In An Octopus's Garden in the Shade

(Also appearing on Rebelle Society)



I woke up this morning with Octopus’s Garden by The Beatles in my head.

Not for any apparent reason either – I can’t remember the last time I actually heard that (wonderful, whimsical) song. Anyway, since this isn’t the first time in the past (quite stressful) week or so that Octopus’s Garden has been randomly stuck in my head, I decided to look up the lyrics.

I’m of the belief that if a song pops into your head out of nowhere, there’s a good chance the universe (or at least your subconscious) is trying to tell you something, so I was hoping that perhaps the universe had a message for me hidden in an Octopus’s Garden.

Skimming through the lyrics, one of the lines that struck me the most was:

We would be warm below the storm
In our little hideaway beneath the waves

Reading these words, I instantly recalled listening to a man named Bob Roth discuss transcendental meditation just a few days before, likening our racing minds to 40-foot waves in the ocean – no matter how turbulent the ocean's surface may be, at its core depths it is always quiet and still, he said. He then drew the parallel that just as the ocean's floor is naturally peaceful no matter how wild the surface may be, our true essence is naturally peaceful no matter how loud and incessant our minds may be.

I was gently reminded that my true essence could be my "little hideaway beneath the waves" of my mind and circumstances. I just had to reconnect to that natural essence.

What the universe has been continuously telling me in the midst of my recent worries about money, my future, blahblahblah, is to quit stressing and to simply trust. Grateful as I've been for the encouragement, I realize I haven't allowed myself the joy of letting that message fully sink in; I "know" that I "should" stop worrying and have faith that everything will work out, but I just haven't seemed to be able to walk in that knowing lately.

The message contained in this seemingly silly song was just what I needed to help me get a little closer to fully embracing that truth. It served to me as a reminder to trust that I am loved, safe and that all my needs will be met. To focus on the loveliness, silliness and magic of life. To relax, have fun and not take life so seriously.

Unsurprisingly, I've found the "stop worrying and just trust" advice to be much easier said than done – it takes bravery to have faith. Ironic as it is, I’ve found that it takes hard work and self-discipline to be carefree (especially if you happen to be an anxiety-prone person like I am).

Choosing peace and love over anxiety and fear is just that – a choice. And though it may be easier to default to autopilot, fight-or-flight mode, I’ve discovered that choosing misery ultimately uses up at least as much energy as choosing joy does. Learning to consciously make the right choice is a long process – a process that can't possibly involve too much self-love and patience.

Octopus’s Garden ends with what seemed, as I read it, to be an invitation so warm that I nearly teared up:

We would be so happy you and me…
I'd like to be under the sea
In an octopus's garden with you

An Introduction to the Seven Chakras

(Source)

The chakras represent the seven major energy centers of our bodies. Learning about the chakras has helped me tremendously in better understanding the concept of inner balance and myself as a whole. Blockages in the chakras can cause mental, emotional and spiritual problems, which is why it's important to keep energy flowing freely between them. Here's an introduction to each of the chakras and which areas they govern:

1st Chakra – Root (Muladhara)

Location: Base of spine

Color: Red

Associated primarily with: basic survival needs such as security, safety, belonging, and sex (particularly for males), as well as grounding

Balancing Affirmations:
"I am safe and I trust that all of my needs will be taken care of."
"I am meant to be here now; I am firmly rooted in the present moment."

2nd Chakra - Sacral (Swadhisthana)

Location: Below navel

Color: Orange

Associated primarily with: emotions, creativity, birth, self-worth, intuition, friendliness, and sex (particularly for females)

Balancing Affirmations:

"I embrace my feelings and am in touch with my creativity."

"I easily accept and am fully deserving of pleasure and joy."

3rd Chakra – Solar Plexus (Manipura)

Location: Above the navel and below the rib-cage

Color: Yellow

Associated primarily with: personal power, manifesting, confidence, willpower, "gut" feelings, psychic development, anger, strength, and passions

Balancing Affirmations:
"I trust in myself."
"I am the powerful creator of my own life. I manifest my desires easily."

4th Chakra - Heart (Anahata)

Location: Heart

Color: Green

Associated primarily with: compassion, love for others and self, connection with others, spirituality, giving and receiving

Balancing Affirmations:

"I love and accept myself. Love is my essence."

"I am overflowing with love and compassion for others."

"I effortlessly give and receive love."

5th Chakra - Throat (Vishuddha)

Location: Neck/throat

Color: Blue

Associated primarily with: communication, expression, honesty, creativity, and transformation

Balancing Affirmations:

"I express myself easily, with honesty, love and clarity."

6th Chakra - Third-Eye (Ajna)

Location: Middle of forehead, in between the eyebrows

Color: Indigo

Associated primarily with: intuition, psychic ability/sixth sense, higher self, selflessness, and detachment

Balancing Affirmations:

"I am completely in tune with my intuition. I trust my intuition."

"I see clearly into both the physical and psychic realm, and am under the protection of the divine."

7th Chakra - Crown (Sahasrara)

Location: Top of the head

Color: Light purple

Associated primarily with: connection to the divine, spirituality, enlightenment, wisdom, and higher consciousness

Balancing Affirmations:

"I am connected to and guided by the divine."

"I am pure love and light."

Another great chakra-balancing exercise is visualization. For example, when I'm feeling anxious about something, I'll visualize a bright, red wheel spinning freely at the base of my spine. For overall balancing, it's a good idea (ideally during meditation) to visualize each chakra color one by one as freely spinning wheels while bringing your attention to the associated body part.

The Meaning of Repeating Numbers

I don’t believe there’s any such thing as coincidences. When we experience synchronicity, the universe is trying to get our attention -- whether that means to guide us in a certain direction or simply give us an encouraging nudge that we’re on the right path.

Regardless of whether or not I understand what a synchronous occurrence means when it happens, I always make a point to consciously acknowledge it and thank my higher power for reaching out. One of the many ways that synchronicity may show up is through repeating numbers. For me, it’s also one of the most common; in fact, it's happened to me twice in the past two days (1111 and 698).

I absolutely love and am so thankful for the below blog, Angel Numbers. It’s the best resource I’ve come across for decoding what number-related synchronicities might mean:

ANGEL NUMBERS - Joanne Sacred Scribes

Enjoy! :)