Kindling, Feathers and a Tiger's Eyelash.

A feather from the sea

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 "The little match girl had no kindling wood, in fact she had no wood whatsoever. She was in a survivalist situation......and yet we cannot create the bones to sing over, we cannot put this together if our highest goal is surviving. Our highest goal is to thrive.....We have to find something very different than the little match girl."

- Clarissa Pinkola Estes

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kindling (noun) 

 material for starting a fire, such as dry wood, straw, etc

to kindle (verb)

 1.to set alight or start to burn / 2.to arouse or be aroused ⇒ the project kindled his interest / 3.to make or become bright.

 ~

Whilst out walking last week, I almost walked past this baby feather. I had just been thinking how bare of feathers this path was. Then I noticed it there but walked on by. 

I am seeing so many feathers every day just lately; outside particular client's doors as I arrive for my appointments; outside on the drive when I set off for work; outside the office. 

So I checked myself, stopped and turned back to take a picture of this one resting on it's bed of seaweed. "Just in case." I told myself, " I don't want to take this for granted." 

Seeing feathers everywhere I mean.

My head tells me that they are "just" feathers.  My heart and soul tell me that they are secret messages. I pick many of them up and put them in my bag or my pocket. "I want to use them in my art," I tell myself. 

As I bent to pick one up off the pavement last week, a man I know through work, came out of his shop and said good morning.  "Morning. I'm just picking up feathers." I smiled. "Ok then." He shrugged his shoulders and moved on.

Why am I so obsessed with feathers? I never used to see them. Right now I feel they are telling me something about my dreams and hopes, and what to do next etc. It's just that I don't know what! Not. clear. at. all.

Anyway, as I continued on my coastal walk, I was happy I had stopped to take note of this teeny one. What I wasn't expecting was this.....

...suddenly I couldn't take a step without seeing feathers everywhere......

....washed up on the tide.....

....and such a variety of colour, pattern, shape, size and condition.

It was like the universe was screaming something at me. Feathers falling out of the sky, washing up on the tide, and covering the ground at my feet like a carpet.
 

Spiritual food

 The story of The Tiger's Eyelash, an old story from Japan and told by Clarissa Pinkola Estes in "Women Who Run with the Wolves," is part of this message I am sure:

"The Tiger's Eyelash is a story about patience, about giving the enraged one, kindness, and time to get over it. It is something we often do for other people...but something that we seldom do for ourselves, and yet that's a very releasing thing to do. To say ok this is in cycle, I am angry now, I am just going to be patient and be kind to myself until this passes. And it will pass. The woman in (the story)... isn't aware of what her incredible resources are that she could have applied to the situation with her husband. She wasn't aware of that and she went on this long heroic journey and proved herself a brave and strong person, but it never occurred to her to use that in the  common situation, and I think that is one of our shortfailings that we tend to think more of giving patience and kindness to others, than we do to ourselves. So if and when, you feel rage; if you would simply give yourself some time, and some food, some spiritual food...for me poetry and writing....each person has a different kind or a different version of what is spiritual food; and you know what yours is. If you would do that for yourself. If you will bridge your rage with that spiritual food, eventually everything will calm down, and will be fine. I'm not saying be perfect, I'm not saying happily ever after; I'm saying it will be fine. In other words you will be able to move ahead and that time of rage will be over."

- Clarissa Pinkola Estes