Each month author Lucy Harmer dedicates her journal entries to the theme of “transformative and inspirational living” – finding the fun, magic and laughter in everyday occurrences! She explores ideas, thoughts and quotes from her two books, Discovering Your Spirit Animal and Shamanic Astrology.
January 2010
Lizard from above!
Learning to read the signs of the New Year
© Copyright 2010 Lucy Harmer
Welcome to the New Year! I hope you have been having fun over the holidays getting to know your spirit animal and enjoying the festivities together! Now it is New Year, our thoughts turn to the year ahead — it is a time for making new resolutions, for putting the past behind us and for forging a new future.
I was looking back at the past year and thinking about what I have learned. 2009 was an incredibly exciting year for me in many ways; one of my long-held dreams was fulfilled — to be published in English. It was also a challenging year for me, with many lessons learned on both a personal and professional level. Sometimes it is not always easy to see what situations in our lives are trying to teach us, and this was certainly the case for me at times during the past year. Last month, as I sat and reflected on the year that had passed, I was reminded of two occasions when animals helped point the way to what I was meant to be learning; it took me a while to see the signs for what they were. In fact, it took two separate incidents with the same animal to really learn the lesson!
Last October, I had the great fortune to visit the Bahamas — a truly magnificent part of the world, with crystal blue waters, white sands and an abundance of plants and wildlife. I arrived exhausted, and spent a few days relaxing and just soaking in the sun and scenery. After a while, I noticed one particular creature that seemed to be more present than the rest — lizards. They seemed to be everywhere! They were quite small, moving ever so fast across the balcony where I sat; they chased each other round and round in circles, and even up walls. Wherever I went, there were the lizards! I enjoyed watching them, their eyes swivelling round in their heads; they were always darting to the next place to bask in the sun. They seemed to love playing in the warm sunlight.
Sitting watching the lizards reminded me of the last time I had seen them in such abundance. It was on the island of Madeira, several months previously. I had taken a week long break following an intense period of work, during which time I was experiencing conflict with a colleague. I had left for holiday before the disagreement had been resolved, and found myself unable to relax; I kept going over every tiny detail of the conflict in my mind.
I had never visited Madeira before and the island was startling in its beauty; it is especially known for its fabulous orchids, which grow with such profusion all over the island. Something else that seemed to be in abundance were lizards; I kept seeing them wherever I went. I didn’t think that the lizards were particularly bringing me a message of any kind; I just thought that Madeira was filled with wonderful flowers… and lizards. Three days later my view changed: I was enjoying a quiet walk in the Botanical Gardens when a giant lizard suddenly fell off a branch, onto my head! It was only at this point that I stopped to think: “Aha! What is Lizard’s message for me?”
Here is what my book, Discovering Your Spirit Animal, says about the message that Lizard brings:
“…Lizard is the guardian of dreams and calls upon us to take note and act upon what we may learn from our dreaming… Associated with the sun, Lizard appears and disappears at will… Lizard helps us to bring out our shadow sides and heal them. Should its tail be trapped by a predator, the tail will break off, and Lizard darts off to live another day and grow another tail. This is very symbolic: Lizard teaches us that we too can break from the past, and detach ourselves from negative issues.”
I realized that Lizard was telling me release the past and stop churning the conflict with my colleague in my mind. Lizard’s message was to let go, enjoy my holiday and dream of a positive future; new foundations could be built. As soon as I realized this, I relaxed and my holiday was much more enjoyable!
In the Bahamas at the end of the year, I realized Lizard’s message for me was the same; whatever had occurred over the previous months was there for a reason. It was time to stop dwelling on the past and look forward to a new future — to focus my energies on new books, to relax and to enjoy my well-deserved break in the sunshine. Thanks to the timely reminder, I was able to do just that!
My book, Discovering Your Spirit Animal, has an index of fifty-two spirit animals, where you can discover the messages different animals show us when they appear in our lives. It also describes their particular “medicine” – the gifts they bring. Lizard’s message for you this year is to let go of the past, dream of a positive future and step into a joyful way of living.
This month, I wish you every success in discovering the messages that the animals around you bring into your life. Enjoy their gifts!
Love and blessings,
Lucy
Shamanic Astrology is available for purchase directly through NorthAtlanticBooks.com, as well as major book stores and online retailers.
CLICK HERE to learn more about courses, seminars and workshops offered by Lucy Harmer.
CLICK HERE to learn more about Shamanic Astrology.
CLICK HERE to learn more about Discovering Your Spirit Animal.
