I was recently in British Columbia and was surprised to see so many totem poles (in parks, on the street, in museums) seemingly around every corner.
Totems were constructed by the original natives (called First Nations) that lived in the different areas up in BC. They are visual representations of family and heritage. They are also left as a message that "We were here!". The totems are works of art, made with materials gathered from the land and they blend into their surroundings.
I started thinking about these totems in regards to my time here on this earth. I identified the Wheel of Fortune, which out of all of the cards in tarot, representing the seasons of our lives and the way we change throughout our years. In every life lived there are ups and downs, highs and lows. We have all lived through good and bad times. The Wheel of Fortune invites us to go with the flow. Instead of fighting against change, become a part of what is. You can choose how you negotiate the seasons of your life. Become your own choreographer and dance to the ever changing tides is what the Wheel of Fortune is saying! Especially if drawn in a reading. But what if you run into a symbol of the changes in our lives. Isn't it up to us to recognize as such and apply it to our circumstances?
Normally ones' life is recorded in albums, photographs, stories passed down by our children. But how remarkable to leave a lasting memory of a life well lived.
Along with that, I thought of a friend of mine who actually has created totems based on his life (or the life of someone else he knows). He put a pineapple on the top of this one (below) because he LOVES pineapples!! The different parts of the totem stand for chapters or passions according to him.
If we use The Wheel of Fortune as a reminder of the seasons of change in our lives, then we can rejoice in each chapter. Maybe rejoice at the happy times and rejoice when a hard time has passed. Through it all, our lives have been shaped by our experiences, good or bad.
So in remembrance of US, I would like to invite you all to make your own totem. You don't have to actually build one, but make a list of the different chapters you have lived through. And be aware that there is so much more to come! As the years go by, our outlooks change and something that was a really big deal in our youth, is not so important now (except in our memories.
I decided to make my own totem, so here it is starting with the bottom up. 1) I was born and lived at the beach when I was little; 2) I traveled to Europe after high school; 3 & 4) I moved to the mountains and had my kids; 5) I started Dragon Boat racing; 6) I created Tarot Magic!
I had lots of other things going on, but I think these were the most impactful for me. Now if only I can create a totem like this!!
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