Can you identify the metaphors in nature?

Animals and the environment offer insight into life by providing you with natural metaphors.

A metaphor is a comparison or figure of speech that shows how two unrelated things are actually alike in a very important way.

If you recognize the symbolic meaning of nature, you can apply it to your own personal growth and development journey.

Brita Latona has compiled amazing samples and pictures of nature metaphors. Please visit The Peaceful Rivers website for further information and examples, but here are a few excerpts:

• Banana -- The skin hides the fruit. So far, you've identified and known yourself only as the skin. Now you are beginning to peel it. The time is now to know the fruit of yourself.
• Trees -- A gigantic tree doesn't become that by knowing it's a tree while still a seed. It only knows growth. Constantly changing, while still remaining the same. Being not at all concerned with end results, it is content just to grow and not know where it is going. The seedling, shoot, and mature tree aren't the goal, but the process-- the journey.
• Honeycomb -- What has the trappings of 'sweetness,' can sometimes get you stuck.  

Consider also the following metaphors in nature:

• Spider web -- You are like a spider, weaving the web of life around you. The web can help you attract what you want, but sometimes it gets tangled.
• Fall leaves -- Old brown leaves fall from the trees during the seasonal change to allow new growth in the spring. The old must be released in order for the new to enter.
• Path up a mountain -- Climbing up a path whether on a mountain or in life, you can appreciate the beauty and lessons of the journey. Do not focus just on the destination. You may not know what you're going to find at the end, but the steps along the way can bring valuable insight.
• Animal guides -- Notice the animals that appear frequently in your life, either in physical form or through repetitive words in writing, conversation, or songs. The spirit of the animal is trying to get your attention and give you a message. 

Read Bruce G. Marcot's poem "Nature is a Metaphor" for a brilliant interpretation of how oak leaves, reflections on the water, and pine grains represent the dynamics of life.

As you go about your day and especially when you step outdoors, allow yourself to receive the subtle yet empowering messages from the animals and environment they inhabit.

Do not force an impression, just be observant; if something is particularly appealing, stop to appreciate it. Does it have a message for you? Is there some insight that applies to you personally or for the whole of humanity?

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