By Magdalena I. García
I had lunch with my friend S. today. She just came back from Australia, where in early December she attended the 2009 Parliament of the World’s Religion. She is still glowing from the experience and trying to process the avalanche of new sights, new people, new information, and new perspectives, knowing that it will take a while to sift through all the layers, and that it may take more than a lifetime to connect all the dots.
As we enjoyed Turkish food and music, S. shared highlights of her trip, including Australian picture books full of colorful and peaceful landscapes, and Aboriginal testimonies loaded with dark and disquieting memories. She also gave me a souvenir: a pure cotton art canvas featuring authentic original works of Aboriginal art. My canvas is called “Roo Trail,” and it features a leaping kangaroo. She said she wanted me to have it because the kangaroo is a symbol of intuition. I love it: an invitation to go through life as an intuitive, leaping kangaroo!
I came home, hopped over to my laptop, and googled the word “intuition.” As you might imagine, there are a ton of entries, but here is one I liked. It’s attributed to Florence Scovel—an American artist, book illustrator, and spiritual teacher—in an article by Michelle L. Casto—a life coach, speaker, and author featured at http://www.businessknowhow.com/manage/intuition.htm. “Intuition is the spiritual faculty that doesn’t explain; it seemingly points the way.” And then Casto adds her own spin, “It’s also been said that intuition is your divine Spirit talking to you.”
Now, I realize that John Calvin might have been mighty suspicious of intuition, and that the Presbyterian Church (USA) might not be ready to add this marvelous word to the ordination question that asks whether we will serve God’s people with “energy, intelligence, imagination and love.” But that is not going to stop me from leaping into the new year listening to my gut. Hope I come across you down the roo trail!
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