Value Beyond Money
As I walked down the path holding my torch to light the way, I noticed the sun beginning to rise, the sky burning a deep red hue. I looked around me, and it seemed as if the flame from the torch had jumped to the trees as they glistened from green to vibrant shades of red, orange, and gold.
“I can only assume,” I said, turning to look back at Iman and Yewell, who’d been leisurely walking behind me, “that Autumn has come early.”
Iman nodded. “This is the time of the harvest. You’ve created a mental vision of your path. You’ve modeled spiritual ambition in developing meaning behind your endeavor. Autumn is symbolic of realizing the fruits of your labor by sensing your Physical gifts and taking on the role of Aligning.”
I looked around at the glorious shades that had taken over the trees as the sun continued to rise into the sky, coating it with a crystal blue.
“It’s beautiful and all,” I said, “but it’s not much of a harvest. It’s just a bunch of leaves.”
“The stage of Aligning,” Yewell said, “is what Gale referred to as Resourcefulness. You must be able to realize all that is within your reach and how it can serve your needs. To do this takes discipline and the vision to see your needs being met. Look again a little more deeply.”
I surveyed the trees and took in the richness of the colors, eventually focusing my gaze on one tree in particular.
“I’m assuming,” I said, “that the elemental symbol for this Resourcefulness would be Earth, right? The physical nature of reality?”
“You’re catching on,” said Iman.
“And the Earth,” I continued, “is what provides the bounty for everything we use to survive. Our food grows out of it, our home are built from it, and from beneath it…”
I squinted as I saw a glimmer from one of the leaves. Walking toward it, more leaves started to glisten in the sun until I was close enough to reach out and pluck a golden coin from the branch. Looking around in awe, I noticed that the trees were filled with them.
“What do you know?” I said. “Money really does grow on trees.”
“In a roundabout way, it does,” said Yewell.
“The coin,” Iman added, “money in general actually, is a symbol of value. However, in this stage of Aligning, it is paramount that you understand where the true value lies, in the resources which create the opportunity for commerce and the services it provides.”
“To refer back to Jung,” said Yewell, “this is symbolized by the archetype of the Statesman, where you start to ask how your activity will benefit others. For that, you come to understand, is where your true value lies.”
As quickly as it rose and crossed the sky, the sun drooped over the horizon, leaving the sky glistening with millions of stars that shone like diamonds on black velvet.
