The Wisdom from my Chickens

It wasn't the first time that I thought about this ... I remember in school when the teacher would pose that age-old riddle "what was first, the chicken or the egg?" I didn't lay awake contemplating the answer but at some level it was one of those questions that never got answered. Because of events that have transpired in the last few years, I now have some fresh insights. Approximately two years ago my wife, Annie, decided she wanted to eat fresh eggs and brought home some cute little chickens. I was to learn later that there are as many exotic breeds of chickens as there are of dogs.

We live in a wooded setting with lots of vegetation....oak trees, fruit trees, rose bushes and more. There's also a lot of wildlife... squirrels, raccoons, deer, birds and of course the chickens. I remember how cute they were when we first got them but they needed protection from all the other wild animals. Our dog was jealous and the raccoons were nearby.

We built a chicken coop and put the dog kennel inside of it. This seemed to work except for a minor detail...the chickens wouldn't go into the kennel on their own. At nighttime they would perch on our bicycles which were hanging vertically nearby and we would have to carry them to the coop. In the morning we would open the kennel and they usually would run over to a corner of the property and hide from us. It was during this time that they laid their eggs in their nest. If we removed most or all of the eggs from the nest they would not return and instead would make a new one. On some days we weren't able to find any of the eggs. Watching this on almost a daily basis started me thinking about what a nest egg really is.

It's amazing how so many expressions that we use in our every day language are adapted from nature. I had always thought of a nest egg as that cushion or savings that makes life easier. But in watching the chickens I started to change my thinking. For the chickens it was a place inside of them in which they felt safe to give of their essence. Rather than a place of saving and hoarding it was a place of giving...for ourselves a safe haven becomes the place inside us in which we feel safe to fully express ourselves. When we feel safe, we give freely and do not keep a tally or score card of what we give because we are fully expressing the essence of who we really are.

In our journey through life whether we are conscious or not we learn new lessons. Since chickens were new to us we were constantly learning and changing. Eventually Annie moved the kennel to where the bicycles were hanging and since the chickens were already perched on the bicycles the chickens put themselves into the kennel. What changed was that the chickens started laying their eggs in the kennel even though in the morning they would watch us take their eggs. The kennel became the new symbol of their safe haven.

When I think of symbols I think back and remember my grandmother always making chicken soup...Chicken soup became a symbol for wellness. Whenever we were sick she would always offer us some chicken soup....and it seemed to work...And then remarkably there was the success of the
Chicken Soup for the Soul series. The chicken represents that longing inside each of us that cries out when our soul needs to be nurtured.The chicken represents that part of ourselves that is the healer and the giver. When this part is honored our whole being changes and the way we look at things also changes. We become whole and contribute to those who come into our circle. By changing ourselves we change our world.

Giving and sharing is the highest expression of being on the journey of life. Feel free to give and share this letter with the friends in your circle and let them know about the advantages of being on the journey. Part of my journey has been listening and giving and sharing my insights with other people around the world. My website and this newsletter help me make this connection and as I continue to expand and evolve I am able to share my message with others. Your suggestions and comments also help me expand and are welcome.

mark@inspirepossibility.com
(415) 453-5016

Mark Susnow has a unique background… A former trial attorney for 30 years and musician, he integrates what it takes to be successful in the world with the inner wisdom unfolded to him through years of yoga and meditation. His articles reflect this journey in an inspirational and motivational way..415-453.5016..To find out more about Mark and his services, be sure to visit his website .www.inspirepossibility.com. Here is what one of his clients had to say.

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