A snail, who had a way, it seems
Of dreaming very curious dreams,
Once dreamed he was -you’ll never guess!-
The Lightning Limited Express!
The Snail’s Dream by Oliver Herford.
This poem can be found in The Random House Book of Poetry for Children.
This month I begin with The Snail’s Dream. My step-granddaughter showed me the book of poetry saying, “Pop you will like this book too.” Warmed my heart that she is in touch with and shares one of my passions in life, poetry. She also surprised me with the fact that she obtained the book from her school library. Another passion of mine- private and public libraries. Now if you have been following along with me over the last year and a half, you know that I have been searching for keys to help me better understand myself by looking within not just from looking without. I attempt to use examples from literature as stepping stones to my Lighthouse I regularly visit to help me see more clearly. This month I was considering posting a few lines from William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer-Night’s Dream. The line I focused on is found in Act 1, Scene 1, and is spoken by Hippolyta after listening to her Theseus opine about their up-coming wedding in four days.
Hippolyta begins, Four days will quickly steep themselves in night. Four nights will quickly dream away the time.
My step-granddaughter and her grandmother patiently listened to my rationalization of why Mr. Shakespeare”s Hippolyta would be a good introduction highlighting my attempt to use symbols and dreams to understand myself better. Our young one looked at me and simply said Mr. Shakespeare’s words are all right but The Snail’s Dream is much better-it gets right to the point. (Or words to that effect.) And they both turned and left me alone to ponder her suggestion. The snail began to steep itself into my nights and days only to land at the beginning of this post.
In my usual sitting position while leaning against my Lighthouse, I try to glean from my personal symbols their specific language to better understand their relevance to me. I have touched on intuition and now I note the steps to “pop” my third eye open with conscious compassion. During each visit here at my Lighthouse I’ve endeavored to follow theses steps noted below.
- I use and practice the same posture at my Lighthouse..
- I practice repeatable relaxation techniques..
- I attempt to clear and still my mind.
- I create this area as a sacred space.
- I attune myself with intention.
- I endeavor to open my heart to gratitude and universal love. ( My hardest step I have to add!)
In author Belleruth Naparstak’s book entitled Your Sixth Sense on page 74 intuitive teacher Victor R. Beasley is quoted as follows; The intelligence of the heart is soul awareness. The soul is a repository for all our life’s experiences and it’s plugged into the Divine Mind, God, Universal Intelligence…...whatever you want to call it.
On page 133 in author Kathy Oddenino’s book, Bridges of Consciousness, she and HS explain the following; The physical significance of each experience will be clothed symbolism because the soul is functioning without a physical belief system and with a different level of understanding. The soul will create within the physical world in a manner that will be significant within the physical. The lesson will be designed for the soul experience.
All this and more help me to realize that accessing my soul consciousness from my physical world will not be a quick fix. I need to add patience to my six steps listed above.
In my next post I will share how I endeavor to use will and intent to look at myself objectively and without judgement.
I end this month by quoting the 1st stanza of the late great poet Maya Angelou’s poem, A Great and Startling Truth.
We, this people, on a small and lonely planet
Traveling through casual space
Past aloof stars, across the way of indifferent suns
To a destination where all signs tell us
It is possible and imperative that we learn
A brave and startling truth.
Maya Angelou’s poem deserves to be read in full and I recommend you all find it in it’s entirety. Here though I focus on a brave and startling truth. Not just to be learned out there in some tomorrow’s universe but learned in today’s inner universe of ourselves. I appreciate your company while I travel and of course thank you for reading!
Mark