I thought I would do another shout out to the squirrel this morning. I know it sounds odd, but in my last blog I briefly mentioned the need to be more like the squirrel. Since writing that blog, he has made his presence known to me on a daily basis and now feel that he deserves his own post.
Many of you who follow me live in other parts of the world and either never see squirrels or see them so much that they are considered a nuisance. All that aside the message they carry is for the collective.
I have been doing some reading on the squirrel and was surprised to find that out of all the nuts they bury they typically only find 10%. Maybe just maybe we need to be paying attention to finding our own 10%.
Like any totem or symbolism everyone may get something a little different out of what they see, I firmly believe this. So I ask that you sit with some of the imagery of what I am sharing with you and see what resonates with you.
When I first wrote about the squirrel the image that popped into my head was that of the animal scurrying around searching for nuts. I felt a sense of nervousness and frantic anxiety. Then I heard “gotta collect the nuts” over and over in my head. It felt like a big message to shift our focus on gathering. I sensed that he was no longer burying them, he was actually in the gathering mode. Seeking all that he had found. This is where the message of gathering past experiences that we have had this year came from. It is about taking them out from where ever we have stored them and putting them in a pile. This is also where I envisioned a teepee. I then left the purpose of the squirrel at that.
The squirrel was not done with me however. After I published that post I would see the squirrel everywhere…not squirrels…but squirrel. Sometimes he would be just looking at me. Other times I would see him frantically running around the grass sniffing everywhere. His presentation to me would shift from that of stillness to frantic behavior. What I feel he is trying to get me to understand is that sometimes stillness is necessary and needed in the completion of our goal or task. Setting a focus on something is important but you cannot let that focus cause you to become frantic and run in circles. Sometimes it is necessary to reserve some energy for what is to come.
The squirrel has many adjectives attached to it, here are some descriptor words that relate in the symbolism world to the squirrel:
- Energetic
- Busy
- Playful
- Focused
- Determined
- Resourcefulness
- Communicative
- Tenacious
- Prepared
- Social
- Balance
- Expressive
- Passionate
- Vitality
- Gatherers
The interesting thing about all these words are they all are very ALIVE words. They do not seem to really speak a lot on reflection or introspection. That is why I think that the squirrel, right now represents the preparing for Winter…or the hibernation I spoke of in my last blog. It is an action and we are supposed to be following his lead. Dig up all those experiences. We are preparing to reflect. Now think for a moment though….earlier I said that the squirrel usually only finds about 10% of the nuts that he has buried. Interesting, don’t you think? When you being to gather your experiences will you be able to remember them all? I think that what you recall will not be inclusive to all that has made an impact on your life this year, however it will be the 10% that holds the most weight. This is what we should be paying attention to. Are they things we put too much of our focus on? Caring it along with us no matter what? Using the experience as a descriptor of who we are? If so maybe it is time to let it go.
The other message of the squirrel is if he is only able to find 10% of that which he has stored away, is he over preparing? Are you over preparing yourself for something out of fear? Do you need to let go of something to allow for more to come into your life? Like abundance, joy, Love? The way the squirrel is able to balance on the utility lines high above the ground represents its ability to find balance and his ability to go with the flow in his life. He trusts that he will not fall, all he needs to do is set his intention, his focus and he succeeds. He is a great messenger of balance.
FINALLY…. look at his relationship to work. He is positive, energetic and seemingly always playful. He brings us a great message to never forget to incorporate joy and play into all aspects of our life. Remember to play. Make work fun, no matter what you do, find joy in what you do.
Take a way what feels right to you. Sit with the squirrel…meditate upon him. Ask what his personal message for you is. Whatever that message is…add to it the things I have mentioned. I would also ask that you pay special attention to reserving some of your energy for the next phase (Hibernation). This next phase will not be physically demanding but it will be mentally challenging.
Namaste~