. This time of the year really should be seen as a time for grounding, regrouping, resting, dreaming, creating, and allowing time for regeneration. So if you feel the pull to slow down right now, give in to it. It is natural to want to. Your energy may come in spurts and that needs to be Ok. Unrealistic goals will have you unraveled and guilt-ridden by February if you push yourself too hard.
I love to take my time creating a mind-movie or vision board in the first couple months of the year. In the past, I would panic if I didn’t have it all done by Jan 1st! But then I started listening to my body and following a natural path forward. Nature whispers to itself inside us. If you feel like slowing down it’s your very Nature that is reminding you of your sacred rhythm.
Claim your new self in advance, try it on, play with it a bit and refine your intentions. A powerful way to work with the New Year’s energy can be through disciplining the mind through longer meditation periods and really staying in a 24-hour compartment of time.
Lots of rest, dreamtime, journaling, and meditation- and did I mention meditation? Yes, more of that. First get the hang of your new intended self. It becomes effortless to manifest your desires once you slow down and be still in the moment for a while.
Remember before we are doers we are deciders. Be clear about why you have certain goals, how you want to feel once they are accomplished and your motives behind your choices. This may sound counter-intuitive but truly most of us have all this backward. Choose and dream first. Then the action will call you to it when you’re ready. For now, give yourself permission to slow down. You will be glad you did!
“ Anything is possible when you open your connection to the Universe!”
Thank you, i always look forward to reading your blog and watching the weekly video Colette ! .. I certainly will make a point to let myself have plenty of rest periods .. much love Lisa xox
I used to dream. No more. Every dream I have ever had has been destroyed. I am tired of constant disappointment, so no dreams, no prayers. Just existing.
Darling Gale. I get it. However, dreams are absolutely vital to one’s happiness and well-being. I would invite you to look again and what was destroyed. I’d also like to respectfully suggest a fabulous book by James Hollis Ph.D. called: “Finding Meaning In The Second Half Of Life. The title is misleading in that no matter what age the reader may be, it is remarkable and can truly help you. Sending love.
I feel similar, but still want to believe and notice daily little blessings. That helps to endure.
Dearest Colette!
This is exactly what I needed to hear and you confirmed what I had been feeling deep down, but also feeling the guilt of NOT checking off the lists.
AND my intention for this year is regeneration… so fitting.
Thank you for your blog.
Love Debbie
great!
Colette, I went through Personal Mastery in the fall and enjoyed this. I now pick a card and listen to a meditation everyday. I feel the WOTO deck is spot on. I just received your personal card about being “part of the OS tribe.” Thanks so much for all that you do! I appreciate that you are authentic and share things that you have experienced as well. I celebrate that you have been on your path for over 30 years. We are blessed as a result of your hard work and dedication to your path. May God continue to bless you every day. Much Love, Rena (P.S. – Love your hair!)
big hug !
Thank you this is just what I needed to read today after an extremely hard January, having my brother pass on the 5th 🦋
The work I have done with pm has helped me cope.
I so needed this refresh of words to bring me back to the now xx
thankyou collette i know you really care that alone helps us when we are trying to make sense of life . God bless you
we do it all together 😉
Cool thanks for that, I have been feeling that way and I instinctively decided not to criticize myself for the way I was feeling…instead just in-joy and observe it without judgement.
ooo love that ‘ injoy”
Dearest Colette and Tribe
This is just perfect for me at this time. Having been a busy bee Type A all my life I’m now slowing right down and really reveling in the opportunity to take things slowly. I can still hear all the old tapes but I am able, with much support from the good folks I’ve met here ( and prior also) and from your compassionate teachings, Colette, to really trust myself and my inner urge to simply rest and rejuvenate. And yes, to dream! Exactly as the Field of Dreams card I drew yesterday reminded me.
Thank you, thank you for your continued love and care.
Big squishy hugs, deep breaths, and delightful dreams to you.
Xoxoxox
and to you xo
COLLETTE!! You are unbelievable and I shouldn’t be surprised, but so is Spirit. My cards for weeks have been focusing, in part, on just this .. rest, rest, rest .. meditate, meditate, meditate, directing me to be clear about my dreams/goals/intentions, asking my Self why and what’s my motive behind them. I just started reading your book, “Uncharted” and from the “Read This First,” to the “Introduction” and throughout Chapter 1 – the same messages – and now your blog for this week. I am absolutely floored. “Fred” is working very hard to commune with me to get and keep me on the right track. And I am filled with loving gratitude. I am grateful for you too, Sweet Girl. I have been blessed with many partners/mentors on my journey who I’ve never had the privilege of meeting and you are one of them. With much love and blessings, I thank you.
xoxoxoxo
Thank you, so true…often times the need to rest, collect our thoughts , (for me it is collecting even my spirit) before plunging into the busy bazaar of life is so needed. Yet so much underestimated. I almost always feel guilty at the start of every new year for wanting to start slow and then pick up pace by say, March. I feel like I am doing it wrong or just not sharp enough as a person etc. Resting, regrouping is so important but so quickly lost on so many of us.
Ahh! This makes perfect sense to me and I love getting “permission” to listen to my body. I, too, tend to push myself to stick with the resolutions, make the changes and stick with them. Being a little unkind to myself usually follows when I find that I’ve slipped back into those habits I thought I’d put behind me. I will follow my intuition and listen to what my body (and Mother Nature) is telling me. I will spend time dreaming, journaling and planning without listening to that nagging little voice that tells me the dang treadmill is waiting. Thank you, Colette, for verbalizing what so many of us are experiencing!
permission slips are the best!
dear collete, it makes so much sense what the letters say, it helped me to find a better way to have a calmer week …. Thank you and a hug from here in Portugal
xoxo
big hug right back from Canada!
Thank you Colette. All of the cards bear gifts, insights, wisdom that I needed to hear.
“Going slow does get you there faster.” Sometimes I feel like time is speeding up , but I am slowing down. I experience people scurrying, and sprinting about everyday. Some days I look around in amazement thinking WHY?? What is the big hurry? Last week I attended the funeral of a family member, and was re-minded of how precious the gift of each moment is. I also learned that someone else; only 34 years old and in extreme, excellent health; was vacationing in Hawaii, and had a coronary, was air ambulanced to a state of the art hospital, remained in intensive care for a week. Somehow miraculously his heart did not have any damage. HOW???? did that happen? This is someone who coaches athletes, is an athlete himself. Hard to understand. His family was in shock. They flew at a moments notice to be by his side until he was strong enough to return to Canada.
Suffice it to say that we all need reminders about priorities, what really matters, and to share the difficult times when others need our support. Sometimes I forget that I too am just one person, and that when I need time to just “be” it is to
balance all of the unpredictable, and unforeseen surprises that life presents.
I was reminded that everyday I wake up is a gift; and that it usually does not happen in my timing, as anything and everything might occur that wasn’t planned, or expected. SO If it be Spirit’s will, what is the next action/or inaction if that be the case? Often I do think that I know best, and then the doors start to close, or they aren’t opening when I knock and I say, Hello, I’m knocking, anybody there? NOT NOW, is the answer. Maybe not the one I wanted to hear. I love when I can feel my heart beating and I am breathing, slowly, and consciously. However it can take a long time to get me slow enough, to PAUSE.
BIG THANKS for this blog, and the cards. I so needed to hear this. XOXOX
I LOVED THIS ! Thank You, for confirming exactly what I have been feeling & did….I still needed to heal myself & catch my breath from all that happened in Dec. SO, no out of the gate for me..I’ve just been healing, meditating, watching my backyard birds & chill’n W/ my new puppy Oracle & his siblings….now this Sat., I’ll be ready to be in the parades of the starting Mardi Gras season & really enjoy it.
HAPPY MARDI GRAS !!!!!
Ps. If you, ever want to come down & stay w/ me to watch or participate…let me know…and you can put a costume & mask on to participate & be in a parade…and you can be annonomous, if you chose to be. Blessings !
l0ve the name for new puppy!!
Yes, yes, yes…if only we could honor the cycles of nature in this human world, people would be so much happier (and healthier!) Love this.
xo
Hi Colette,
This comes at quite the perfect time for me. I am away at college and had received news that my father had been diagnosed with colon cancer, this past weekend. This had been very difficult for me to handle, being that I am 120 miles away from him and I am unable to come home.
My relationship with him had not been too great before this, and I feel like my problems with him had brought him to this point. I have been dealing with this guilt feeling that was making days a lot harder to get through.
After reading your post, I feel like all that I need to do is just be still then allow myself to regroup. I need to quit feeling like I don’t have time to do that because this can end up helping me!
Thank you for keeping us all on our feet and making your blogs so applicable to daily lives.
prayers of healing for your Dad.. and for your connection .. be good to you
Thanks for giving hope that dreams and prayers are answered.have so many loved ones in spirit, but no one in my life that help me grow positive! Your site does show me, not to give up.again, thanks.
never give up!
So exactly spot on! Thank you, Collette. I retire in four days, so this is just what I needed to read. I have a whole new self to flow into. Much pent up creativity. It’s like carefully opening the gate on a corral of wild horses. I will follow your always wise advice.
prfect for retiring! those horses will let you know where they want to go 😉
Becoming a part of your tribe has been one of the sweetest gifts given to me! Thank you! With this crazy world, it helps pull me from frenzy to BELONG to a tribe based and full of LOVE! Thank you for creating the space to listen and speak with out reprisals. Yes the new year has many pulls, however, you can’t force anything, and your meditations bring us back to LISTENING to our inner voice! Thank you again for the many wonderful avenues to go back to OURSELVES! GOD BLESS YOU and all your family, with all imaginable and oodles of happiness and wellness!
NAMASTE, Mary Joe
Becoming a part of your tribe has been one of the sweetest gifts given to me! Thank you! With this crazy world, it helps pull me from frenzy to BELONG to a tribe based and full of LOVE! Thank you for creating the space to listen and speak with out reprisals. Yes the new year has many pulls, however, you can’t force anything, and your meditations bring us back to LISTENING to our inner voice! Thank you again for the many wonderful avenues to go back to OURSELVES! GOD BLESS YOU and all your family, with all imaginable and oodles of happiness and wellness!
NAMASTE, Mary Joe I still believe this! Thank you!
so great!
Thank you dearest Colette, I have surrendered to the inner self an now slow down and rest, an let go of all the fear. Have a court case coming end of Feb. an the fear is pulling on me. Your readings and blog remind me of who I am an my connection to spirit. Cant wait for the next school, bless you.
Patricia
It’s as if your words were written just for me at this time. Exactly what I needed to hear. It’s time to allow myself more me time without feeling guilty. Thanks.
I can’t believe it is almost February. January just flew by. I do feel like taking a nap.
This is perfect! I’m home today resting… my body said “uh, nope! Not today!” Thank you Colette, and thank you Spirit for always knowing exactly what we need 😘❤️
Thank you, I always for get to slow down, I’m like i have to go go go and then I got right down hill because I have no more steam. LOL and also I’m over winter to but we still have like 2 more mouths of it in Maine. I was wounded about the meditation, and what is a good time frame to start out, like an hr or more or less? I would like to know what you do? thanks aging and can wait intel the next one. Keith
start with 10 to 20 minutes ..
Thank you Colette, and have a great week
I have a print of a beautiful snail in my room to remind me to slowdown. 🙂 It does a good job. And just recieved yin , COCreate and new life all in protection ❤ I love when the cards speak to me so consistently… ❤
Measure twice, cut once!! The dreaming/planning stage is the most exciting part of life.
Big hugs❤️
Thank you
This was a spot on. I felt caught between the Need to Feel Productive and offer my Gifts To the world but then I keep Hearing Spirti say slow down, course correction, decide, sit with it, allow the path to illuminate. I honestly just decided and Entered a Massive Paradigm Shifted, coming Out of some old relationship Karmic debt. It’s been a Lot to navigate to say the least. Lots of cleansing and forgiving. I’m honetly exhausted. It stated right before mercury went direct in December . It’s just petering out this past two week. Whewwww. I Needed this permission to slow down and get my bearings.
Thank you for writing this as it resonated so deeply.
Thank you Colette As I woke this morning I struggled with the thoughts of doing, diet exercise get unstuck etc and the want of just sinking in to the season, to rest and recharge. My thoughts have also been that I need to Breathe! Thank you for how reaffirming your words, and spirits, came to me in this moment. I’m okay as I go along in this 24 hours….thank you, always
Hi Colette!
A most happy wintering to you 🙂
This article is great timing. Divine you might say 😄
I feel this very thing happening to me. The call of winter lulling me to slow down like a hibernating bear. To plan for the rest of the year now has been what I’ve been doing. I’ve begun to be more receptive and to call things in lately which I love so much better then forcing things (which I was doing before).
Im also trying to use your card decks to help me find career clarity/purpose which has been eluding me for some time (prob overthinking it, it’s right in front of my face most likely). I know I can ask the decks about each specific career Im interested in, however, is there a specific deck or question I can ask one of your decks to figure out which would be the career for my highest good without having to ask the deck about each individual career? I ask bc I need to narrow down what Im interested in.
I hope you are happy, healthy and well these days and that you find the sun shining on you often! 🌞🌟
my oracles won’t do that for you – they are not going to say ” you are meant to be a chef!” Individually is better but even so asking the right question is key. ” what do I need to know about moving in this direction” is a good way to start. Also, What can I expect if I choose this path?” Ultimately you need to spend time with your self, tuning into what feels right and not getting caught in the details or the ambition. Center yourself and ask how do I want to feel? Then the cards can help you sustain that state as you move through your daily obstacle course of life and the universe will then have its chance to match your feeling state with the appropriate path.
These are great questions, thank you 😀
I suppose feel/frequency/vibration really is everything when it comes down to it. To think in that direction towards career helps me to perceive things a bit more outside of the box. Along with that, I am asking how I can best serve while listening to the beat and passions of my heart. I wouldn’t be surprised if in my case it is 2 different focus’ I have. I admit I’m still narrowing it down, though I have narrowed it down much more since initially posting this question and reading your suggestions. At the moment, I’m stepping back, getting out of the way the best I can and seeing where I’m led and how it feels. I appreciate you taking time out to answer this question. Best always! 🙂 🌟
Dear Collette I am Catholic,and my priest told me that cards,oracle’s are evil and to stay away from all things psychic.That said ,I don’t believe that way.I was raised in the south,my mother had second sight,hers came through dreams,turning out to be 100% correct,mine comes from sensitivity and words coming to me or something appears in my mind’s eye,if I meet someone,I can tell if they are good or evil and usually 99.9% right.I believe these to be gifts and not evil or diabolical.I pray and ask for protection before using any divination tools oracles ect.I am slowing my pace and trying to drink in all these beliefs and what is true and honest for me.Collette do you have insight into any of these things.Life is good!Love to you and your loved ones
Yep I sure do. First off.. you might want to read A History of God, and The Great Transformation – both books by Karen Armstrong and Psychic Phenomena in the Bible (can’t remember author). Trust your own inner guidance and know that fear and suspicion has been fostered by fundamentalism for a long long time and you cannot change their minds. History shows us that many cultures have had traditions and tools to have a direct dial to the Divine, then it was taken away and replaced by a different structure. The Inquisition is a great example of this change in religion and economics. Today we have entered the Age of Consciousness.Read, educate yourself and form your own opinion. The evil that exists in the world lives in our motives and in the human ego. if your commitment is to do no harm, and to the HIghest Good- then Light is your path. Make your own decisions. The proof is not in the dogma but in the actions and commitments and integrity of the expression of your thoughts, feelings and beliefs. We are all children of the universe, made of star stuff, sparks of the divine and we are all part of a unity none of us can explain. What separates us are ideas and fearful statements and superstitions like this. big love.. hope that helped.
Dear Collette,Thank you so much for affirming what I believe.Like I said above ,I believe our intuition,second sight,all psychic gifts are just that ,gifts! Something to be used for the good.Mine were used for healing.I was an ER nurse,and had several experiences where the diagnoses came to me,a word I heard,a feeling.I followed my intuition,and convinced the ER doctor to act on and order diagnotic tests that saved the patient’s life with a one in a million diagnosis,the ER doctor was floored to say the least!This happened many times during the course of my career.I contributed my gift, to God and the universe and do not take credit for the events.I love our priest , he is from an Eastern European back round,a wonderful man.I have read about the mystics who were in the Catholic Church,and one thing I learned was that,you need to pray first for protection,and that evil is real,before using any divination tools and again, only use them for good,for the white light of God.Thank you,you are a very insightful,loving ,caring, genuine,being.May you be surrounded by angels and walk in the white light,love,Jan
Dear Collette,Thank you for your affirmations.I have read about the mystics in the Catholic Church.I do believe my priest is a good man and only trying to be protective.I was an ER nurse for thirty years and used my gifts for good,for healing.I had one instance where I convinced the ER doctor to order diagnotic tests that saved a patient’s life with a one in a million diagnoses,having a aneurysm,vs his diagnosis of a kidney stone!The diagnosis came to me in a word,a feeling,and seeing in my mind’s eye.It had already dissected and was on the way to a full bleed.It happened many times in the course of my career.I never took credit and always told the patient to thank God and the universe,not me,that I was merely the conduit!Thank you Collette my gut says , and also as you stated, if your gift is used for the good,for the light,then how can that be evil.My mother with her gift of second sight,was not evil.I know evil does exist in this world,and I always ask my angels and God for protection before using any of my divination tools.We are truly children of the universe and are here to help each other,true spirits of love!Holding you in the light,Love,Jan in
I agree with you wholeheartedly. People are taught how to see the world but mystical experiences are an essential part of life. Religious ideas that separate us and fill us with fear are only going to foster powerlessness. The universe is in us and its Consciousness is everywhere. I believe in a direct connection. .. it is not only possible but necessary.