partnership
The Symbolism Of Wedding Ribbons And Cords
In a recent reading, I had visions of a wedding and a shotgun! I did my best to diplomatically convey what I was seeing to the client. I also mentioned how I saw lots of colored ribbons, and a rather large gathering of people of all ages and cultures.
He laughed, and said that two years ago, he felt a strong urge for himself and his partner to get married. They both came from large families and wanted to make sure that certain ailing, elderly members would still be able to attend and join in the celebration.
He also said he was so glad spirit prompted them to marry sooner than later, because the pandemic would have prevented not just the large gathering of guests from attending, but also many from traveling from various corners of the world as they had done. Apparently, the ribbons I saw related to the traditional pagan handfasting they had chosen as the ceremony for their special event.
The handfasting ritual had always fascinated him, because of his own Celtic origins and he explained how both his and his partner’s hands were bound together with a ribbon during the vows and exchanging of rings. I later learned from a Pagan friend that cord is sometimes also used for this purpose in such a ceremony.
In many traditions the use of colored ribbons and cords is of spiritual significance at certain ceremonies, especially weddings. They are typically used to physically connect the couple, or they are placed in or around an altar. The cord is a symbol of the lifetime bond the couple is entering into.
For example, a wedding cord, also known as the ‘wedding lasso,’ is used in some Catholic wedding ceremonies. It typically consists of a loop of rosary beads made out of white satin or silk, and formed into a figure eight shape, and placed around the bride and the groom after they have made their vows.
Walking In Faithful Companionship
I live on a winding country road. Every morning and afternoon I drive along it, bringing my son to and from the farm sanctuary, where he dedicates his days and energies to the care of rescued animals.
Frequently, we pass neighbors enjoying a peaceful walk – sometimes with their partners, sometimes with their pets. There is one pair that has particularly captured our attention and admiration. The sight of them this morning especially started the day with a vision of sweetness!
As we came around a curve opening to a long, straight stretch in front of us, the gentle lady and her golden-colored dog were semi-visible in the distance. Backlit by the brilliant sun and morning mist, they would have been difficult to see had it not been for the bright orange vest the precious pooch was wearing.
What was most stunning however, was the way the dog turned towards the owner, sat down, and looked up at her with perfect poise and patience, as we drove around them. Not only was the scene adorable, but it embodied much spiritual wisdom for me.
The first thought for me was how noticeable the love and trust is between them. The woman did not even appear to speak a command to signal her canine companion to ‘sit.’ She just stopped and stood still with her feet together, looking straight ahead.
While it was clear they had developed their rapport and understanding of communication through prior training, it was nonetheless the woman’s energy that stood out the most for me. She was calm, yet clear; gentle, yet firm; and guiding, yet respectful. The impact of her energetic qualities was evident in the demeanor of her dog.
The dog’s energy also bore more than mere obedience. It emanated ease, faith, trust, respect, security, love, loyalty, and more. The pooch knows it is protected, respected, and loved, and reciprocated accordingly.
Love At First Sight Is A Spiritual Experience
Do you believe in love at first sight? I do. I believe that you can meet someone for the first time and instantly fall in love with them. It makes complete sense from a spiritual or metaphysical perspective. We are after all energetic beings having a physical experience, so of course our souls can recognize each other.
Some folks are convinced love at first sight is nothing more than just ‘lust at first sight,’ because love and lust are closely related in many people’s life experience. I am sure in some cases it can be both love and list, but in most instances it is not. And even lust at first sight can very quickly turn into love when there is an underlying soulmate connection.
Truth is, love at first sight is a reality for many people all over the world, simply because of their own personal experiences. And often these couples stay together for a lifetime. This may be hard to believe for some of us, who might have been less fortunate in love and romance, but it does happen more often than you may think.
How do you know when it is love at first sight? You may be surprised to know that some of the confirmation can often be found in the gut-brain connection. Your inner guidance system will always tell you when you have encountered someone special and meaningful. Your intuitive reaction to the other person will often be supported by a physical sensation. For example, you may feel a little queasy when you meet, or feel a sense of having ‘butterflies.’ There are also other physical signs that you are deeply attracted to someone at first sight, such as your heart racing, nervousness, and perhaps that goofy smile that will not leave your face!
The Key To Healing Your Relationship
Our emotions and feelings are not always perceptions that originate within. Many are caused by external events or outer circumstances. For example, a motivational speech can lift you up, while a scolding can bring you down. So too can a healthy, or toxic relationship.
Much of our modern lifestyle is based on our reactive feelings to external influences. Social media influencers, popular culture and news sources tell us how we should feel, but do we really know what is going on in our heart? Marilyn Manson expresses this modern dilemma brilliantly in the song Coma White:
A pill to make you numb
A pill to make you dumb
A pill to make you anybody else
But all the drugs in this world
Won’t save her from herself
In my experience, the reason there are so many dysfunctional relationships and broken marriages these days is the fact that many of us no longer know our own true feelings.
We are all the result of life experience. Experience is what gives us knowledge of success, or failure. The only person you can change, or whose behavior you can alter, is yourself. Every other thing follows suit. That is how we heal our relationships. We must lead by example.
Soulmate Love Requires Patience, Hope and Perseverance
Should I wait for him? This is a question I have been asked many times in my work. Especially when there is a deep, strong soul-to-soul love, with a sense of eternity and meaning to it, this question naturally arises when such partners are parted.
The answer, I find, is within. It is not a matter of should or shouldn’t, good or bad, right or wrong, nor even a matter of the outcome. It is a matter of heart. And it is a very individual choice.
An intuitive reading can support, but not substitute the process of discovering such a personal choice. As an empathic intuitive, for example, I can offer you a description of the energy I feel around your relationship situation, to provide you with information that may help you discern. I can also support you in trusting your own heart, and then in moving forward accordingly.
But the ultimate answer always lays within your own love and desires. From my experience of love in separation, I have learned that the path of patience, if chosen, will call for a profound degree of it, along with several stepping stones of spiritual qualities and concepts to uphold it.
Love between souls is a spiritual exchange. It steps back and views the beloved through the lens of eternity. It sees the individual spirit soul – the birthless, deathless being within – who is on an evolutionary journey, passing through human experience in this world.