The Choice of Freedom
More snakes on the path? Or why I’m glad no one helped me…. A Path to Freedom
It continues to be a gorgeous spring in the Arizona desert and I love being outside so guess what that means? More snake encounters? I had no idea that the topic of snakes would elicit so many responses from so many people! Thanks for your thoughts and comments.
If you read my last article, you know that when I encountered a rattlesnake a few weeks ago while out riding my bike, I chose to turn around and go back. It led me to think deeply about the meaning of my 3 choices: going around, moving the “obstacle” or turning around.
I’ve also been working with snake as a powerful totem animal: transformation – shedding old skin in order to grow, finding light – to maintain body temperature, and fundamentally, the opportunity for deep healing. And in particular, a venomous snake invites us to look at what is toxic in our lives. So, while out riding again this week, I was on the lookout for snakes from an attitude of a) practicality, b) curiosity and c) caution.
I was riding along the Arizona canal, scanning ahead on my path and again, I spotted a long brown stick-looking object ahead. Being cautious, I slowed down and approached it quietly. My initial thought was, “great! If it’s a snake, I have the room to go around it this time.” I have to admit that I was judging myself a bit for turning around last time. Here’s what I saw:
Another snake on the path?
When I got closer, I realized, “it’s just a stick”! I was both relieved and annoyed with myself for being over-cautious. This gave me a chance to think about the fine line between being on the lookout for danger and being relaxed, knowing that one has the wherewithal to handle the situation. Because at any rate, rattlesnakes will not chase you down and do not strike unless they are directly threatened.
Being metaphysical, I had to ask myself, am I creating these situations out of my own fear or am I just responding to what is already present in the environment? My conclusion is that it is both, even though we could spend some time on the quantum physics concept of the observer’s observation impacting “reality”.
In pondering this question, I realized that over the years, I have developed some very useful skills for dealing with potentially life threatening situations. These skills have been useful in many of life’s challenges that I’ve faced, including my own health situation last year and my daughter’s this year. One of my greatest personal strengths is that I never give up in the face of a challenge when something is important. Because of the abusive treatment I faced in early life, I had to figure out ways to help myself in order to survive.
Looking back at the strengths and gifts I’ve developed, I can honestly say that my adult mind is grateful that I didn’t get the help I was asking for as a child. How can I say that? It forced me to develop strategies to function in day-to-day situations. I had to find activities that I was good at and find things that brought me moments of happiness. Because of the abuse, I learned to excel at music. I learned to find refuge in the lilac bushes in the spring. And I learned to hear and see into other dimensions – what might be called “psychic abilities”, ESP or higher-mind functions.
In the midst of prison behind the closed doors of our little yellow family home, I found freedom in my own mind and my choice to never give up, no matter how horrific things became. I made a choice and I survived against the odds.
My current favorite book is one I came across at Barnes and Noble on Monday. It’s called The Choice, by Dr. Edith Eva Eger. I was perusing the Judaica section looking for Holocaust stories that I had not yet read. Mind you, I was raised a Protestant but due to my abuse background, I have been fascinated by Holocaust survivor stories because I love it when people triumph and thrive despite incredible odds.
When I found this book, I knew it would be eye-opening and life-affirming. Dr. Eger is sometimes called the “Anne Frank who lived”. At age 91, she is still lecturing and changing lives. One of her key phrases in her talks is: “Don’t ask why me? rather, ask, what now?”
I love this question as it lifts us above victimhood and into empowerment. Dr. Eger’s primary message is about freedom. And freedom is a key theme in the year 2019 from a numerology perspective as well as for all of humanity as we make important choices about what the next decades will bring.
Tomorrow, 4-14-2019, I will be sharing my presentation on the numerology themes of 2019. Freedom is just one of them, but it is, in my opinion, the most important theme this year. (If you missed the presentation, it will replay for a few weeks and then be available on my website.)
As Dr. Eger says, “Freedom lies in learning to embrace what happened. Freedom means we muster the courage to dismantle the prison brick by brick.” As I read her book, I realized that on some level, we both have the same purpose: helping others find freedom from the past because we know how to dig deep and do the work. Dr. Eger says it best: “I would love to help you experience freedom from the past, freedom from failures and fears, freedom from anger and mistakes, freedom from regret and unresolved grief – and the freedom to enjoy the full, rich feast of life.”
I haven’t spoken much about the details of what happened to me as a child, I have just stated that I was sexually abused from age 3 to 13. The main reason I haven’t shared details is because I do not want to trigger other abuse survivors’ unhealed memories and I do not want to satisfy voyeuristic curiosity. However, there comes a time in any healing journey that sharing the salient parts in more detail with a caring audience, leads to deeper healing and the possibility of helping more people to come out of their own places of secrecy and hiding.
Because of Dr. Eger, I now plan on speaking out more about my experiences in order to help my clients find their own way out of any form of inner imprisonment. You can see what this looks like by viewing my YouTube video.
Like Dr Eger, I invite you to allow me to help you shed your old skin and to make the Choice to be free.
Contact me for a free 15 minute consultation to see how I may be of service you: Ronna@sacredjourneyoftheheart.com