The Earring Tree

Years ago, I had a small fake ivory box, ornate, with legs and a red velvet lining, that sat on my dresser as a container for earrings. Over the years, I acquired more and more earrings, and each new acquisition went into the box to mix and tangle with the earrings already there. Every morning I complained and muttered under my breath about how hard it was to find a matching pair of earrings in the tangle, especially in the dark of the early morning hours. This went on for three years, and I counted that few moments of frustration as much a part of my morning routine as brushing my teeth or putting on my shoes.

One morning quite close to my birthday I decided I'd go to Saturday Market in downtown Portland the next day to buy one of those nice wooden earring racks which I'd been coveting for years but didn't think I should spend the money on.

That night, when I went to sleep, I had a dream. In the dream I had just brought home my new earring rack. I placed it on my dresser and begin in the dream to go through my little box, placing the earrings neatly in pairs on the rack.

As I cleared out some of the tangle and clutter, I began to discover things I didn't know I had: sparkling jewels—a couple of lovely necklaces, some precious stones, two beautiful rings. They were priceless treasures that had lain buried and unnoticed in the disorgaized pile which I had created in my little box.

The next day, as I had promised myself, I went to Saturday Market and bought my earring tree—a nice oak one with plenty of room for growth in the earring collection. A great feeling of joy and peace settled over me as I organized my earrings in neat rows and set aside the once-cluttered box for another purpose.

Over the next few weeks, I found myself better able to organize other parts of my life, and as I did so, the clutter and disorganization of my inner life began to clear. I was able to see the spiritual meaning of many experiences which I hadn't been able to understand before.

My earring tree now hangs on my bedroom wall two decades later, a daily reminder of how structure can give us something to hang our thoughts on so we can see the treasures of spirit that have been hidden under our confusion. Those treasures shine forth as the love, creativity, and wisdom which inform a consciously-lived life.

Note: There's a wonderful book by Harold Klemp, The Art of Spiritual Dreaming, that is filled with tips for working with one's dreams for spiritual guidance and conscious unfoldment. I recommend it highly. It's available at Eckankar Online Bookstore, Amazon.com, and most neighborhood bookstores.