Hugging Porcupines
A lesson in innocence and an exercise in trust
Ok my loving community… please tell me I’m not the only one keeping my porcupine quills up more often these days! I feel like recently, peopling has become more difficult and I’m tired. I know much of it (all of it?) falls on me, not respecting my own direction. So many people in my life are working hard to follow their dreams, and I’m right there for them, supporting and doing whatever they need me to do. In doing this, however, I’ve pushed my needs aside: my need for reading and writing time, my need for quiet and alone time. Not having these things makes me a little prickly. I feel like I’m already giving to everyone, so when they ask for more, out come the porcupine quills. I want to say “Leave me alone”, but really all this porcupine needs is a hug. Of course, nobody wants to hug a porcupine!
Here’s to porcupine hugs 🦔
~Suzanne
Our first thoughts of the porcupine are often focused on the sharp quills it uses for protection, but there is so much more to the symbolism of the porcupine’s spirit.
Being solitary creatures, porcupines typically just want to be left alone. I can relate to this. I value and enjoy my alone time to think and create and just be. However, when disturbed or frightened, all they need to do is raise their quills to keep danger at bay.
I feel you, porcupine! When I’m disturbed or frustrated, I know I send out feelings of agitation that puts people off. There is no open invitation to give me a hug when I’m emitting this aura of sharp quills!
The porcupine represents the archetype of the innocent, the child who looks at life in a playful, trusting way. Porcupines are non-aggressive creatures. They can’t shoot their quills at attackers. If attacked, they simply raise their quills. It’s a passive defense. If an attacker gets stuck, it’s because they got too close. That’s on them.
Self protection is a good thing, but if we actively stay in defense mode, we miss out on the opportunities to relax and trust. Rather than using defense mode only when we’re attacked, we’re stay on high alert and expect the attack all the time, missing out on the joy of innocently playing at life.
Looking at this from a Human Design perspective, we need to take a look at the Identity (G) Center.
One of the gifts of a defined G Center is that you are connected to the stream of love. If you are not loving yourself or feeling lovable, look to your open gates to see what stories you’re telling yourself (your mind at work) to keep that belief intact. When we’re too focused on our identity, self doubt and insecurity (not feeling loved or lovable) can creep in.
One of the gifts of the open G center is you are designed to be wise about direction and true love. You can pick and choose from what presents itself to you and decide which direction feels best to follow. When we’re not feeling the love, it’s time to clear the filters. Take a look at the pain and see what you were allowing in that was toxic or not loving. Did you have to do or be something for someone in order to get love?
Both the open and defined G Centers allow for wounds and conditioning to sabotage our loving selves. We have been conditioned to keep our hearts guarded with spines like a porcupine. When trust has been broken, the prickly spines go up and we are only able to allow others to come as far as arms reach. Learning to trust after having a trust broken takes time and it takes practice. Practice getting out of our heads and back into our hearts. Practice lowering the quills and allowing the hugs in. Practice seeing life innocently as opportunities for joy and not guarded by pain.
If you’d like to explore your design and how you operate in the world, send me a chat and let’s explore your Human Design and see how it might help you find the tools you need for creating the life you are designed for.