Like verses in sacred texts, the animals of Creation’s Bible, may have several possible meanings, depending on where we are on the journey. At some point, Bear’s hibernation will surely hold our much-needed medicine.
When circumstances cause us to miss winter’s hibernation, we have to find creative ways to get away with ourselves for times of introspection. Hibernation is too valuable to Life’s depth of meaning, to ignore.
In taking time to examine our inner rumblings, we begin seeing the many ways our affecting situations replicate personal energies. There, in the reverberations, we understand that we are parts of one whole. If we allow, Humility will grace us with how to both share in difficult challenges and disentangle ourselves from unnecessary ones.
Puzzling as it may be, Hibernation can teach us how to simultaneously participate and observe. When our responsibilities require us to be overly involved, being while doing may be the only way, short-term. It takes practice, but becomes easier, when we include introspection, as a consistent part of our lives.
Pulling away, for extended periods of time, gives us the opportunity to recall all of the things that bring us joy. If we whole-heartedly release some of our neglected aptitudes and passions, we surely find multiple expressions of our callings.
In solitude, we admit current reality, define our dreams and pull up courage to face unknown factors. When we pause to see how both important and also how very insignificant our contributions are, in the larger frame of life, we are able to stand in the balance of thoughtful commitment and full-on laughter.
In adjusting our inner lives, the outer dramas oddly fade into invitations to move forward. At first, we define obstacles as forces impeding us; but later, we are surprised to see them as flung-open doors, beckoning us on in to the future.
Hibernation, that includes introspection, offers us courage. For some, just making a move, any move, is the next step. For most, taking time to consider how situations are mirroring us and then fine tuning our lives accordingly is necessary if we plan to continue making Life-giving choices, not only for ourselves, but also for those around us.