Katy Manna  

I always say to people that I am never surprised any more but I am always in awe. And once again, I find myself in a place of experiencing this. I ventured back to my spot out in nature and saw that there was another path that I had seen but not given any attention to. I decided that I would turn left and see what there was for me to discover. I had no idea that I would discover more about myself than anything else.

I saw more trees, dead and alive. I saw lot's of flowers and butterflies. I noticed that this path was more hidden, a smaller path and one whose beauty was far greater than the other.

I felt tucked away safely by this little corner of the world. As I heard the sound of water I could feel my body open up. It was as if each fiber of my being tuned in to the healing power of the water I had just stumbled upon.

I see a clearing and follow my intuition, there is a message for me, this I am sure. I approach this clearing with wonder and curiosity. The next thing I know, I am surrounded by butterflies and dragonflies. There is a large rock for me to sit and meditate on, a rock just on the edge of this body of water that had been calling me just minutes ago.

As I sit down and take a deep breath, I am amazed this has been here all along. This glorious retreat, right under my nose. That is when the message came in loud and clear.

"This has been here all along, right under your nose. YOU have been here all along, right under YOUR nose".

This beautiful little spot was symbolic of me and my life. Yes, this has been here all along. No matter how many different paths I have gone seeking to know myself better, this one gorgeous path has been sitting here waiting all along. All I needed to do was listen and I would be welcomed in this this sanctuary.

I began to understand that despite the fact that I have had a close relationship with myself, my heart has not been fully engaged. I always thought that other paths that were out of the way would take me to my destination. I never saw m self as my own sanctuary, a place where I am always welcomed with a warm hug and a place that I am loved.
My inner sanctuary, a place where I am safe.

I sit on this rock and begin to feel my heart open up in ways that it has never before. I realize how my heart has not been fully engaged in my life up until this point. Yes, I have loved and I have loved deeply. What I have not experienced is feeling nurtured by my own heart. It felt as though I was a baby at my mothers breast.

I felt how strong my heart is, and yet so sensitive, peaceful and quietly powerful.
"This has been here all along. Right under you nose."  I continued to hear this message.
I sat in awe for at least thirty minutes as I soaked in this notion that everything is a reflection  of us. I sat understanding this beautiful place was me. A concept that was not new to me, but one that had now hit a new level of understanding in my being.

I saw how some people had left trash and how that resonated with me. Despite the trash, this outdoor sanctuary held strong and beautiful with grace. It remained a place for support and beauty. I knew I would be back to clean up the trash here. The time I have spent clearing away my own internal trash, I knew it was time to honor myself and my new love.

I find that life is always symbolic. No matter how we look at it, there is a symbolism that is available to us that calls us to evolve to a higher place. Always be the observer, ask for guidance in seeing the truth, and following the intuition are all ways to evolve to our highest purpose. The Truth is always right under our nose, look no further.