The Caterpillar. The Butterfly. But what about the Goo?
One of my dearest girlfriend’s recently had a therapy session. Her therapist used the typical analogy of the caterpillar and butterfly. Except she tweaked it. She said to my friend “You’re not the caterpillar, and you’re not quite the butterfly, you’re the goo”.
I loved this. And so this post is about being in the goo.
I started a shamanic healing course here in Sydney. Mainly cause I love it, also cause I need to be around people that love it, and more than anything to – keep learning.
There’s a text we have to read for the course and in this text I came across the following. I wanted to share it, for I think it sheds light on being in the goo and I also think it’s important to come back to this understanding, especially given the fast paced, always striving, over achieving society we live in.
“It is important to be aware that you will go through many cycles with your journey practice*. There might be weeks and months when your journeys are strong and clear. And then you might hit a cycle when you attempt a journey and you do not perceive any sensory information at all. This is normal – and it can last for several weeks or months. We are all a part of nature, and these are natural cycles that we are subject to. In our culture we always want to be ‘on’. We no longer honour the incredible gestation cycle that is necessary for the regeneration that brings new life. Plants do not flower 365 days a year. In this same way, sometimes we are in a deep process of germination and gestation”.
I think this so beautifully sums up life, with all its periods and chapters. With all its peaks and finishings.
I happen to be in a massive period of gestation. New life is on the horizon. But to be completely honest, I don’t really know what that is yet. And most days, I relish in the not knowing, with the most open heart – I trust. I embrace the cycle I’m in, knowing fully where I’m at.
And then other days, the goo, it feels really gooey. And I forget all of the above.
So what can we do when the goo feels annoyingly gooey?
We can remember a few things…
- Nothing is permanent. As the excerpt above says, we, like nature are in a cycle of change. Trust the change. Don’t attempt to rush it (cause you can’t). As my friend recently text me, “Be with the void. Don’t fight it”. These are wise words.
- Things are always unfolding for our highest good. I recently posted on Facebook “Things don’t happen to you – they happen for you”. This immediately re-calibrates me (when I remember it). Whatever is going on for you – it’s for a reason.
- Use the gestation period. If you’re needing to be quiet, be really quiet. If you’re needing to grieve, go all the way there. If you’re needing to learn, immerse yourself in it.
- Trust the timing of your life. Even when it’s goo. It’s divinely perfect, this is all we need to trust.
At the end of class, my teacher, who I think is in her 60’s, finished off by saying she’s experienced too much to know that without a skerrick of a doubt we are infinitely and divinely looked after. And that now, when things start to wobble, when the next period of transition sets upon her, she says with resounding gusto “Bring it”.
I know the goo can feel hard and lonely and like it will last forever.
It won’t.
And on that note, as I was about to post this to you, I received a note from the Universe….
So beautiful that even your times of sorrow, fear, frustration, anger, confusion and loneliness will be missed. Dearly, dearly missed.
But you’ll smile when you find them again as carefully set jewels in your crown of compassion. And you’ll laugh once the veils of time fall away revealing that each moment of your life is still unfolding. And you’ll cry when you discover how beautiful it all really is.
Oh the places we will go,
The Universe
Lots of (gooey) love x
* Journey practice. In Shamanic Healing we journey to meet the spirits to gain insights and healings. It’s a practice and a beautiful one at that. If you’re at all curious – get in touch, I’d love to share my learnings with you.
And if the goo is driving you a bit crazy, cause sometimes it does, come have a session, it’ll help. Promise.
