It's not your fault that there is something rotting in you. But it is your responsibility to deal with it.
~ guardian and purifier, essential for rebalance ~
The vulture is perhaps the most misunderstood creature of all. This intriguing bird balances our ecosystem and prevents the spread of disease. It does the dirty work that no one else wants to do and cleans up our messes. The vulture appears when there's a situation that needs to be purified or brought back into balance. Remember, the vulture is greatly undervalued... what you thought was a mistake or tragedy is a blessing in disguise.
when in balance ~ clarifies, reveals wisdom
when out of balance ~ dramatic, aggressive
to bring into balance ~ clean your space, sage
Hi friends! :) Welcome to week 34 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. How can we bring each of the animals within us into balance?
Last week, we learned from the camel, who taught us how to respond instead of react. The camel is fully nourished from within, carrying the cooling waters to balance the fire. He is the great role model of how to be the ultimate companion (to others or to yourself) for the long voyage. Because we're in this for the long haul, folks.
This week we return to the air element, which relates to clarity, movement, communication, breath and life force. The vulture is often an unwelcome or frowned upon visitor. We don't appreciate him. The vulture represents the part of us that has to do the dirty work. He has to deal with all the gunk, all the garbage, all those parts of ourselves we pretend don't exist because they're not so pretty. So when the vulture appears, he makes the death known, and he begins the very important work of clearing away the dead and the rotting, to clear the blockages and reveal the wisdom, the clarity, the energy that is needed to move forward.
Becoming aware of the rot is mad uncomfy. When it's made known we might default to experiencing it as a horrible tragedy. Sorry honey, that's just you. The vulture's coming to clean up you. It's not his fault, he's just making known what's already there (even if it's unconscious) and beginning to dig up and devour what needs to GO. It's time for those skeletons to return to the dust, to the earth, so they can fertilize new growth.
Remember, in these metaphors, everything is you. You're you, the vulture is you, the gunk is you, it's all you. And it's all perfect and exactly as it should be. But to dissect and digest the message better, we use different analogies and metaphors and personifications. The gunk isn't wrong, it's not evil, it's nothing to be ashamed or guilty of, it's just time for it to go. It's the natural evolution of things.
The vulture can be really terrifying. Because facing our decaying old habits and beliefs and parts of ourselves that are no longer in alignment, and are no longer helpful, is incredibly uncomfortable. Especially if you've been holding onto or hiding a certain thing for a long time. I know it's scary, trust me I'm dealing with my own monstrous vulture right now. But it's GOT to happen. You've GOT to let the vulture in. By resisting him, by running from him, you're only prolonging your own suffering, you're only prolonging the inevitable. His job is to clean up the dead. So if you're being followed, if there's a looming creature circling overhead, there's something dead that needs to be fed to the vulture.
Keep running from him and see what happens. You can't escape him. You'll keep running and he'll keep following. He doesn't have a vendetta out against you. He's just doing his job, this is a vital role in the balance of nature. So keep running and see what happens. You'll not only become EXHAUSTED from running, but that death within you will continue to rot and spread disease into every part of your life until you finally surrender.
How's that for tough love?
I promise. I promise, once you finally face and accept the vulture, and allow the extraction and purification to commence (and that's a whole process within itself). Once the vulture arrives and you accept him, then you gotta stay strong and committed and disciplined while he rips the dead out of you. But I promise, on the other side, it'll be so, so worth it. The vulture is your friend. He is your ally. Love is not always pleasant. Love does not always feel good. Love is the force that will do ANYTHING. WHATEVER IS NECESSARY to bring you home. Love will provide WHATEVER experience is needed to wake you up, to free you, to connect you. Love will do anything.
It's not your fault that there is something rotting in you. But it is your responsibility to deal with it. On one level, the vulture is absolutely horrible and evil and mean and unfair and confusing. And that's true. But on another level, on a higher level, it's all exactly how it's supposed to be. On a higher level, you understand that this is an absolutely necessary stretch of your unique path. An absolutely necessary experience to align you, to free you, to guide you home.
And remember, you're not alone. Love is longing for you even more ferociously than you're longing for her. Love is putting in the work. Meet her. Allow her to walk along side you. You're in this together. Allow love in her vicious, terrifying form. Let love in, even when she comes in the form of the vulture.
...
Next week, we visit the final great teacher of the space element, the cosmic egg. We will see this teacher once more before we end our journey (there's 14 of each of the basic 4 elements, but only 7 space cards). The cosmic egg represents completion (although, it's not the endpoint... existence is cyclical). It is the aspect of ourselves that is in absolute harmony with all things. We may glimpse the power of the cosmic egg in a flash of realization or enlightenment, as a reminder of the highest reality which supersedes our limited knowledge in the human experience. A reminder of our source... our absolute inextricable oneness... our true nature.
til next time ✌︎
dream extreme!
♡ kat
Kat these are amazing