Alright, let’s talk about this goose totem business. Sounded a bit funny to me at first, honestly. But I was feeling a bit stuck, like drifting without much direction, you know? Needed something to sort of anchor onto, or at least think about differently.
So, I decided to actually give it a go. Not in some weird ritual way, but just paying attention. My practice started simple: I went down to the local pond. A lot. Just sat there and watched the geese.
Observing the Geese
First thing you notice? They’re loud. And kinda bossy. Always honking about something. But I kept watching them day after day. Saw how they moved together, especially when they sensed trouble. Real pack mentality, or flock mentality, I guess.
What really stuck out:
- How they fly in that V-formation. Always knew they did that, but seeing it consistently made me think. It’s all about efficiency, helping each other out on a long trip.
- The way they protect their own. Get too close to the young ones? You’ll know about it. They don’t back down easily.
- They stick to their routes, their seasons. There’s a rhythm to it.
It wasn’t like some big revelation hit me all at once. Mostly I just sat there, sometimes feeling a bit silly, watching birds. But it started to sink in, these simple actions they do.
Connecting it Back
This whole observation thing got me thinking about my own life. That V-formation? Made me think about teamwork, or the lack of it sometimes in my own projects. Are we helping each other, or just flying near each other? Big difference.
And the way they protect their space? Made me think about boundaries. Maybe I needed to be a bit more assertive, you know? Not aggressive like a grumpy goose, but clearer about what’s okay and what’s not.
I tried to kinda meditate on the ‘idea’ of the goose later on. Not picturing a literal goose, but the qualities. Community. Determination. The journey. It felt less about finding a mystical ‘totem’ and more about seeing these traits in action and reflecting on them in myself.
What Came Out Of It
Look, I didn’t suddenly start honking or anything. No magical goose guide appeared. But the whole process, this simple practice of watching and thinking? It did shift something. It made me more aware of my own ‘flock’ – my family, friends, colleagues. How we move together, how we communicate.
It became less about a ‘goose totem’ and more about learning from observation. Simple as that. Taking time to watch something else live its life helped me see my own a bit clearer. Still find them noisy, but gotta respect the way they operate. It was a worthwhile exercise, surprisingly grounded for something that sounds so airy-fairy.
