It was a very hot summer, my partner Amanjot and I were at the 2011 yoga festival in the middle of France. Next to the last day, there was an evening celebration which we enjoyed by relaxing in our room on the third floor of the chateau. Typical french chateau from the region that showed signs of grandeur and of decay. On this night we kept the window open to get a little breeze and to help release some warm air from the heating of our room during the day. To not attract bugs we had only a small light illuminating the room. It seemed to work as there were no mosquitos, but another visitor decided to visit. Suddenly a bat flew into our small room and began flying around in the cramped space. It was both exciting and a bit scary. We immediately turned off the light in hopes it would return to the outside world. After a couple of minutes, it did leave. It was a unique experience for us both.
The next week we were back in Heidelberg, on Saturday, the 11th of August. It was still hot and I kept the window open to my bedroom with just a small light glowing. Suddenly a bat flies into the room. Impossible as it seems to have such an unusual event happen twice in 2 weeks. Yet here it was flying around and around and around the room. On this occasion, I could not get it to fly out again. After 15 minutes of effort, I decided to just leave the room with the door closed, hoping it would fly out on its own. Half an hour later I peeked into the room and found there were now 2 bats flying around. Just how strange was this going to get?
Now I waited two hours and was relieved to discover both bats had left. Except for the grainy video and my memory, no other record remained. In spiritual realms, it is said if something comes 3 times, pay attention. Meaning it is a sort of sign or message from the universe. Well, it got my attention.
For 20 years I have found a source of understanding these messages from animal spirits. Back then it was on the site GeoCities, now long since gone. Fortunately, it now exists on the web at www.animalspirit.com. So I looked up bat wisdom to get an insight into what the universe (some might say my subconscious mind) was telling me.
Since wisdom can be more like a metaphor than a clear direct message, it does take some interpreting the meaning for each person in each unique situation. The general wisdom of the bat, includes shamanic death and rebirth, pollination of new ideas, initiation, understanding grief, and the ability to observe unseen. There is more but these are the key points.
I won’t say exactly which of these themes were most relevant to me, but to confirm the insight from the bat wisdom was most accurate and useful. To use a resource written by others is not a replacement for our own intuitive ability. It can be useful as a confirmation of what we already know but maybe don’t fully realize yet.
I believe the universe is a loving and compassionate place, therefore all messages, experiences, challenges, struggles, hints and more, are at their core, both loving and compassionate. I have found this to be true even if I do not see this truth at the time. Sometimes it is revealed later. Pay attention to life, to the details, and especially to those events that happen 3 times in a row. They really do mean something.
