Let it go already!

June 27, 2016 1 Comment

It has been an abundant year for Dandelions, livening up my early spring lawn with their lovely bright spots of yellow. One of the first spring flowers, they are especially important for hungry bees waking from their winter hibernations.

My kids are racing around the garden belting out the hit song, “Let is Go” from Disney’s movie Frozen, and I can’t help but laugh as I perceive the Dandelions also singing about sweet surrender—about release and letting go. Unlike a child that has no cares or worries, I am a responsible adult and surrendering is certainly not my nature. I like to be in control, with order and predictable outcomes, as far as possible. Doesn’t everyone? Perhaps this is one of the biggest illusions of humankind? That we think we really have any control at all.

Dandelion is laughing now!  She scoffs at the idea of order and predictable outcomes and yet she can flourish almost anywhere and everywhere despite harsh circumstances and pathological gardeners with their nasty herbicides. They think that they have control but Dandelion always gets the better of them. 

What message does she share with me then? That I have no real control of what happens in my life—I just have to let go of the illusion that I do. Let go of all the doing, ordering and organizing and learn to trust that the universe will work its magic without my help, or rather, in spite of my help and with perfect timing—always.

This is something I think about a lot— release of control. Especially as a parent. Wouldn’t it be lovely if all my young charges did exactly what I wanted, when I wanted? Life would be so much easier. You know, if they stuck to chore charts and bedtime schedules. But of course that rarely happens. Children are really good teachers on the practice of going with the flow.

In fact, all three of my children choose to march to the beat of their own drums ( usually in opposite directions) and quite frankly I wouldn’t really want it any other way. It’s just that, like herding cats, family life can be a tad challenging at times. As the adult, I’m supposed to know how to do things better and share that wisdom with my offspring… they didn’t get the memo about listening though. Respect is not a given, not without force anyway, so I guess I am learning to trust the process, even when my days don’t go the way I had envisioned. I admit, more often than not, everything always works out.

And then there is control of my work life which, despite my attempts to compartmentalize, is relentlessly unmanageable and I can’t separate it from my home life. Every day I feel like I’m being led, crumb by crumb along a path that I can’t really see. Business planning and goal setting tends to be an exercise in futility and yet I can hardly believe that I have just released my Soulflower Plant Spirit Oracle deck into the world!

I remember trying to create a list of plants that I wanted to include, but the plants had other plans and so even the deck’s creation was beyond my control. I had to allow myself to be led, guided by an intangible knowing, and boy was that uncomfortable! There was no timetable, no schedule, I was following. It was a personal process, a two year journey and labor of love and I learned so much about myself along the way.

The creation of every card felt like engaging in an intimate conversation between two old friends. As I painted I realized that each plant was sharing with me exactly the healing medicine I needed for the challenges I was concurrently experiencing in my life. The act of inspired creation was medicine in and of itself.

With each plant I uncovered and released layers upon layers of stories, untruths, and beliefs that I held about myself and my life. (Dandelion energy!) And in the end I felt lighter and clearer about who I was and what lights me up with a sense of purpose I had never felt before. When I think of how the flowers have supported and loved me on this journey, I know clearly that part of my soul work in this lifetime is to share my experiences, my heartswork so that I may inspire and support others to do the same. 

I thought I was finished when I published the deck but I know now that this accomplishment was just the beginning of the next leg of my journey. 

Like blowing Dandelion seeds and making a wish, the deck has been released out into the world and I have no control about where it will go or what it will grow. In fact all I really have control over is how I respond to what happens. Just as each flower made its presence known to me I have to continue to trust that I will know what is the next best step will be .My intention with my work is to grow myself, not necessarily my business and so I have to trust that in every moment I am  exactly where I’m meant to be and I will be shown the way.

I think it’s no accident that Dandelions are so abundant all over the world. Trusting in the intelligence of nature, of life itself, and letting go of perceived control is not my work alone and her potent medicine is needed to restore balance to a world which is undergoing such enormous upheaval and change. 

I am also positive that it was Dandelion who selected herself to be on the cover of the deck and the symbol of my Soulflower logo. She was the first card I created and her presence has never left me. As our relationship continues to unfold I realize how perfect a choice it really was!

That's how the Plant Spirits work their magic with me. Entice me in with their beauty and then go to work on my soul.

Dig deeper with Dandelion (RELEASE) here.

 

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