Are you a Rhino or an Eagle?
Last week’s bombing in Boston sent shock waves across the land. As we sat watching and waiting for the events to unfold, many felt scared and helpless. Others stepped up to the plate offering support, food, shelter, and comfort.
Such an event can easily lead a country or community into panic and fear. The question to ask now is:
“How do we move forward?”
As with 9-11, we have a critical moment in time to consciously choose which path we want to follow. We can be a Rhino or an Eagle
I open the first chapter of my latest book, “Staying Grounded in Shifting Sand”, with my story of encountering two rhinos in the Royal Chitwan National Forest in Nepal. Here’s an insight I shared from that experience.
The rhino is a good metaphor for those who are living their lives without a fully awakened mind. Many people sense danger and attack, even if they don’t fully understand what they are attacking. And because they can’t see clearly, they feel in a state of anxiety or danger most of the time. You may know such people. They could be co-workers, neighbors, community leaders, friends or family members.
The fight or flight instinct is very strong in us. Fight or flight, along with feeding and mating, are the four basic human instincts. When stressed we react out of instinct or deeply learned patterns. We react without thinking through what may be happening, or as the rhino, without seeing what’s really going on. Luckily we humans can stop from instinctive, knee jerk reactions. We can reflect on the situation and see it from various viewpoints. Staying open and aware you needn’t simply react. You can choose how you respond. You can attack or flee or you can negotiate, cajole, charm, or surrender. As we move from childhood to adulthood we learn to see situations beyond what is immediately happening and to consider various options for dealing with life events.
A spiritually awakened mind not only determines what is going on in the material physical plane, but also sees beyond what is happening in the immediate moment. You learn to look for and eventually understand the spiritual lesson or spiritual drama being played out. Everyone can cultivate this spiritual way of seeing to become more centered and grounded in the midst of turbulence or stress of daily life.
In many Native American traditions, the Eagle represents Spirit and Vision. If we are to move forward with an awakened mind, we need greater vision. Rather than react and move from fear, we soar like the Eagle by seeing and understanding from a spiritual perspective.
We can see what happened in Boston, and in other places around the globe where tragedy and suffering occur, through a different lens. As Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.” The lens of compassionate understanding and mutual support is the spiritual pathway forward. It allows us to build each other up, not charge from fear or attack with blame and anger.
Staying Grounded in Shifting Sand
To work through stress and difficult situations as an Eagle requires new vision. With Spiritual Vision you move more easily through your worries, doubts, and fears with hope, clarity, and an awakened mind.
Living as an Eagle takes practice and a desire to do things differently. Here’s a link to a teleseminar I did last week sharing ideas on being a Rhino or an Eagle. I also spoke about the New Currency of Joyful Living, and 3 keys for greater Serenity and Inner Peace.
May you create greater peace and Spiritual Vision in the weeks ahead.
Soar like the Eagle! 
If you have a colleague or friend who needs extra support this week, feel free to forward this to them.
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Special Announcement: Home Study Course Enrollment Open through May 5th
If you want more support and practice with these ideas, I have open enrollment now in my distance learning course. Through weekly phone sessions and emails, you’ll explore how to apply spiritual ideas for staying grounded in the shifting sands of your life. I provide meditations, affirmations, reflection questions, and exercises to shift perspective to that of Eagle and Spirit.
Click here for more information- http://www.lindajferguson.com/staying-grounded-course/
Janae Bower of FindingIt is an inspirational speaker, award-winning author and training consultant who helps others get to the heart of what matters most.
Linda Ferguson wrote the book "Path for Greatness: Spirituality at Work" and has presented workshops around the country on aligning our gifts, passion and purpose.