tiny helpers

Yesterday I had a client come in with a grasshopper in her hair!   Hee hee...  I just tossed him out the salon door.  Then today I had a client open her bag to pay me and out jumped a grasshopper.

It seems that everyone from Castle valley to Paradox is being over run by grasshoppers.   Jean said they had been actively fighting them and they still has stripped ALL of her trees.  Even the pine tree!  Did you know grasshoppers would eat pine needles?  I certainly didn't.

Everyone is talking about it and freaking out... everyone but me.

I am really grateful that the hoppers are not here because we just planted all those fruit trees.  Still, I wondered why the plaque passed us by.

As I was watering my flowers today I got my answer.

There she was in the flower pot.... eating a grasshopper for breakfast....  a beautiful Praying Mantis.  (yes I did take a photo, but it is really to gross to show)

  Upon closer inspection I could see that in every flower pot/bed that I have there is at least one Mantis.   Some of my pots have tons of babies in them and they are the cutest little things ever!

Can you see it?

This one gives you an idea of how tiny they really are.  See how it is already praying?

According to my animal totem book  mantises are all about stillness.

Praying Mantis Meanings in the Realms of Animal Symbolism
The mantis comes to us when we need peace, quiet and calm in our lives. Usually the mantis makes an appearance when we've flooded our lives with so much business, activity, or chaos that we can no longer hear the still small voice within us because of the external din we've created.
After observing this creature for any length of time you can see why the symbolism of the praying mantis deals with stillness and patience. The mantis takes her time, and lives her life at her own silent pace.

A quick-list of praying mantis symbolism:

• Stillness
• Awareness
• Creativity
• Patience
• Mindful
• Calm
• Balance
• Intuition

These traits have lead the mantis to be a symbol of meditation and contemplation. In fact, in China, the mantis has long been honored for her mindful movements.
The mantis never makes a move unless she is 100% positive it is the right thing for her to do. This is a message to us to contemplate and be sure our minds and souls all agree together about the choices we are making in our lives.
Overwhelmingly in most cultures the mantis is a symbol of stillness. As such, she is an ambassador from the animal kingdom giving testimony to the benefits of meditation, and calming our minds.
An appearance from the mantis is a message to be still, go within, meditate, get quite and reach a place of calm. It may also a sign for you to be more mindful of the choices you are making and confirm that these choices are congruent.

It is something to think about.  For now I am just happy not to have the hoppers.