possibility Archives - Owl Medicine: Shamanic Healing

Shark – Opportunity – The Ocean Oracle by Susan Marte

Opportunity

The cards I drew last night for us as a collective yielded Jellyfish – Hidden Gifts as the primary with Shark – Opportunity as the foundation card.

I’m still pondering the perfection of the Jellyfish card’s message in light of the swirling miasma of events we’re witnessing in the world around us. And yeah…lucky are we if we are, in fact, only ‘witnessing’ any or all of it. Because to be experiencing any of the horror firsthand must feel like your entire world is being ripped out from under you.

It doesn’t matter where we look, in what direction, toward which catastrophe, or in which country, there just seems to be a cascade of awfulness. So the fact that the cards that presented themselves were Hidden Gifts and Opportunity begs reflection.

Conundrum

The whole little vignette relayed by Shark in The Ocean Oracle (set out below) has a vaguely familiar feel to it. Perhaps you’ll recognize in it another story that’s often mentioned when people feel forsaken. And it’s probably safe to say that there are thousands (if not millions) of people who feel forsaken right about now.

And just like last night’s message about Hidden Gifts, neither the Opportunity nor the Hidden Gifts are necessarily obvious as such. In fact, it’s likely they’re not. Who could possibly think that any of the extreme circumstances we’re facing in our country and world today could be considered either gifts or opportunities? And yet…

Shark’s Message

“Shark – OPPORTUNITY

The Story

Once upon a time in the watery depths of a great ocean long ago forgotten, there lived a community of sea creatures. They lived together in peaceful harmony. Their community was abundant and prosperous and provided for all of their needs. One day a neighboring shark came by, telling them of an opportunity that would enhance their lives even more. Since the community could not fathom what else they may need, they let the opportunity pass them by. The shark swam away. Time passed and the community started to hear about other communities, who had taken a chance with the opportunities the shark offered them, and how their communities had become even more abundant and prosperous.

The shark came again to the community, and again offered them an opportunity to enhance their lives. They were hesitant. They knew what they had and they were happy. Could there really be more out there? When the shark came for the third time the community decided to take the opportunity presented to them, this time not letting their fear stop them. Although at first it was scary and there was some hesitation, when the community whole-heartedly embraced the opportunity, they found their community grew and expanded in ways they never dreamed possible.

The Messages

Is opportunity knocking? Be aware it does not knock forever. If you do not take the opportunity it could pass you by. Is this an acceptable option? This card could be a reminder that there are opportunities and you need to grab hold and shape what comes your way and make it yours and make what you will of it. Opportunities may or may not be straight forward. They may be in the murky depths. They may come at dawn or dusk or be just out of vision or tangible reach. Opportunities abound. Take the fullness of the possibility and open up to the potential it holds.”

My Take

While some of us may be lucky enough at this moment in time to be witnessing as opposed to directly experiencing the ravages of Covid or Hurricane Ida or the terror of trying to escape Afghanistan or wildfires or earthquakes, it’s only a matter of time before we all get a taste of direct experience. If nothing else, we all live on and share Mother Earth. Climate change, like a virus, is blind to any of the superficial reasons we may tell ourselves that ‘it can’t happen to us.’

But there are hidden gifts in these tragedies. There are immediate lessons we can learn in each moment. And there are opportunities that demand to be explored and embraced if we – the community of humanity – are to thrive. But we must open our eyes without delay.

(T-89)

Christmas Eve Magic

Karl, Maximus, Tiffany, Sage, Sarah and I took a moon and starlight walk earlier this evening. It was weird to have the luxury to engage in such an indulgence and enjoy the brilliant night sky. It brought back vivid memories of riding home in the back seat of my parents’ car after midnight mass on Christmas Eve, with my head leaning against the car window, staring up at the stars, yearning to see something magical streak across the sky.

I’ve always believed in magic. I might not see it very often, but I know it exists.

And not the magic that comes with top hats and card tricks. Real magic. The magic of magi, of wisdom, of the power of love.

Christmas Eve always reminds me of my mother. I miss her exquisitely on Christmas Eve, probably because, as a mother myself, I’ve realized through the years how much work it takes to coordinate ‘life’ to make magic real for our children.

And not in the manner that you might think. Not in making sure wished-for toys found their way under the tree or in the stockings.

Rather, in cultivating an attitude of wonder and possibility.

No one in my family ever definitively told me I was ridiculous to feel the magic of Christmas. And yet no one ever made a big show of pretending in order to foster the magic, either. I grew up with an attitude of possibility cultivated by my mother; an unspoken acknowledgement that if you rule out any hope of encountering the unexpected, you very well may make yourself blind to it.

I never want to be so sure of anything that I make myself blind to the possibility of magic.

And I have my mother to thank for that, as well as a dad and siblings who never felt compelled to douse the light in my eyes; the light that will always believe in and search for evidence of enchantment and hope, love and kindness.

May all of you keep searching for evidence of what you know is true in your hearts.

(T-1068)