Lightening

Mikle a Muckle Shows Up

I've been working very hard to get all the pieces pulled together here at Firefly Willows. Inguz, the rune of fertility, has been showing up, counseling the "completion of new beginnings", so I've been trying to get things done. But in the process, I've been allowing the "work" to interfere with the joy, and with my personal intentions for my role at Firefly Willows. In short, I've been getting way too serious and way too intense.

I've fallen back into some habits of the grind from my previous career. Even when it seems like it's the last thing one wants to do, old habits die very hard, and then come back to life even after they're dead.

So it is that I was looking for some guidance in what to do, and engaged in some journeywork over the weekend. My questions were along the lines of "What should I focus on? Where should I put my energy?"

I decided to use the The Faeries' Oracle deck, created by Brian Froud and Jessica Macbeth. Brian's pictures are beautiful and fascinating. Jessica's descriptions are insightful, playful, and funny. Just the way Faeries would want it, I think. And the deck has always been kind and supportive for me, even when delivering challenging guidance.

This time, twice in a row, the Faeries' Oracle deck produced Mikle a Muckle. Here's his picture:

Mikle, apparently, is the playful little guy. He's there to remind us to play. According to Jessica, "He is fond of goofing off and considers play to be an art form and himself a fine artist. He understands renewing the spirit and re-creating the body and emotions. He knows that all of us have a child within who needs to play and be cherished."

The reading for Mikle starts with "Lighten up! What is needed here is the benefit of a childlike, trusting heart and childlike wisdom, seeing directly into the true nature of things. Don't complicate matters..." and it ends with "...take some time to play with Mikle before you turn into a grumpy glumph or a worn-out wurg."

It sure sounded like advice tailor-made for me. But...easy to say, tough to do. At least for me, when I still feel like there's a million things that have to be finished (and, for that matter, started) before Firefly Willows is really capable of being what we envision it to be. So, for a performance-obsessed person like me, how does one DO that? I didn't know. Don't know. Childhood play was a long time ago.

Well, I guess they really do want me to get this message and take it to heart, because on Monday, Mikle showed up in person at Firefly Willows. She didn't look quite like the little fellow in the picture, but I quickly began to see the similarities. Her spirit is as light as a child's, she likes to play and simply be. And she had rosy cheeks. She's been party to some miraculous healing work in the past - simply by being and allowing.

Her personality is full of child-like play and joy. She spontaneously stopped by the shop on a trip from A to B. No reason, really, other than a little voice said, "Go to Los Altos." And, I guess...why not?

I'm grateful to the fae folk who have seen fit to have Mikle stop by at Firefly Willows, and their willingness to help me learn to play again. She didn't leave a card. I hope she stops by again soon.

But let's not leave it all to the two of us. If you can show me how to play, or can share a story about how you nurtured and released your inner child, please come by. I need all the help I can get!