Spring in Britain is beautiful with gardens beginning to bloom and wild flowers sprinkling the countryside with an amazing array of colors. But what brings me the most delight is the lambs, white bundles of energy gambling in the greening fields. Watching them calls forth a joy that reminds me to find time to be playful and frolic with abandon whenever I have the chance (although my aging bones are not so sure about all that).
However, we have other associations to sheep that are not so joyful. We speak of people being like sheep when they follow the dictates of others and simply go where they are being led or herded, irrespective of the danger or "rightness". When we act like sheep we refuse to think for ourselves, refuse to ask the questions that need to be asked and we allow our fears, impulses, addictions or mental laziness to dictate our choices. The consequences are often disasterous for ourselves, for others and for the world at large.
In building and maintaining societies there is a delicate balance between adhering to the rules and regulations and obeying authority and questioning those same rules and authority. We must always be alert to when the powers that be are no longer acting for the good of all beings and challenge that authority. It is a dangerous business and requires great courage but we all know numerous example from history and our own lives when not to do so had devastating results.
Likewise in building our own internal structure we must be willing to question on a regular basis those internal rules, regulations and authorities on which we base our lives. We must be willing to change what are outdated, drain our energy and no longer serve us in soulful ways.
We own two beautiful smooth collies, a breed that was originally bred for herding cattle and sheep. They still have remnants of that instinct but, if you put them in a field of sheep, chaos would reign. Likewise when we are herded internally by energy that is out of control, undisciplined and not for our highest good then all is not well.
In Britain border collies are the breed that is most often seen herding sheep. They are very well trained so that the sheep go in the right direction, are safe and protected. So it is with us internally, if we have developed well disciplined aspects that keep us on track and moving in directions that are in our best interest.
Sheep and collies are useful images to keep in mind. They can help us live with questions such as "Am I being like a sheep?" and "Is my internal herder being disciplined and leading me in a direction that is appropriate or am I allowing myself to be scattered chaotically to the winds with no focus?"
Several years ago I took a group of women on a study tour to North Wales. One of the things we focused on was experimenting with and practicing living symbolically. We tried to be aware of what was happening in each moment and would wonder what lesson we might be being offered. It is like considering your whole life experience as a dream, interpreting it accordingly and formulating questions to live with. It was fun and yet also often turned out to be very meaningful.
One of the places we visited was Aber Falls. We had to walk a considerable distance to the Falls and there were many images, symbols and experiences to consider along the way. A very moving happening involved sheep, a collie and a shepherd. When I returned from the trip I wrote the following.
"On that special day we were graced with a moving experience that touched our hearts and brought tears to our eyes.
A shepherd clad in blue denim overalls and carrying a traditional shepherd's crook was directing his dog in herding sheep across the scree on the steep hillside. In response to his whistling and gesturing, the sheep dog deftly guided the animals towards a new grazing area. Three unruly lines of stubborn sheep were eventually tidied into single file except for a persistent straggler. We watched the skill of the man and dog with fascination and awe. The majority of the sheep had made it to the grassy area on the far side of the scree when suddenly one lost its footing. Horrified we saw it roll over and over, as if in slow motion, down the steep slope to rest finally motionless at the bottom.
The sheep dog was in obvious conflict watching the sheep fall and yet still being responsible for guiding the irritating straggler across the hillside. The dog chose to stay with the initial assignment to get the errant sheep in the right place. But once that was complete it raced down the hillside to nuzzle and lick the hurt animal with a tenderness that brought tears to our eyes. When the shepherd arrived he lifted the sheep onto his shoulders and I remembered a picture in my grandmother's bible of Christ with a sheep on his shoulders in just the same way.
The story had a happy ending. Shortly after we arrived back at the car park, we learned that the sheep was on its feet, albeit limping a little and that the shepherd had it all well in hand."
Now there are so many ways to respond to this beautiful event when we think of it as a dream but to expand on that would simply be too lengthy for a blog. However I did write about the image of the Shepherd that might provide some ways to look at the whole experience symbolically.
"The Good Shepherd tends to all his sheep and makes sure they are safe. He seeks for those that have gone astray and are lost and will spare no effort until they are found. For those who have faith in a Divinity it is a mark of the deep compassion of the Divine that even when we have gone astray we will be sought and therefore never really lost. Forgiveness is ever present.
And so it is internally. When we are a Good Shepherd to ourselves, we seek those parts of us that have gone astray and restore them to the fold with forgiveness. And in our lostness we can have some reassurance that there is a Good Shepherd in us that will be seeking, even when we feel we are lost beyond being found.
What aspects of yourself are lost or have gone astray and will you be the Good Shepherd and seek them? In considering this question, remember that our Shadow contains gold as well as darkness."
