Wisdom from a Humble Jellyfish

Life is rough for all of us. You'd think that once we humans managed to find ways to ensure a good supply of food and to stay warm in the icy days of winter that we'd be set. But, no, we humans are our own worst enemies. We have developed habits that destroy us from within.



Rani Shah encourages us to practice self-care. And who better to teach us self-care skills than nature?



The raven, for example. Did you know that ravens have been observed calling out to wolves when they spot an injured or weak animal and leading the wolves to it? Yes, cooperative behavior. It benefits the wolf, and it benefits the raven because the bird doesn't have the power a wolf has to break open bones and flesh.

What can we learn about self-care from birds, then? “We must flock together in order to succeed.”

The elephant is another good role model in self-care for us humans. Did you know elephant families are led by matriarchs? Elephant leaders are chosen not for their battle skills or popularity, but because they have earned the respect of the rest of the elephants in the family.

Self-care lesson from the elephant? “True leadership is earned, not awarded.”



So, a jellyfish?

Yep, a jellyfish. Did you know that the jellyfish may be three times as old as the first dinosaurs? And do you realize how jellyfish move? To swim, a jellyfish must contract its body and then relax in order to initiate a second wave of movement. Unless it relaxes in between strokes, there is no forward movement. The jellyfish is one of the most energy-efficient creatures on the planet.

Self-care lesson from the, yes, jellyfish? “There is no moving forward without a little relaxation.”

Other chapters teach us how we can learn better self-care habits from the shrimp, the spider, the oyster, yes, even the sunflower.





Review:

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