Monday, June 2, 2008

The Mantis of Prayer

Our roomie Randie found a praying mantis next by our back door a few weeks ago and yesterday they hatched! This is their little nest, you can see the hole in the bottom that they were coming out of.


They almost look like spiders, buuuuttt as long as I kept thinking of them a babies....they are totes cute. They were already getting into their praying pose just minutes after being born,

There were probably over 20 of that popped out.

3 comments:

amy grace said...

ew weirdie!
but cute :)

randie snow said...

here's some more info on the symbolism of the mantis...


The Praying Mantis

The praying mantis has a great deal of myth and lore associated with it. Its name comes from the manner in which they hold up the forepart of the body, with its enormous front legs, as though in an attitude of prayer.

Martial art forms in China have adopted specific movements of the mantis into their practices. These movements help the student reconnect with their personal chi or energy. The discovery of how energy moves through our body, what it is projecting and where energy blocks are located can be a great aid in healing ourselves. Those with this totem would benefit from prayer, meditation and martial arts.

These amazing creatures serve the earth and her people in various ways. They consume large amounts of insects helping to maintain ecological balance. Excellent hunters with an efficient attack strategy the praying mantis always knows the right moment for attack and for retreat. Time in the linear sense is irrelevant to the mantis. They move according to their inner instincts and remind us to do the same. Moving effortlessly between worlds the mantis is associated with time travel. They help us break out of linear time and move according to our personal bio rhythms.

The praying mantis can remain motionless for an indefinite period. This ability helps them blend with their environment becoming invisible to predators. They hold the secrets of materialization and de-materialzation and awaken this ability in people who hold this medicine. Perception through stillness is part of its teaching.

Patient, perceptive and focused this little totem holds a powerful message. When it appears in your life it is asking you to direct your energy, your thoughts or your actions in a different way. Asking the following questions can give you the insight necessary to motivate appropriate changes. Have I lost patience with a particular situation? Have I been too patient, and if so, has this had a detrimental affect on me? Is my perception correct regarding a situation? Have I become narrow minded? Am I focused on my objective?

http://www.souledout.org/earthday/mantis/pm.html
http://www.whats-your-sign.com/animal-symbolism-mantis.html

*kc said...

I am completely disgusted by that nest. It makes me want to barf or bit the head off of my mate...