Awareness

I quit my 25 year corporate career in December 2023 with nothing but a desperate whim to reset my life. On January 1, 2024, I had a very powerful, and vivid dream of a praying mantis, Burmese python and giant owls.

My attention was startled as the dog began chasing something out of the bedroom. I followed her towards the kitchen to find a large praying mantis crawling under the fridge. My husband sprayed the area with bug spray, but I didn't want to kill it. I just wanted to set it free.  I was startled again as it clawed its way back out and headed to the garage. I sent my husband to open the garage door and shoo it out, as I was too afraid to get any closer.  When he opened the door, a large, red Burmese python was slithering around the doorframe. I yelled to my husband to quickly hit the garage door opener on the wall, so both could escape. Again, I didn’t want to kill the snake; I just wanted to set it free.  My husband tussled with the snake as he tried to reached for the button, the snake opening his mouth to warn him, but never bit or attacked.  He finally closed the house door, the creatures no longer in sight. 

I had to be sure the house was secure, so we went outside to search for signs that the beasts were gone. There was no sign of them. My husband and I looked at each other. Neither of us were afraid; we were just trying to protect each other. Then, in the distant sky, two giant owls flew towards us. My husband pointed to them and said, “Those I would be afraid of.” Just then, both owls landed in the yard beside us, their bodies almost as tall as mine. They made no sound as they turned to stare right at us, with their ghostly white faces. My husband didn’t notice them anymore and went back into the house.  He was gone, and it was just me in the now dark evening. I was frozen still, never taking my eyes off the giant owl, who stared so intensely into my eyes that my soul shuddered. I didn’t feel like it was there to attack, but I wanted to be prepared for any sudden movement it made.  I was cautiously curious to find out what it wanted. That’s when I woke up.

As I do with all dreams of this vivid nature, I immediately searched for its meaning.  According to the depths of the internets, it was a combination of spiritual transcendence, associated patience needed to be on that journey, and being afraid of the unknown. This all made perfect sense to me as I woke up on my first day without purpose, in perhaps the entire 40-plus years of my life. The python, I learned, was a warning of envious and jealous people. The owls, a direct spiritual message. It felt like God smacked me in the face to say, "LISTEN."  So I listened. 

I spent the rest of 2024 on a spiritual journey that I didn't know I needed. I was aware of everything around me and followed the path where it led, with blind faith. The power and energy that I felt waking up from that dream never left me, so I painted it.

"Awareness" is that dream. It portrays being in a state of transition, and observing signs to guide us forward through the change. The withered branch reminds us to release what is holding us back, creating space for a new path to emerge. The snake's deception mirrors the negative forces that slither through our journey, tempting us astray, while the owl's watchful gaze embodies our intuition. In the silence of ourself, our trust and faith blossom, leading us through a transformation back to joy.

"Awareness". 30"x40" Acrylic on Canvas