watch for the signs (and a great video…scroll to the bottom)
I have a little rule: three signs and I act.
I feel strangely compelled to take note if someone’s name pops up three times in a day. I have to call them. My meditation teacher, for instance. He was mentioned to me by three different people. Finally I called him – his name’s Tim – and he instructed me in a technique that’s changed my life. Quite literally (more on this soon).
I’m not a “universe told me to” type. But I do think we steer our lives toward things as we need them. Subconsciously, or perhaps just on a feeling level, we “lean” toward what we know we need or want. We draw things towards us, so our rational or conscious self can get the directions it needs.
In the past I’ve needed multi-level neon billboards before I’d take notice. I was so closed. But as I started to open myself to this kind of thinking, more and more signs came forth and steered me to the right place.
Signs can also warn and teach lessons.
What about this: when I was sick a few years back I got all panicky about being idle and tried to plan a travel writing gig to the Solomon Islands to dive with sharks. Because diving with sharks is usually the best way to jerk yourself from a rut, right!
But everything went wrong. Flights, commitment from magazines etc. My meditation teacher Tim told me I should stay put. Moving about was bad for my energy levels and for my “vata”, he said. I needed to rest. I kind of knew he was right. But persisted anyway.
The trip went progressively pear-shaped. 1. All three internal planes in the Solomons broke down so I was stranded for almost a week on a tiny island with no phone. 2. The plane home was delayed. 3. I got home to find my car had been stolen. And my insurance had run out while I was away. The car was never found.
Three signs and I got the message. I wasn’t meant to be moving about and “the universe” was making the point really clear but grinding all modes of transport to a halt.
For the next 6 months I went without a car and limited travel to bike-riding distances. And gradually I got more settled and better.
Anyway, how about this.
1. Abe Forsythe, who wrote and directed the winning Tropfest Shock Jock film this year and came runner up last year (with Being Carl Williams) sent me a link to this short film below that he made after reading my blog. Judging by all three films, I LOVE this kids’ work. The GPS tells an uptight dude what to do…getting him to unwind and… I won’t spoil the ending. But when the GPS says tomorrow take the day off, I took note.
2. Hilariously, last week I meet the woman – Karen Jacobson – who is the Australian voice for all GPS systems around the world.
3. And yesterday I chatted with Madisyn Taylor, the chick behind DailyOM, which YOU MUST SUBSCRIBE TO NOW. And she told me she takes a day off each week.
Bloody signs everywhere! Tomorrow, I take the day off work.
ha! how funny you met the lady herself. I think we really notice signs like these more than others, the fun ones… that is kinda kooky though… maybe it was not about taking the day off work – but about ‘finding direction’… hmmmmmmmmm
I’m stuck on that fact that Abe Forsythe is all grown up and married. Thats what happens when you watch re-runs of programs..in your mind people stay that age forever – note to self get out more!
Smart woman! Enjoy your day off.
If you’re seeing signs, you know you’re on the right path.
Sooo true how it can take being hit over the head multiple times before you finally “get it” and see the signs/message. Being a Taurean (= stubborn) means I’m even more disadvataged!
Sometimes putting the horse blinkers on to focus ourselves more is the exact opposite of what we really need.
I totally agree, The Husband is trying to get me to take a trip to South America this year and something doesn’t hmmm, feel right about it. Intuition, a sign, who knows? I’m just not going to take a chance. It’s like when I had my 3 boys I really wanted to get a tattoo (!) of three stars so they’d always be with me, then I got an overwhelming feeling one night, that that was a wrong thing to do and that (gulp) something baaaad would happen. Once again who knows whether there is truth in these feelings, but for me, I simply couldn’t take the risk. A good friend did suggest, when i was telling her my tattoo story, that it would be ok to get one for me, and that it could have nothing to do with my boys. Now that felt right. You’ve got to trust your feelings. Always loving your blog Sarah!
How is this for a sign? Whilst eating lunch yesterday, I decided, on a whim, to switch on the tv and Oprah happened to be on. She was talking to a celebrity I’ve never heard of before about an earlier episode on distracted driving – texting, talking on the phone and the like. Oprah mentioned that the episode was available online so I decided to watch that instead because it sounded better than the episode I was watching. After watching it (EVERYBODY should), I vowed never to answer the phone while driving, ever again.
So that night at about 10pm, I was driving down the freeway in the right lane when my phone rang. It was my boyfriend calling me and ordinarily, I probably would have answered because his phone calls are usually “do you want dinner tonight” and if I don’t answer, then he just won’t get me any, even though I had told him earlier that I did. Anyway, of course I didn’t answer.
Literally 20 seconds later, I was rounding a corner. Remember, I am in the right lane of the freeway travelling at 100km/hr. In front of me is a girl. Walking on the freeway. In the right lane. In the dark. Wearing black! (Oh, I cannot even begin to imagine what on earth she was thinking!) Luckily, because I was paying attention, I saw her just in time and managed to avoid hitting her. But I know for a fact that if I had been on my phone, I would not have noticed her in time, and she would probably be dead. I would probably go to jail.
So watch for signs, is the moral of the story