Blue Herons and Things
Sometimes, messages come to us in the strangest of ways...
In something someone says to us...
In something that we read...
In the presence of an animal...
And sometimes, in all three...
And that was the morning I had, so I share these messages with you, hoping they may yield an insight or two for you...
I began my morning by reading and sharing this poem by Mary Oliver:
And then, at the end of my quiet morning walk, a magnificent blue heron, gracefully took flight across my path as I was coming around on the wooden bridge, over the wetlands behind my home. I have missed seeing and encountering them regularly, at close range.
It has been two years since I have been able to go kayaking, and six to seven years ago, in the depths of great depression and grief, a blue heron regularly came to me, bringing solace, companionship, and wisdom - when I was bereft of all three - walking or flying alongside me as I paddled upstream.
And so I revisited their meaning as animal totems:
In something someone says to us...
In something that we read...
In the presence of an animal...
And sometimes, in all three...
And that was the morning I had, so I share these messages with you, hoping they may yield an insight or two for you...
I began my morning by reading and sharing this poem by Mary Oliver:
Heron Rises from the Dark, Summer Pond
So heavy
is the long-necked, long-bodied heron,
always it is a surprise
when her smoke-colored wings
open
and she turns
from the thick water,
from the black sticks
of the summer pond,
and slowly
rises into the air
and is gone.
Then, not for the first or the last time,
I take the deep breath
of happiness, and I think
how unlikely it is
that death is a hole in the ground,
how improbable
that ascension is not possible,
though everything seems so inert, so nailed
back into itself --
the muskrat and his lumpy lodge,
the turtle,
the fallen gate.
And especially it is wonderful
that the summers are long
and the ponds so dark and so many,
and therefore it isn't a miracle
but the common thing,
this decision,
this trailing of the long legs in the water,
this opening up of the heavy body
into a new life: see how the sudden
gray-blue sheets of her wings
strive toward the wind; see how the clasp of nothing
takes her in.
~ Mary Oliver ~
And then, at the end of my quiet morning walk, a magnificent blue heron, gracefully took flight across my path as I was coming around on the wooden bridge, over the wetlands behind my home. I have missed seeing and encountering them regularly, at close range.
It has been two years since I have been able to go kayaking, and six to seven years ago, in the depths of great depression and grief, a blue heron regularly came to me, bringing solace, companionship, and wisdom - when I was bereft of all three - walking or flying alongside me as I paddled upstream.
And so I revisited their meaning as animal totems:
Aggressive Self-Determination
Self-Reliance
"A Heron and Egret totem teaches balance;
the ability to progress and evolve --
to walk into deeper waters without fear.
It is important for someone with a Heron and Egret
totem to learn to stand on their own two feet,
to become independent and self-reliant.
Heron and Egret has a strong connection to the element of Earth
and you must also be aware and cultivate this connection.
The Mother Earth is a source of strength
and will help you stand strong and firm.
Heron medicine allows you to perform many tasks at the same time,
keeping in balance.
If one doesn't work, then another way will.
Heron and Egret people seem to instinctively know this.
Heron people do not need a lot of people in their life
and they often follow non-traditional roles.
They feel no need to "keep up with the Jones."
They stand out in their uniqueness
and know how to take advantage of things
and events that most people wouldn't bother with.
You know what is best for you and you should follow that path.
Be aggressive when opportunities present themselves --
don't let them get away from you.
Meditation on color with provide insight to Heron and Egret people"
I also read and shared this final inspirational quote by a dear friend, which I reproduce here
for all of you wonderful readers, that you may get to know her work and the magnificent light she shines on this planet. It too, spoke to me, so deeply, and the picture needs no explanation... | |
So some mornings, when we arise, fresh from a full night's rest and we are open and receptive, our souls are fed by the every waiting, and loving Divine Presence that permeates everything...
(Visit Every Day Spirit's website for more inspiration and information!)
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