This is a slug. A banana slug to be exact. I came across it on my walk with the dog the other day. (I don’t exactly walk my dog, she walks me, or sometimes we walk together, she is much too independent to be walked by a human). I usually search for some sign from the universe as I start my day, and this was a bit of a letdown. I like majestic redwood trees swaying in the wind, hawks screeching ominously above my head, ravens swooping down from the sky and flying in front my windshield, and of course the ever-present deer bounding ahead of me in the hills where I live. So a slug did not seem very exciting. But as I examined it more carefully, I thought, no a slug is good. A slug is the anti-me. My shadow.
No one could accuse me of being a slug. In fact most of my life is built around you not judging me as a slug. Or a slacker. Or lazy.
This has its drawbacks. Like an acute inability to relax. Or to even sit on the couch without a computer on my lap. Sometimes I will allow myself a book, but it’s usually self-improvement oriented. The drive to do keeps me on my toes. And I like it. But I get that sometimes I need to do nothing. Soon after I saw the slug, I came across this blog on “Slacker Manifesting.” It was kind of painful to even read it, because everything she suggests is again, the antithesis of what I normally do – run around like a chicken with my head cut off getting stuff done. And it’s not all work, but there are aging in-laws to care for, and niece’s to babysit and mother’s to call. Not to mention the laundry, groceries and entertaining friends.
The slug stuck with me for a few days. I tried to imagine what life would be like if you spent like, a day, getting from one side of the sidewalk to the middle, and then you get squashed. What is the point of a life like that? But then I thought, well, that’s a slug’s life. That’s what slugs do. Better to be an authentic slug, live life to the fullest and get squashed than be so busy I miss important things. Like giving my husband a hug when I walk in the door from work versus checking and opening the mail right away and finding – you guessed it! More things to do. So yes, being busy prevents me from being present for those I love the most. I’m working on that.
I looked up slugs on Wikipedia. A snail with no shell. Hmmm… this spoke to me. Lately I have been stretching myself, putting myself out there and taking more risks to express myself (like this blog). I DO feel a bit shell-less lately.
So a slug it is, my power animal for this week. I will embrace my inner-slugness and practice my Slacker Manifesting, because, after all it is summer!
What are you gonna do this week?
Hahaha! How AWESOME! Embrace my inner BANANA SLUG! Yes! Yes! to THIS! oh my woman! this message is so friggin timely for me. sighhhhhhh…. the anti-self, or so we think… which is what shadow is of course. Where DO I slug it out? in my dreams? in my inaction towards something that is meaningful? I don’t know. But what I DO know is that I sooooo need that slug energy, and so do many people I know. We have equated laziness with the devil… old memes die hard. And our nervous systems are SHOT! or at least mine is.
You know what is cool, is the YELLOW is such a color of energy! I just LOVE it! usually slugs are black. This one is very sunshiny! Thank you so much for the image, Laurie… and the post! It won’t be soon forgot!
I of course mean LAURA!! xo
Laura, what a fun read this was! I can so relate to all of the “doing” you describe. It seems the slug is a great metaphor for just “being.” And I have never seen a banana slug before! Congratulations on the risks you’re taking in stretching into new territory and expressing yourself. I enjoy your writing and look forward to more.
Ok, first thing I have to say is Eeew. I have seen slugs before, but never a yellow one.
Second. How appropriate that it’s a “banana” slug. Maybe the Universe is trying to tell you something about your “big banana”.
Finally, I have a history of being an “overachiever” and sometimes that makes me “less present” for my family than I would like also. I have been making sure I give my husband a hug when he returns from work, instead of saying hi to him and continuing to on the computer. It seems like such a simple gesture, but it holds a lot of meaning. Taking just a second to let someone know how much they matter to you is one of the most important parts of the day.
When the icon was small I thought that was a banana! Really a beautiful creature. 🙂
i’ve heard things like “how do you do it all” or “you never stop” and I admit I take pride in people thinking I’m a doer. But I get exhausted.
I haven’t ever heard of the Slacker book – I think it was maybe meant for me 🙂 Thanks so much for the post.
Love it! I love being a slug…I just need to be with a man who is a hare so that I do not go broke! LOL.
Laura, I can relate! No one would ever call me a slug and I’d get a little irritated, too, if I looked for a sign from the universe and it came via slug. And I need reminders to slow down–that feels like a risk to me!
Thanks for sharing your story and a pic of a banana slug. I’ve never seen one before!
Laura, I love this! We must be twins separated at birth. Or just both women of our times. 😉 I have been trying to learn the same lesson in slowing down, being more present and truly authentic the last several years and it is curious how difficult it can be to the habitual doer/overachiever. And yet looking back, I wasn’t really ‘overachieving’ anything, just over doing. I am really working on ‘being’ now… I have no more excuses. I love that you stay present on your walks and find such powerful messages in the power animals. You have given me a fresh new perspective on slugs (previously grossed out) to intrigued how they are without shells, not trying to impress anyone, just out to be the full expression of themselves. Nice and simple, love it.
This is fabulous. I love the power animal being a slug! And my you are so spot on about slowing down, taking the time and seeing what is around. It is so easy to be busy to forget the importance of a hug. I too am guilty. My children pulling me away from the attention my computer gets. Yet this week I am child free as they are on holiday and my intention was to pull out all the stops to ensure I was cranking out the work. Now you may just have convinced me that a more balanced approach is necessary. Cool as.
I love you’re approach to life’s messages and being willing to look at what the slug meant for you. Your honesty about how you judge”slug” energy and were willing to look at that, and perhaps see where it could have meaning in your life. We either “create” or “allow” our reality. I believe you were getting an idea of what “allowing” means. I love your slug.
Just needed to add, since you brought up the Shadow. That though the slug appeared to you as the”anti-you”. It might just be the more “real” you. Maybe you learned early in life, that too always be busy was valued, and to not “do” anything is “lazy”. ( not valued). So, to be approved of, we do what is valued. It seems you are making peace with this and seeing the “value” in just being and allowing a more vulnerable; real self emerge!
I love all your thoughtful comments everyone, thank you. And Pat Novak, you nailed it my dear. No idle people in my house, that’s for sure. I am not sure if I am making peace with this, more like wrestling it to the ground!
This ties in beautifully with Danielle’s post about slowing down. The thing with “slug” is the negative connotation, which is interesting that our society has placed such on this amazing animal. We are constantly trying to prove ourselves, work harder, get it all done, when you are exactly right – we should be slugs in the summer months! For me, I prefer to be a beach slug, laying out on the sand and lazily going in the water (which I did today). Thanks for the great perspective. 🙂
Laura, I love your perception and reflection, and you word it so well. I’m so glad that you have gone shell-less for us here 😉 as I find your posts loaded with wonderful and moving insights. We all need a good reminder to slow things down once in awhile and be present for our friends and loved ones. Thank you for sharing your wisdom!
Oh! I just realized that I’m a slug girl, ha ha. But I love being a slug 🙂
I feel like the universe has been telling me similar messages lately. Being a slug is a great way to unwind. If only we could be productively sluggish!
This is such a beautiful post Laura! I love your writing style. And the analogy of slug vs. busy. It may have been 8 years ago, when I heard a speaker challenge me to look at the words I was using to describe my busy-ness. He said, many people say, “I’m too busy for…” (fill in the blank) and because of it they miss opportunities (like family hugs) but also business opportunities too. It really spoke to me then, and from that point on I spoke in terms like, “I have lots of time!”, and “I always have time for coffee with a friend.” And people still say to me, I have no idea how you get so much done! I hear it a lot – they think I’m busy. Maybe I am. But I feel like I have all the time in the world. I’ve somehow created space in my life to enjoy things, connect with people and do what I love – and I think it was just from that simple change of phrase. I too, embrace the slug! Whole-heartedly. There’s a time for swift action, but no time for “rushing” in my world. I’d much rather enjoy my life & get squished in the middle of the road! 🙂 Love it! ~ Loralee
slug as power animal – funny & brilliant! Thought I’d look it up in Ted Andrews’ ‘Animal Speak’ but no dice… not even a snail is listed. So I’ll leave it at this. Hurrah for you embracing where you are! Being a slug from time to time is certainly sublime (or subslime) 🙂
Maddy I love that, I didn’t even think of looking it up in Ted’s book (my bible) how could he omit the might slug?
laura-
this post is so hilarious to me, because how you describe yourself is exactly the way my husband describes me- i can never NOT be doing something.. cleaning, organizing, folding, playing with the kids, etc… he admitted to feeling guilty everytime he sits on the couch to watch a baseball game… once i heard that i started to realize i needed to slow down every once in a while, and all the “stuff” i HAD to do would be there when i came back from lying on the couch to read a magazine, or take an extra yoga class..
life’s too short to not be a slug every once in a while!
LOL! Love it! Embracing my inner banana slug. Funny enough I use to be a busy bee, but I’ve learned to slow down a lot. There are days that I allow myself to be a slug and not do anything…which is really power in itself.
I’ve learned that slowing down actually brings more into my life, which is so relaxing to know. I allow myself to have fun instead of staying a busy bee. I manifest more this way for sure.
Isn’t it wonderful taking risks and expressing yourself. You are doing an amazing job with your blog. This one, the horse…good reads!
Thanks for sharing your animal for the week. This week I’m interviewing my first guest for my new show Get Passionate with Alara and prepping some things for a new launch in September.
xoxo
Alara K. Castell
Your Sassy Spiritual Guide
http://www.alaracastell.com
I just got back from Nootka Island on the west coast of Vancouver Island. Very isolated with no electricity. Way off the grid. So I spent a good deal of time watching slugs. They get in the damnedest places…In our closed cooler munching on a tomato, in my shoe, and one motivated little guy even climbed up the door to look in the window at all the food he was missing. I was quite amazed since when I look at these guys, they don’t seem to move very fast, if at all. But they get the job done. Persistent and for the most part safe. I mean who wants to eat a slug. I think they have had a bad rap for many years and I applaud your effort to bring their good qualities to light. Slugs rule!
You are right Ian, not enough credit given to those industrious slugs!
tee hee hee embrace my inner banana slug…LOVE IT! LOVE YOU!
big love
Laura,
Somewhere along the line, probably as a product of the sexual revolution/feminist movement, we women are told so many things and ways to be a good woman. Since women are generally peacemakers we try to accommodate all opinions and run around trying to make it all happen. Oh how we destroy our innate creativity and beauty when we try to fit someone else’s description. Thank you Laura for the reminder to honor all that I am and that all that I am is honorable!
Wow, Rebecca, your comment is very moving, thank you. And so true. You are helping me see a piece I have been feeling is missing right now. This part about embracing ourselves, our feminine, ourselves, without needing to prove or Be anything to anyone. Thank you!