Earthquake Wisdom
This was a powerful experience I had a couple of months ago with my children. I wrote about it in my journal but haven’t shared it. Till now 😉
It is a beautiful example of how our kids can be our greatest teachers. Enjoy!
I fell asleep in Matthew’s bed. After a short time, I thought he was shaking his leg and the bed was moving. I woke up and decided that he wasn’t going to sleep, so I got up and left his room. Just then, Mandie came out of her room and followed me downstairs and asked if I had felt the earthquake. I realized that Matthew WAS asleep and that the earthquake had awakened me.
I have always been terrified of earthquakes, ever since I was a little girl. When I was 12 years old, I was staying with my grandparents when a 6.5 magnitude earthquake occurred, the epicenter about 40 miles from their house. I remember standing under the doorframe with my grandma while watching everything moving and shaking. It was my worst nightmare.
Tonight, Mandie asked if she could sleep with me after the earthquake happened and of course, I said yes. As we laid in the dark, I spoke with her about my fear of earthquakes. She began to explain to me her theory about our fears being connected with our zodiac signs. In a sleepy voice, she asked me how curious it is that I am a virgo (earth sign) and I am frightened by earthquakes. She is a leo (fire sign) and she said she has a tremendous fear of fire. Another friend, she told me, was a cancer (water sign) and he is afraid of tsunamis. Well, she got my attention. What a fascinating concept! I told her how brilliant she is and told her that we should research whether anyone else has made that connection before. I asked if she had read that somewhere or if she came up with it herself. She had recognized the relationship on her own.
Then I started to feel the anxiety welling up inside me. I told Mandie that I had an urge to go upstairs and wake up Matthew and make him come and sleep downstairs. I was afraid that if another stronger quake came, I would have to run to the other side of the house and up the stairs to get to him. On the other hand, it felt silly to wake him and make a big deal out of something that probably isn’t a real danger.
Mandie’s reply was, “Control your element.”
“What? How do I do that?” I asked her.
“Be one with it. Connect with it.” This was her wisdom.
“Who are you?” I requested of her, “You are like a wise sage right now.”
She calmly told me that she was tired. And I told her that wisdom often comes into the space between wakefulness and sleep.
Mandie went on to tell me that although she has a fear of fire, sometimes when she is near it, she feels more powerful, as though it strengthens her. She also said that if she stares at it, she sees things in it, like dancing, animals and patterns. And she has the sense that she can bend and move the flames. Wow! She encouraged me to play with that and connect with the power that the earth has for me. She imagined that if I were to place my hands on the earth during an earthquake, that it would make me feel powerful and give me strength. Now I can’t wait to try that.
For the first time, instead of just fear and dread over earthquakes, I feel a sense of curiosity. Could Mandie’s theory be correct? It certainly intrigues me! And I already feel more at one with the earth’s energy. Where before there was fear, now there is mutual understanding and respect. It’s like an honoring. I am grateful.
My old soul sage of a daughter at last told me to get out of bed and write (when I told her I felt like writing) about what she had taught me. So, I did.
About an hour before the earthquake, I set an intention to become an author and sought after speaker and I actually sat and began the introduction to my first book. What a powerful message, sent to me by way of an earthquake and the wisdom of my beautiful daughter. Embrace your power. Connect with its source. Sit with and understand that thing which causes you fear. Use it for strength. You can control it. You’ve got this.
And you are definitely on the right track.
