In August, I took an amazing trip on a ferry up the coast of Alaska.We stopped at some of the small towns along the way and I became fascinated with the tradition of totem poles.They are stunningly beautiful but also tell stories about culture.I learned about a totem named for Fog Woman, a mythical woman who ushers in salmon with the fog to feed her people and keep them safe.I decided that I wanted to find a small replica of the Fog Woman totem to take back with me as a special symbol.I found a small hand carved totem and now it sits now on my desk.Little did I know how powerful that would soon be for me!Tired and a little down when I returned, I figured this is to be expected after such a trip.When my fatigue and low mood did not change after a couple of weeks, I became concerned.I also felt like I was really wandering around in the proverbial "fog ".(So o.K., maybe I am usually like that but this was a lot, even for me!).As I explored the roots of this feeling, I realized I felt like a salmon swimming upstream, and it was very tiring.I wrote it off to September being a busy time for me and kept going.Eventually, I had a routine physical exam which showed nothing wrong.Yet, my inner self whispered a different message.Finally paying attention to the inner voice, I consulted a wonderful holistic practitioner who said, "Your mind, heart and spirit are so strong that you don't realize that your body cannot always keep up." As soon as she said this, I knew it was true and was exactly what I had needed to hear.I had been getting these messages but didn't want to hear them.At some level it was a relief because she confirmed what my body had been telling me.Now I was ready to listen.I remembered that about 3 years ago I felt I wanted to to slow down a bit and play more.But when the recession and the accompanying fear hit, I ramped back up and just kept pushing.Clearly now my body was saying that I need to go back to my original plan and re-prioritize how to spend my energy.Amazing that a small wooden image had the perfect message for me! Fog Woman showed that the gifts of abundance can come out of a fog.I don't need to always "push the river" and be afraid that I won't have what I need.Wonderful things come to me when I relax and operate not out of fear and scarcity but out of peace and reflection.Look what gifts I was given from this trip.And yes, I am a little less "foggy" now.Back to my normal level anyway and am feeling much renewed and restored.Who knew a vacation could do so much.I think I'll plan another one soon.
Monday, August 13, 2012
The Gift of Fog Woman
In August, I took an amazing trip on a ferry up the coast of Alaska.We stopped at some of the small towns along the way and I became fascinated with the tradition of totem poles.They are stunningly beautiful but also tell stories about culture.I learned about a totem named for Fog Woman, a mythical woman who ushers in salmon with the fog to feed her people and keep them safe.I decided that I wanted to find a small replica of the Fog Woman totem to take back with me as a special symbol.I found a small hand carved totem and now it sits now on my desk.Little did I know how powerful that would soon be for me!Tired and a little down when I returned, I figured this is to be expected after such a trip.When my fatigue and low mood did not change after a couple of weeks, I became concerned.I also felt like I was really wandering around in the proverbial "fog ".(So o.K., maybe I am usually like that but this was a lot, even for me!).As I explored the roots of this feeling, I realized I felt like a salmon swimming upstream, and it was very tiring.I wrote it off to September being a busy time for me and kept going.Eventually, I had a routine physical exam which showed nothing wrong.Yet, my inner self whispered a different message.Finally paying attention to the inner voice, I consulted a wonderful holistic practitioner who said, "Your mind, heart and spirit are so strong that you don't realize that your body cannot always keep up." As soon as she said this, I knew it was true and was exactly what I had needed to hear.I had been getting these messages but didn't want to hear them.At some level it was a relief because she confirmed what my body had been telling me.Now I was ready to listen.I remembered that about 3 years ago I felt I wanted to to slow down a bit and play more.But when the recession and the accompanying fear hit, I ramped back up and just kept pushing.Clearly now my body was saying that I need to go back to my original plan and re-prioritize how to spend my energy.Amazing that a small wooden image had the perfect message for me! Fog Woman showed that the gifts of abundance can come out of a fog.I don't need to always "push the river" and be afraid that I won't have what I need.Wonderful things come to me when I relax and operate not out of fear and scarcity but out of peace and reflection.Look what gifts I was given from this trip.And yes, I am a little less "foggy" now.Back to my normal level anyway and am feeling much renewed and restored.Who knew a vacation could do so much.I think I'll plan another one soon.
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