As I left the office that night, I glanced back again at the window, just to confirm it was still there, a praying mantis had sat motionless clinging to my window the whole day. I had not seen a praying mantis since childhood. This moment was especially auspicious in that it arrived one week after a near death experience. Something whispered and began to reverberate in my mind saying… “that means something”. The premonition lingered for days, almost taunting me to find out what.
Eventually, the allure of this numinous occasion led me to research the praying mantis. Almost immediately the words began to resonate as I probed into what the mantis had meant to different cultures. The African Bushman revere the mantis as the oldest symbol of God and a divine messenger. In Greek, the word means ‘prophet”, a being with spiritual or mystical powers. In Arabic and Turkish cultures, the mantis helps guide pilgrims to Mecca. And in France, if you are lost, the mantis will point the way home.
Now if the story stopped there one might conclude that it was just another interesting coincidence. This, however, was merely the maiden voyage of what was to become a spiritual odyssey that led me literally around the globe and continues to this day. The mantis, did not end his interventions after this visit but continued to visit on multiple occasions for two years after this initial fateful brush. Each time opening some new door of understanding and beckoning me to pass through.
Why did this happen? When I asked this same question of one of the people who showed up in the early days of my awakening, they shared the following quote with me… “when the student is ready, the teacher will appear.” The thing I came to understand is teachers are not always just people. The teachers that showed up in the days following the “messenger mantis” experience came from every direction. They took on the guise of repeating numbers, music, books, nature, and people. Each seemingly pointing to the next, as if I was being pulled by something magnetic, drawing me in the direction I needed to go.
What I learned, and continue to learn, is that spiritual awakenings are ever present but often go undetected due to our own lack of awareness. The good news is that if you have missed one, or several, the universe seems to be very efficient at circling back to ping you once again. How and when, is very individualized. The final objective of these moments of enlightenment is an increased understanding of who we truly are and where we fit into the collective story.
The Buddhists have a term, Dharma, a Sanskrit word that loosely translates to righteous living, but the original word itself has a far deeper meaning than its direct translation. The ancient Hindu texts of The Vedas describe Dharma as an inner wisdom, or a cosmic guidance that governs not only the individual, but the universe itself.
Spiritual awakenings open the portal to this cosmic guidance, revealing your true purpose. Each door you choose to walk through will reveal more. In heeding these clarion calls, the path to achieving your highest and best self will be exposed, your job is to trust. In my experience, the most important steps are the early ones, where you consciously make a choice to step onto a spiritual path. Everyone is unique. But rest assured you will know when you are on the right one as your joy and sense of purpose will explode and the synchronistic signs will abound, illuminating the path in front of you.
Let go of who you think you are, to become what you might be…
Artwork Courtesy of JAG Artistry: For more information visit: https://www.jagartistryimages.com/
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