Welcome to the third and final part of this blog series on The Wizard of Oz – a Spiritual Adventure!
In part 2 of this series, you may remember Dorothy received wise counsel from Glinda, the good witch of the North. In addition, she discovered and began assembling three important and symbolic parts of herself (wisdom – the scarecrow, love – the tin man, and courage – the lion) which she needs for the journey home.
Dorothy is uncertain of what she will encounter on her adventure but has great faith if she follows the yellow brick road it will lead her home.
Many of you may recognize the parallels to your own life. We know we want to make it back home, we’ve been given help and guidance and now are ready to put into practice what we’ve learned.
In the early stages of the journey we often find that the sun is out, the wind is at our back and we have great momentum!
Later, however, the terrain becomes more rugged. Have you ever been hiking in the mountains and as you gain altitude the air starts getting thinner and you begin seeing less and less people along the way? In addition, your legs may ache and you see possible storm clouds on the horizon. During these times, there is a very real tendency to want to head back down the mountain (or at least not continuing moving forward) instead of staying the course and reaching the summit!
For Dorothy, she senses danger in “lions and tigers and bears (oh my!)”. Even the trees sometime take on a shadowy and foreboding appearance. And of course, the wicked witch of the West is continually monitoring and opposing Dorothy’s progress on the road home.
So where is this home Dorothy is trying to reach and why does there seem to be so much difficulty in getting there? For starters, the answer is embedded within the word home itself – OM!
In Sanskirt the word OM or AUM often translates to Source, Divine, or Supreme. The words Amen or “I AM” (i.e. the name of God) can be thought of as English language counterparts to the word AUM.
No wonder Dorothy’s journey is so opposed – she is on the greatest journey of them all – the one to make it home to God!
The giving of the AUM is also known to release violet flame. And when you give the violet flame consistently, you will feel as though the sun (i.e. the Son) is out, the wind is at your back and you have greater momentum throughout the journey called life!
You can give the mantra “AUM” with the following video and experience the release of the joy and peace of the violet flame which accompanies it!
Once Dorothy and her companions reach the emerald city she soon discovers no “earthly thing” such as a wizard behind a curtain or a hot-air balloon can get her home.
It is at this moment that Glinda re-appears out of a violet-colored orb of Light and gives one last teaching to Dorothy. Glinda tells Dorothy she had everything she needed to make it home from the beginning - she just needed to learn and experience it for herself.
This is a very insightful and important part of the story so we are including both the video excerpt and the portion of the script from the movie below!
Dorothy: Oh, will you help me? Can you help me?
Glinda: You don't need to be helped any longer. You've always had the power to go back to Kansas.
Dorothy: I have?
Scarecrow: Then why didn't you tell her before?
Glinda: Because she wouldn't have believed me. She had to learn it for herself.
Tin Man: What have you learned, Dorothy?
Dorothy: Well, I -- I think that it -- that it wasn't enough just to want to see Uncle Henry and Auntie Em -- and it's that – if I ever go looking for my heart's desire again, I won't look any further than my own backyard. Because if it isn't there, I never really lost it to begin with! Is that right?
Glinda: That's all it is!
Scarecrow: But that's so easy! I should have thought of it for you.
Tin Man: I should have felt it in my heart.
Glinda: No. She had to find it out for herself. Now, those magic slippers will take you home in two seconds!
In closing, a little insight into Dorothy’s lovable and ever-present companion who was with her throughout the journey – her dog Toto.
Toto’s name is the word “to” twice and the word “to” means expressing motion in the direction of a particular location or approaching or reaching a particular condition!
You may also recall the great Renaissance painter Paolo Veronese and other masters of his time included a dog in many of their greatest paintings. In these works of art, the dog symbolized the observer (i.e. us) as well as loyalty and fidelity.
May we always be reminded and honor the places we have been and have great loyalty and fidelity to the Home we are journeying towards!
Until next time...
Find other violet flame blogs you will enjoy here.
Credits:
Picture of hiker in mountains: SU Press
Picture of Tin Man, Dorothy and Scarecrow: J. Vaughan, Flickr
Sound recording of AUM: SU Press