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The Chambered Nautilus
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Surprisingly little is
known about the sea creature that inhabits the chambered nautilus shell
(pictured in the logo above). A mollusk related to the squid and the octopus,
the Nautilus Belauensis is one of the four surviving species of
the Nautiloid Cephalopods that once dominated the oceans. As it matures,
this sea animal outgrows its small living space and must build bigger and
bigger living quarters for itself. The old chambers are not completely
sealed off, but a small tube remains, through which the animal pumps gasses,
water, or perhaps sediment in order to balance its body in the water, and
to regulate buoyancy, diving, and forward motion. It has recently been
discovered that nautilus eggs require a long incubation period, and can
take up to a year to hatch. As we humans mature, we may also outgrow our old lives and the old stories that have limited us. We outgrow our old rigidities, habits, strategies, goals, and beliefs. We, too, must keep building new "homes" for ourselves when we grow. The old stories are not just ruins, however, but when properly understood and processed, can be used to enhance our present and future lives. We need not reject negative events of the past, but we can use them as fuel and as navigational devices. What has seemed to cramp or frustrate us can be used to propel us forward. We may also remember to be patient with our incubation times as we wait for new forces and new energies to be created within us. |