Listening To Omens
The subtle signs that can guide our lives
In the famous book "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho, the main character Santiago learns to listen to the omens sent to him as he embarks on his journey to find a hidden treasure. He realizes that the universe is sending him signs and signals to guide him toward his treasure if he stays mindful and pays attention. He has learned to quiet his mind and tune in to his inner intuition, allowing him to interpret the omens he encounters on his path. By listening to the signs of the universe, he can get past his obstacles with faith and resilience as he moves closer to his end goal.
Throughout my life, I always felt guided by something greater than myself whenever the crucial decisions of my life took place, so when I read the Alchemist years ago, I had no problem relating to Santiago. Likewise, when I had to pick which high school I should attend, if I should marry my wife, or any other major life decision, it was always based on intuition—typically a strong gut feeling or a kind of inner alarm bell going off.
Omens come in many different ways. Nowadays, the omens sent my way are quite different and more transparent than ever. Gone are the strong gut feelings from when I was a child. If I need guidance, I will go into deep meditation or ask Yi Ching. As I keep the question in my mind, I will wait until I feel energy entering my body from the top of my head through the crown.
Looking for my grandpa's gravesite
Today was one of these days where the omens took me to exactly where I had to go. I wanted to visit my grandpa's gravesite to pay my tributes and pray for him to achieve a higher rebirth. The only information I had was the place of the church where the ceremony for his burial was. So I asked Yi Ching if my trip would succeed, and the result was the following...
Hexagram 1
Line 5:
"A dragon flying in the sky.Â
It is beneficial to see a senior person.
Taking creative action, and exerting an influence. Some form of guidance will be beneficial, like the help of an advisor or mentor, or information from a book."
Seeing a senior person could be no one else than my grandpa, I thought. So my wife and I decided to head out to the church, and as we arrived, it turned out there was no cemetery at this particular church. I was perplexed but still in good spirits, so I asked the church office. A woman running the main office told me that they only run the ceremonies at this church, and if the deceased person is to be buried later, it will be at another church with a cemetery nearby. We did not know if the church she recommended was the right place, but we decided to head out there.Â
When I stood in the cemetery and looked at the gravesites, I quickly realized there were too many to get through them all. Again I needed some guidance. A thought struck me to check the internet for any information regarding this. Luckily this church had a website with information, and I could find my grandpa's name. I was at the right church but still not at the right place. The website also provided a number for each gravesite, but I couldn't find a number close to the one on the website anywhere.
My wife suggested we sit down and meditate and asked for a direction. After a little while, I could feel we had to go to the right. As we went to the right, we walked around the main church building. As we turned, I found more sites with numbers closer to what I was looking for. Suddenly I spotted a small alley through one of the walls that led to a new area with many more gravesites. We finally found the place. I started performing my prayers. Right as I was finishing, the church bell began to ring. It was noon. Looking back on my trip, I was amazed at how precise the information from Yi Ching had proven to be. The trip was a success. I took creative action and got some guidance from a book (Yi Ching) and the woman from the first church.
Getting better at spotting omens
Omens can manifest in many ways, so spotting them can be challenging at times. They can manifest as a dream, a chance encounter, a butterfly on the window, a song playing at the right place at the right time, or sudden weather changes, just to name a few. They can be subtle or obvious. To be able to listen to the signs sent our way, we have to stay mindful and open to possibilities. If not, we will be less receptive to them, no matter how they manifest. We have to develop our sense of awareness and trust our intuition. Listening and following the omens is an adventure that can lead us towards more meaningful lives.