I love a great metaphor...who doesn't?
A metaphor tells a story and takes you on an adventure of understanding something. This is powerful when there is a limitation or challenge. Visualising the metaphor as you read or hear it starts to shift your energy. It gives you the spiritual bypass without which you are often digging your own road without any tools.
If you were to read this word: OCEAN, I bet you see an Ocean or at least a body of water.
A metaphor is a work of art and a modern day parable and 'symbolism' in action yet what is little known or utilised is that the metaphors that are commonly used to describe limiting situations in our life have suitable counterparts that you can visualise to shift the energy that got you to experience the metaphor in the first place.
If you don't change the metaphor you are affirming the limitation! Think about that.
Here are my top four metaphors with counterparts where necessary, for life. As you read through them you can use the imagery to help you move through just about anything in life...many appear around water as the limitations that they are representing are often emotional in nature, fear, overwhelm etc. and emotions are linked to the element water.
Metaphor #1
Life is like an ocean...when you struggle, it is like drowning and bobbing up and down needing to come up for air and when you flow it is like swimming. The moral of this metaphor is to visualise yourself swimming oceans, diving, floating and having fun!
Metaphor #2
If life isn't going your way, it is often described as an uphill struggle, or like pushing a boulder up a hill! I have been known to add that it's like wearing high heeled shoes and pushing a boulder up a hill. The moral of this metaphor is to see yourself instead as running, skipping meandering or all three down the hill, boulder-less and like a child. Running with the wind blowing through your hair and laughter sounding out of you will change the hardship into something more joyous easily and effortlessly.
Metaphor #3
This is another water one but I am going to approach it differently. Going downstream is when you are flowing in life. I like to visualise this as if I am sat in some huge floating tyre, floating gently, safely and just loving it.
Metaphor #4
This is the money one where not having money is described as famine and having money as feast. If you are having money difficulties and it isn't flowing in addition to working with the energy of the metaphor above, start to imagine the feast. To chuck another metaphor in that is related to money too is to start to imagine the barren field arable and abundant once again. Makes sense to focus on what you want don't you think?
Do you have your own favourite metaphor that you refer to in relation to life? Why not share it below in the comments section?
Sarupa Shah
Image courtesy of twobee/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net
About the author
Sarupa Shah is an award-winning entrepreneur and mentor. She is the founder of The Soul Agency, working with entrepreneurs and leaders to instigate real change in our approach to modern life; putting consciousness back on the agenda. Sarupa speaks, coaches and runs workshops and study programmes across the globe which inspire people to tap into their own inner power. Sarupa is a published author of a fewno.1 best sellers - The Art of Affirmations and The Heart Centred Entrepreneur (both available on Kindle via Amazon)