great adventure

The word that immediately pops into my head when I think of taking a risk and venturing forward is "fear".

Fear can (and often does) stop us in our tracks. We feel our gut is guiding us to do something, to step forward but before we can take action our logical mind kicks in and, in an effort to keep us safe and in our comfort zone, talks us out of the very action our gut and intuition are encouraging us to take - we become stuck, unable to move forward because of fear.

But what is fear? Fear is purely a perception. It isn't real. It's something we have created to keep ourselves safe, to stop us moving forward, to remain in our comfort zone.

But here's the thing... miracles happen outside of our comfort zone, not inside them. And miracles are attracted into our life through love, not as a result of fear.

So by remaining fearful, or by being consumed by fear, we cannot embark on the great adventure we are being encouraged to set out on by the angels.

The angels are inviting you to hoist your sails and let the wind drive you forward. Explore the high seas and venture into new ports. Leave your safe harbour. No-one ever achieved anything great by staying safe.

Whilst there are no guarantees when you take a risk and venture forward, by doing so you're pushing yourself beyond your perceived boundaries and, no matter the result, living a more fulfilled life.

When I look at the picture on this card the first place my eyes are drawn is to the red sky and I remember that phrase I learned as a child "Red sky at night, shepherd's delight; red sky in morning, sailors warning". So is the red sky warning us, encouraging us to take great care when venturing forward, maybe even encouraging us to not venture forward at all, contrary to what the card's subtitle is saying? Rather than a warning, I would like to refer to the red sky as a truthful advisement. By no means is it encouraging us not to venture forward and take that risk. It's telling us that there will be challenges ahead, we may face choppy water, like the water we see here. And that's fine. Isn't it better to take on some choppy water that may actually drive you further and faster forward, than sit in the calm and safe waters of the harbour, getting nowhere?

Water relates to emotions. And, yes, when you decide to step out of your comfort zone and sail into the unknown, you will experience a sea of emotions. There will be excitement, there will be trepidation, there will be fear, there will be discomfort, there will be joy, and so much more. But those emotions keep driving you forward. Wouldn't you prefer to experience a sea of emotions, the feeling of living life, rather than bobbing up and down in the same-old, same-old harbour?

The final thing I want to touch on on this card is the crew on the boat. The captain of the crew is standing at the helm, strong and steadfast, watching out for what lies ahead. The crew are rowing and helping carry the boat forward, even though they aren't looking in the direction they're headed.

The captain, and his stance, tell me that you should keep striving forward with confidence that where the winds are blowing you, will be the right direction for you. Have faith, have strength and have trust in a power greater than you, a power that you don't need to try to harness. Take onboard with you a crew, people who will encourage you to keep striving forward, who have such trust in you that they need not even see where they/you are headed as they support you. They're sailing along with you, not trying to sail against you.

And finally, when you're out in the middle of the sea you may not always see land, you may not always have eyes on your final destination. The same is true when you set out on any adventure. Keep your eyes on the horizon, let the stars and the sun guide you; trust that you will reach your final destination when the time is right, crossing one wave at a time, taking one day at a time.

So what, lovely soul, are you choosing to do? Are you going to follow your heart, your hopes, and your dreams and take the risk so you can venture forward and charter unknown waters? Or are you going to stay safe in the harbour, bobbing up and down gently in the calm waters that you know so well and which offer you very little scope to explore beyond the walls that are keeping you in and safe? I know what the angels are encourging you to do. But only you can choose to take action.

Reference: This beautiful card is from The Sacred Traveler Oracle Deck by Denise Linn, artwork by Jesse Reisch