My spirit message today comes in form of a story…

In a forest far far away there was a tiger… searching for something he felt was missing.  He searched for this missing piece far and wide until one day, he came upon a large grove of bamboo.  Something inside told him that what he was searching for was on the other side of this grove and that he must walk along it until he found the opening.  So Tiger walked… and walked… and walked.  He grew tired and weary that he would never find what he had been searching for but he was strong willed and determined to keep pressing on.  He would take short naps here and there but continued on his path.

Some days his emotions would get the better of him so he would become angry and stop walking.  He would sit and refuse to move but it never lasted long for he trusted in himself and the feeling he got from the bamboo made him become humble and flexible enough to let go of the anger and raw emotions.  He knew deep within that he needed to trust in himself that he would find what he had been searching for.  So he decided to take comfort in the feeling of grace that the bamboo gave him.  For weeks he walked… through storms and unending heat but he never wavered from his search.  The bamboo guided him and gave him shelter when he needed it.  He had watched the bamboo and how it responded to the storms and winds… it never wavered either and always came back to its original state of being.

And then one day… he noticed something different.  It was an opening.  He was very excited but when he came upon the opening and looked in… he saw darkness within the bamboo path.  Tiger was courageous and also felt that even tho he might not be able to see, he could lean on the bamboo for guidance.  So on he went.  With trust, courage and the ability to navigate unpredictability… he knew he could face anything.  So in he went.  Now you and I both know that cats can see in the dark but this darkness was so dark that no one and nothing could see in it so Tiger had to trust his instincts.  The path twisted and turned… went up and down… strange noises all around and some that even made him want to turn back… but no… he couldn’t turn back now.  He had come so far and to turn back now would mean he would never find what he’d been searching for.

Finally… he saw a light.  A light at the edge of the darkness so he raced forward full of excitement and eager to see!  He then came upon a clearing… on the other side of the bamboo… on the other side of the darkness.  What was it he was about to find?  Was it all he had been searching for?

It was Deer.  Well now the tiger was not real happy to find a deer at the end of all this struggle.  He was very hungry, so the thought did cross his mind of eating her but then the deer spoke to him.  She was so gentle and innocent.  She told him… “You may eat me if it is your heart’s desire but you must know one thing before you do.  You have crossed over the great divide… from primal instincts to your higher self.  Traversing much danger and unpredictable circumstances.  Would you want all of that to go to waste to satisfy your hunger?  Or would you like to know your higher self by walking with me in grace?  Trust what is in your heart and you will never go wrong.”

Tiger gave this a great deal of thought.  He had trusted in himself to seek out his heart’s desire even though he did not know what he would find.  He trusted the bamboo to guide him… and now… he must trust Deer to accept what he had been given.  To let go of the struggle of searching for so long.  He had found his heart’s desire and so he walked with Deer off into the beautiful lush forest… happy and content.

I hope this message has meaning for you.  It certainly does for me.  If you’d like to share your experience… your journey… I would love to read about it.

In Love & Light Always,
Mama Owl  ♥