We make many journeys in life, some short, some long; accompanied, or alone. Yet, how often do we pause to notice what is happening around us as we travel on our way? How often do we appreciate the significance conveyed by our surroundings for our own lives?
Recently I met for a session with a coach, spending time reviewing potential opportunities to progress my own spiritual and business journey. As we parted, I crossed over the road from our meeting place, and leaned on the railings, staring out to sea. As I relaxed against the supportive metal bars, I was engulfed by an incredible sensation of peace as I gazed out over the calm, tranquil water.
Time stood still as I became immersed in this “mind-full moment”, allowing the quietness to seep through my body. After an indeterminate amount of time, I turned and began to walk slowly along the sea-front. As I strolled forward, feeling the gentle breeze against my face, the words “what is a safe first step to take?” entered my thoughts. Suddenly, my mind felt alert, as though everything came into sharper focus. My body felt warm, comfortable and supported.
As I continued onwards, my awareness was drawn to a series of brightly coloured children’s rides outside a local amusement arcade. With a sense of curiosity, I placed my full attention on them, distinguishing a row of horses in various different poses. I realised that some also had birds perched next to them, with their wings folded. For some reason, I felt compelled to take pictures of them.
An odd sense of realisation dawned. The horses and birds were reflecting recent events back to me. The first, a chance conversation with two women tending to their horses in a field close to my home, just a few days before. In fact, it hadn’t seemed like chance. One of the ladies had persisted in speaking to me three times to attract my attention whilst I scribbled in my notebook. Resigned, I had engaged in conversation with her. Initially the conversation, whilst pleasant, had seemed more relevant to one of my friends involved in a project related to animals, than for me. Feeling a little peeved, as I went on my way, I suddenly decided to ask myself the question: “what significance did that conversation hold for me”?
Back at home, I was surprised on firing up the internet, to notice images of horses on-line, including by incredible serendipity, a horse picture on a card, adorned with a horse charm bracelet. This seemed to be a tacit, but stark confirmation that I was on the right track with my current business ideas around creating a new set of cards and “messenger bracelets”.
Earlier the same week, I observed birds hopping about in the tree outside my window. I had wondered at how smooth and delicate they seemed, with their wings folded. Now, on my stroll by the sea, I was confronted by replicas of these creatures resting beside horses, resplendent in gaudy colours, demanding my attention. I also noticed that a sign declaring “West” accompanied one of the rides.
Wondering about the significance of these images, I renewed my steps. Glancing up at a signpost, I did a sudden double take… the sign proclaimed “Poets Walk”… Poets Walk – a shiver ran through my body – how incredible… Poetry held a powerful significance in my life, as only a few years earlier, I had started to write poems whilst undertaking my morning pages. The morning pages are a method for unlocking latent creativity, recommended by Julia Cameron in her book “The Artists’ Way”. I had written a poem called “Believe!” the message of which had inspired me to go on and publish two books about belief, and a set of Believe! Cards…
Everything seemed to gain sharper focus on this gentle journey by the sea. Objects that would often be overlooked acquired new meaning with this new, heightened awareness. The mind-full moment by the water, along with the simple question that followed, had triggered a journey of insight, inspiration and clarity, personal to me! Would this ever have happened, if I hadn’t turned my slight irritation around the other day, and asked the question: what significance did that conversation hold for me?
As I continued walking, I observed boats becalmed on the shore looking oddly out of place, (symbolising the sense of “stuck-ness” I had been feeling in my business), further on, the cracks in the pathway formed a grey, jagged heart shape, (representing the pain experienced around my deceased mother), and minutes later, when I sat down on a bench to gaze out to sea, I looked up to see a bright red heart-shaped floral tribute facing me – a symbol of my own grieving heart coming back to life? It was as if I was being guided by my surroundings, being given confirmation at every turn! A pair of angel’s wings appeared in the sky, fluffy and white, silhouetted against the bright sunlight. A small, soft white feather nestled on the path, signs surfacing wherever I looked!
Just a short, afternoon walk, but encapsulated within it, an incredible journey of mindful moments, inspiration points, clarity and thought-provoking images. Marvelling at the wonder of it all, I entered a café for a drink and a snack. On paying for my refreshments, the waitress commented, “£7.77 it would be hard to get your bill to come to that amount if you tried”. Of course, as she had pointed it out, that too caught my attention! Repeating numbers, they must mean something. Sure enough, the internet confirmed that the angel number 777 is a sign of encouragement that you are on a roll!
But it didn’t end there… during the next stage of the journey, travelling home by car later, I decided to stop at an eatery. No surprise that it just happened to be called The Hungry Horse. And the final confirmation came, as I sat down at the dining table, and looked up to see staring back at me from a picture frame on the wall, a horse, galloping freely, a map encased within its streamlined body! Surely proclaiming loud and clear, fly forward, you are following the right map, and you are in the perfect place.
Fascinated by this powerful experience, I subsequently relayed my experiences to a friend in Ireland over Skype. Once I had concluded my excited tale, she paused, and remarked, “you won’t believe this Sue, but my Chinese sign is the symbol of the horse”. And, of course, she just happened to live in the West of Ireland! Days later I booked a flight to Ireland, keen to explore this further enthralling “touchpoint” on a magical journey.
POINTS TO CONSIDER
- How often do you take time out to be still and in nature?
- What sources of help and support do you have on your journey?
- What signs or signals do you see as you go about your daily tasks? How often do you take notice?
- What animal might give you inspiration at present, and why? Pay particular attention to the qualities that that animal has.
- Jotting down thoughts, ideas and reflections on your journey (whether in nature or just reflections on recent events) can help to bring clarity.
