Flag Oracle #15: Raise the flag in its own time
On intention-setting, shadows, and sea creatures
Hello friends,
Setting intentions is an essential part of my day. Every morning, I write little invocations in my journal similar to the ones I write here at the end of the flag reading. Instead of saying that I want a particular outcome, I invite my actions to align me with love, purpose, and service to the greater whole.
When pulling cards from the Flag Oracle for myself or others, I invoke Earth wisdom with a little rhyme. Here’s what I say when I pull the cards for you.
Calling in the heart of the One
All that is land, water, wind, and sun
O Flag Oracle on this day
I invite your earth wisdom to show the way
...for the readers of the Inspiration Station
Flags can be raised to admit defeat (a white flag), signal danger (a red flag), or declare victory (a national flag). Joe Rosenthal’s photo of a group of soldiers raising the American flag to declare victory in the battle for Iwo Jima in WWII is perhaps the most famous flag-raising photo. One soldier did not raise the flag alone; it was a team effort.
The No Questions flag on this fallen log would certainly take more than one person to raise. Raising it would be a declaration of victory for following the creative process in a resourceful way. The flag was made from a place of inner confidence; it was one the first flags I made in which I had no questions about my purpose as a flag-maker or the placement of the colors in the design.
This card is an invitation to raise a metaphorical flag for what you believe in, and an indication that others will rise to help you. It’s about teamwork. Even though I sewed these flags alone and took this picture alone, there is a team of people supporting my life and my creative evolution. Nothing is made in a vacuum, and by raising your flag, you inspire and motivate others.
I was so excited by the beauty of this scene with the It Takes All Kinds flag that I could not be bothered to focus the camera. I needed to slow down and compose the shot in a more mindful way.
The culture of busyness encourages us to move fast and makes us believe that it’s the only way of life. In the meantime, nature progresses at her own pace, working on a timescale of days, months, and years ad infinitum. Letting things take their natural course is an exercise in surrendering to the flow of life. When you slow down, you see things you may have overlooked and make space for the unexpected.
In the Night position following the Raise the Flag card, Slow Down reminds us to take our time and not get impatient when life slows things down for us. The person you want to join your effort might not be immediately available, or a desired object might take some time to arrive. In the meantime, things could occur that make the wait worthwhile.
When everything comes into focus, the universe’s right timing will be understood in retrospect.
When discovery is the plan
Slowing down can lead to great discoveries. Last Sunday I stopped at Rodeo Beach to catch the sunset on the way home from San Francisco and encountered millions of blue jellyfish-like sea creatures called by-the-wind sailors (velella velella) washed up on the beach. (Local news coverage)
The next day, I watched the eclipse in my backyard (about 1/4 of the sun was covered here) and noted moon-like shadows on my driveway.
Shadows and sea creatures may be unrelated, but I’ll raise a flag for the beauty of nature and the necessity of slowing down to capture it.
Have a wonder-filled week!
Love, Lee Ann
I’m not sure how many days ago I received this email from you? But tonight was the right time for me to read it. I really needed to hear this message of right timing, and affirmation of excepting divine guidance. Thank you for sharing your earth wisdom and life inspirations .