The Feather, the Brick, and the Semi

First and foremost, I cannot take credit for this witty analogy. I've heard it said in many different ways and by many different people.

I didn't come up with the terms, but I can easily describe and relate to exactly what they mean. Maybe you can, too.

First, the feather

Intuitive messages, or what some may call messages from the Universe/God, come to us in different ways. Almost always they begin with a whisper. You get a feather-light nudge; it’s so soft and sweet, you almost don’t notice it at all. When you do notice it, you may dismiss it. I mean, it’s so subtle, it can’t really be true... right?

Ah, so maybe you ignore this message and let life go on as usual. It whispers to you from the back of your mind, but it’s only a feather. Maybe this feather is an intuitive hit to start something that could be prosperous. Maybe it’s a nudge to enter a new relationship. Maybe it’s your body saying it doesn’t like something. And maybe it’s the whisper of a long-denied truth about yourself or another.

The feather seems almost unnoticeable... yet it’s strong and potent like the truth always is. Small enough to ignore and big enough for you to know it’s coming back, for certain. But that’s in the future, and we don't have to worry about that right now, right? I hope you're smiling as you catch on to the foreshadowing here.

Next: the brick

Then, one fine day, the message returns... but this time, it hits like a brick.

A solid brick. The kind that can feel like a punch in the gut. The kind that leaves a mark. Ouch! Where the feather was so sweet and soft; the brick is hard, direct, and unforgiving. It knocks you over the head when you’re least expecting it.

When the brick comes in, its voice is not quiet. It gives you that push to stop procrastinating. You trip over and fall into the thing you’ve been avoiding, some kind of health issue pops up in your body that is difficult to ignore (ouch, again), and that truth you’ve been denying or the relationship you were supposed to leave is feeling like it’s on fire, and you’re no where near a body of water. All of a sudden, that little feather is feeling like a kick in the ass, and you’re looking for a solution ASAP.

The brick is very uncomfortable, but hear me when I say that it’s not as loud as it gets. You’d be surprised by just how many bricks a person can tolerate. The devil you know, right? So maybe you grin and bear it a bit longer. Maybe you put off that thing a little longer, hoping it will pass or just resolve itself. It still might, right?

This is the part where the message gets big. Like, semi truck big. But first…

The boulder or the tree

I’ve noticed in my own life that there can be another level between the brick and the semi. Maybe it’s “the boulder,” or a tree that literally falls on your house one day out of the blue. (This actually happened to a student of mine during a yin yoga class.) My point is, I imagine that there is a big difference between the brick and the semi. I also imagine that the universe is benevolent enough to give us extra nudges.

When the Universe throws you a brick, you may feel very uncomfortable — but not uncomfortable enough to change anything. Then the boulder comes in and you start to slowly (or quickly) change things, and your messages from the Universe move back down to brick and feather sizes. Hopefully.

Finally, the semi

A message from the Universe the size of a semi truck is life altering.

The semi presents as a life experience like a car crash, a health crisis, a non-fatal accident, a death in the family, or something big enough to give you a very loud, megaphone-style message. This kind of message shakes you, sometimes to the core of your being, and makes you rethink decisions you’ve been making or have made in life. It can quite literally knock the wind out of you. There’s nothing subtle about it.

The semi often represents what you might call a rock bottom moment, or a wake-up call that you can't ignore. And sometimes, it can be what I call, “the point of no return”. Something happens in your life that leaves more than just a scar and wakes you up to a whole new experience that you can never truly “un-wake up” from. For me, that moment was my father’s death.

You cannot un-know what you know after the semi.

While these moments are powerful teachers, I’ve learned that there’s wisdom in not waiting for life to reach that point. Over time, I’ve made an agreement with myself to tune into the smaller messages; the whispers and the feathers. I realized that I don’t have to wait for the bricks and boulders to crash into me. Instead, I can learn from love; I can be initiated by love. I can tune into the subtle nudges that life sends my way, allowing for gentler lessons and smoother transitions.

When the semi does show up, however, you can courageously choose for it to be the best thing that ever happened to you. You can let it be the reason you make your dreams come true, or the encouragement you need to find true and lasting happiness without the guilt.

You may have to fight for your life, but the passion you’ll have for your life following that fight is something money cannot buy. It’s a kind of transformation that alters the way you experience everything.

You don’t have to wait for that level of intensity. You can receive life’s messages and lessons without being hit where it hurts. But if the semi has already hit to you, it’s nice to feel it acknowledged by someone. It’s also empowering to know what to do when it happens, or to understand the significance it holds for you. You can give anything in life meaning—most of us already do—but if you’re going to wield that power, use it to support your journey into empowerment, not victimhood.

Signs from the Universe

When you start looking at signs and symbols you receive from your body and the Universe, it may help to think of them in terms of their metaphorical, or literal, size. When you gain new perspective on how your body and life communicate to you, it may support you in choosing more wisely.

Maybe you’ve been waiting for the bricks and boulders to fall, thinking that change only comes when life forces you into it. But it doesn’t have to be that way. You can listen to the whispers, choosing to stop forcing, controlling, or resisting what is meant for you. These subtle nudges can guide you before the lessons get harder.

Imagine making an agreement with yourself to follow the whispers and the feathers, to learn loving lessons that are gentle in their power. The choice to listen early is an act of self-love and an invitation to engage with life in a way that honors your wellbeing.

Reflection

Reflect on times when you received a feather, a brick, or even a semi. How did you respond, and what did you learn? If it feels supportive, grab your journal and ask yourself:

Where am I being nudged by a feather, and how can I follow its guidance before the message grows louder?

The other important piece to note is that sometimes, things really do just happen. I believe that! Not everything is a powerful message from the cosmos. Sometimes a shoe is just a shoe... not a sign to call a past lover and start again.

And, when you're on the spiritual path, everything in your experience can assist your evolution and alchemy if you are open to it. Even the shoe that’s just a shoe :)

The Feather, The Brick, and the Semi is an except from my new book, Sacred Alchemy. Get your copy today on Amazon!

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