In every moment, the Universe is whispering to us. There are messages being carried on the winds, waiting for us to pay attention. The morning songs of the birds outside the window, the sound of an ocean spraying the cliffs, or the babbling brook gurgling over rocks. Ordinary, everyday happenings in our lives carry communication for the realm of spirit.
In the past, people understood and knew how to interpret these signs, symbols and omens. Often the entire destiny of a tribe or nation was decided by signs. As technology and science became more disconnected from the concept of the world as a whole, people became more and more isolated from their connections to the earth and their inner wisdom.
The natural essence of the Universe is perfect harmony. Spirals, labyrinths, numbers, and other symbols create a myriad of intersecting landscapes for us to investigate. There is no point where God begins or ends. Our lives are intimately connected to everything. There are those who hope to dissect the parts and thereby understand the whole. Thus mystics and scientists travel down different roads, but their destinations are the same.
The majesty of the Universe is beyond our minds. The symphony of the Cosmos is beautiful and harmonious. Sunflowers grow in spite of the weeds, reaching for the sun. Hummingbirds remind us to taste and enjoy the sweet nectar of life. Coyotes trot into our lives to help us laugh and be creative in our undertakings.
Spirals and labyrinths connect us to our souls, and remind us who we really are. Numbers, throughout the ages, guide us to the mysteries of the Universe as we learn their codes. Cooperation and harmony is the way of Nature. Greed and discord is not natural. Our lives are designed to follow a plan that promotes growth, joy and harmony. Anything that doesn't fit in that category is a waste of time.
The symbolic world is the language of the Universe. Thus words often do not convey the essence of truth. It is important to realize that our perceptions create our inner stories, which in turn create the directions of our lives. Spirals, triangles, circles, squares, and crosses evoke feelings of connectedness that seems universal among humans throughout history. Different cultures, arts, and deigns tell us their stories through the symbolic world.
One of the reasons that our systems and institutions are struggling on this planet is because people are evolving to new levels. They need different perspectives, different and more open techniques, to discover the world around them. Their stories are weaving the 21st Century's history, and as a society, we must make the necessary shift, to help our searching minds and hearts.
The symbolic world is a rich resource for us. We have symbolic systems that been used throughout history. Although many look upon tarot decks, runes and the I Ching with suspicion, these symbolic systems are tools to allow us to use and develop our own intuition. Prayer beads, prayer wheels, mantras, rosary beads, crosses and mandalas are all tools to allow us to connect with our spiritual essence.
Synchronicities, signs and symbols are at their most potent in the realm of plants, animals and insects. Patience and openness is the missing link in the discernment process. As we search for guidance and clarity in our lives, the Universe will guide us. It is our job to be still, observe, meditate and take time to connect with nature, where often the answers to our questions will gently unfold.
Throughout time, our ancestors have learned how to uncover the solutions to their problems and the guidance they needed, by paying attention to the signs and symbols in Nature. The Etruscans coined the word "ostenta." Ostenta are signs in the natural environment that usually comment on what is happening right now, or foreshadows of those events in the future. The Etruscans interpreted the direction of the wind at a particular moment, cloud designs, and patterns in lightning much as did the native people of many cultures.
While interviewing people for my latest book SYNCHRONICITY, SIGNS & SYMBOLS, I was especially touched by the stories I was told around animals and birds.
One woman told me a significant story about her encounter with the eagle. Some years ago her life was in major turmoil. She had gone through a difficult divorce and had some important decisions to make about her life and her home. She walked out to a large rock outcropping that overlooked a valley near her home. As she sat there crying, she begged God and the Universe for guidance and help. Suddenly two large golden eagles started circling about thirty feet above her as she sat on this rock overlook. She knew in that moment that no matter how bleak things looked that she was on her right path. Later in that same week, much to her delight, a pair of eagles circled her home for about a half of an hour. She had never seen eagles near there before and has not seen them since. In many traditions the eagle signals a time of power, strength and soaring freedom in our life.
Denise Linn told me a number of wonderful stories connected to the owl and the crow. She told me that they show up whenever she needs help, encouragement or wisdom, in any way. The crow is a very powerful sign. The crow is thought to have mystical powers and to be a messenger from the spiritual realm. Change is always on the way when a crow shows up in your life.
Our lives are intimately connected to everything. Stop from time to time and listen to the whispers of the Universe. You might be surprised at what you hear.
source - soulfulliving.com
by Patricia Rose Upczak -
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