To me, the spiral is the most comforting metaphor for the way life unfolds.

At the beginning of life, we start at the bottom. We begin climbing up, learning new things and gaining skills. We go through twists and turns and we end up at a point that looks like the place we started, but in reality we’re one level higher.

We take everything we learned during the last turn and use it to navigate the next turn.

It can seem like we’re not moving up, because when we’re in the curve of our current level, it feels flat.

However, we are always slowly curving upward to the next level. The incline is so gentle we simply don’t notice it.

This explains that familiar feeling, the one that makes you say, “I’ve been here before.”

Have you ever thought, “Didn’t I already learn this? Didn’t I already go through this?”

The answer might be yes, but the bigger truth is that you went through it at another level. The second or third time around you know more, have more skills, and learn the lesson in a new way.

The spiral metaphor is comforting because it gives credence to the idea that we’re always exactly where we need to be. We move at the right pace for us and we go through each turn at precisely the right moment for the learning we need.

There’s no hurry…the spiral is as long as our lifetime.

We can go through similar lessons as many times as we need to and each time we’ll grow and transform, becoming wiser in the process.

There are many examples of spirals in nature. Just look at a pine cone, sunflowers, daisies, cauliflowers, or even the way branches grow on trees.

My favorite image of a spiral is this nubby corkscrew sitting over the water. I found the plant at the Conservatory of Flowers in San Francisco years ago on a birthday photo outing. It helps remind me that I’m always moving up that spiral, and that the journey is reflected in my unconscious through dreams, journeys, and meditations.

P.S.

The spiral photo is for sale in my Etsy shop so you can have your very own print to remind you that you are exactly where you need to be right in this moment. It might look good on your desk, on an altar, or on the wall in your living room. You might even get it as a gift for a friend who is going through a tough time and share the spiral metaphor to help her through the struggle.