Writing my way through the A-to-Z blogging challenge, I’ve tasked myself with exploring the concepts of pronoia (the belief that the universe is conspiring to shower us with blessings), quiety (serenity) and peace – all through the lens of unusual, obscure, or simply delightful-to-me words.
O is for…
Ondinnonk is an Iroquois word with two meanings. 1) A secret wish of the soul, especially as revealed in dreams. 2) the spiritual part of our nature that longs to do good deeds.
I find this to be such a beautiful word. The kind of word you want to lean into; live into; explore deeply, and somehow embody.
I pay attention to my dreams. They feel like such gifts, written in soul language – secret encoded messages urging us into deeper understanding.
A while ago I had a dream in which the top of my head was open. Someone was shining a flashlight into my crown and as a result, being lit from within, you could see my insides were covered in mysterious writings. I was astonished that I hadn’t known this before. Was it new? Had it always been there? And then I suddenly understood, as is the way in dreams, that my job was to breath and exhale this out into the world, otherwise it would always remain hidden within.
I think perhaps that’s the work of all of us isn’t it? To be as transparent, as authentic, as aligned as we possibly can be in every moment with our soul self, and to keep reflecting that outward, expressing it as purely, as cleanly, as brightly as we can.
Today I invite you to read a poem by Siri Liv Myhrom called In Praise of Small Kindnesses.
Doesn’t that inspire you to be in the world a bit differently? With a bit more kindness, a bit more compassion, a bit more love? Don’t you suspect that’s ondinnonk?
Hi Deborah – I can agree that I have a secret wish of the soul … but would and definitely will do more for those in need … so Ondinnonk … what a lovely word to express how I feel …
I don’t often dream … but honestly if my head was open for me to peer into – I’d be very upset probably, though curiosity might take over … cheers Hilary
http://positiveletters.blogspot.co.uk/2017/04/o-is-for-orkney-islands-adapted-breeds.html
I’m betting curiosity would get the better of you Hilary. And I’d certainly love to see how you stuff all those smarts in there. 🙂
What a beautiful poem! I imagine that barista is my daughter who works at Starbucks. She’s a kind soul like that. LOVE your inner workings card!
Janet
N is for Stevie Nicks
That’s a lovely thought Janet. While I don’t frequent coffee shops very often, since reading that poem I look at the whole experience quite differently now. We all have such power to affect each other, and there are endless opportunities to move through this world with kindness and compassion.
A lovely concept! I have had dreams like that too. It is amazing what the brain can do while dreaming…
The Multicolored Diary: WTF – Weird Things in Folktales
I like to call it my nighttime theatre. It’s like being gifted with two lives – one waking, one dreaming.
Hmmm…if my head were open, and a flashlight were pointed and everything were in plain view, I suspect a lot of people would be upset at the untidy mess they’d be looking at, including me 🙂 ….Ondinnonk has a nice ring to it.
Nilanjana.
Madly-in-Verse
LOL – I’d absolutely claim that any and all messes clearly indicate what a genius you are.
Very beautiful post , Deborah. Thanks for the new word , ondinnonk. I can relate to the second meaning , better. This world would be so arid without kindness and the inclination to pass on love to another .
I love the uniqueness of your theme.
Best wishes ,
Moon
https://aslifehappens60.wordpress.com
Thanks for the kind words Moon. And I whole-heartedly agree that love and kindness are the nutrients that nourish our lives and help everything blossom.
Thank you Deborah for sharing your dream and this lovely post! I can’t get into the poem right now, my computer is on a go slow. Yes, to the soul expressing itself so clearly and graphically and for us to act on the message of the dream … they are such a gift.
Dreams really are such a gift aren’t they Susan? And the life-long task of becoming fluent in our soul’s language is such an incredible and rewarding assignment.
Oh my goodness, that poem nearly made me cry. What a fantastic word to have two different, yet important, meanings. I can’t remember my dreams more often than not, but I appreciate the moments when I do. Your dream sounds pretty amazing!
That poem really touches me as well Sara. Ondinnonk is such a powerful concept – there’s so much to lean into with it.
Ondinnonk is a lovely word. There are Iroquis named streets in this city, but perhaps Ondinnonk Lane was a bit too much for the city planners to use. 😉
The poem you link to is wonderful. My soul is happy. ‘Tis the small gestures that make our lives so much better. Trying to remember that every day.
I try to remember that all of life is just small gestures – like our breath in and out. We can turn our faces to the sun, open our hearts to kindness, and simply step forward into the magic that is life unfolding. It such a joy to me to be playing in this A-to-Z and connecting with such wonderful people.
Hi Deborah,
What a wonderful word! And thank you for sharing your dream–I love hearing about other people’s dreams. I was writing a story that included dreams of one of the characters. One of my teachers said that no one likes hearing about other peoples’ dreams–I was shocked to hear that. And I disagree. Dreams are fascinating–especially the ones that reveal deep truths. I’m glad I found you–actually you found me first. I’m grateful to A to Z for helping me connect, too.
I have to disagree with your teacher as well – I’m fascinated by other people’s dreams, and I’m certain I’d enjoying reading a story that included the dreams of a character. If you haven’t written that story, I encourage you to. 🙂
I’m delighted we’ve connected as well Susan – and a great big nod of thanks to the A-Z challenge.
I like that word too and the meaning behind it.
~Patricia Lynne aka Patricia Josephine~
Story Dam
Patricia Lynne, Indie Author
Yes – I think it’s a keeper.
Saying “Ondinnonk” has such a great rhythm to it. Which is interesting because I often think of dance and the soul being linked, and dance is possibly a secret wish for the soul a lot of times. Great word! 🙂
Here’s my “O” post 🙂 http://nataliewestgate.com/2017/04/oversight-secret-diary-of-a-serial-killer
Oh I love that connection Natalie. And now I shall always remember to ask if my soul really wants to dance.