Signs

Some of you may recall the movie, Signs, back in 2002, starring Mel Gibson and Joaquin Phoenix, which focused on a family trapped in grief and sorrow, who also happened to be caught up in an extraterrestrial invasion of Earth. (BTW-I choose to believe that the ETs are NOT out to get us 😉). I personally think this film is one of M. Night Shyamalan’s finest. The “signs” started out as a series of intricate patterns of circles and lines carved into crops, but also came to represent a deeper meaning through a series of events that ultimately led to the movie’s finale, demonstrating poignant themes of faith, kinship, and forgiveness.

I won’t give away the movie’s ending, but I will say that it wasn’t really about the aliens-rather, it was about how a mysterious phenomenon encapsulated in fear acted as a portal into spiritual healing.

Gather round children, I’d like to tell you a story…

Earlier this summer, I was asked to provide a demonstration of forest bathing as part of a series of education classes for a large outdoor festival in my city, held each year. On August 9th, I arrived at the park the day before I was scheduled to present to plan the walk, and I parked and locked my car as I’ve done a thousand times before, and hit the trail. Oddly, I missed the sign to the area I was intending to go-instead, I walked further down and came to a great spot, a better spot. I walked the short path, took the photos, and began to head back out of the forest. I was gone for no more than 30 minutes.

On the trek back to the parking lot, my phone buzzed with an alert from my credit card company, asking if I had authorized a high dollar purchase from a local business….uh, no….which annoyed me more than anything as the year before this same credit card was compromised during my vacation and I had to replace it. I texted back giving permission to restrict my card as I was coming out of the woods, and then my heart stopped. I stopped in my tracks when I saw that my car had been vandalized, the driver’s window smashed to smithereens, and I already knew that my personal bag with all my identification, which I had hidden, was gone.

In the weeks to come, I was gripped with a fear I hadn’t known before. Not only did the thieves have all my ID, they knew where I lived and worked, had a spare key, and I was not safe. My home’s security system was upgraded and all of my financial affairs had to be changed. On the day I was sitting in the waiting room having my car window replaced, I received a call from a branch of my banking institution, not local, asking me if I had just attempted to cash a check there. Obviously not, but someone pretending to be me had tried.

I went through the whole spectrum of self-pity, “why me” when I was doing such a good deed, anger at myself, rage at the perpetrators, panic, etc. I was afraid to leave my house. Getting to work without tearfulness and paranoia was a good day.

On one not so good morning as I was getting ready to leave for work, the tears came and I just stopped in my bathroom, held out both hands and said or rather commanded, “I evoke the lion collective to give me courage and power, and I ask for my joy angels and guides to bring me back the peace that was taken from me.” Or something like that.

Little known fact- as a young teen, I fell in love with lions. It started when I held a lion cub in my local mall-knowing now about organizations that offer to take your photo with wildlife for a fee is strictly exploitation of the animals and will likely lead to atrocities such as canned hunting, I never would have done it, but my 12 or 13 year old self, as well as others at the time, didn’t know that. I may still have that Polaroid of my younger self with permed hair and braces, but smiling from ear to ear. I still remember holding that cub, noticing how coarse its fur was while sitting in that chair.

I discovered BORN FREE- the true story (and later movie) of Elsa, the lioness, that captured the world’s heart and introduced me to wildlife conservation and animal welfare. I know without a doubt that these experiences helped to make me the animal lover and cat person that I am.

Later that day after I called in the lions and the joy angelic help, I was in session with a client when the name, “George,” literally popped in my head. “George?” I thought, “are you my guardian angel? I thought you’d be a woman”, lol. “Well, it’s nice to meet you”, I said to him.

Still later that same day, during the evening hours, I retired to bed, but felt restless. So I got up, felt the urge to open my bookcase, and my eyes immediately fell upon a well-worn copy of…

I pulled it out, went back to bed and started rereading it, looking at all the photos, reading the captions, remembering the story, then it dawned on me.

The couple who made such a difference in the world for the endangered species of lions, who fought back against the poachers, the thieves, and acted as fierce advocates for the protection of wildlife were….

“He” being George Adamson, the human guardian of the lions, instrumental not just in Elsa’s case, but in the reintroduction of Christian the Lion back to Africa, the viral sensation can be found on YouTube, and “She” being his wife, Joy Adamson, who penned BORN FREE.

My call was answered. The lions and my joy guides showed up. I was heard, and felt celestial compassion, and an “I got you,” attitude from above.

I’ve since allowed my imagination to roam free, much like a wild lion, and I now have 2 lions with me at all times. I often imagine 1 riding on top of my car, mane blowing in the wind, and the other in the back seat, head out the window, just enjoying the ride, or hanging out in my office or guarding my home.

I was thinking about all this recently as I was walking up my stairs and I paused at the top and noticed something I see every day, but hadn’t really paid attention to before that moment….

2 lion bookends I had forgotten were there.

They were with me all along.

My nervous system has greatly calmed and I’m not in a constant state of fight or flight anymore. Earlier this year, I started a more or less consistent ritual of a meditation practice, afterwhich, I sometimes jot down words or thoughts rambling in my head, my own method of journaling. Reading back over my entries, I came to August 5th, and noticed I had written these words-

“Coming soon, don’t be afraid, doors, look, pay attention”

The messages were there.

I do believe I was spiritually nudged to walk on a little further down that trail on that day in August. I would not have normally missed the turn off. I shudder to think if I had stuck to my original plan, I could have returned to a very different outcome. I was protected.

I call upon lion whenever I feel a need for strength, guidance, or the ability to overcome stressful situations with an extra boost of self-confidence and bravery. (For anyone wanting to know more about the rich history of animal spirits or totems and how to incorporate them in your life, I highly recommend Animal Speak by Ted Andrews).

I can’t say I’m over what happened to me in August, but I”m on the road to getting through it.

I feel more spiritual in nature and begin my day by saying “Good Morning,” to George and the powers that be, and I thank my spirit guides for their presence and for guiding me in the direction of my highest good.

Look for the signs.

Whenever you’re troubled or need an answer, take a walk in nature or simply ask for a sign. Don’t get too attached to the type of sign, just ask for it. Your soul will recognize it when it shows up.

It may appear as an animal that scurries along your path, a bird song, an acorn dropping in front of you, a word that pops in your head, or an internal sensation you may experience.

This is the time of year many of us set intentions for the coming New Year, which is great and all; however, I also encourage you to look for signs all year long to help support those intentions or directions you may set for yourself. I would LOVE to hear your stories about “your” signs, please share in the comments below or with me directly!

I’ve discovered the coolest YouTube channel, The Lion Whisperer, and am in awe of founder Kevin Richardson and his work in South Africa for the lions and other animals, and I’m now an official proud member of the “pride” doing what I can from this side of the pond to help the lions in the sanctuary.

On my birthday not too long ago, the featured video that week showcased 2 of my favorite lions, George and Yame, and I heard the story of how they were named-anyone care to guess who George was named after? And did I say this aired on my birthday?!

I’ve experienced more “signs”, but I’ll stop here, as I think I’ve made my point and I don’t want to belabor it. I often get excited like the quintessential poet, Mary Oliver, wrote about in one of her classics, and I think it is with her where I’ll end our time together.

Instructions for Living a Life

Pay Attention

Be astonished

Tell about it

—Mary Oliver

Take good care of yourself, my Friend.

Til next we meet in the forest…

Love,

Amanda ❤️