Curious Deer: Gentleness and Innocence - Gentle Luring to New Adventure (Ted Andrews, Animal-Speak)
Symbols serve as a true roadmap to assist us in getting through life with the minimum amount of difficulty and upset. … our life is ordered, not directed, but ordered by symbols. … Your power comes from what is represented on the unseen level not from the symbol itself. …by design, the Universe keeps nothing hidden. Gregge Tiffen (Do The Angels Take A Vacation? – August, 2007)
In every choice we make, there are symbols. And, we are symbols of the choices we make.
We’re surrounded by symbols. Some support and guide us as we navigate the physical realm of our planet. Some distract us, screaming for attention when our best interest is served by looking the other way. Some resonate with us, while others bring forth resistance. Many symbols invite us to a deeper place – an examination of our beliefs or a look for the deeper meaning of some event or experience in life.
Awareness is a necessary ingredient for accepting an invitation to explore the deeper meaning of a particular symbol. I need to discern whether or not a symbol is useful so that I can be at choice about what symbols I allow in my life. Otherwise, I can be overwhelmed and, thus miss the learning opportunity of deeper exploration. In every choice we make, there are symbols. And, we are a symbol of the choices we make. Nothing is hidden unless we decline to look.
At first glance, the idea that nothing is hidden seems to fly in the face of all that we claim we don’t and can’t know. We make that claim falsely. We can know. We can learn. We can peek behind the curtain that separates the seen from the unseen. To do so requires curiosity, commitment, as well as willingness to direct our energy to the exploration. We must also be willing to discard thoughts and beliefs that no longer serve us and to try on new ones, accepting those that fit.
I’m in the midst of several events that have evoked curiosity about what they might symbolize for me. As I began writing, the lyrics of the 70’s hit, Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign, (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLm3HMG8IhM) came to mind. The lyrics seem apropos in the current political climate around the world, reminding us to be at choice about the symbols we adopt and follow. That is where our true power sits – waiting for us to claim her. Could it be that examining our beliefs and learning to stand in our power is the opportunity of the divisiveness we witness throughout the world?
On a more personal level, I’ve been experiencing discomfort in my shoulder and arm for a while, especially when reaching for something. Addressing it at the physical level with acupuncture, arnica and rest has helped, but this week curiosity kicked in and I began to wonder: what’s underneath the ongoing discomfort? Louise Hay (You Can Heal Your Life) suggests that arms and shoulders represent how we hold and carry out life. That knowledge led me to inquire: Where am I reaching? Where am I holding life with something other than joy?
Nature consistently offers opportunities for exploration of deeper, unseen meaning. During summer bears are active here in the mountains, feeding themselves and teaching their cubs about life. Bears are usually rarely seen, but this year is different (it seems we can say that about many things these days). There have been many bear sightings and reports of them entering homes in search of food, creating quite a buzz in the community and on Facebook. Opinions of what we should ‘do’ about the ‘problem’ abound. Absent from the conversation is an awareness that nature is ever responding to we humans. How is angst and chaos in mass consciousness impacting nature, in particular wildlife? What might the bears be trying to awaken in us?
Musings and explorations like these bring joy and meaning to the events in my life. The details of my discoveries offer expanded possibilities and choices for what (if any) actions I take. That I engage in the process is the true gift. What are you experiencing in life that may symbolize something deeper than what you see on the surface? I invite you to dive in and see what may be there to discover.
Bear: Awakening the Power of the Unconscious (Ted Andrews, Animal-Speak)