Patience is a virtue. That’s a saying that my teachers absolutely loved to use when I was growing up. As I pondered on this virtue, I began to think of the humble little snail which I used to–and still–see a plentitude of after a good rain. In primary school, I even attempted keeping a snail as a pet, until I was told that I couldn’t. Oh well, you live and you learn.

Anyone who has ever observed a snail might look at it and wonder, “Where is this tiny creature going?” It may appear and it may look as though the snail is not going anywhere. But anyone who has ever observed a snail over a long period of time knows that a snail follows a path to its conclusion and its grand finale. It does not give up easily and nor is it deterred easily.

Even though snails need moisture to move, they are not deterred by a dry patch of land. The snail will change its path if it encounters a dry patch. The snail is an expert at finding a new road. It moves instinctively by responding to its environment. Snails are not easily discouraged, but it goes without saying; they are slow movers. Even though snails are slow, they are always in motion. While it may seem that they are not going anywhere, they have big plans, believe me!

When conditions are not ripe, the snail enters its shell and remains there for hours or even days at a time. Snails do so because they know that they need to wait for higher moisture levels. They also need to take time out to regenerate. The snail can enter and exit its shell at will. They know when to exert themselves and when to retreat. Timing is of the essence and the right timing is when conditions are in their favour.

We don’t usually describe the snail in positive terms, but the Aztecs, in particular, saw the snail in a positive light. Snails and even worms were the province of the god Tecciztecatl, who wore a giant shell on his back. According to Aztec spiritual beliefs, there were two gods who vied for the position of the Sun. In end, after a contest, Tecciztecatl became the god of the moon as well as of snails. The moon is believed to retreat into the ocean the same way a snail retreats into its shell.

Sometimes, in life, when we’re experiencing slow growth, we think we may not succeed at what we set out to do. One of the things we have to take care not to do is to waste our energy, especially when the environmental conditions are not ripe. Snails only tend to come out after a good rain or stormy weather. They know that it is pointless to push themselves when the general climate is not in their favour.

When a person repeatedly sees snails, it usually foretells that an important event is on the horizon, but it won’t come as quickly as you would like it to. In the meantime, it would be wise to rest and relax. The snail’s appearance is an invitation to wait instead of rush and charge ahead. Progress is on the way. Persist, persist, persist, but remember to be patient if you want to get to the top of your game. Don’t exhaust yourself by pushing yourself beyond what you are able.

Snails also remind us to let go of the past and any burdens that we may be carrying around. If we feel weighed down by the stress, the pressure and the expectations of others, we can release those burdens and perhaps even those karmas. We can always choose to move on slowly, but definitely surely.

It all comes down to what my primary school teachers taught me. Patience is a virtue.

What’s the Rush?

Snails were created to embark on a slow and steady journey. Sometimes, when we rush into things, we fail to exercise the caution that we need to make a truly timely decision. In our modern world, we tend to move quickly because we do not want to lose out on an opportunity. But the snail is here to remind us that a truly timely decision takes a certain level of maturity to master.

Is the slow growth you are experiencing in your life getting you down? The wisdom of the snail reminds us that faster is not necessarily better. The snail, like the tortoise and the turtle, carries its home on its back. We, too, are, for better or for worse, carrying our experiences within us as we move forward and navigate the journey that we call life.

While the past has shaped who we are, it does not and cannot define our future. We possess the power to shed old patterns and beliefs to create a new and more expansive reality that makes us to truly happy and proud.

Take it slow… Till the speed naturally picks up.