Show Me a Sign: When Seeing Things Isn’t Cause for Alarm, but the Path to Transparency
Something falls off the table and onto the floor, but it lands perfectly so as not to break. A plant which you’ve been neglecting suddenly perks up for no apparent reason—because oops! you forgot to water it again. You forgot to set your alarm clock last night but you naturally woke up at exactly 6am—which never happens!
These are the types of things that people expect to be signs. These occurrences are so unusual that it makes complete sense that our brains would classify them as ‘other than the norm.’ We are constantly on the lookout for signs that mean something more than they’re actually letting on. But here’s the interesting bit: signs are actually everywhere, all the time. If you’re introspective enough, you’ll find them in the most commonplace instances throughout your everyday life. It’s a skill that’s difficult to adapt to but one that is very rewarding.
I was sitting at the edge of the pond outside my apartment, the crisp Autumn air was tugging at my sweatshirt, but I didn’t want to go inside. Not yet, anyway; I was warm enough that the cold breeze felt good against my face, especially the tear streaks. I watched the water, my gaze gently taking in the lowering sun in my peripheral, the shades of bright pinks and deep purples giving color to the otherwise muted world around me.
I caught a wisp of movement out of the corner of my eye, and I turned to stare at a threesome of dragonflies. They were dancing in beautiful spiral patterns around one another, gliding in and out, touching each other gently and gliding gracefully away. I was transfixed by their movements, following each in turn with my gaze to see what playful little dance they’d begin next. The reflection of the sunset cascading against the water’s surface rippled each time one of the dragonflies flew down to dip their legs in. It was such a peaceful thing to watch that tears began to well in my eyes.
It didn’t take me long to recognize that this was a sign, as clear as day. I was meant to be here in this twilit moment to witness this dragonfly dance for a purpose—to realize what I was missing in my life. Play. True enjoyment. I had been neglecting this part of my life in favor of productivity and obligations—resigning myself to living an adult life—for too long, and the Universe was giving me a little reminder of what I’d been overlooking but was equally important.
A SIGN FROM ABOVE, BELOW—OR ANYWHERE, REALLY
When we tell ourselves or others that we’re looking for “a sign,” what is it that we actually mean? Generally this seems to mean that there is some divine intervention happening just for us. This might seem totally natural, or it’s a completely foreign concept (hey, atheists, lookin’ at you!), but you don’t have to be spiritual to look for signs. In fact (and I might get some flack for saying this), I have a feeling only about 1% of the signs we do recognize are divinely sent. The vast majority are just you and I using our exquisitely designed, introspective brains.
Anyone can ascertain the purpose of being in the right place at the right time. Finding meaning in a piece of burnt toast (more on this in an upcoming article, The Fine Art of Eating Burnt Toast), however, is a skill that you need to hone in order to truly appreciate—or even identify as significant in the first place.
The great thing about ubiquitous signs is that you can find them anywhere—wherever you are, whenever you’re there, and for however long you’ll be there. You can find a sign in your everyday routine, on vacation, or at work. They are always happening, but in order to discover the secret meanings behind them, you have to delve and find meaning within. Only you know yourself well enough to determine how to read the signs meant only for you. That’s the catch! No shortcuts.
QUICK START GUIDE TO INTROSPECTIVE SIGN READING
The easiest way to start is by looking for your favorite number throughout the day—on license plates, in audit reports, on grocery recipes. Numbers are constantly surrounding us, so it’s the fastest way to begin the search. If you find something with your favorite number, examine it more closely. Ask yourself some questions:
How does this thing relate to you?
(Try the 6 Degrees of Kevin Bacon method, if you’re blanking here.)
Does it bring to mind something you’ve been hiding from others? From yourself?
Do you feel a certain way when you think about it or are around it?
Do any thoughts (words, phrases, colors, scents, etc.) come to mind when you think about it?
As you continue to expand on these questions and the feelings and feedback you’re getting internally, you’ll come to a more solid conclusion as to why your favorite number showed up, and the sign will reveal itself.
For example, if your favorite number showed up on the receipt from the gas station, you might initially feel like giving a sardonic, “It relates to me because I just filled up my tank.” But the joke’s on you, Sassy McSasserton, because maybe you don’t need to go much farther than that! You filled up your tank, sure, but what other internal tanks are in need of filling up? Are you not feeling fulfilled in your career? Are you feeling lonely in your marriage? Do you feel empty spiritually? Find the tank which you’re running on fumes and puzzle out how your favorite number coincides with the message. Perhaps it’s 18, and this year will be your 18th year at the company which now treats you like a woman on the way out instead of the cherished individual who helped build the company to its current status. And now we have a winner.
In order to determine a larger meaning in something so small and seemingly insignificant, you have to allow your brain to process it in terms it can understand. It’s a method of developing your intuition and trusting yourself to find the significance in things that were previously totally irrelevant. It’s a transformation which allows you to find purpose and apply it to your current situation.
You can do the same with things like Tarot card readings or other divination practices to cultivate your skills, but you don’t have to do anything except look for the signs—they’re all around you, waiting to be recognized. When someone you don’t know says a phrase that your grandmother always used to say, when the blender cap flies off mid-spin and sprays the walls with green goo, when you lose your phone and realize that you’d rather be spending time with your wife anyway—
