The signs of a marriage were on my 2023 vision board even before we’d discussed a wedding
The same Intuitive Vision Board (IVB) takes pride of place at the kitchen table next to Sam’s. It reminds me daily to stay open to the opportunities this board represents, which are yet to be manifest in 3-D reality. Meanwhile not to jump to foregone conclusions about what the images might mean.
My board is also positioned to receive the full blast of the afternoon sun. I like to think this bring ‘Fire’ energy to the vision. It also means some images on the IVB have lost their original vibrancy – but the precognitive messages inherent in them are still apparent.
Recap of events leading up to this vision board
I first met Sailor Sam as he transpired to be, three months after creating my 2021 IVB. I didn’t know it at the time of creating the board that only a week or so later I would move to Padstow, where Sam and I were to meet in person. Although l was land-locked, locked-down and living alone in North Oxon my vision board contained images of romance, sailing – 270 miles from the sea. The vision board began its magic immediately and when I was offered the opportunity to move to the coast, I jumped at the chance.
Written in the stars
Because I didn’t know a soul in Padstow I gave myself a month to settle in but from day 1 coincidences were occuring which suggested this move would be most fruitful. I then felt ready to venture online and it came to pass that I met Sam on the very first day ‘swiping right’. My friend Aileen refers to Sam as my £19.99er – the cost of a months’ subscription to Ourtime because after that I cancelled my membership.
I’d thought to limit my search to men in Cornwall. Silly me, I thought Fordingbridge where Sam lived was in Cornwall, only to discover it was in the New Forest. But it was too late. Cupid had already pierced us with his arrow. After a sea-worthy courtship up and down the length and breadth of Cornwall, we moved back to North Oxfordshire together, into a home which had also featured on the same original love-struck vision board. The future had been pre-ordained.
Love became marriage
The highlights of the board above I’m about to share have transpired since January this year. We’d spoken alread about the possibility of getting married at some stage – that was all. This would change in March when Sam presented me with an engagement ring on one knee at Stepper Point in Padstow. Even so we didn’t set a date because of the queue since Covid had brought marriages to a halt.
Our moment for union came in October. Even though I’d made the board 8 months previous, I discovered it was a good source of wedding inspiration in terms of my outfit, the entourage of roses, and even where we settled on for our honeymoon.
Adventure awaits
Somehow I felt this vision board began in the centre with the image above. There I discovered the words ‘Adventure Awaits’ concealed inside the cave. I usually recommend that IVB makers steer clear of words and let the hidden depths to the images speak for themselves. Suffice to say, ‘adventure’ had already reached our shores before marriage with no less than two curved balls testing our resolve to become a partnership since Sam first proposed to me. Our choice was to find a way to move through them together.
The two images of the sun going down speaks to me of some aspect of my life coming to a natural completion and, in so doing, unncessary pieces sloughing off from the top and sides during the ‘cool down’. This year feels like a big personal transition. I was married 26 years ago so I am now chosing this life transition carefully. However, it jostles my identity, bringing into focus where might I need to change and grow. Challenging what I might do differently and the implications and consequences of doing so?
Since my work is to help people negotiate life transitions that are hazy and unclear at the start, it’s no bad thing that I go through this myself and be reminded of the vulnerability and insecurity attendant upon any change.
Two old goats
The “Beach lovers” image speaks to me of the love we two older beach bodies share of the sea. Sam as an ex transatlantic sailor and me, because I practically grew up in the sea until I left home for Durham University.
I love the two large and impressive goats with their heads bowed down to one another. To me it’s a mark of respect. Funnily enough, we both have star signs with horns – Aries the Ram and Capricorn the Goat.
Within 3 weeks of these majestic creatures appearing on my board we went to Bournemouth for some sea air in the depth of winter. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I spotted goats exactly like these on my board on the hillside overlooking the beach, placed there to keep the scrub down – and only five minutes’ drive away from where Sam used to live. What does this portend I wonder? Is it a sign that one day these two old goats will return to Dorset?
Woman in feathers
The woman dressed in gold feathers conveys an ease in her moment of glory. I drew upon this image to inspire me as to how I’d like to feel on my wedding day. However I dropped the feathers. The white skirt I borrowed from a friend. Inspired by the model on my board I wore shiny, pointy toe shoes and a cinched belt, with a starfish on.
To complete the sea theme, I wore an octopus around my neck (normally Sam wears it). And, because the sea theme has appeared on all of my recent vision boards. There can’t be many brides who require an octopus wedding cake. Or have a friend talented enough to make it. But I was one of them.
Red roses
Look at all the red roses dotted around my 2023 vision board. They so inspired me to carry a bouquet of roses, in contrast to the rest of my outfit. I carried a heart-shaped posy similar to the ones on my board – a surprise put together by a friend.
Hot lips
The red lipstick calls to mind the make-up lesson I had at Bobbi Brown’s and the red lipstick I came away with among other glam delights. I don’t usually wear much make up so I used this opportunity to invest the time in discovering how to use it properly. It was fun. And when my confidence wobbled nearer the time, a talented client came to my rescue with a brilliant top-up lesson.
King size bed
We had considered purchasing a larger bed even before I made this vision board. But we had not anticipated it would be our friends who’d club together as a wedding present.
Lobster pots, human choreography & Sardinia
The image of the lobster pots in the harbour reminds me of Padstow, although it isn’t Padstow.
The red shape underneath it is a human choregraphy, where people have assembled dressed in red. For what reason I don’t know – I don’t even like the image. I had to include it on my vision board until it’s richer meaning became clear. After all, I had been drawn to it intuitively.
8 months later …
We didn’t think we’d be able to take a honeymoon since Sam had recently started a new job. At the last minute we found we could and so I thought I’d give Lucky Trip a try.
Lucky Trip is a cool travel app in which you enter three criteria: your dates, the countries that appeal to you, and your budget. Up pops a selection of holidays that fit the bill which, in our case, included Sardinia – a place I’d always wanted to go.
To my surprise, the compact shape of Sardinia, with its various promontories and enclaves, is not so dissimilar in shape to the human choreography on my vision board, where it sits next to the Medieval town of Matera where the most recent Bond was filmed. It so happens that Alghero, where we stayed in Sardinia, is also a Medieval town.
And the biggest surprise of all was when we went shopping. We discovered that red coral is an integral part of the identity, history and nature of Alghero for which it is famous – as you can see from just one of many jewellery outlets. How on earth would I have known this cognitively when I constructed this vision board 8 months earlier. But my intuition had led me to it. I truly believe if I hadn’t chosen the image, we would not have visited Sardinia in 2023 and yet I think it’s going to be one of my favourite places in the world.
More adventures to come
This is the story of my 2023 vision board so far. All that remains is for me to live the final leg of it, which features the woman in command of the merry-go-round, inviting people to step on the merry-go-round of life, with all its ups and downs, the mystery that it is.
I am also drawn to the armchair and bookcase underneath it. It’s already speaking to me of the new writing project I’m about to embark on – with the help of you my customers and readers.
I always love to hear your stories about the journeys you’ve taken and to share these with other merry-go-round travellers, if you’re inclined to inspire others with your intuition and courage. Let me know if you’re up for narrating your story and we can arrange a coffee on Zoom.
To attend a workshop please check out my webpage for current dates.