nature – Emily Downward

“Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul…and sings the tune without words, and never stops…at all.” – Emily Dickinson

During difficult times in our lives, when we lose loved ones or outgrow friendships or jobs, there are times of loneliness and hunger for connection. Martha Beck likens this to an empty elevator – you’re in between floors and have left your old community and haven’t yet made it up to the next level. It can be challenging, during these times, as we are created to be social creatures and desire connection with others. We may even consider “going back,” back to how we were before, suppressing our new ideas of ourselves or pretending we don’t want anything more. And while this may work for a while, eventually the discontent grows. We find we must answer the longing in our hearts and head out into the empty elevator stage.

I find solace and promise in nature. Consider how nature responds to the seasons, or to extreme weather changes. Nature finds a way to adapt and prevail. During a drought, some plants wither and die. Others may get a chance to flourish with less competition. And although a drought can last many seasons or even many years, the rain eventually comes again, and “balance” is restored. Plants that have left seedlings underground get a chance to bloom again.

It’s so easy to feel like the challenging times will last forever. Think of the last time you were really, really ill. It’s hard to remember during the sickness what it feels like to be healthy. It’s almost as if it’s unattainable. You just know that it includes the absence of the sick symptoms – no pain, no congestion, no vomiting. But “healthy?” Difficult to remember how that feels.

But slowly, or perhaps all at once, things change. “Nothing lasts forever” – we say this during good times to brace ourselves for the next challenge, but it is just as true for the bad times. The sun will come up again. And while I don’t believe we can go back, there is promise in the future: more wonderful experiences for you to enjoy, new friends and loved ones to share laughter with, and new discoveries to be made.

“There’s a bigger, deeper world all around us all the time, full of messages and support. We’re marinating in it. It permeates and surrounds our ordinary reality. I wasn’t aware of this deeper world until the Beastie spirits (energies) seemed to find me and I started connecting with them. Observing Beasties helps us tap into this deeper level of information.”

– Sarah Seidelmann, What the Walrus Knows

Being a part of the Martha Beck tribe of coaches has opened my world to so many amazing experiences and inspiring teachers and colleagues. In fact, it’s hard to put into words how much my life has changed, and as with any new knowledge, I can’t go back to the unknowing (nor would I want to). Many of the ideas and concepts I’ve learned have at first seemed improbable to me, not logical, and my rational mind at first resisted. Remaining open to the possibility of these has provided me with an expanded understanding of how our world and our minds work. Other new ideas that I’ve been exposed to have resonated deep within me with a knowing that feels like coming home. Sarah Seidelmann‘s work has been like that for me. Her book, What the Walrus Knows, provides a great overview of the gifts and delights we can gain through embracing our connection to the animal kingdom.

Our culture has not always embraced the idea that we, as humans, are part of the greater whole, but with the rise in awareness of our impact on the earth’s ecosystems, we are beginning to understand that our actions have a direct effect on the broader whole. If we look at ourselves as part of this whole, we can start to notice that everything in our life is speaking to us in metaphors. If you open yourself to this possibility, you may receive information and solutions in whole new ways.

Sarah’s delightful book talks about the ideas of animal totems, or beastie energies, and what they can teach us about ourselves and the ways to approach life. There are guest beasties — those that show up at certain times with a particular message — and core beasties — those that are with us for a lifetime to guide and support. Since opening this door, I have been thrilled to welcome in all sorts of guest beasties and have identified a couple of core beasties for myself. Noticing and honoring these beastie energies helps me keep connected to the wonder of nature that is all around me and helps me put my silly human dramas in perspective. I highly recommend this book for anyone that is interested in a fun way to reconnect with the animal kingdom.