A Whale of a Dream

Wow I had an incredible dream last night!  I am not one to have vivid dreams or easily remember them, but this one was different.  I remember every detail with clarity. 

For some time I have been asking for understanding and remembrance of my power as a spiritual being.  To fully realize my psychic abilities and increase my communication with the Divine. On my spiritual journey I have sought and received guidance through various means; people, situations, and animals.  I believe all of the guidance received to be precious gifts.  My dream last night was no exception.

In my dream I was in a house with many people.  Suddenly it started to storm.  I happened to look out a window that had a view overlooking the ocean.  The wind was strong and the sea was rough.  I was startled to see a whale fighting the tide trying to come to shore.  I could tell the whale was not a baby, but certainly not full grown yet.  I thought due to its young age, it must have gotten confused.

"Oh no, stop!" I cried out to the whale.  "You are going the wrong way!"  I knew the whale couldn't hear me but I was at a loss as to what to do.  "Look out the window!" I shouted to the others in the house.  "There is a whale trying to come to shore."  No one paid any attention.

As quickly as the storm started, it ended.  I ran outside to see what had happened to the whale.  I was dismayed to find that it had in fact beached itself.  But it didn't beach itself on the sand.  Somehow in my dream, the whale was able to beach itself between two cars, in a parking space by the house!

As my mind tried to wrap itself around this turn of events, a car tried to park in the parking spot.  "Stop!" I yelled to the car.  "There is a whale in the parking spot!"  The driver of the car didn't hear me.  I frantically tried to think of a way to help the whale.  I ran into the garage looking for a barricade to put around the whale.  I found a large bright orange bike.  Grabbing it, I wheeled it outside and put it in front of the whale, thankfully stopping the car from parking there.

My neighbor walked outside to greet her guest.  She and her guest were unfazed by the whale.  Their only concern was where they could park the car.  I was dumbfounded.  Didn't anyone else care?

I had to help the whale.  I knew some people that were familiar with whales and had the resources to help me get the whale back into the ocean.  I called all of them.  They were either busy or uninterested.

I finally realized it was up to me and me alone, to help the whale.  I then woke up.

Groggy from sleep, I had an overwhelming feeling of concern.  However, this concern quickly turned to gratitude as I realized that through my dream, I was given more guidance.  I looked up the significance of the whale.  

Whales are ancient mammals and are thought by many cultures to be the record keepers of the sacred knowledge of Mother Earth.  Whales ask us to reconnect to our deep soul connection to the natural world and our universal consciousness.  To remember our own sacred knowledge, our true essence.

Whales are also known for their songs.  The vibrational sounds the whales emit are significant and speak to the vibrational energy of all life.  Listening and responding to the call of creation can teach us to go within to bring forth our own creative life force.

Additionally the color orange represents creative energy.  It is very significant that the bike I chose to protect the whale was orange.  In fact, all of the items I had to choose from in the garage were orange.

Finally realizing in the dream that I was the only one that was willing and concerned about helping the whale tells me that going forward I alone am responsible for my own spiritual answers.  As the whales are the record keepers of Mother Earth, so I am the record keeper of my own soul.  I already have the answers.  We all already have the answers.  We just need to reconnect with our own vibrational energy, our own creative life force to remember.

There is a saying that you should 'always trust your dreams, for they have chosen you as much as you have chosen them'.  I trust my dream last night was meant to give me the guidance I have been asking for.  My answers are within.  It is time to remember.

For info on my book God is in the Little Things; Messages from the Animals please visit my website http://godisinthelittlethings.com

And I Think to Myself, What a Wonderful World!

I love that old Louie Armstrong song!  Makes me smile every time I hear it.  There is such an untouched innocence to it.  It speaks to a time in my heart when things seemed much simpler.  "And I think to myself, what a wonderful world"...it could be. 

It could be a wonderful world if today I didn't feel sadness deep within my heart.  The kind of sadness that I can't really explain.  The kind of sadness that I find myself at a loss to understand why there is a knot in my throat and tears coming to my eyes.  When the most random interactions with people leave me feeling down.  Nothing special happened today to cause me to feel this way.  No one did anything out of the ordinary.  It's actually quite an extraordinarily beautiful day. 

Now I don't always feel it, this sadness.  Most days I feel great.  But then there are days like today.  The kind of day when it seems as if my mind keeps wandering to my sad thoughts.  The 'what's wrong with me' thoughts.  The 'everyone has someone' thoughts.  The 'what am I doing to deserve these feelings' thoughts.

"Ok, ok stop it!" I chastise myself.  "Stop feeling sorry for yourself!"  "You have worked too hard and come too far to feel like this again!" I sternly remind myself. 

I breathe deeply and start doing the work... again.  What have I learned?  What do I know that can help me?  I fervently search my thoughts for bits of information I know are there.  Hard earned truths that have helped me before.  And then thankfully I hear them.  Why is this coming up for me again today?  What am I supposed to learn from these feelings?  What am I not addressing?  

And then I hear the biggest truth of all.  Stop judging the experience and just feel the emotions!  Wow that's the hardest one of all.  Losing the judgment.  The judgment of myself and my experiences.  Remembering we are here to experience life!  In the experience is the emotion.  In the emotion is the gift.

But wait!  That still doesn't explain why it's coming up for me today.  Why am I experiencing these emotions again now? 

I know my Spirit knows.  We already know the answers.  We just have to be quiet long enough to hear and pay attention to messages that are all around us.  "The animals, look to the animals" I hear my heart saying.  But I haven't seen any animals lately.  No animals have presented themselves uniquely or repetitively to me lately.  How could the animals have a message for me?  "Think deeper" I hear my heart say again.  Wait! I know!  The toad.  Many times over the past few days people have specifically brought a toad up to me.  No other animal... just the toad.  Random people that have read or heard about my book are asking me about the symbolism of the toad.  The toad, through other people, is being presented to me.

Well!  I am very familiar with the symbolism of a toad!  The toad is an amphibian.  Amphibians go through a process of metamorphosis. Toads change from an egg, to a tadpole, to a toad and periodically shed their skin. If an amphibian is your totem, the message is one of adaptability and significant personal change.  You can experience a major shift or transformation, a metamorphosis.

My first thought is "not again!"  Thankfully my second thought is "with change, comes growth" and isn't that why we're here?  To learn and grow through our experiences?  Taking a deep breath I dry my eyes.  I have learned to welcome the messages and remind myself not to judge, just trust.  And suddenly... I think to myself, what a wonderful world!

For info on my book God is in the Little Things; Messages from the Animals please visit my website http://godisinthelittlethings.com

 

Pumpkins, Pigs and Perspective

Today on a beautiful New England autumn day, with the crisp air, a slight breeze, abundant sunshine, and the leaves on the trees bursting with color, I had the pleasure to go to a local farm to pick pumpkins.  I was all set to enjoy some apple cider and cookies while I looked for the perfect accompaniment to our fall decorations.

However, as we entered the farm I was surprised to see an enclosure with three pigs in it.  There were no other animals around so this seemed out of place to me.  As I dallied, one pig came right up to the fence and stared directly in my eyes as if to say "Hey look at me!"  So I did.  I stood there watching the three pigs eat, burrow in the ground rooting around for food, and snuggle together in the mud.  They were really very cute and very content just lying in the mud.

Suddenly a young boy and his dad came up to watch the pigs.  "They're really very dirty huh?" the boy said.  "Yes they are," the dad replied unimpressed as they walked away.

I was struck by their perspective and dismissive attitudes. Dirty?  Why of course they are dirty.  They are staying comfortable and cool lying in the mud.  No one is helping them or paying attention to them.  No one cleans their enclosure or bathes and grooms them.  Most domesticated animals would be very dirty if humans didn't care for and pay attention to them. The pig is no exception.

And then I was struck by another thought.  Isn't it that way with our dreams and desires?  The ones we care for and pay attention to are the ones that flourish.  The dreams and desires we set as our intentions and put our energy behind are the ones that we manifest.  The ones that we leave alone to wallow in the mud of our busy lives, seem to get stuck in that same proverbial mud.  Just like the pigs who without care and attention are content to burrow down in the mud and snuggle in there, our dreams and desires without our focused intentions set on them, are content to snuggle in the comfortable busyness of our lives.

It is not until we are willing to become uncomfortable and put our dreams and desires in focus, that we can manifest them.  The message of the pig is the same as the wild boar.  Interestingly the boar is the warrior spirit and can help you get in touch with your inner primal power.  As a pig burrows, so you need to burrow deep inside and find your power, and uproot your determination to manifest your dreams and desires.  It will take your focused intention to manifest your dreams, but with your care and attention, you will release them from the busyness of your life and you and your dreams will soar.

For info on my book God is in the Little Things; Messages from the Animals please visit http://godisinthelittlethings.com

Look Through the Eyes of Oneness

Recently my teenage daughter, who is afraid of bugs, chose to interrupt her morning routine, pick up an earwig in her bathroom, carry it downstairs and let it go outside.

What compelled her to do this?  What compelled her to help this little bug?  She did it because the earwig was alive. It was as simple as that. The earwig was alive and because of that it has value. 

The earwig has value because all living things have value.  From your neighbor down the block, to the mighty lion in his pride, to the beautiful bird that wakes you with his morning song, to the wizened oak that shades you from the sun, to the tiny earwig that needs to be brought outside, all living things have value.

The value we have stems from the oneness between us. A connection we share with each other and all living beings.  The connection is our Spirit.  The connection is God.
 
When we can look at ourselves, our family, our friends, our coworkers, and the strangers on the street and recognize our Spirit, then we can see the oneness between us.

When we can look at the animals, the plants and trees, and all living things and recognize their Spirit, then we can see the oneness between us.

When we see the oneness, we see the value.
When we see the oneness, we see love.
When we see the oneness, we see God.

God is the connection.  God is in all things.

Look through the eyes of oneness, and you will see a different world.

For info on my book God is in the Little Things; Messages from the Animals please visit  http://godisinthelittlethings.com