Is there a small voice inside your head saying you are so much more than the life you are living? But you stopped believing that voice a long time ago? Are you trapped by a life that forces you to sell your soul everyday? ...... and you resent yourself or the people around you for it. Have you and your dreams become lost in the fight to just survive another day? Is this what you really signed up for.? Are you starting to question what the real meaning and purpose of your life is?
Answering yes to any of these questions is not uncommon. What is common is how easy it is to be stuck in a life that is so much less than who you really are. Where everyday your true potential lies dormant and with it your secret dreams of greatness with it. From an early age you are conditioned to conform to societal norms and expectations. Sadly before you realise it you are living a lie. Who you truly are becomes buried under other peoples fears, projections and self serving interests. Ultimately causing you to lose touch with the real and authentic you. However it does not have to be this way. There is a power and force when we collectively stand together. Supporting each other to unlock our potential, power and life purpose.
A Story Of What Happens To Us
I first came upon this story in John Powell's book, "Through Seasons of the Heart." It tells of a Native American Indian walking through the woods. One day, he finds an eagle egg lying on the ground. After searching for its nest without success, he decides to take the egg to a nearby farm. Where he places it with some prairie chickens to be hatched. The little eagle survived and grew up thinking he was a prairie chicken. He would often be seen pecking at the ground for food and never flying. Then one day he looks up and sees this splendid bird flying above. He looks across in amazement at a nearby prairie chicken and say's, "what type of bird is that? Isn't it magnificent?" The prairie chicken replies, "That is an eagle, the most proud and magnificent bird in the world." As the little eagle gazes wistfully at the eagle flying in the sky. The prairie chicken says. "Don't you go getting any ideas that you could be like that noble bird. You are just a plain old prairie chicken like all of us." So it was that the little eagle lived, and died believing that he was a prairie chicken. Never realising his potential of being the magnificent eagle he truly was.
Can you relate to being like this little eagle? Taught to believe that you are so much less than you truly are. Held down by the weight of others peoples fears and expectations. Never unlocking your true potential, power and life purpose.
What If ......
What if this story had a different ending. What if when the little eagle looks up and sees this splendid bird flying above. He looks across at the prairie chicken and say's, "what type of bird is that? Isn't it magnificentâ. The prairie chicken replies, "That is an eagle, the most proud and magnificent bird in the world." As the little eagle gazes wistfully at the eagle flying in the sky. What if .... before the prairie chicken can reply. Another very wise prairie chicken arrives on the scene and replies. "My little friend what do you feel when you look at that eagle flying in the sky. The little eagle relies 'I wish I could be like that eagle". The wise prairie chicken replies gently "is there any reason why you cannot be like that eagle?" The little eagle replies "how could I possibly be like that eagle I am a prairie chicken." "Are you"? the wise prairie chicken replies. "Have you ever truly felt like one of us? Or have you felt different? Never quite fitting in?" The little eagle hung his head in embarrassment and responded timidly. "The truth is I have always felt different. I feel that I am destined for much more than just pecking at the ground for food. I have dreamed of flying but know that it will never beâ. The wise prairie chicken looked kindly upon the little eagle and responded. "What if your feelings and dreams were messages from your higher self reminding you of the truth?" The little eagle looked shocked and timidly replied "do you really think so?" "Absolutely" the wise prairie chicken replied. "and here is what we are going to do about it. Over the next week I want you to practice trying to move your wings."
So the little eagle who was so excited that maybe there was a chance that he could achieve his long held dream. Diligently practiced trying to move his wings. At first it was really difficult. Sometimes the little eagle would become despondent. Then he would remember the words of the wise prairie chicken. 'What if your feelings and dreams were messages from your higher self reminding you of the truth?'
So he pushed past the pain in his body and the doubt in his mind and continued to practise moving his wings. At the end of week the wise prairie chicken returned. At the sight of the wise prairie chicken the little eagle jumped up and down in excitement exclaiming. "Look what I can do" and showed the wise prairie chicken how far he could move his wings. âYou have made excellent progress my little friend. Now for this coming week I want you to practice leaping into the air and seeing how far you can fly." The little eagle looked doubtful. It was one thing to move his wings it was another to think he might be able to fly. The wise prairie chicken seeing the look of doubt in the little eagles eyes responded. "Just trust yourself and all will be well."
So it was that the little eagle started to practise trying to fly. At first the leap into the air was more like a jump from one spot to another. However after the third day of relentless trying he was finally able to fly a few feet. Each day he would give himself a goal to fly a little further. By the end of the week he could manage to fly a full mile.
When the wise prairie chicken returned one week later. He smiled with great satisfaction. "Well done little eagle." The little eagle looked back at the wise prairie chicken and said. "Did you just call me a little eagle." "I did" responded the wise prairie chicken. "Are you now starting to see that your feelings and dreams may in fact be the truth."
The little eagle stared hard for a moment at the wise prairie chicken and said. "Yes I can." Then the little eagle leap into the air and flew around the wise prairie chicken yelling "I am truly an eagle".
The wise prairie chicken just laughed. "So what is your goal this week?" The little eagle thought hard and then replied âcome back next week and I will show youâ.
The next week when the wise prairie chicken returned the little eagle was nowhere to be found. The wise prairie chicken asked the other prairie chickens had they seen the little eagle. One replied "he disappeared a couple of days ago and we haven't seen him since."
The wise prairie chicken just smiled to himself. A few weeks later the wise prairie chicken was sitting relaxing in the sun. When the little eagle swooped down in front of him. "Ah little eagle you look happy and well." The little eagle responded excitedly. "I have visited the most amazing places and met the most majestic and noble eagles. They kindly showed me so many things I was truly capable of. I came back to say thank you for seeing the truth within me and empowering me to see it within myself. You changed my life and I cannot thank you enough for everything you have done for me."
"Well little eagle it was my honour and privilege to work with you. You showed so much determination and courage. Without that my humble words would have held no power. You rose to the challenge and you taught yourself fly. You little eagle did that not me. Fly high my eagle friend. You are no longer the little eagle but the most majestic and noble eagle I have ever seen."
With that the majestic and noble eagle took flight. Circled the wise prairie chicken in tribute and flew high and strong. Leaving the wise prairie chicken in awe with its beauty and noble presence.
Epilogue
From time to time the noble eagle would return to visit the wise prairie chicken. On one occasion he noticed how different the farm looked and felt. After commenting on this the wise prairie chicken told him what had happened after he left.
"After you left the other prairie chicken's came to me wanting to learn to fly like you had done. I told them that their destinies and life purpose lay elsewhere. At first they were a little disappointed that I could not teach them to fly. However when I explained that if they lived their unique potential and life purpose. They would find the same joy and happiness you did. Each of us has a unique life purpose. That purpose is usually found in our dreams and feelings. When you have thoughts that you are destined for something much bigger. This is your higher self communicating with you. Unfortunately we are so conditioned to believe in our current reality. That we do not honour our dreams, thoughts and feelings."
"Many of the prairie chicken's have found their unique place in the world. Amanda over there is training with me to take over my role when I pass on. She is doing an amazing job already. When we live our unique life purpose we are just naturally good at it. There is no striving to achieve anything. It just naturally comes to us. The hard part is letting go of our fears. It is only our fears that hold us back."
The noble eagle looked intently at the wise prairie chicken and commented. "Yes you are correct. Thinking back to my situation. My current reality told me I was a prairie chicken and they do not fly. Therefore I could not fly. I realise that my fear was that I could not possibly be good enough to be an eagle. It was a fear of being great. Even though my dreams and feelings told me otherwise. This led to my self sabotaging behaviours of ignoring my dreams and feelings. Keeping me stuck in my conditioned reality."
"Very well put my majestic and noble friend. Tell me have you come across any little eagles that were trapped like you were?" The majestic eagle laughed deeply. "Funny you should ask. I have come across quite a few. In fact I make it my mission these days to look for eagles that are trapped like I was. It gives my life so much more meaning and purpose."
"So my majestic and noble friend what is your greatest learning from all of this?"
The noble eagle looked pensive for a moment before replying.
"Only by rising strong together can we all step into the truth of who we really are. Life is a journey. Sometimes we will be the little lost eagle. Sometimes we will be the wise prairie chicken. Only by being there for each other can we all realise our true purpose, power and potential."
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