ABOUT OWLS, LIONS AND SWALES

This one is from Leo of San Diego, CA, USA.  Leo has recently retired and moved to a home situated on a 2-acre property.  His property has a variety of trees, including fruit trees.  He’s always dreamed of having a functional garden in his back yard, and his sons have helped him create swales winding around the trees to generate a more efficient water flow around the trees.  Neighbors have told him how beautiful his backyard garden is.  This is what he e-mailed me.

There are two owls which live in one of the trees in my back yard.  Sometimes they disappear for weeks and I don’t see them, but I always feel like it’s a good sign when they’re in residence on their tree.  Recently I noticed baby owls flying around back there, so apparently the couple has started a family.

In Native American lore, owls are power animals who honor the wisdom and watchful patience of whatever space they occupy.  The fact that Leo has these birds in his back yard is a tribute to his own wisdom and patience in trying to create a self-sustaining garden in his property.  Leo is being reassured that actively committing to making his lifelong dream come true is a wise decision.  Not only is he creating a beautiful home for himself, he is honoring Mother Earth by enhancing the bounties (like rain and sun, detritus to add to the swale mounds, etc.) she provides for maximum efficiency.

Last night, in my dream, I’m looking out the windows to my back yard looking for the owls.  I don’t see them, but I figure they’re just out flying around somewhere.  I turn away for a moment, and when I look out the window again, there’s a lion sitting in front of the window, just staring back at me.  I’m concerned, worried that maybe he’s after the owls.  He doesn’t seem dangerous. In fact, he’s sort of patient.  Then I wake up.

Lions as sacred power animals are predatory in nature.  They are aggressive hunters. By comparison, owls are predatory too when they hunt for food, but nothing as dangerous as a lion.

When Leo sent me his dream, I asked him whether something had changed in his life recently which had triggered some type of action he’s never done before.  He told me about his retirement, his new home and his conversion of his back yard to a garden.

His answer made it clear to me that this is a guidance dream.  Leo has come face to face with something inherent in himself which he has never acted upon.  His garden idea in the back yard is not only a wonderful idea for himself, but this dream is telling him that if he aggressively “hunts” for clients, beginning with his admiring neighbors, he will be helping his neighbors and enhancing his environment as well.  He will be honoring Mother Earth and her generous bounties.

My advice:  Leo, it’s time to expand your goals and share it with the world.  It’s time to shift from wise and patient owl to aggressive and pro-active lion.  Be confident that you can do this.  Start small until you feel your prowess and strength, and then “attack” the indifference and laziness traps people fall into which prevents them from improving their lifestyles in the way you have.  Your idea is magnificent.  Help people realize the same dreams for themselves.

Go, Leo!  Thank your snoozling self that you possess this gift, and then go make it happen!