Pelican Bluff was our destination on the Texas coast for a few days of much-needed down time. The large expanse of blue water, the gentle cool breeze, the privacy, and walks on the beach were just what the doctor would have ordered (tee hee). Beckie and I watched a great white egret fishing by the beach house. In New Zealand, this bird is called kōtuku, meaning “white heron” and symbolizing everything rare and beautiful. Seeing a kōtuku in flight may be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Watching the shadows growing long at sunset, my thoughts went to my parents and their parents, to my ancestors before and those who came after me who are now in the spirit world. I find myself standing on the shoulders of giants casting long shadows. Their legacy is held by my spirit and illuminated within those shadows.
Then the kōtuku silently and gracefully landed in the waters mixed with the long shadows. With nobility and a regal stature, the bird patiently moved through the uncertainty of an evening meal before returning to the nest. In cultures throughout the world, I later discovered the great white egret is considered a divine messenger for the ancestors, showing up during times of uncertainty. The egret totem is asking you to remember those spirits who cast the long shadows, and to remain confident and trusting of your instincts during times of transition.
Work together with a focus on the nest and stay true to yourself was the message from the bird patiently hunting in the long shadows. Observing this creature served as the inspiration for ancestral magic with connection to my ancestors and the giants who came before, now found in the long shadows. It’s time for a magical connection to spirit whisper on the subject:
Regardless of expression, love is always found in the ancestral line and the connection to the innermost chamber of the heart. The great white egret sheds tears as a way to cleanse and purify the spirit, reflecting the most natural state of purification during transition and uncertainty. Losing one’s bearings in life is part of the process of evolution and growth, through observance of a response to adversity.
Deliberate movements, patient adaptation, and intentional direction are hallmarks of conscious living and contentment. In the physical world, your ancestors may remain a mystery as to their actions, behaviors, and expression, but the spirit world is where you find the truth, love, and light illuminated. All beings find motivation in their direct experiences, so refuse to judge others by cultivating awareness of the path taken by your ancestors.
With great uncertainty comes the opportunity to find the qualities instilled by your ancestors. Strength, determination, patience, grace, perseverance, and acceptance are the tools for evolving during the times of uncertainty. Move yourself beyond the focus on survival and into the realm of greatness by making this lifetime your opportunity for exploring emotions, healing the past, and reaching higher levels of conscious expression.
What will be your legacy and who will determine that, if not you? As you stand on the shoulders of giants casting long shadows, you can choose to live beyond your hopes and dreams. All it takes is to be inspired by life, with one foot on the ground and the other in the spirit world.
Bring joy, ease suffering and create beauty, then dance like you mean it!
Blessings, Russell
“All of our ancestors give us the precious gift of life. Do we use it wisely? Do we use it well? Do we make a name for ourselves and for our children of which we can be proud?”
Laurence Overmire
