We attach meaning to everything.

Our favourite song comes on the radio, a good omen for the day. A perfect gap appears in the traffic when we reach a junction, the traffic gods are looking after us. We catch 11:11 or 22:22 on the clock and instantly become hypervigilant: this is definitely a sign.

Or is it? My current answer: yes, no, and maybe.

Humans have been making meaning from signs in the world around them for millennia, tracking the stars, watching animal movements across the landscape, and observing subtle shifts before the wet season. That instinct is still very much alive and well.

The difference today is that our lives have become so predictable, that we have lost touch with the signs that once ensured our survival. We don't need to track where animals traverse to find food; we just pop down to the local supermarket. We don't need to prepare for a harsh season that might destroy our crops. If there are no bananas, we simply buy apples instead.

So why, in such predictable times, do so many of us notice signs everywhere? I see repeated numbers constantly, hello 11:11, I’ll no doubt see you again later today.

I was driving home recently along a long stretch of open road, surrounded by flat, grassy paddocks filled with horses and cattle. Just off to the side, a magnificent white bird of prey hovered high above, intently scanning the ground, ready to swoop.

I drove past, feeling a quiet sense of awe.

Not much further along, a small twin-prop plane appeared, flying towards me on the left. I wondered for a moment if I knew the pilot, it was such a perfect day for flying.

Then came the sign: a second white bird of prey hovering at the exact same distance from the road, over a paddock that looked identical to the last. A glitch in the matrix? It certainly caught my attention.

Next, the clincher. That same little twin-prop plane passed me again, this time coming from behind me on my right. My mind exploded with the coincidence.

Two birds of prey and two plane passes, two by two. I was officially paying attention.

In Tarot, the twos represent partnership, choice, balance, and things in relationship to one another.

Balance. It suddenly became clear what the message was. Here I was, rushing around trying to do everything, when what I really needed was to bring things back into balance. Whenever I stress too much about what "has to" happen, the scales start to tilt.

Does seeing two birds of prey and two planes genuinely mean balance? Yes, no, and maybe.

Yes, for me. When the plane made its second pass, the penny dropped. These weren't just four random events; they held a meaning specific to where I was at that moment.

No, not everyone driving down that road that day would have even noticed those four occurrences, let alone attached any specific meaning to them.

Maybe, because the meaning we attach is the point. Our brains are wired for pattern recognition, it’s what kept our ancestors alive. Buy a new car, and suddenly you see that exact model everywhere. Learn a new concept, and it pops up three times in a week. The car or concept didn't multiply; your focus shifted, and your brain delivered the evidence.

When I first started noticing signs, I tried to decode the exact meaning of every single one, searching up number sequences like 11:11 or 12:34. Universal symbols are easy enough: a rainbow for hope, an owl for wisdom, a butterfly for transformation, or a shooting star for good fortune.

But what about a feather on a footpath, a song lyric that lands at the exact right second, or repeating numbers?

The answer depends on who you ask. For me, the better question is: What does this mean to me right now?

When I quiet my mind enough to slow down the racing thoughts, I can hear guidance that is far more personal and meaningful. And maybe that's the point.

1. What signs have you been noticing lately that made you pause?

2. When something feels like a sign, what changes if, instead of asking "What is this telling me?" you ask, "Why does this feel important to me right now?"

3. What truth might you already know that the world is simply giving you a gentle nudge to notice?

May this day bring you peace. May you feel the warmth of the sun on your face.

Until next time,

Leeanne

P.S. I’d love to hear from you. Reply directly to this email: What is something you already "knew" in your gut before the world gave you a sign to confirm it?