My House of Joy Contains Peacocks

I’m doing a double dose of Reverb14 today.  First Kat McNally offers this prompt:

Today, I invite you to consider: what sorts of signs and symbols have recurred for you in 2014? Think: repeating colours, shapes, people, sayings, music, images, ideas. Where could they possibly be leading you?

 I believe life speaks to us in all kinds of languages.  Signs and symbols and dreams are like lovely little clues set around for us in a secret language, and we’re charged with not only keeping our eyes peeled for them but then when we find them, to translate them.  I find this thrilling – it’s like the most fabulous detective game played with an always winking cosmos.  Since I’m always paying attention to signs and symbols I could easily write a book about this year’s messages for me. But let me tease out a few of the big overarching themes.

Peacock showed up big time for me this year, and while frankly I’m not sure we’re done dancing together yet, I certainly was given lots to think about.  Showing up unapologetically and being seen in all our built-in carry-with-us-always finery. Associated with both Greek goddess Hera and Saraswati the Hindu goddess of knowledge and wisdom, music and arts.  And those feather eyes – seeing and being seen; third eye activations.

That theme of finding a comfortable stance with sovereignty and rich adornment and reflecting gold kept showing up for me.  All kinds of references to alchemy; to gilding; to Kintsugi, the Japanese practice of using gold dust and resin or lacquer to attach broken pieces so items are mended with rivers of gold.  And oh the crowns that turned up!

Multiple instances of crazy clocks keeping their own version of time helped me look at how I’m loosening my connection with linear time.

Trees are always always a big part of my world, but this year the messages were particularly about balance between the root and crown structures of the tree.  Deep wide roots and also tall wide branches.

But lest I give the impression that all messages are as delightful to deal with as beauty and crowns and invitations to see how I’m mended with gold, I most definitely need to mention Beaver.  Who was fabulous at pointing out foundational areas that were stagnant, where there are blockages, where I’m not in the flow.

Before I close out the year I’ll be doing another look through this year’s journals and we’ll see what else becomes more obvious in retrospect.

But moving on now to today’ sReverb 14 prompt:

“One thing I learned in 2014 was how to make space for joy and levity, even in the midst of challenging circumstances or sad times.

How could you make space for joy in the year to come? How could you protect it?”

Joy is a sacred thing to me.

This is one of those things that I wish I knew how to talk about in a better way.  I always feel like I’m trying to explain something without having the right words.

I like to think one of the things I do best is keep my feet on the joy trail.  And I derive such delight from this because in truth I spent so much time in depression and despair.

I believe we can cultivate our joy muscles.  We can lean into it.  We can open to it.  We can invite it in and celebrate it every time it shows up, and make friends with it, and invite it to come again.  And again.  And then ask it to take up residence in our lives.  But like all good friends or lovers we need to do our part as well – we need to open our hearts, open our eyes, express gratitude, allow ourselves to be swept away, spend time in deep appreciation and be willing to show up.

I love the idea of living my life with joy as a traveling companion.  And knowing that no matter what kind of adventure I’m on, no matter what else is showing up in my life, there’s room for joy as well.  And that’s the really cool thing about joy – it only takes a tiny spark to have a big impact.  You don’t have to put any pressure on yourself or on joy – you just have to notice and let your heart catch fire.

I love this poem by Rumi:

If you knew yourself for even one moment,
if you could just glimpse 
your most beautiful face,
maybe you wouldn’t slumber so deeply 
in that house of clay.

Why not move into your house of joy
and shine into every crevice!
For you are the secret 
Treasure-bearer,
and always have been.

Didn’t you know?

I’m also liking this wonderful vintage card with a snow child image – isn’t it joyful?

Now it’s your turn.  What brings you joy?  Ready to make more room for it in 2015?  Maybe you want to give it more than a room – maybe you want to give it a house.  And what about signs and symbols?  They lead you to any new understandings this year?  Do tell – you know I love to hear.