The shadow glides along
the moonlit path,
leaving ashes
in its wake.
–Terry Chitwood
Ashes blow down the path, tiny whirlwinds scattering the past, whispering, “Ashes to ashes, dust to dust” (Anglican Book of Common Prayer). The past is dead and the future is shrouded in mist. Only the moment exists—the here and now—where change is born.
Dead Ends
Change like a sword forged in the blazing fire cuts the dead branch from the growing tree, leaving a scar, severing a path not taken. Dead ends scar us with their finality, turning our dreams to dust, severing our heads, not allowing us to think our way our way out of the situation.
Shadow
The shadow, cloaked in change, leads us through the darkness. In tumultuous times when fear rides the wind, our courage may fall into the shadow, forsaken by the ego, living underground–forgotten. To help us remember our courage, the shadow may confront us in a dream in the form of an angry animal (e.g. a snarling tiger) which simultaneously embodies our courage as well as a message to change.
Change
And change we must. Our shadows see in the dark, allowing us to run through the night, avoiding obstacles that could trip us or slow us down. Change moves us faster than we want to move. Embrace change. Move.
Photo Credit: Photo by Oleg Kozlov
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