~ the message at the center of the heart, the unstruck sound ~
Within the Golden Egg lives a precious sound. Deep within that sound resides a message. The sound cannot be heard, nor the message discerned until we retreat from the noise of modern day life. The magical essence of the Golden Egg needs warmth, quiet, and time to unfold. No rushing, pushing, or grasping. Find a place of deep and restful ease, perhaps through yoga nidra or meditation. If you do not yet have a meditation practice, take some time for introspection or contemplation. When the mind begins to settle and the breath is calm, ask the question that weighs heaviest on your heart... staying open to any response you hear. Engaging with the energy of the Golden Egg is an advanced practice. It requires becoming intimate with our very essence and comfortable with vulnerability. When a feeling of tenderness or gratitude arises from deep within you, know that you are well on your way. your chest may swell, like you are seeing an old friend that's been away for a long, long time. Listen to the message they've been waiting to tell you.
~ the golden egg and the fourth chakra ~
The subtle essence of the Golden Egg is nestled deep within the heart center at the fourth chakra. This chakra, called Anahata, is the home of the self or soul. By bringing the mind into this center we discover a portal to the most intimate and luminous space. It is said our inner guide sits there in deep meditation, waiting for us. Anahata translates as "the unstruck sound."
Hi friends! :) Welcome to week 20 of our yoga series - exploring this life through the symbolism of the animal kingdom. Each creature represents a different aspect of our human journey, helping us to better understand and connect to our inner and outer worlds. Every 5 weeks in our yoga classes, we cycle through each of the 5 elements (earth, water, fire, air, space) and their respective animals in this card deck.
Last week, the firefly of the air element, taught us to recognize, cherish, and catch those flashes of inspiration and creativity we experience before they disappear. They are a gift and a signal to take action - to bring movement to these creative downloads.
This week, we complete our fourth cycle of the elements with the golden egg. This card is associated with the space element, which differs from the other four elements. Space is the container that holds the earth, water, fire, and air. It is the stage upon which the other elements dance. The space element cards point us toward a deep, primordial aspect of ourselves... an underlying current - a deep calling. The golden egg asks us to drop everything and listen to the whispers of our heart. A cliché notion, maybe, but I personally believe that it's these "simple" concepts that are the most overlooked... and also, the most powerful.
At least for me, most of the time, instead of making my own decisions, I'm being told what to do. My logical mind tells me what I should do and what I should believe... the people around me... the culture... societal ideals. It is easy to hear those voices - they are so loud. It is much more difficult to hear to that silent voice... the voice doesn't speak in words... it doesn't speak in the language of black and white, right and wrong. It speaks from a much more subtle wisdom. A wisdom that supersedes anything that could be conceptualized by the mind. A wisdom that always knows the perfect path that is subjectively unique for you. Yet, how often do we allow our hearts to lead?
More often than not, we drown out our dreams and intuitions with the noise of logic, reason, and fear. Because to follow the heart requires us to trust in something unknown... to cultivate faith in that which cannot be seen or expected... and the rational mind and the ego often feel uncomfortable in those places. The rational mind and the ego usually find comfort in what is familiar. And that's okay! That's awesome :) that keeps us safe and alive! It's the part of ourself that ensures our physical survival. However, to evolve, we begin to seek something more than mere survival and safety. Nothing great was ever accomplished by playing it safe or adhering to the familiar. Greatness happens through faith - by believing wholeheartedly that the seemingly impossible is possible.
This faith is cultivated through continuous connection and relationship with your heart... that place inside of you that dreams and feels and creates... the place that just knows that there is more. And often, this just starts out as an itch... that feeling that something's not quite right... something's out of place. But we don't know what it is... logically everything seems to be fine... because all of the noise of our daily lives is so bright and fast and captivating. And we may just continue to ignore that itch, carrying on with whatever habitual lives we're used to... becoming a little more lifeless with each passing day... our inner flame growing increasingly dim.
If we were to take the time to separate from our familiar schedules and daily life... take some time to be still and quiet and connected... even if that's just fifteen minutes in the sun or grass... or even a weekend out in the forest. Take some time to sit with that itch... that feeling... that almost inaudible whisper. Connect deeply to that core part of yourself that is the seat of your life force energy... the source of your spirit, your soul, your creative vision, your power, your magic. That place that we often feel so disconnected from... we long to be more deeply rooted into that place. We wish to ignite and power the inner fire.
And as we give ourselves some space, some silence, some softness... we can begin to more clearly decipher the whispers of our heart; its messages naturally unfolding with our patience and tender care. In perfect timing, like the hatching of an egg, the heart space reveals to us the answers to questions that weigh so deeply on our spirits.
As we continue to grow and evolve, the more we trust the heart's voice, the more we walk hand in hand with ourselves. Our eyes set softly on the horizon. Our minds even and energized. Our bodies present and alive. Our heads and hearts unified in thought and action. Our lives embodying harmony and peace.
Cheesy, right? But I mean... isn't that what we're all aiming for? Love? Connection? Peace? Purpose? Fulfillment? So how can we get there effectively and efficiently? Follow your heart. The heart includes thought, it includes reason, it includes emotion, and it includes connection beyond yourself. To lean into the heart is not to abandon our safety or logic, but to evolve to trust and move from a higher wisdom.
"When we bow, it is to remind the head that it serves the heart"
Next week, the raccoon of the earth element discusses your role as an artist - your "art" being anything you create in your life. In this role, you find yourself hitting a wall... are you hiding behind a mask? What is making you feeling limited? Are you ready to evolve into something greater? Uncover this shadow regarding your self-image and success in order to move forward and continue to expand in your endeavors.
dream extreme!
♡ kat
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