Sky and Earth Powers

In Roman Cosmology, the Sky is the traditional province of the Dii Consentes (The Council of Twelve Gods). In the Roman mind, the powers of the Sky were just and right. The Romans sought to divine the will of the Dii Consentes from birds in flight and other sky omens. Iuppiter, Optimus and Maximus (Jupiter, the Supreme Sky God) signaled His Will through thunder and lightning.

In Rome, the Sky Power supported civic society. Iuppiter’s temple was the center for Roman politics. Victorious generals made sacrifices there as well. In the Roman worldview, the Sky Gods with the Senate and the People governed Rome.

Meanwhile, the Earth was the province of the Dis Pater, God of the Underworld. Under His Rule, the earth is chaotic and dark. For that reason, the Mundus (Well to the Underworld) is only opened three times a year. Once the Mundus is opened, Dii Inferi (The ‘Infernal Ones”) move about. For that reason, these days are considered to be unlucky.

However, the Earth Power used sacred snakes to convey prophecies to to the people. Caves and grottos were his sacred places. The Dis Pater not only ruled the Underworld but also governed wealth and riches. Meanwhile, the Penates, guarding the family’s food stores, lived in underground chambers.

In the Roman sense, the mingling of the Two Powers is one of order working with chaos. Snakes, associated with various Gods, crawled out of caverns offering omens. Lightening bolts from the skies were more signals of Divine Will. The powers of Earth and Sky mingle, but then separate.

As the Sky and Earth Powers mingled, it was for the good of the Roman people. The Sky brought the governing power and the Earth brought riches and kept people safe. Together, they supported the people of Rome.

Sharks in Danger!

Sharks are not glamorous subjects but without them, our oceans would become cesspools. Take a look at the website in the following post. Shark cartillage has no medicine value. It will not cure cancer. Don't eat shark fin soup - taking of the shark's fins is cruelty to animals.

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Hi,

I found your website through the Shark Webring and thought you or your family might be interested in this story about sharks from Conservation International:
Preying on Predators: Shark Tagging Data Will Guide Conservation Policy, Efforts
"Contrary to popular belief, sharks are not preying on people as much as people are preying on sharks. Millions are harvested every year, primarily to fill a ravenous craving for shark fin soup."

The story describes the plight of sharks endangered by the demand for shark fin soup and the efforts of scientists to learn how to best protect them by shark tagging. There are maps of the sharks' movements, photos, and video.

Learn more at:
http://www.conservation.org/xp/frontlines/2007/03260701.xml

Please consider adding this link to your website to help spread the word!

Cheers,
Lindsay Walter-Cox
l.walter-cox@conservation.org
Conservation International

Mythic Animal Teachings

Pegasus:

He can guide us through dreams and astral travel experiences, as well as meditation. As directed by the Muse of Poets, he brings inspiration, teaching us how to express ourselves eloquently.

Unicorn:
As a symbol of innocence, gentleness, and purity, they often tell us it is time to find those things within ourselves and see through childlike eyes in order to rediscover our personal sense of wonder at all the beauty around us. Also they help us to find and develop our individual power and then nurture it carefully.

Dragon:
Dragons represent the supernatural, and infinity itself and help us to understand both. They help us to find andcreate change and transformation and aid us in spiritual growth. Dragons represent ageless secrets and ancient energy, and can be helpful in working with those things.

Persistence as a Virtue

Persistence:
The ADF defines persistence as “the drive, motivation to pursue goals even when that pursuit is difficult.”

Virgil’s “Aeneid , the great epic of Rome’s founding, celebrates persistence. Writing of the voyages of Aeneas to find a home for his people, Virgil sought to codify the beginnings of Rome in an epic poem. However, Virgil died before finishing his “Aeneid”. Personally, I think that the “Aeneid” celebrates not only Aeneas’ persistence but Virgil’s as well.

After the Greeks destroyed Troy, Aeneas took his people on a journey find a new home. While searching, he was constantly harassed by Juno, the Queen of the Roman Gods, who bore a grudge against his mother, Venus, the Goddess of Love. While the two Goddesses sparred, Aeneas coped with the death of his father, shipwrecks, and attacks by vicious harpies. Finally, he landed in Italy, where his dead father had told him to go. However before Aeneas could settle, he has to fight the Latins and other local Italic peoples.

In my life, doing the family laundry exemplifies persistence. Every week, I have to walk two blocks to the laundry room in my complex. (Parking is not allowed in the area.) Carrying the soap and my bags, I walk in all types of weather. Furthermore, the laundry room of my complex is freezing in the winter and stifling in the summer.

The Chinchilla

The Chinchilla

by Sayhada

A member of the rodent family, the chinchilla has big eyes, round ears and thick silky fur. Because of their beautiful fur they are captured and bred by the fur industry. It takes over a hundred chinchillas to make one fur coat. Unfortunately supply and demand could lead to its extinction.

Chinchillas have a persistent undying curiosity and will explore every nook and cranny of their surroundings. The like sitting high up as if to observe the world below. Once they feel an area is safe for them to enter they explore it with a sense of adventure and innocence. Their observation skills are acute. They instinctively know when to act and when to retreat. Chinchillas teach us the importance of timing. Those with this medicine intuitively know the right time to act and the right course of action to take, although caution is advised not to become too analytical. Balancing observation skills with a sense of innocence is an important lesson.

Naturally robust and hardy the chinchilla has an extremely sensitive yet effective digestive system which is designed to extract the most out of its food. It does not have a vomit mechanism like other animals and is unable to expel bad food out of its system. This serves as a warning to those with this totem. Good nutrition, a proper diet as well as physical exercise is a necessity for optimum health. Difficulty in eliminating toxins from the body can lead to many health problems.

The chinchillas predominate form of communication is the variety of sounds it makes. Each sound relays a specific message. When upset it chatters its teeth, when nervous it lets out a shrill squeal, when agitated or alarmed a sequence of loud high cries is heard. If it is hungry it will make a rasp like snarl. It knows how to use its voice to convey a message and teaches us the art of efficient communication.

The chinchilla is an important messenger that demands respect. It requires us to heed its advice. If we choose to listen it will serve us well. If we don't honor its message it will scamper away and find someone else to help. When it appears in your life ask yourself the following questions.

Do you need to apply more discernment in your life to avoid chaotic situations? Are you using your observation skills to help you reach your goals? Do you take the joy out of an experience by over analyzing it? Does the wonder and magic of life still excite you? Does your health need attention? Do you communicate effectively with others?Although the chinchilla holds a variety of messages one thing is certain. When it appears in your life something is out of balance that needs to be corrected immediately.

"A History of Pagan Europe"

Prudence Jones and Nigel Pennick, “A History of Pagan Europe”, (Routledge U.K., 1995, Reprint 2005, ISBN 0-415-15804-4)

People new to Paganism will benefit greatly from this book. By tracing Pagan religious history from early Crete to modern Europe, Jones and Pennick introduce people to the depth of Pagan philosophy. By placing the European peoples in their Pagan religious milieu, the authors eliminate various Christian filters. Unlike many other books, Jones and Pennick do not assume that monotheism is the epitome of Western civilization.

By detailing Christian versus Pagan thought, the authors give the readers a solid grounding in Paganism. In discussing Roman piety, the authors write, “Interesting the Latin word superstitio simply meant religious practice which was outside the State rituals…private religion which could well be duly registered…. The Romans regulated people’s actions; the Greeks with finer sophistication, also judged people’s attitudes,” (p. 49) What I conclude from this is that Pagans usually regarded the structure of worship to be the most important.

This book expands on the tensions between Pagans and Christians. Two concepts in the Christian religion put them on the offensive. As a rule, Pagans were tolerant of other Pantheons, as long as the State Gods were properly honored. Christians, on the other hand, regarded the belief in any God but theirs (heresy) was a sin. Sin, another alien concept, baffled many Pagans. People break laws but they do not ‘stain their souls’. To “save” them, Christians had to forcibly convert Pagans.

What surprised me is the durability of Paganism. Instead of disappearing, it forced Christianity to adapt to it. For example, many early Christian saints are Pagan Gods in disguise. Many Pagan customs are intertwined with Christian holidays. Few Christians, today, know that many of their holidays are Pagan High Holidays, with a Christian flavor.

After discovering the varieties of various Pagan faiths, the reader takes heart that people can go back to their ancestral faiths. The history of Paganism in Europe is a fascinating one. Rather than the progression to monotheism that many histories present, this book shows how Pagan philosophies borrowed from each other. Each had their own specific focus but adapted from others. Celts borrowed from the Romans, while the Finns borrowed from the Norse. The Gods remain eternal, worshipped in Their various Aspects by peoples.

Swan Teachings

SWAN
Symbology: transformation, loss of innocence, beauty

The painting of a swan maiden represents a common motif found in the mythologies and folktales of many cultures around the globe – from Native American to Slavic. Although the story varies from place to place, the basic plot is the same: a young man finds the feathered robe or skin of a swan maiden – a goddess-like creature – which she ahs temporarily shed to assume a human form. Although the youth attempts to hide the feathers from the maiden, which allows him to possess her, the swan finds its feathers, assumes its animal form, and leaves the youth. The lost swan thus symbolizes the departure from youthful innocence and the passage to maturity. In some versions of the story, the swan dies. In Greek mythology the "swan song" is the beautiful song sung by the swan just before death.

From: Animal Spirit Knowledge cards

To the Ancients, all things in nature had a sacred or spiritual meaning. The world was inhabited by the higher beings, who took the form of fantastical creatures that were part animal, part human, and exceedingly powerful. These beings are the spirit guides who lead the departed to the next life, heal the sick, and restore balance and harmony to a troubled world. The tribal healers knew the animal spirits well. The journeyed beyond the threshold of ordinary reality to invoke the power of these great beings.

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The 48 paintings by Susan Beddon Boulet (American, b brazil 1941 –1997) reproduced in this deck resonate with an ethereal energy and speak the language of the soul. Each image is accompanied by a brief description of the animals’ power and symbolism in various cultures.

Animal Spirit Knowledge Cards
Text by John Nagiecki
© The Susan Eleanor Boulet Trust
catalog number K152
Published by Pomegrante communications Inc.
Box 6099, Rohnert Park, CA 94927

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Read more about the Swan Family at Animal Teachers

http://funkman.org/animal/bird/swanfamily.html

More Animal Predictions

Whatever occupation one has, when he hears the frogs croak for the first time in the spring, will be one's occupation for the entire year.

Make a wish when you see a spider spinning a web and the wish will come true. If you see a brown spider crawling around on any clothes in your closet, don't brush it away! The spider means you will be getting new clothes.

A bee flying into the house means a stranger is coming.

If you say "mumbly up" repeatedly over an anthill, the ants will come up out of the hole.
Saying "mumbly down" makes the ants go back down.

It is lucky to have a snake live in, near, or under your house.

When you see a crow for the first time in a new year, observe its flight-- that will indicate the distance you will travel that year. If the crow just sits there, it means no journey; if it flies out of sight, it means you'll take a very long journey.

"Plants as Spirit Helpers"

"The Shaman Way: Plants as Spirit Helpers"

By Shaman Elder Maggie Wahls

A Shaman learns to use the assistance of animals in journeying and in healing, but also enlists the power of plants - as spirit helpers. Plants are a powerful source for healing. All things on this planet garner their power from the sun and as plants live and breathe the sun, they as a whole have much to offer. Plants however live at a lower vibration than people or animals. They move more slowly and can have a much longer life than humans in some cases such as the giant sequoia. So their power is used for longer methods of healing just as the herbologist prescribes doses of tinctures for several days.

How do you choose which plants to work with?

Each plant has a particular kind of power to it. Some plants are for growth and some for retardation, some for light and some for dark. Each plant has two sides to it as well. The outer side - that which you see with your physical eyes; and an inner side which you can learn to see with your inner eyes. Sometimes the inner side is not a plant at all but an insect or some other being.

The Inner Side of Moss

I was walking in a strange forest far away from my home as a young girl enjoying the day and not paying attention to my path. Suddenly the sun disappeared behind a dark ominous cloud and I realized that it would soon be storming and worse than that, I was lost! I began to run in the direction I thought would take me home. But it just went deeper and deeper into the dark forest where the trees were now being whipped back and forth by the rushing wind. Leaves blew across my face as the sky turned darker and darker. The rain started to come down in a hard pelting that hurt my bare skin and I knew I had better take cover and try to remain calm. I found an open trunk of tree, hollowed out by a lightning strike many years before that offered some shelter now so I jammed myself inside and began to cry at my situation. I recognized the moss growing inside the tree trunk as the same moss my mother used for a soup we all liked very much. I wished I could go right now and take some of this moss to my mother and she would make us all a hot bowl of soup. I looked again and there were little green people standing in the moss no bigger than the moss itself and I told them to get my mother. I must have fallen asleep there because when I opened my eyes my mother and father were lifting me out of the tree trunk. We went home and my mother had prepared the moss soup earlier in the day for our supper. It never tasted better than it did that day!

Copyright © 2007 Shaman Elder Maggie Wahls. All rights reserved.

Excerpt from her online Shamanism course
Discovering the Shaman Healer Within: Apprentice Course.
http://www.selfhealingexpressions.com/course_overview_24.shtml

Animal Lore

Saying "white horse" seven times will help you find a lost article.

Saying "white rabbit" on May 1st will bring good luck the rest of the year.

If when starting a journey, you see a rabbit cross your path, it will bea safe journey.

If a squirrel runs across the road in front of you, it means good luck and wealth are soon to be yours. (Be careful not to run over the squirrel. Very bad for the squirrel.)

Buzzards are a long time in between wing beats. So if you see a lone buzzard, make a wish before he flaps his wings and your wish will come true.

Courage in Norse and Roman Myths

ADF defines courage as “Acting appropriately when faced with danger.” This is more than just being brave. Courage also includes acting rationally. In Norse and Roman mythology, two similar myths show that both cultures defined courage as ADF does.

Tyr, Norse God of the Thing and Justice, lost his right hand to Fenris, the Great Wolf. An offspring of Loki, Fenris was known as the devourer. To prevent the destruction of Asgard, the Gods had to leash him. However, Fenris only trusted Tyr, and asked the God to prove that nothing awful would happen. So the God put his right hand into the wolf’s mouth. When Fenris was leashed, he bit off Tyr’s hand. Afterwards, Tyr became known as the One-Handed God for his sacrifice to the greater good.

During the Roman-Etruscan War, Lars Porsena, the Etruscan king, laid siege to Rome. An ordinary citizen, Gauis Mucius, went to the Roman Senate, and volunteered to end the siege by killing the king. Unfortunately the Etruscan king caught Mucius. To demonstrate Roman fortitude, Mucius put his hand in the fire. Lars Porsena, not only admired his courage, but was also unnerved by his actions. The king let Gauis Mucius return to Rome. Afterwards, Lars Porsena decamped, ending the siege.

In these myths, courage is tempered with reason. By volunteering for a greater good, both Tyr and Mucius both lost their right hands. Afterwards, they both had to learn to live life one-handed. They displayed quiet courage, going about their business not completely whole but coping nevertheless.

March is a Tough Month For Wildlife

"Tough Month For Wildlife"

From E-nature.com

http://enature.com/home/

Copyright 2007

"March is the most difficult month of the year for birds to find adequate food to survive winter in most of North America. That’s because the supplies of natural food....last year’s seeds, fruits, berries and insect eggs and larvae...are at their lowest levels after months of birds feeding on them. March is too early for a new crop of seeds, fruits, berries, and insects to be available. Therefore, birds have to work harder to find sufficient food during a month when it is still very wintry in much of the country."

"That’s why March is the best time of the year to feed birds in the backyard. They will respond more readily to feeder foods offered in March than at any other time of the year. Isn’t it curious that in fall...October and November...when natural foods are most abundant, people take the greatest interest in feeding birds? It is in fall when there are the greatest number of bird seed sales, bird feeding seminars, bird store sales, and start-up backyard bird feeding efforts. By March, the interest in bird feeding has waned, at a time when the birds need it most.

Though birds are not dependent on feeders for their survival (studies have shown that birds glean 75 percent of their daily food from the wild, even when feeder foods are available), feeding them in March will make life a little easier for them, and under severe conditions, may even save them from starvation. "
-- George H. Harrison

Norse Birds of Lore

Many cultures had animals as part of their lore. Here is a samply of Norse culture about birds. You can learn a lot about a culture from the animals they regard as important.

Bird : Name : Lore

Cock : Salgofnir (Hall Crower) : Wakes up the Einherjar
Cock : Gullenkambi (Golden Comb) : Informs the Gods of Ragnarok

Golden Eagle : Sits at top of Yggdrasil

Greylag Goose : Pyschopomp

Hawk : Habrok : Best Hawk
(Grimmer’s Sayings)
Hawk : Vedrfolnir (Storm-pale) : Sits on top of Yggdrasil

Raven : Hugin (Thought) : Odin’s raven
Raven : Munin (Memory) : Odin’s raven

Whooper Swan : Valkyries

Honoring Animals

Honoring Your Sacred Animal


Create effigies of your animals. Place their images in your personal areas. You are reminding yourself about the true significance of your encounter with your animals.

Nature walks. Note details about the animal.

Education. Educate yourself about these animals. Research their roles in mythology, history, and art.

Maintain an open mind. This quality is especially important when it comes to snakes. Most people either like them or feel repulsed by them.

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You can find out more at my website: Animal Teachers

http://funkman.org/animal/main.html

"The Song of Amergin" - My Meditation (part 3)

“Who calls the cattle from Tethys?”
Who indeed? Who does the cattle listen to? Who commands cattle and men? The One who knows the ages of the moon. The One who knows the place of sunset.

“On whom does Tethys smile?”
On the Boar of Boldness. On the wind on sea, on the One who fills the head with fire. Tethys smiles on the fair and wise.

“Who is the Troop?”
Who indeed? The Troop of men? The troop of the fairy folk?. The Troop of all? I am the roar of Sea. I am Lake on Plain. I am all this and more.

“Who is the One who places infections in Blades?
...enchantments on the Spear?
....enchantments of Wind?”
The Bull of Seven Fights. The Dewdrop. I am One who does all. I am Spirit of all. I am on whom Tethys smiles.

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The Entire Poem

I am Wind on Sea,
I am Ocean-wave,
I am Roar of Sea,
I am Bull of Seven Fights,
I am Hawk on Cliff,
I am Dewdrop,
I am Fairest of Flowers,
I am Boar for Boldness,
I am Salmon in Pool,
I am Lake on Plain,
I am a Mountain in a Man,
I am a Word of Skill,
I am the Point of a Weapon,
A weapon fierce in battle,
I am One who fills the Head with Fire.

Who makes smooth the rugged mountain?
Who knows the ages of the Moon?
Who knows the place of the Sunset?
Who calls the Cattle from House of Tethys?
On whom does Tethys smile?
Who is the Troop?
Who is the One who places infection on Blades?
Enchantments on the Spear?
Enchantments of Wind?

(From the Lebor Gabala Erenn, The Book of the Taking of Ireland, Part V, R.A.S. Macalister, trans. and ed., London, Irish Texts Society, 1956. Some lines are revised.)

"The Song of Amergin" - My Meditation (part 2)

“I am Salmon in Pool”
I am the wisdom of ages. Navigate the currents of life with me. Go into the world; swim the oceans and rivers. Return home to quiet pools. I am the circle of life.



“I am Lake on Plain”
Dive into me, discover the Otherworld. Look up my still waters and seek wisdom. I am the mirror to the soul.



“I am a Mountain in a Man.”
I am the giant of the earth. I am father to the sky. I am mother to the earth. Raise your eyes to the skies and see me.



“I am a Word of Skill,”
I am knowledge. I am tradition, culture, wisdom. Come with me, down the pathways of knowing and understand.



“I am the Point of a Weapon....A weapon fierce in battle.”
I sing the song of bloodlust. Join me in victory. Join me in battle. Like steel in fire, I make all stronger.



“I am One who fills the Head with Fire.”
I inspire the poet and warrior. Feel the fire in the blood of the spirit, of the mind. Burn brightly in me.



“Who makes smooth the rugged mountain?”
Who set the stars in the sky? Who put the fire into men’s souls. Who is the One?



“Who knows the ages of the moon?”
Who knows the age? The Salmon in the pool. The Boar of Boldness. The land, and the sea. The stars and sun know.



“Who knows the place of sunset?”
Who knows where goes the sun? “I do,” says the sky. “I do,” says the earth. Hear us.





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(Picture copyright by Maryann Sterling)


I offer mythic journeys and more at my site "Inner Journeys"


http://funkman.org/innerjourney/

"The Song of Amergin" - My Meditation (part 1)

According to legend, Amergin was one of the leaders of the “Men of Mil”, who battled the Tuatha De’ Danann for possession of Ireland. Amergin invokes the power of the land before stepping on the shore. He claims the elements and displays his power of them. Amergin joins himself with the Spirit of the Cosmos. After reciting his song, the wind died down and the Men of Mil won the day.

“I am wind on sea.”
I am the wild wind blowing over the sea. The sea calls the wind. Together, we move the waves and tides.

“I am ocean wave.”
I am wind on sea, ocean wave.I am who I am – the wave that covers the land; the wave that is the border of the between places. I am the tide that goes in and goes out.

“I am roar of sea.”
I am the mother of all life. I am the lifer giver and the life taker. I am the roar of the sea in a storm, the wind lapping the shore, the mighty wave cascading on the shore.

“I am Bull of Seven Fights.”
I am the primal strength and ferocity I invite you to the battle, to the fight, to stand your ground.

“I am Hawk on the Cliff.”
I swoop and deliver death in my murderous talons. I am the primal life force. Join me in the skies.

“I am Dewdrop.”
I am a force of nature, of life giving water. In the loudest roar is the softest dewdrop. I am gentle power.

“I am Fairest of Flowers.”
I am beauty amid death. I am the respite between the primal forces of life and death. I am the blossom of beauty from earth and water.

“I am Boar for Boldness”
I am the ruler of the forest; the dread animal that hunters fear. Embrace my fierceness and ferociousness. Enter into my fearlessness.

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I offer "mythic journeys" at my website: Inner Journeys
http://funkman.org/innerjourney/journeys/mythic/mythicjourneys.html

More Pagan Holidays - Imbolc and Yule

Imbolc

For many Neo-Pagans, Imbolc is the day of the Celtic Goddess Brighid, who represents the young sun. This High Day celebrates the coming of spring. The days are noticeably longer and signs of spring are beginning to show. For Imbolc, people cleaned their homes, celebrated the coming spring, and prepared for the planting season.

Since my hearth culture is Roman, my problem lies in capturing the essence of Imbolc in the Roman High Days. For Romans, February is a month of purification to prepare for the New Year in March. However, several festivals do combine to match the theme of the Celtic Imbolc.
The ancestors (Manes) were honored during Parentalia. Meanwhile, Qurinalia focused on the honoring of the citizens of Rome, the children of Quirinus. Lupercalia, sacred to Faunus, was a festival of much revelry and purification. His priests ran through the streets striking women with strips of goat’s skins, to encourage fertility. Later in the month was Fornicalia, honoring Fornax, the Goddess of Ovens and Bakers. During Her Festival, grains from the previous harvests were roasted in the ancient manner in ovens. This combination of purification, sexual revelry, and roasting grains captures the essence of Imbolc in the Roman hearth culture.

I have always enjoyed Groundhog Day, which oddly enough has its basis in German and Roman pagan practices. I have fun in watching the groundhog do his prediction. Spring is coming, and I need to get ready for it.

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Yule

Neo-Pagans celebrate the Winter Solstice as the shortest day and the longest night. This time is a time of fun and community building. People come together offering cheer and good will to each other. Doing sacred activities that echo down the ages, they light fires, bring in the holly, and decorate trees.

For the Norse, Yule was the holiest of the High Days. During the longest night of the year, the Gods were the closest to the people of Midgard. The Disir (female ancestors) were honored on this night called Mother’s Night. No spinning or weaving was done for the next twelve nights. At Yule, oaths were sworn, and the Runes read. The Yule Log burned all through this period.

In Rome, the Golden Age of Saturn was celebrated as the Saturnalia. During Saturn’s Rule of Latium, perfect harmony and prosperity existed as one. During Saturnalia, citizens causally mingled with slaves, freedmen, and foreigners. It was a time of partying and fun. The religious rite that opened Saturnalia was the removing of the woolen bands of Saturn’s statue. Then the statue was refreshed with oil. At the end of Saturnalia, the statue was wrapped again. At that time, Ianus (Janus) ruled the New Year. Saturnalia was the time of endings and beginnings.

Believe in the Improbable! (part two)

Platypus’s Teachings Also Include:

“We now know it’s real
Though I can’t help but feel
That from trail tip to muzzle,
It is still a puzzle.
Copyright: R. Suahan, “The Incomplete Book of Australian Mammals”.


“The platypus continues to lead its quiet life in the rivers of eastern Australia. Rippling its way in a thousand streams on far mountain slopes, in creeks and reservoirs, near towns and cities, it remains private and illusive. A new century for the platypus has arrived. Wonder remains, and delight. Swimming and diving quietly across time, the platypus smiles.” Copyright: Ann Proyal, “Platypus”


Platypus’s Wisdom Includes:
Seeing the World with Delight and Wonder
Possessing Inner Sight
Balancing Energy
Moving Through the World of Mystery and Dreams
Move To Your Own Personal Rhythms


Science note: Male Duck-billed Platypus has a poisonous spur on the inner side of his hind legs to inflict wounds on his enemies. Shrews are the only other Mammals that can poison their enemies.

Conservation Note: Protected in Australia, and is restricted to that country.

Believe in the Improbable! (part one)

DUCK-BILLED PLATYPUS


When Duck-billed Platypus was exhibited in England in the 1700s, people thought that He was a fake. Some prankster must have sewn a duck’s beak on a beaver’s body. For ninety years, He confounded biologists. What was Duck-billed Platypus: Bird? Mammal? Reptile? The answer to that question was beyond belief! He and Echidna are the only egg-laying mammals (Monotremes) to have survived from prehistoric times. Today, this playful, aquatic Mammal is a symbol of Australia.

A fossil tooth of a platypus was found in southern Argentina, dating from 61 million years ago. According to paleontologists, Platypuses have been living in Australia for 25 millions years. However, the answers to their survival in modern times remain to be discovered. While people ponder these ancient mysteries, Duck-billed Platypuses continue on as They always have for millions of years, hopeful that They will thrive.

An avid swimmer, Duck-billed Platypus sweeps the gravelly bottom of a slow moving river with his sensitive muzzle looking for Worms. Covered by thousands of sense organs that detect electricity, his rubbery bill acts as an extra pair of eyes. When Duck-billed Platypus dives, He closes his eyes, ears, and nostrils. As He swims along, Duck-billed Platypus fills his cheek pouches with food. When his pouches are full, He surfaces to eat. Since He has no teeth, Duck-bill Platypus grinds his food with gravel.


After mating, Mother Duck-billed Platypus digs her nest at the river’s edge, just above the water’s surface. With her thick nails, She makes her nesting burrow. Mother Duck-billed Platypus lines her burrow with leaves and grass. There She lays two eggs (the size of marbles) and snugly holds Them between her tail and belly. While She incubates her Eggs, Mother Duck-billed Platypus does not leave her nest. In about two weeks, the eggs hatch, and her Puggles (babies) make their way through their mother’s fur to nurse.

Once thought to be a hoax, Duck-billed Platypus proves that improbable things can be true. An effective hunter, He uses his extraordinary rubbery beak to find Worms and Snails at the river’s bottom. With his flexible body, Duck-billed Platypus squeezes through narrow spaces to get to Snails. He demonstrates that even an active imagination can pale when compared to reality