"The peaceful warrior's way is not about invulnerability,
but absolute vulnerability--
to the world, to life,
and to the Presence you felt.
All along I've shown you by example
that a warrior's life is not about imagined perfection or victory;
it is about love.
Love is a warrior's sword;
wherever it cuts, it gives life, not death."
- Dan Millman
Go(o)d Morning All!
Above you can see me wearing my favorite ring . . . and there's a beautiful story behind it & the symbol it bears. The symbol first found me in my mid-twenties, a difficult time of transition for me: my dad was dying, I was working at my first teaching job, and I had been in a very toxic relationship that was coming to an end. I found this symbol first when I was in Mexico for spring break--it actually was a bangle that hung on a silver chain . . . a necklace. I've never been a necklace person, but for some reason it spoke to me and I bought it.
Have you ever noticed that sometimes, things find us just at the right time? Like, a book practically jumps off the shelf to you, or you overhear a message from someone's conversation that's just what you need to hear?
Anyway, the necklace bangle used to be square and plain, with no sapphires, no diamonds, and no ruby in the heart space. Here's the story of how I made it my own:
A few years ago, I knew a relationship was coming to an end and I had to make a painful leap; I was exhausted & depressed, and I had slowly lost me--for which I take full responsibility, by the way--over the course of the relationship. I had to save myself, but I was terrified. Looking back, I know now that I had been terrified for years--and instead of feeling my sadness and fear, I was medicating myself with working too much, jogging endless miles, running from activity to activity, eating too much, not eating enough, you name it. I was sleep-deprived, spent, and hopeless; I felt my spirit slowly shrinking to an invisible dot.
I saw my necklace one morning, and something nudged me to take it to my neighborhood jeweler and ask him to make it into a ring. We chatted for awhile, and I decided I wanted to round out the edges to soften it a bit . . . I didn't even ask how much it would cost. A couple of weeks later, a counselor friend of mine noticed my new ring; she asked me whether I knew what it meant and I said, "No. Not really." She told me it's a Celtic rune that means spiritual warrior, and a strong symbol of protection.
She went into a drawer and pulled out a piece of paper (above) with my symbol on it. I got the chills over and over. It had "Algiz" written on the top of the page, and read:
Opportunity for growth.
Rapid development.
Protection.
Safe refuge.
It is a powerful rune of protection and, spiritually,
it symbolizes reaching up to the divine.
Even in the heat of battle you are protected; wisdom & vision are your allies
I knew that it was a sign from the Universe that I had to dig deep, and go to a place of strength I didn't know was possible for me. And I did go there . . . my ring has Celtic rune on it that means spiritual warrior, and a strong symbol of protection. DO you have special symbols that have spoken to you in your life? The symbolic rune"Algiz" serves as a mirror for Spiritual Warrior, the one whose battle is always with the self. Here's a bit more about it:
*
Algiz:“Al-jiz”
Literally: “Elk”
Esoteric: Protection, Higher Self
PSI: divinity, higher self, the state of listening
Energy: protective teaching force, the divine plan,
Mundane: protection, safety, spirituality
Divinations: Connection with the gods, awakening, higher life, protection.
* from RuneSecrets.com
When I look back at my life, I realize that this symbol has been with me for a lot longer than I was aware-- for example, I have been drawn to this image in art I have chosen for my home . . .
in gifts I have received from family and friends . . .
and I see this rune in many everyday sightings, like, for example in leaves and trees . . .
I even keep a special token with this rune in my pocket each day . . .
About my ring . . . I had the necklace made into a ring, and then months later, when I had yet another challenge, I decided to have my jeweler add the ruby "heart" to the ring, surrounded by gold--, and the three white diamonds to symbolize my magical number, three--and the love among Chloe, Max, and me. Last year, the ring's final transformation was adding 9 (3+3+3) sapphires around the symbol, three of which were placed above the head of the figure, at the crown chakra.
I truly believe the Universe speaks to us quietly in powerful symbols and patterns that surround us everyday--and one of our highest callings is to pay attention to them and learn from them. For me this means staying conscious, present, and aware so that I can benefit from these quiet messages.
Do you have a symbol that has found you and has worked magic in your life? Leave a comment and tell your story behind your special symbol!
Have a beautiful day!
Love,
Dana
