The ocean hides many wonderful secrets in her cold depths. We will not discover them unless we are willing to dive into the cold waters to discover them. The ocean, in spirituality, has long been a symbol for the deep and vast terrains of the subconscious mind.

When it comes to relationships–whether it is creating a new one or strengthening an existing one–the sea anemone offers many valuable lessons about what to do and what not to do.

First and foremost, it is not in your best interests to make rash assumptions based upon first impressions. It takes time to truly get to know someone. Not everyone is as they come across or seem. Are you observing how you ‘feel’ about a particular place or person? Perhaps the time has come to pay close attention to how a person or situation makes you feel. Avoid, at all costs, going after relationships that do not feel right to you.

The sea anemone is a carnivore that likes to live by itself. But it is by no means a loner. It often makes use of its companion the hermit crab if it needs to travel. Since the anemone is unable to move by itself, it has no issues with using the hermit crab as a mode of transportation. This relationship, despite being a seriously odd combination, is beneficial for the hermit crab as well.

The sea anemone catches its prey by waving about its colourful tentacles. As a defence strategy, these tentacles are equipped with special cells which produce poison. Even though sea anemones are beautiful and attractive, their appearance is designed to trick and deceive us. There is a huge difference between a mutually beneficial relationship and a predator-prey relationship.

When it comes to life–and business–we will naturally gravitate towards relationships where both parties have something to offer each other. The benefits should apply equally to both parties in the relationship. If the relationship is skewed or one-sided, the likelihood is that the relationship will be a transitional one and will undoubtedly not last. The right relationship–the relationship that is the right one for us–is not always the expected or conventional relationship. Sometimes, two people seem to be oddballs together, but for some reason, the relationship works.

Even though sea anemones are generally animals which cling to coral reefs, they are able to move around by using their tentacles to crawl on the ocean floor. But when the sea anemone gets the right companion, it is able to travel effortlessly with their help. Sea anemones remind us that all we have to do is be ourselves. We can allow people and opportunities to come to us and decide whether or not we want to be onboard–and if so, for how long–before we move onto the next thing.

There is nothing wrong with waiting for the right opportunity to come to us. When the sea anemone appears, it heralds the upcoming presence of many new and unusual relationships entering your life. We must understand our own need for emotional fulfilment–happiness, joy and so on–when choosing the right relationships for us. Trust in your heart that only the right people will be guided to you.