Tiffany Marlink
Out of the void and into the nest
I have moved from the void to the nest. The transition into the nest has been much more enjoyable than dealing with the fear I faced when entering the void. The nest feels comforting and restorative. When I close my eyes, I see a vision of me nestled in with a number of incubating eggs.
What's in the eggs? I have no freaking clue! I'd like to say it's the thing that I've been trying to discover. My purpose in this world. The thing that I will be known for long after my physical body has decided it's work here is done. But let's be real. Each and ever one of us is already living our legacy every single day. And the more I focus on thinking the thing I will be known for is something that I'm not already doing, the more it will continue to elude me. Thank you law of attraction!
I believe each and every one of us is already living our purpose in some way, shape or form. I also believe our purpose is more than one single profound moment in our lives. It's our way of being in this world. Living a life of purpose is the practice of waking up each day and deciding to be true to yourself in every moment. You are the gift. By being here and being your true self, you are living your purpose.
I could stand on that soapbox all day, but let's get back to the nest and the eggs. I realized it may not be what's in the eggs at all. Perhaps it's a matter of what the eggs symbolize. A new beginning. Yay! Perhaps all that chaos and confusion is finally done shaking up my life and now I get to see the magical path that the Universe has created for me. And with that infusion of excitement, I heard, "not yet."
Oh yeah, right! I'm nesting! Almost forgot. Making sure these eggs are safe, warm and ready for their hatching is just as important as everything that happens after they are hatched. With that little bit of wisdom, I decided it was time to invite patience, curiosity and compassion to the nesting party. I also called in my Higher Self. I've never been consciously aware of this part of the process before, so I had a lot of questions for her.
My Higher Self guided me to take my questions and my metaphorical nest into the woods with me. As I entered one of my favorite trails within Forest Park, I paused and expressed my gratitude to Mother Nature for her wealth of wisdom. I thanked her for allowing me to walk in her sacred forest and I asked for guidance and support on how to navigate the nesting process.
When I got to one turn in the path, I was drawn to wander a few feet off trail into a clearing that was surrounded by trees. I felt invited to stand with my feet rooted just in front of a massive tree. The sun peaked through the forest and I could feel it's warmth radiating on the right side of my body. I made minor adjustments to my posture in order to create more ease in my body. Then I drifted within. I gazed loosely into the forest before me and welcomed the magical earth energy up through my legs into my body.
I stood. I breathed. I relaxed into the supporting energy of the forest.
After standing for a bit, my eyes began to drift closed. Without the visual distraction, I could feel the hum that was starting to amplify in my body. In particular, I could feel myself receiving a massive energetic hug from the tree directly behind me. Not only was she vibrating energy into the backside of my body, she was introducing me to the network of roots beneath the surface of the soil. I stood there and received until I heard the words "it is complete." I thanked her generously before continuing on my journey.
As I wandered through the woods, I began to notice a recurring sign. I saw numerous trees that had tipped over exposing their magnificent root systems like giant pieces of forest art. Each time I arrived at such a tree, I would pause and place my hand on the exposed roots. Even without the nourishment and protection of the earth, I could feel the aliveness vibrating through the root system. I mentally bookmarked the root systems as a message for me. Perhaps they were suggesting that I work on my foundation, create a network of connections or maybe I was meant to up root something.
I said thank you for the signs and asked for further clarification. As I walked on, I began to notice my stomach was starting to growl. This felt like an odd time to be hungry since I had just eaten a hardy breakfast only an hour before. There was no way I could have possibly burned through my fuel already. Then I realized this was another clue. The root system, like my stomach, is what supplies the tree with nourishment.
My intuition tingled with confirmation when I realized that Mother Earth, it's magnificent trees and my own body were telling me that my eggs needed to be nourished. My first thought was "Yay! I cracked the code!" My second thought was "Now what the heck does that really mean?"
Nourishment has been a theme I have been pondering a lot lately. It is more than just the concept of food for the body. When I think of nourishment, I also consider the fuel for my mind and for my soul. I think about what it means to nourish my relationships, my bank account and my business. In each of these different aspects, the actual form of nourishment varies wildly. However, despite these vast differences, I noticed every form of nourishment can be boiled down into one of two things.
Time or energy.
As it relates to the eggs in the nest, I think that means continuing to practice patience. Just like the flowers that know exactly when to bloom, my nesting process will know exactly when it is complete. My role is to trust the Universe and it's divine timing.
The energy component is something that I will continue to explore. I am currently offering my attention, love and curiosity. As I lay in bed each morning, I imagine being in the nest with my eggs and telling them how much I love them as I wrap them in them warmth of my body. I listen for any intuitive signs of what nourishment they may need and I trust that I will be prepared to offer them whatever else they may ask of me.
This process, like much of the human experience, didn't come with a physical manual. But I don't believe I was sent here completely empty handed. I believe my intuition holds the answers to every question I could ever imagine. My hearts know every step of the process, even if it only shows me one baby step at a time.