Create the Life You Imagine~October 2018
The Ruby Slippers
“The goal of the hero trip down to the jewel point is to find those levels in the psyche that open, open, open, and finally open to the mystery of your Self being Buddha, consciousness, or the Christ. That’s the journey.”
~ Joseph Campbell
In the final scenes of the Oz tale Dorothy, disenchanted but not discouraged at the falling away of the illusion of the Great and Powerful Oz, prepares for a more ordinary passage home in the balloon of the magician. Just as they prepare to depart, Toto escapes from the basket of the balloon. Once more Dorothy follows Toto. She leaps out of the balloon and the balloon sets sail without her. In the confusion, the magician floats away unable to take Dorothy on the final stage of her journey. As Dorothy watches him drift out of sight in his balloon, she feels lost, abandoned and despairing as her friends try to console her. But just when all seems lost, the soft pink bubble carrying Glinda appears again out of nowhere. Relieved, Dorothy asks her if she can help her get home. Glinda replies, “You don’t need to be helped any longer, you’ve always had the power to go back to Kansas.” The Scarecrow angrily protests, “Why didn’t you tell her this before?” To which Glinda replies like a good Zen master, “She wouldn’t have believed me. She had to learn it for herself.”
In this pivotal scene, Toto leaps from the basket of the balloon just as Dorothy is again surrendering her internal power to the external promise of safety and protection represented by the magician and his ephemeral balloon. Toto leaps from the basket of the balloon as an intuitive message, knowing that in her desire for safety, Dorothy is about to miss the jewel of the hero trip. When all seems lost, in comes Glinda, the heart of compassion, the heart of the soul, providing Dorothy with the guidance she requires. Glinda gently reminds Dorothy that she has always possessed the power she was seeking. The power and potential Dorothy has been seeking from the beginning of her journey does not lie in the hands of Elvira Gulch, Auntie Em, the Wicked Witch, her three faithful friends, the Wizard or even Glinda, her teacher. Dorothy now discovers that her power and potential rests within the very essence of her Being. Glinda embodies the wisdom of this stage of the journey, inviting Dorothy to remember the ruby slippers she wears on her feet—to recognize the seed of God within her—her Soul.
With the help of Glinda, Dorothy discovers her connection to the God within—her soul. The symbol of this connection, the ruby slippers, can now take her home. This is the grail of the ancient myths, this is the purpose of our spiritual journey, the discovery of the God within. The ruby slippers on Dorothy’s feet have guided her steps below her consciousness throughout her journey in Oz. Likewise, our souls are always guiding our steps, often below our consciousness, throughout our life journey. Our spiritual work is to come into increasing awareness of our soul and to trust the process of life to reveal this deeper Self that resides within.
Wishing you courage, blessings and light as you continue your journey to create the life you imagine.
Tracy
Awareness Affirmation: I am a soul in ever present and eternal connection with All That Is. My soul is a source of love, light and wisdom. I am safe, loved, cared for and protected. I am at home in this center of my being, and all is well.Awareness Affirmation: I am a soul in ever present and eternal connection with All That Is. My soul is a source of love, light and wisdom. I am safe, loved, cared for and protected. I am at home in this center of my being, and all is well.
