August 2009

For the past two weekends, I have, for all practical purposes, been unplugged from the computer and the internet.  An unusual state of being for me.

Last weekend I thought would be particularly difficult, as this was the first time I’ve tried it.  I have to admit, I had the shakes just thinking about it, but once I disconnected, I started to experience a sense of freedom.  I decided to do some meditation with my yearly Animal of the Month forecast. One of my New Year traditions is to pull an animal card for each month of the upcoming year. My intent is to call forward animals who will help me for that year, so it is not an arbitrary or “luck” spread. Then for each month, I see how that animal helps me.

That’s when the confusion ensued.

I couldn’t find my sheet with 2009’s yearly forecast.  I looked high and low, in books, in notebooks, under furniture, behind furniture, under cushions, in drawers, and I even kept my eyes open for it when I opened the icebox.

The only logical explanation I could come up with is this: my dog Emmie ate it when she had an upset tummy.  Seriously.

I’ve been going through a lot of changes, so I decided this was symbolic.  New me, time to work with some new animals for the remainder of the year.

Three new animals came to work with me: three I’ve NEVER worked with before, three I’ve NEVER paid too much attention to before.

Yak, Octopus and Polar Bear.

All I could think at the time was, “Huh?”

I did some cursory research on the animals, then asked who would like to come forward first.  It was Octopus.

Octopus is about focus, illusion, creativity and flexibility, among other things.  But we didn’t quite make it to talk about those features.  Octopus jumped right on board and told me the following:

“Life has been a surprise for you lately, hasn’t it? A bit unsettling.  Do you wonder why that is?  Have you considered what’s happening?  I don’t mean thinking about things, I mean considering.

“You are getting lost in the thinking, you have stopped feeling and considering.  The result is you are feeling tipsy, light-headed, you have left yourself no room for considering.

“I have eight arms, and not even I can balance everything you are trying to do.  If I can’t do it with my eight arms, how can you do it with only two arms?  Don’t you think you’re being rather impractical?

“The best way I can help you right now is to show you how you look.”

At that point, Octopus did some very hilarious, tipsy movements.  It made me dizzy as I watched her!

“Yes, you see now, YOU have been the one inhibiting your own growth.  You have taken on too much, it would take at least three additional people to begin to do what you are trying to do by yourself!  You saw my tipsy movements.  Is that REALLY what you want for yourself?  This is for you to consider.”

Since then, I have been considering–considering not through thought, but through feelings and emotions. Interestingly enough, when I would find myself considering through thought, the image that came to mind was Octopus doing her tipsy impersonation of me.  It always made me laugh, which allowed me to take the time to slow down and consider life through feelings and emotions.

Thank you, Octopus, for your teaching.  I am looking forward to being your student!

Harmony,

Janet Roper

Back to the Talk2theAnimals Blog

Tweet This Post 

{ 2 comments }