Meditation (3)

In midmorning, I did this meditation after I fixed a pot of tea. I find that drinking tea relaxes me. Taking tea encourages me to go into a trance. Sitting at the kitchen table, I did the meditation.

The cool light of the moon filled up the sky. Big, round, and softly glowing, the moon sent out a shaft of light. Wrapping me around itself, the shaft became me. Together, we slid down the Tree of Life.

At the base of the Tree, I grew roots. As the roots reached deep into the earth, I felt heat traveling up my legs. Then, the earth leapt up and embraced me. As the boiling magma surrounded me, I became very warm.

The cool light of the moon mixed with the hot magma to make steam. A fairy mist surrounded and transported me, outside of time and space. I found myself at the Nexus of Life.

Then I anchored at the Axis of the Tree. The fairy mist crystallized as silver dew drops on the tree branches. Like glittering diamonds, the drops became stars. The white-yellow moon reappeared. The red earth was below smiling at me.

I felt that I was a part of the Axis of the World. I was the Tree, the meeting place of the Two Powers – the Earth and Sky. At that moment, I realized that what I do matters. It had impact in ways I would never know. As the intermediary between Earth and Sky, I felt the need to be a moral being.

The moon put out a silver beam for me to travel back home. The earth embraced the beam with a red lava burst. Entwined, they dissolved into the Tree guiding me home. The smell of my tea woke me out of the dream. I drank my tea and felt refreshed.

Copyright: Virginia Carper, Animal Teachers, 2008
animalteachers @ gmail.com

Saging or Smudging

(Sage by Maryann Sterling)

The smudging ceremony is a sacred ritual for Native Americans and for other peoples. It is a ritual of cleaning and purification. Indian People burn tobacco, cedar, sage, and sweetgrass in offerings to the Four Directions. The Journey of Life begins in the East and ends in the North. By offering to the Four Directions, the person opens themselves to guidance and wisdom from the Spirit.

“Smudging” which is the burning of sacred plants is a time honored method for healing. People bath themselves in the smoke of the burning herbs. Sage, one of the sacred plants, drives out the negative energy. Sweetgrass helps brings in the positive energy. Smudging helps to restore the person to spiritual health.

Often, people will burn tobacco or sweetgrass as offerings to the various spirits – plant, stone, animal, and earth. The smoke purifies people, their homes, and sacred things. Smudging is a method of inviting the spirit to come and be with you.

I smudge often my home to make an offering, and to purify the room. I keep the sage in a medicine pouch. When I am ready to burn it, I place the sage in an abalone shell. After getting the fire going, I fan the embers with a feather to spread the smoke. I leave a window cracked open to allow the spirits to leave. I sage the room, starting in the East, moving South, West, North, and East again.

Smudging can be done by anyone. All you need a fireproof bowl and sage. Light the sage and fan the smoking embers. Let the smoke drift over you and feel yourself opening up to the Spirit.

Please do not gather the sage, sweetgrass, tobacco, or cedar yourself. These plants are regulated under various laws, and can be only harvested by selected groups such as Native Americans.

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Resource: “Sacred Sage, How It Heals” by Wendy Whiteman. (Purchase from Amazon.com, along with sage supplies.)

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Copyright: Virginia Carper, Animal Teachers, 2008

Asking Tarot Questions

In crafting a Tarot question, I agree with Joan Bunning (“Learning the Tarot”). In three of her key points, she stresses to (1) accept responsibility, (2) keep your options open, and (3) be positive. For me, by remembering these particular “rules“, I receive the guidance of the Tarot more effectively.

A story of my family illustrates what happens when you are sloppy in creating your question. As a young man, my grandfather had to decide whether to return to Nova Scotia (Canada) or move to British Columbia. At the time, he was living in Manitoba. He asked the trains: “Should I go west or east?” When he arrived at the station, the west-bound train had just pulled out. The east-bound train was due shortly, so he took it. Years afterwards, he blamed the trains for his resulting bad luck and misery.

My grandfather did not accept responsibility for his situation. By asking a yes or no question, he ceded his authority to the trains. In my grandfather’s case, he did not wish to make the decision. Instead, he preferred to blame the trains. In accepting responsibility, you decide on your terms what to decide from the many choices that the Tarot presents.

In keeping your options open, you allow for multiple possibilities in solving your problem. In his question, my grandfather already knew the answer. He merely wanted the train to confirm it. If he had asked “why” instead of “should“, he would have had an array of choices. By limiting your options, you will receive an answer that is wrong for you.

Phrase your question in a confident manner, and you will set up a positive framework for your choices. Asking a negative question sets you up for failure. By being positive, you will have an attractive array of choices. Remember that the Tarot is a tool, that offers you its wisdom.

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Copyright: Virginia Carper, Animal Teachers, 2008
Contact me for readings: animalteachers @ gmail.com

Tribes of Mythic Animals (1)

THE TRIBES OF THE FIRE: Immortal Guardians of Truth and Beauty

The Tribes of Fire are usually birds who are bound by fire. To be immortal like the Phoenix, Many will immolate Themselves. Because of their beauty and glorious song, the Tribes of Fire live in lonely isolated places. Alone, They spend their days honoring the Sun.

Friendly towards people, the Tribes of Fire will heal those who seek them with a loving heart. If you are kind, They may give you one of their feathers of flame. Use it when confronted by evil.




THE TRIBES OF THE HEAVENS AND EARTH: Measurers of Greatness

As a rule, the Tribes of the Heavens and Earth do not associate with people, and do not care what anyone thinks. When They choose to, a Member may aid a person in their task. However these Tribes remind always humans what the limits are. Facing a Member of the Tribes of the Heavens and Earth tests the depths of a person’s character. Some folks do not survive the meeting.

When we work with mythic animals, we widen our realm of possibilities and develop a new sense of worth. Our friendship with them will nurture our hopes and dreams, as well as, give us a greater reverence for all life. When we embrace their energy, we become conscious of the mystical in our lives. Finally, we align ourselves with the mythical world. We bring magick back into our lives.

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Purchase my book "Mythic Animals!" from lulu.com for $12.00 hardcover.

http://www.lulu.com/content/632373

Copyright: Virginia Carper, 2008 Animal Teachers

Working with the Tarot: Major Arcana and the Court Cards

(XII. Hanged Woman: Spider Woman)

For a month, I drew two cards each day from the “Animal Divine” Tarot deck. The cards I chose were from the Major Arcana and the Court Cards. I added the Court Cards to become better acquainted with them.

The King of Wands (Gama Sennin, Japanese) appeared at least four times a week. When I thought about this card, I focused on the toad sitting on His shoulder. Although the author said that the animal was a frog, I saw a toad, which is a predictor of future financial gains. My late father-in-law, an accountant, was known as “The Toad”. I see the King of Wands as him speaking to me about my finances.

For me, it was difficult to read traditional meanings for each card in this deck. Before I could understand the author’s meanings, I had to study each card. To read this Tarot deck, a grounding mythology is needed.

For example, The Tower (XVI) has Thunderbirds flying about. No tower was crashing. However, in mythology, Thunderbirds bring fierce winds and storms, tearing things apart. The Thunderbirds represented destruction.

The Chariot (VII) has Freya, the Norse Goddess, riding a boar. Again, this seems to be a departure from the traditional Chariot card. As a Goddess of passion and fertility, She moves people forward.


Copyright: Virginia Carper, Animal Teachers, 2008. Contact me at animalteachers @ gmail.com
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Moby Dick: Whale Avenger

"Moby Dick p510 illustration" by A. Burnham Shute - Moby-Dick edition - C. H. Simonds Co. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Moby_Dick_p510_illustration.jpg#/media/File:Moby_Dick_p510_illustration.jpg

I was watching the movie "Moby Dick" starring Gregory Peck the other day. I was rooting for the whale. I kept thinking, "This whale is mad as Hell, and he's not taking it anymore. Enough with the whale killing. This White Whale is the Whale Avenger for all the murdered whales."

One of the most famous of Whales is Moby Dick of Herman Melville’s novel, “Moby Dick”. Besides being white, Moby Dick has a wrinkled forehead, large hump on his back, and a curved jaw with crooked teeth. This giant white Sperm Whale took revenge on the whalers, who hunted him.

Harpoons did not seem to hurt him. One of Moby Dick’s favorite tricks was to swim away as if he was fleeing, then suddenly turn on the whalers, and smash their boats. Moby Dick was based on an actual white Sperm Whale who lived near the island of Mocha off of Chile. Mocha Dick, the White Whale of the Pacific, had become known in the 1800s for his violent attacks on whaling ships. When He was finally killed in the 1850s, sixty year old Mocha Dick was toothless, blind, and had eighteen harpoons sticking out of his body.

Moby Dick’s Teachings Also Include: “Nor was it his unwonted magnitude, nor his remarkable hue, nor yet his deformed lower jaw, that so much invested the whale with natural terror, as that unexampled, intelligent malignity which, according to specific accounts, he had over and over again evinced in his assaults. More than all, his treacherous retreats struck more of dismay than perhaps aught else. ” – Copyright: “Moby Dick”, Herman Melville  

Moby Dick’s Wisdom Includes:
 Lessons of Aggression and Obsession
Taking the Initiative
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For the teachings of Sperm Whales: Sperm Whale (opens in new window)

Wisdom of the Toothed Whales (Dolphins too!): Stable Relationships

TOOTHED WHALE FAMILY
Stable Relationships


One of the two groups of living Whales is Toothed Whales (Odontoceti). (The other group is Baleen Whales (Mysticeti).) Toothed Whales can be found in diverse environments ranging from deep oceans to muddy tropical rivers. This highly sophisticated group of Mammals includes Sperm Whales, Ocean Dolphins, and Porpoises. Beluga and Narwhal, the White Whales of the North, are also Odontoceti. The least known of Toothed Whales, Beaked Whales live in the deep oceans, where few people see Them. River Dolphins, another lesser-known Group, have colonized major river systems of Asia and South America.

Although most Toothed Whales have good vision, They all rely on echolocation (sending out sound signals and interpreting the echoes.) In their foreheads, Toothed Whales possess an organ called a melon, which acts as a sonar lens to focus sound. For example, Boto (Amazon River Dolphin) uses echolocation to find prey and to navigate in the murky Amazon River.

Unlike Baleen Whales, Toothed Whales live in stable social groups. They cooperate in hunts and help the sick Members of their Pod. Most live in matrilineal Pods, ruled by an old Matriarch. When They are grown, Male Toothed Whales will leave their Nursery Pod and join a different Pod. (However, Sperm Whale Bachelors travel in their own all-male Pod.) In their Pods, Toothed Whales learn hunting and language from their Mothers. Each Orca (Killer Whale) Pod has their own dialect that Orca Mothers teach their Calves. Meanwhile, Dolphin Mothers teach their Calves how to hunt with Sponges.

Using their click languages, Toothed Whales coordinate group activities, and plan hunts. A Pod of Bottlenose Dolphins will encircle a School of Fish, and herd Them to the shore. Sperm Whales will protect an injured Companion by gathering around Them in a flower formation known as “Marguerite”. An Orca at Marineland taught his pool Mates how to hunt Sea Gulls that fly in the area.

Because Toothed Whales live in stable families, They will support a sick Friend or defend a threatened Companion. Mothers pass their pod’s culture on to their Calves. Traveling and foraging, Toothed Whales form close bonds to hunt and play with. We can learn much about building and maintaining stable relationships from Toothed Whales.


Toothed Whale Family’s Wisdom Also Includes:
Helping Those in Need
Home Schooling
Mother-Child Love
Navigating in the Dark



Copyright: Virginia Carper, Animal Teachers, 2008
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Whale Family: Nexus of Heaven and Earth

WHALE
Nexus of Heaven and Earth

For thousands of years, Whales have captured people’s imagination. People have regarded Whales to be gods, guardians, sea monsters, sources of food, and living islands. From classical Greek mythology to modern day movies, the Family of Whales (Cetaceans) has played a major part in many stories. According to Christians, God sent a Whale to swallow Jonah. Narwhal and his long tusk became the basis of Unicorn legends of the Middle Ages. In the Amazon River basin, people speak of River Dolphins disguising Themselves as men to woo the local girls. Meanwhile, Herman Melville’s novel, “Moby Dick” describes Sperm Whale as the Lord of Demons and Chaos. In the modern era, people see Whales as friends like Flipper (a Bottlenose Dolphin) of movie and TV fame. And, other people regard Cetaceans as mystical representatives from earth’s ancient days or from distant star systems.

Alien yet familiar Animals, Whales are Mammals who have totally adapted to the ocean, which is a hostile environment to air breathers. Scientists believe that the ancestor for Whales was a fish-eating land Mammal, related to modern hoofed Mammals. Further DNA tests show that Whales are actually related to Cows and Camels.

Although people regard Whales as one generic creature, They are divided into two groups, that are not closely related to each other – Baleen (Mysticeti) and Toothed (Odontoceti). To grasp the difference between the two Groups of Living Whales, think of how closely Cows are related to Camels. Baleen Whales, the largest animals on earth, filter food through their baleen. Famous for their singing, Baleen Whales’ songs have been popular as music recordings. More social than Baleen Whales, Toothed Whales live in larger groups called Pods. Unlike Baleen Whales, Toothed Whales use echolocation to find their prey.

Individual Whale Species differ greatly from each other as well. Among Baleen Whales, Right Whales resemble big boats, while Fin Whales are shaped like cruisers. With their square heads, Sperm Whales (who are Toothed Whales) look like submarines. Baleen Whales have two blowholes, while Toothed Whales only have one. Right Whales produce a distinctive V Shape blow, and Sperm Whales’ blows slant forward and to the left.

Living in the ocean, which is both fatal and vital to people, Whales have become intermediaries between people and other worlds. With their forceful leaps to the sky and dives to the ocean’s depths, Whales become the nexus between heaven and earth. If you want to go between worlds, let Whales be your guide.

Whales’ Teachings Also Include:

"Oh, the rare old Whale, mid storm and gale
In his ocean home will be
A giant in might, where might is right,
And King of the boundless sea." --WHALE SONG.

“With a frigate's anchors for my bridle-bitts and fasces of harpoons for spurs, would I could mount that whale and leap the topmost skies, to see whether the fabled heavens with all their countless tents really lie encamped beyond my mortal sight!” – Copyright: “Moby Dick”, Herman Melville

Whales’ Wisdom Includes:
Holding a Vastness of Knowing, Feeling, and Remembering
Realizing the Magnificence in All Things
Nomads of the Sea
Being at Home in Hostile Environments
Dreaming Large
Rulers of the Boundless Seas
Providing Wonder in an Ordinary World
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Copyright: Virginia Carper, Animal Teachers, 2008

Other Worldly Beings: Old Souls

When I watched “SMOKE SIGNALS” (1998, Eyre), I perceived the two main characters, Victor Joseph and Thomas Brings-the-Fire, to be a split soul. Rarely apart, they guide each other towards wholeness. Victor brings Thomas into the present, while Thomas teaches Victor the way of the Worlds.

Wearing a suit and his hair in braids, Thomas resembles a medicine man from the last century. Known in the Coeur d’Alene Nation as an eccentric storyteller, Thomas lives his life by his own compass. He fears neither lies nor the truth. Weaving the past, present, and future in his stories, Thomas offers wisdom to those around him. As an old soul, Thomas delivers his pearls of wisdom with good humor. “Sometimes it is a good day to die. Sometimes it is a good day to have breakfast.”

Thomas, for his part, regards Victor’s father, Arnold, to be his teacher, he tells about going on a vision quest and encountering Arnold instead. In Thomas’s stories, Arnold emerges as a Shaman working magic and illusions. He hides in plain sight, and practices disappearing. Through Suzy Song, Arnold’s neighbor in Phoenix, Victor discovers that his father was an old soul who made a tragic mistake. Because his pain was so great, Arnold slowly let go of all his connections to this world. However, after his death, he returns to his son in a vision.

Medicine Wheels (1)

I have found Medicine Wheels to be a name totally associated with Native Americans. I wish there was a different name to call these circles of the univese.

Medicine Wheels are places to pray, meditate, contemplate and become one with the universe. They become our sacred place, helping us to strengthen our connection to the universe. They help us bridge the gap between the spirit world and the physical world, bringing harmony to both through us. The general Medicine Wheel has 36 (thirty six) stones. Each stone is a “tool” to help us understand ourselves in relation to the universe. They teach us to respect ourselves and our relation to other life forms, Mother Earth, and the universe.

Creating a Medicine Wheel should be done as a part of a sacred ceremony to show your respect. Ceremony is a way of giving back some of the energy, that we are constantly taking in from the universe. Through Ceremony we can give back through singing, praying, dancing, drumming, chanting . Follow your intuition and your heart to give back in the way resonates with you. Ceremony and the use of the Medicine Wheel is an individual journey. There is no one size fits all spirituality. We each have our own way, and all of our ways work together to make up the whole.

There are many ways to make a Medicine Wheel. They can be made with 12-36 (twelve to thirty six) stones depending on how elaborate you wish to make it as well as how much space you have to work with. The only important thing is that your Medicine Wheel takes the shape of a circle. It is your sacred space so it should be comfortable for you. It holds your vision, whatever that may be.


From “Ma’Heo’o Reiki: A Program of Spiritual Healing, Growth & Development” by Sheryl “Rain” Carter.

Tarot Constellations (2)

6. The Constellation of the Lovers:

The Principle of Relatedness and Choice.
The Lovers, the Devil (15), and all Sixes.

7. The Constellation of the Chariot:

The Principle of Mastery through Change.
The Chariot, the Tower (16), and all Sevens.

8. The Constellation of Strength:

The Principle of Courage and Self-Esteem.
Strength, the Star (17), and all Eights.

9. The Constellation of the Hermit:

The Principle of Introspection and Personal Integrity.
The Hermit, the Moon (18), and all Nines.

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The Tenth Constellation (by Carper)

The Fool stands by Himself as 0 or 22, while the Court cards are 0. They meld with the Fool, as the World (21) is the bridge between them.

10. The Constellation of the Court:

The Principle of Innocence through Maturity.
The Fool, all Pages, all Knights, all Queens, and all Kings.

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Tarot Constellations (1)

(Copyright: Tarot of the Animal Lords)

Tarot constellations are the cards that have the same prime number (one through nine). For the number four, the Tarot constellation is the Four card from each of the suits, the Emperor (the number four), and Death (the number thirteen, which reduces to the number four (1+3=4)).

From: “Tarot Constellations”, by Mary K. Greer.

The nine Tarot constellations, according to Greer, are:

1. The Constellation of the Magician:
The Principle of Will and Focused Consciousness
The Magician, Wheel of Fortune (10 1+0=1), the Sun (19 1+9=10 1+0=1), all Aces and all Tens.

2. The Constellation of the High Priestess:
The Principle of Balanced Judgment through Intuitive Awareness
The High Priestess, Justice (11), Judgment (20), and all Twos.

3. The Constellation of the Empress:
The Principle of Love and Creative Imagination.
The Empress, the Hanged Man (12), the World (21), and all Threes.

4. The Constellation of the Emperor:
The Principle of Life Force and the Realization of Power.
The Emperor, Death (13), and all Fours.

5. The Constellation of the Hierophant:
The Principle of Teaching and Learning.
The Hierophant, Temperance (14), and all Fives.


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A Very Brief History of the Tarot

In Northern Italy during the early Renaissance, the Tarot developed as a card game, much like today’s Bridge. It later became a gambling card game. In Europe, people still see the Tarot as a card game. The Tarot’s use for divination did not occur until the 1800s in England.

Meanwhile, playing cards came to Europe from Moslem Spain. They consisted of the four suits with a court of a king and two males. The Tarot deck of today is the merger of the Tarot’s Major Arcana, the Fool, the Queens, and playing cards. (The Joker originated in the United States in the 1850s for use in Poker and Euchre games.)

The Tarot deck familiar to people in the United States is the Rider-Waite-Smith (RWS) one. Named for the company that published the deck and its creators, RWS was created in the early 1900s. Arthur Edwards Waite wrote an overview of the traditions, history, and commentary for each Tarot card. In addition, he changed some of the Major Arcana from the traditional Marseilles deck. Meanwhile, his illustrator, Pamela Coleman-Smith revolutionized the Minor Arcana with her pictures. (Before that, the Minor Arcana were done in geometric patterns.)

In the 1940s, Aleister Crowley and Lady Frieda Harris developed the Thoth Deck to update the RWS deck. Crowley infused the Thoth Deck with symbolism of the occult. Therefore, many people today often find this brightly colored deck more difficult to read.

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Many Tarot decks have animals in them, and the animals add to the meanings of each card. For example, the lion and crab are in several cards. Lion represents strength, while the crab represents the moon and water.

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Tarot card from "Australian Animal Tarot" by Ann Williams-Fitzgerald

Suffering and the Human Condition: Ending the Suffering

For me, suffering occurs when people are alienated from their selves and everything around them. Suffering people have inside of them, an empty hole that aches with pain. People react to this pain in different ways. Some people fall into such despair, that they kill themselves to end the pain. Others are perpetually busy darting about, in hopes of being distracted from the pain. Still others do things to smother the pain, such as taking excess drugs.

The loss of hope lives at the root of human pain. I had my season in hell where I reached that place of no hope. In fact, I just wanted to lie down and die. To me, the world was bleak and gray. After seeking professional help, I was diagnosed with acute depression. The doctors told me that my brain was not producing the right chemicals. Now, I take medications to help my brain. What I had experienced was the secret strength of depression.

From my experiences of reaching out and receiving help, I know that the world can be kind and loving. In my opinion, people asking for help need to be sustained with hope and love. For me, when I was the most vulnerable, I experienced the Spirit (Divine), which came to me. Now, I carry that small spark inside me, never wanting to extinguish it.

To have a good day, there are three things I do daily. First, I get out of bed. I demonstrate to myself that there is something to get up for. I just don’t what it is yet. Second, I make my bed, which tells me that I can make order out of chaos. Third, I make myself a cup of tea. This shows that I care enough about myself to feed myself. If I do nothing else, I will have demonstrated to myself that I am worthy of love and that I am loved.

For me, the solution to suffering is in the struggle for wholeness. Conflict is an inevitable part of life, since it shows people what is worth fighting for. In avoiding conflict, a person may sacrifice their integrity. Resolution, the end of conflict, is a joining together. In order to be complete, the person needs to resolve their conflicts. The disunion of conflict and the unity of the resolution break the self apart, and then reforms it into a healthy whole.

To understand this further, consider the predator/prey dynamic of animals. When you ponder the animals’ interactions, you realize that they are more than the sum of their parts. For example, Elephant Seal and Great White Shark move from a position of strength. They use their strength and intelligence in different ways. Great White Shark is an apex predator of the oceans, while Elephant Seal rules his icy territory with an iron flipper. The shark preys on the seal, who escapes death by moving onto the land. The two animals dance in a synergy to form a new wholeness. The shark is yin to the seal’s yang.

The predator/prey relationship represents the primal forces of procreation and death, which is filled with a dynamic tension. From the struggle of opposing forces, a new life emerges. The new life is whole and in balance.

Copyright: Virginia Carper, Animal Teachers, 2008
To learn how animals can help you, email me animalteachers @ gmail.com

Otherworldly Beings: Defending Against "Soul Killers"

There is a book written in the 1970s. that sums up soul killers, “When I Say No, I Feel Guilty” by Manuel Smith. Add to that the informaiton that can be gleaned from watching TV Judge Shows (Judge Judy, etc). If nothing seems to make sense, then you are in the presence of a soul killer. Being with one destroys your commonsense and sanity. When things always seem the opposite than they should be, then you are enmeshed with the soul killer.

To deter soul killers, you can use several methods. What I suggest for people to do before they enter into an agreement with another person, is to get it in writing. Whether it is a family loan or a cell phone, getting it in writing is your best defense. If the other person refuses, then you do not loan them money or give them a cell phone. In short, if you feel guilty for saying “no”, then you are dealing with a user or a emotional abuser.

Walk away, if you can. Use the broken record if you cannot. Repeat over and over, “I need you to sign this” or “No, I do not want to loan you money”. Eventually, the soul killer will become frustrated and give up.

Another series of books called the “Gentle Art of Verbal Self Defense” goes one step further. They deal with abusive people and abusive relationships. If someone is repeatedly discounting you, your self-esteem drops. These books offer gentle suggestions on removing and defending yourself from abusive people.

Watch a TV Judge Show to learn how people lie, manipulate, and generally deceive themselves and others. The judge, as an impartial person, cuts through the talk to the essence of the situation. The judge generally offers suggestions such as “if someone threatens to kill you, call the police” or “if someone hurts you, do not go back to them”. Watching the show may speak to you or spark something inside you. Sometimes hearing a judge speak to a user, helps you to sort out what is going on in your life. Remember if you are in an upside-down universe, then you are with a soul killer.

Purchase the book at Amazon.com:
When I Say No, I Feel Guilty

Copyright: Virginia Carper, Animal Teachers, 2008
For readings and empowerments, contact me at animalteachers @ gmail.com

Other Worldly Beings: Walk-Ins

After watching “HOUSE, MD” (2004 -, Jacobs and Shore), I realized that Dr. Eric Foreman is a walk-in. In “House vs. God” (219), Dr. Foreman’s co-workers describe him as a “selfish jerk”. Little caring what they think, he acts callously towards them. His team member, Dr. Allison Cameron despises him for stealing her paper and presenting it as his own. Meanwhile, Foreman fights constantly with Dr. Gregory House, his team leader, over procedures.

During “Euphoria” (220-21), Foreman becomes deathly ill. Fearful of dying, he spends his time pleading with and then tormenting Cameron. One moment, he tells her that he is her friend. Then Foreman taunts her claiming that she is indifferent about his impending death. In an act of desperation, Foreman sticks Cameron with a needle infecting her with his disease.

To find a cure, Cameron performs a white brain biopsy on Foreman. Because this is the thinking part of his brain, Foreman is placed into a deep coma. After coming out of the coma, he mistakes his right hand for his left leg. When he returns to work (“Forever” (222)), Foreman forgets how to make coffee. However, there are too many loose ends to be explained only by brain damage.

Foreman’s entire personality changes. Instead of his white lab coat, he now wears comfortable clothes. Cheerfully, Foreman greets everyone. Then the formally avowed atheist prays, surprising people. This newly compassionate Foreman confuses Cameron. Then, he upsets House by refusing to fight with him.

Too many unexplained changes suggest that Foreman is now a walk-in. Faced with the fear of death, and agony over what a mess his life is, Foreman (1) realized that he could not live on Earth anymore. Foreman (2) switched bodies offering relief to Foreman (1), and a chance to redo his life at another time.

Blue Whale: The Colors of Life

Much bigger than the dinosaurs, Blue Whale is the largest animal ever to live on the earth. Besides her size, Blue Whale is noted for other exceptional qualities as well. Swimming alone in the ocean, She has to communicate long distances underwater to other Blue Whales, so She makes the loudest sound of any living creature. Her bass moans are also the lowest sounds in the ocean. Possessing the tallest and strongest blow of any Whale, Blue Whale’s water sprout is also noticeably slender and upright.

However, Blue Whale is full of contradictions. The largest animal on earth feeds on Krill, one of the smallest animals in the sea. (Instead of teeth, She has a row of plates in her mouth called baleen, which functions as a food-collecting device.) For such a fast moving Whale, Blue Whale has a distinctively small and stubby dorsal fin.

Although Blue Whale is called ‘blue’ because of her skin color, her mottled, splotchy body actually reflects more colors than any other Whale. When the sun sets below the horizon and darkness falls on the ocean, Blue Whale’s body mirrors the colors of the sky and sea. The hues of her skin turns from blue to yellow and orange, then red, lavender, dark grey, and finally to black. No long just ‘blue’, Blue Whale is now all the shades of the rainbow.

Blue Whale mirrors the colors of life. Her body shows the greens and blues of the sea and the yellow and oranges of the sun. If this seriously endangered Whale should pass from this earth, we will be the poorer for it. The sky, sea, and even the land would miss Blue Whale and her colors of the rainbow.


Blue Whale’s Wisdom Also Includes:
Breaking Records
Embracing Contradictions
Importance of Observing
Reflecting the Rainbow

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Blue Whale’s Statistics:
Length: 110 feet 2 inches (33.5 meters)
Weight: 209 tons (190 tonnes)
Sound: 188 decibels

Conservation note: Blue Whales are seriously endangered and may not recover. They are protected internationally by whaling treaties.

Copyright: Virginia Carper, Animal Teachers, 2008
For Animal Totem Readings and meanings, contact me at animalteachers @ gmail.com

Other Worldly Beings: Star People

I watched two episodes of STAR TREK (Rodenberry, 1966-69) (the original series) and STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION (Rodenberry, 1987-94) to compare attitudes towards people of other planets. The episodes were “Day of the Dove” (62) and “Déjà Q” (61) respectively. The most obvious change in attitudes was the easy familiarity between humans and other peoples in THE NEXT GENERATION. In the second series, casual social relations among various peoples were the norm. In contrast, the original series treated people from other planets as alien. Humans were wary of them. An example of the change was the Klingons. In the second series, they were no longer enemies, but welcomed as crew members of the Enterprise.

However, both series kept the same attitudes towards more powerful people from other planets. In “Day of the Dove”, the Beta Entity used people for its own ends. In “Déjà Q”, the crew greeted Q with veiled hostility. When Q shouted gleefully, “I’m omnipotent again!”, Commander Riker answered with a sarcastic “Swell.” Meanwhile, Capitan Kirk ordered the Beta Entity to get off his ship. Both shows regarded these entities as beings that used people instead of helping them. While the attitude towards ordinary aliens changed, the one towards aliens with advanced powers did not.

Lucky Cats and their Meanings.

From "The Element Encyclopedia of Secret Signs and Symbols" by Adele Nozedar.

Lucky Cat statuettes of Japan and China

With the right paw raised, the cat will bring money and happiness to home and workplace. A cat raising its left paw will attract new customers for a business. And a cat with both paws raised hits the jackpot: both home and business will be happy and profitable, attracting good luck, friends, prosperity, and new clients.

Now you know that raised paw means.:)

Types of Balance: Day/Night

Day/Night Balance
(Consciousness/Unconsciousness)

Day is the time of activity and wakefulness. Night is the Dreamtime that Day gives fuel to. Day recedes into Night, which gives birth to Day. In the darkness of Night, unconscious notions transforms to conscious choices in the light of Day. Day/Night complements each other.

In Western Cultures, masculine qualities would be more rational, direct, and assertive. Feminine qualities are creativity, vision, and introspection. Male is looking out; female looking in. With Day/Night, you move from duality to wholeness.

The Leaf Cutter Bee

LEAF CUTTER BEE
Craftsmanship


Most Bees are called “Solitary Bees” because They live in individual nests. One such Bee is Leaf Cutter Bee, who lives independently of other Bees. However, She does build her nest close to other “Solitary Bees”–Mason Bees and other Leaf Cutter Bees. Together, They share a large area as their combined territory.

This hardy Bee is the first Bee seen in the early spring. While Honey Bees are still home inside their hives, Leaf Cutter Bee is busily gathering pollen. Because this fuzzy, hairy Bee emerges so early, many gardeners install special nest boxes to encourage Her to live in their gardens. Along with her Friends, She actively pollinates flowers while gathering nectar. Leaf Cutter Bee stores this nectar in her “honey stomach”, an extension of her gut. Later, She disgorges her nectar that She had gathered as food for her Young.

Quickly, Leaf Cutter Bee darts to a suitable tree, and within two minutes, selects a leaf, cuts a hole out, and then quietly departs. With her powerful, scissor-like jaws, Leaf Cutter Bee cuts leaves into tiny pieces for her nest. Each cell of her nest is made with 15 to 20 pieces of leaves. She uses the oval leaf pieces for the walls, and the round ones for the nest partitions. After filling that nest cell with nectar, Leaf Cutter Bee lays her egg, and then seals the cell. To ensure that the nest will survive the winter, She cements the leaves together with her saliva. Because her nest is covered with leaves, it is not as easy to see as Honey Bee’s nest.

Leaf Cutter Bee is particular about what leaves She uses for her nest. She prefers soft, pliable leaves from roses for constructing her nest. Leaf Cutter Bee builds with such precision that you can count the exact number of leaves in her nest. Learn craftsmanship from Leaf Cutter Bee and build a quality product that lasts.

Leaf Cutter Bee’s Wisdom Includes:
Being Fast and Stealthy
Sharing
Constructing a Home
Living Side by Side With Others

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Copyright: Virginia Carper, Animal Teachers 2008
For finding your Animal Totems, contact me at animalteachers @ gmail.

Wisdom of the Bumble Bee

BUMBLE BEE
Attend to Your Affairs

Bumble Bees are large robust Bees with the color patterns of yellow and black. You can usually find Bumble Bees flying low to the ground or on flowers collecting food. They nest almost anywhere but only remain in one particular nest for a year.

Besides size, another way that you can tell how Bumble Bee is different from Honey Bee is that Bumble Bee's nest is a mess. Bumble Bees have fewer members in their colonies than Honey Bee. Also, They do not store large amounts of honey. Unlike Honey Bees, Bumble Bees rarely sting unless their nest is threatened.

Enjoy watching these fairly placid Bees as They go about their business of pollinating the flowers. Learn from Them to mind your own business. Just do not be messy in your affairs.


Bumble Bee’s Wisdom Includes:
Messenger Who Holds the Secrets of Life
Regaining Focus
Gathering
Contentment

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Copyright: Virginia Carper, Animal Teachers, 2008

If you want to know your Animal Totems, please contact me at animalteachers@gmail.com for a consultation

Wisdom of the Bee Family

BEE FAMILY
Making Choices

Bees belong to the order Hymenoptera (membrane winged), whose members have two pairs of thin, clear membranous wings. Also, included in this order are Wasps and Ants.

The two Bees that most people are familiar with are Honey Bee and Bumble Bee. These Social Bees are organized into colonies, with each member of the community having certain responsibilities to fulfill. Queen Bee builds the nest and lays the eggs. Worker Bee searches for nectar and pollen to take back to the nest.

Besides Social Bees, there are Solitary Bees such as Leafcutter Bee, Carpenter Bee, and Mason Bee. Leafcutter Bee constructs her nests with leaves and wood. Carpenter Bees construct their homes in solid wood by forming tunnels. Despite their resemblance to Bumble Bees, Carpenter Bees are loath to sting anyone. In some species of Carpenter Bees, Mother Bee and her entire family fly off to search for nectar and pollen, together. Mason Bees are similar to Carpenter Bees except that They wall off their tunnel chambers with dirt and clay.

One of the busiest and most useful of insects, Bee asks you to examine your own productivity in life. Bee reflects multiple choices. When opportunities present themselves, Bee teaches you to sort through for the most important one.


Bee's Wisdom Includes:
Celebration
Organization
Service
Gathering
Industry
Frugalness and Hard Work
Fertility and the Honey of Life
Builder

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Copyright: Virginia Carper, Animal Teachers, 2008
For Animal Totem Readings: contact me at animalteachers@gmail.com

Wisdom of the Crawling Ones

The Crawling Ones are usually small, creepy, and crawly. Moreover, They give many people "the creeps." Go beyond the “ick factor” and learn what Crawling Ones have to say. They are opportunists, and one of the most diversified life forms.

As long as people have been on Earth, Insects have been a part of their lives. Insects provide food or live off people; protect or ravage crops. One fourth of all living animals are Insects. They are found in every place on Earth, adapting to all sorts of environments.

Social Insects live in communities. Their nests seem busy and chaotic but these Insects are performing specific tasks. To insure the group's survival, the individuals have a clearly defined role. Each nest forms a tightly knit unit, with the Queen as the driving force.

One characteristic is that all Insects share is that They undergo transformations as They mature. From the egg stage to the voracious larval stage, Insects mature into breeding adults. This process known as metamorphosis, has advantages because it allows several generations to live together and not compete for living space and food.

The non-insect Crawling Ones impart their own wisdom. Worms and Slugs, two different orders of animals, feed on decaying plant matter, producing livable soil. Snails control pests in gardens. These Crawling Ones may seem 'gross', but They do a lot of good.

Most people do not like Crawling Ones, and therefore do not differentiate between any of Them. For example to many people, all Flies or Bees are alike. Flies range from the bloodsucking Mosquito to the beneficial Robber Fly. Although Bumble Bees and Honey Bees are Social Bees, They differ in subtle ways. Bumble Bees keep messy nests, while Honey Bees are more methodical. Read the Individual Teacher Pages for their wisdom.

Since to many people, all Crawling Ones seem alike, a family page will be provided as a starting point. Each Individual Member has things in common that the Family can teach for example Flies and Dragonflies are skilled fliers. Read both the family page and individual pages for the wisdom that They impart.

Crawling Ones' Wisdom Include:
Fertility
Matriarchy
Community
Metamorphosis
Opportunity
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Copyright: Virginia Carper, Animal Teachers, 2008
For Animal Totem Readings: contact me at animalteachers@gmail.com
animalteachers@gmail.com

Hawaiian Raven

The sacred raven is quickly disappearing in HI and there are just a few in captivity now. I was lucky to see some in person in April at The Maui Conservation Center in HI. Thank you for helping me.
Sincerely, Debra Gannon Neuberger

Kelanola, the Raven Princess of Oahu
New Illustrated Children’s Book Colorfully Presents Story of Hawaiian Folklore
In her new children’s book, Kelanola, the Raven Princess of Oahu (published by AuthorHouse), Debra Gannon Neuberger imparts the majestic beauty of Hawaiian folklore in a story about friendship and freedom.

Beautifully illustrated by Kathleen Michele Nail, Kelanola, the Raven Princess of Oahu is a colorful book that teaches a simple message – all living creatures desire to be free – and includes a glossary of many Hawaiian words that children and parents will enjoy learning together.

Kelanola is a very special raven. She is an aumakua, an honored Hawaiian spirit ancestor who can assume many forms, including the form of a raven. According to an ancient Hawaiian legend, when someone dies they are taken by the sacred raven to a high point where they leap into the next world. The raven is said to continue communication between those in this world and the next.

The book opens with Kelanola soaring high over the ocean on soft trade winds. Kelanola meets her best friend, Kanoa, and they reminisce about their childhood growing up on the island of Oahu. The two ravens were raised in captivity by two sisters, Kakalina and Kaniele.

Kelanola always dreamed of being free, living high on a cliff over the ocean. One day she found an open window and flew up and away to freedom. But her escape made Kanoa lonely. The sisters set him free, and he searches in desperation for Kelanola. A whale tells him that a beautiful young raven has gone to Oahu, and he flies straight there. When he finds Kelanola, they joyfully fly away to be together forever.

Today, two ravens are often seen soaring together over the Manoa Valley, and many believe that the birds are Kelanola and Kanoa.

Debra Gannon Neuberger and Kathleen Michele Nail both grew up in Honolulu on the island of Oahu and currently live in Colorado. They regularly return to Hawaii to visit family and friends.

Other Worldly Beings: Incarnate Elementals (2)

Bursting into Jerry Seinfeld’s life, Cosmos Kramer (SEINFELD, David and Seinfeld, 1989-1998) is an Incarnated Fire Elemental. He cheerfully goes through life off-kilter, driving his friends crazy. Wearing his hair straight up, frantically waving his arms, and erupting in strange syllables, Kramer resembles a wildfire. Like a fire, he burns away the status quo, thereby disrupting his friends’ lives.

For example, believing that a pigman was held captive in the hospital, Kramer confronts the doctor. He yells, “There was half man, half pig in that room! Now where is he? You know, pork, sausage, yabitty, yabitty, that’s all folks!” After Kramer engineers his escape, the pigman steals his friend’s (George Costanza) car. Only then does Kramer realizes that the man was a mental patient.

Other Worldly Beings: Incarnate Elementals (1)

Spider-Man (Marvel, Lee and Ditko, 1962 - ) swings from tall building to tall building to fight crime in New York City. As an Incarnate Air Elemental, he does it for the sheer joy of being lighter than air. Spider-Man enjoys dropping in on people when they least expect it and disappearing just as suddenly. He takes no one seriously, including himself. “I’m just your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man,” he quips.

In his ordinary life as Peter Parker, Spider-Man is unassuming and shy. Awkward on land as Parker, he applies his passion for life as a scientist unlocking the secrets of nature. Only when Parker is soaring through the air, does he come alive. The air is his element. The skyscrapers beckon him to go higher and higher in the sky.




In contrast, SpongeBob SquarePants (SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS, Hillenburg, 1999- ) is an Incarnate Water Elemental. Cheerful and kind, he greets the world with, “Good morning world and all who inhabit it.” Then he tells his friend, Patrick, the starfish, “You’ll never guess what I found in my sock this morning! Go ahead, guess.” Life in his pineapple house under the sea is never dull.

A serious fry cook, SpongeBob has been the employee of the month at Krusty Krab for 371 times. Elsewhere, he wrecks chaos wherever he goes. Because of the havoc he creates learning to ‘drive’, Miss Puff, his boating instructor refuses, to grant him his license. Undeterred he continues on. Driving the Patty Wagon, a hamburger-like vehicle, SpongeBob tells Patrick, “You don’t need a license to drive a sandwich!”

Prayer to the Mother Earth

Earth Mother
Our Mother
Your child offers to You,
My labors
My fruits,
My love,
Receive my offerings.

"Wild Earth" Animal Essences

Each animal offers support in aiding you on your life’s path. For example, Beaver, the Master Architect, assists you in building your life. Meanwhile, Snake offers deep transformation of your wounded psyche.

For help in accessing the power of the animals, I suggest “Wild Earth Animal Essences” created by Daniel Mapel of New Hope Virginia. These essences are a direct means of receiving that help. For children, “Wild Child Essences” helps them feel safe and protected. Adults with childhood issues also benefit from these essences as well. For example, Elephant Calf provides emotional protection and warmth for those who need a sense of family.

Like flower essences and gem elixirs, these are vibrational remedies for people to use in healing. Each animal essence carries the energy of that animal. (None of these essences are made from animal parts, nor is any animal harmed.) Use in a bath and feel the energy of the animal come alive in you. Or if you rather, take a few drops in a drink of water.

I am offering them at $US 10 a bottle. Ask for them when you see Animal Teachers for a consultation or vending at a fair! I will be vending at KarmaFest, June 7 and 8 2008, which is held at the Harford County (MD) 4-H Camp at The Rocks. Their website is http://www.karmafest.com/

Other Worldly Beings: Incarnate Angels

Whenever I thought about angels on earth, I pictured them as tall, blond, thin people. To me, Angels were serious people who came to deliver messages and teach lessons. Of course, they would have a glow about them. I often thought that if I met one, they would be an austere college professor.

After finding out what Incarnate Angels are really like, I realized that my notions needed a bit of refinement. Because life on earth is so different, many Incarnate Angels have addiction problems. They are the ones “who love too much”, and therefore have problems with imbalances in their relationships. The healthier Angels learned how to remove toxic elements from themselves and others.

Incarnate Angels are more than messengers: they are healers, as well. Angels are active in human lives as nurturers and healers. They are reckless in their love as they try to heal the rifts between people and within people.

Pondering Incarnate Angels in my life, I see one person who exemplifies this Magickal Being. My son’s social worker counsels at-risk teens at the local high school. Even on her vacation, she checks in with the teenagers, in her care, to ensure that they are alright. The teens respond to her care by trusting her with their darkest secrets. Because she loves them so much, each teenager would give her roses when they graduated.

Other Worldly Beings: Ponderings (1)

Traits of an Other Worldly Being

• Feel different from others
• Acute sensitivity to other people, chemicals, or violence
• A strong sense of purpose
• A history of frustrating relationships
• Strangers tell them their problems
• Look younger than their chronological years
• May have a history of personal or family addictions
• Has a ringing in one ear.

Source: Doreen Virtue, “Realms of the Earth Angels: More Information for Incarnated Angels, Elementals, Wizards, and Other Lightworkers”, Hay House: USA, 2007.


Other Worldly Beings

Incarnated Angel
Incarnated Elemental (animals, crystals, dragons, elves, fairies, unicorns, etc.)
Star Person
Wise One (reincarnated holy people, shamans, etc)
Hybrid (combinations of other worldly beings)

Evolving Soul – moved from one group to another, but does not identify with either.
Shape shifter – dabbler, going from group to group to experience each.
Walk-In – being who lives in a human body, after that person’s soul left


Of Hybrids and Blended Folks (according to Doreen Virtue):

Wise Ones

Mystic Angels: Wise One / Healing Angel
Knights Paladin: Wise One / Protector Angel
Mystic Stars: Wise One / Starperson
Leprechaun: Wise One / Elemental

Merpeople

Merangel: Water Elemental / Angel
Merfairie: Water Elemental / Other Elemental
Star-Mer: Water Elemental / Starperson
Mystic Mer: Water Elemental / Wise One

"Critter Crossings" (3): Solutions in play

Established transition zones (areas only mowed once a year)

No mowing beyond the transition zone

Barriers of wire mesh, partly buried to prevent animals from burrowing under

Compost road kill to deter scavengers

Vegetable road barriers to prevent small animal crossings

Squirrel bridges

Salamander crossing signs

Wider culverts

Wood tops on deer fences to stop them from jumping over

"Critter Crossings" (2)

People getting together to solve the carnage!

The people of Central Florida noticed how many frogs, snakes, and turtles were being killed crossing a busy highway. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, about a thousand animals of eighty species were being killed a year along a two mile stretch of U.S. 441, which crosses a nature preserve. The local people with state transportation and natural resource agencies, environmental groups, and the University of Florida worked together to develop a safe crossing for the animals. The result was a tipped wall that diverted the animals to highway underpasses. Since building the wall, animals have been safely crossing under the road.

Salamanders in a Massachusetts town were being killed, trying to crossing a busy street to get to their breeding ponds. The people of Amherst tried to save the salamanders by carrying them across in buckets. To find a better way of saving the amphibians, the local people worked with the British Fauna and Floral Preservation Society, ACO Polymer of Germany, the Amherst Department of Public Works, University of Massachusetts, Massachusetts Audubon Society, and Hitchcock Center for the Environment (a local conservation group) to design and build a tunnel for the salamanders to use to cross the street in safety. The tunnel was built, and hundreds of salamanders were saved.

To prevent Eurasian badgers from becoming road kill, badger tunnels (first built in Heumen Municipality, the Netherlands) provide a solution for the tradition-minded badgers. The tunnels connect municipal greenways with established badger setts. Since the implementation of the badger tunnel program, the population of badgers in Heumen has doubled.

For large and small animals, help is on the way. If we act as a determined group, we can help them. The U.S. Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21)) sets aside funds to pay for habitat connectivity measures (including crossing structures). The U.S. Federal Highway Administration will aid local groups in providing solutions for wildlife crossings. Contact the U.S. Department of Transportation, U.S. Federal Highway Administration: Paul Garrett at (303) 969-5772 or Paul.Garrett@fhwa.dot.gov. Their site, “Critter Crossings”, provides examples of community action.

Remember working together we can prevent the carnage of the roadside.

"Critter Crossings" (1)

Why did the animal cross the road? To get to the other side for food, mating, and breeding. How do they cross the road? With great difficulty, since many are hit by cars and trucks daily. Add up all those deaths, and you realize that whole species are becoming extinct.

Most people do not want to hurt an animal. They would rather swerve than to hit one. Others do not want a deer crashing into their windshields, and having to pay for the damage. However, we can all agree on a solution to provide safe crossings for animals.

While many of us consider large animals like deer, the smaller ones such as toads and salamanders also need our help. Even squirrels seeking nuts would prefer a car free future. With our friends and neighbors, we can arrive at simple solutions for benefiting both ourselves and the animals.

It could be as simple as a sign declaring “Salamander Crossing”. In Scotland, rope bridges were constructed to help endangered red squirrels to cross safely over the road. In the Dismal Swamp of Virginia, road crews provided large underground culverts for foxes and other mammals to use. In Poolsville, Maryland, the local people collect salamanders and carry them to their breeding ponds.

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Photo by William Boarman

To record the movement of desert tortoises through this underpass, researchers adapted a computerized tracking system that until then had been used mostly to census fish.

- picture caption

Stingray Teachings

Stingrays are beautiful and graceful swimmers, with a distinctive sleek tail, that has sharp spines on it. Stingrays propel Themselves through water with their powerful pectoral fins, which ripple and flap like Birds' wings. Their 'stingers' which stings like Scorpion's tail, defend Them from predators.

Stingrays regularly return to cleaning stations where Reef Fish live. The Reef Fish eat the parasites off the Stingrays' skin. They get a meal, the Stingrays, a bath and massage.

Stingray demostrates the positive aspects of friendship. But, remember that friendship is more than mutual assistance.

Stingray's Teachings Includes:

"Stingray Dreaming asks that we always take time to get to know people before forming superficial opinions of them."

Copyright: "Animal Dreaming", Scott Alexander King.

Stingray's Wisdom Includes:
Confidence
Grace
Moving Through Life with Ease
Freedom
Camouflage

Death and Rebirth In Myths

Many cultures have stories of death and rebirth. In Japan, Amaterasu, the Sun Goddess, has to be coaxed from her cave to bring back the light. Meanwhile, the Hittite God, Telepinus, has to be coaxed from his mountains to bring back the rains. Among various Native American nations, Corn Mother has to be sacrificed to be reborn as corn for the people. The Inuit of the Arctic tell stories about Sedna, from whose broken body comes the bounty of their land.

Why do these disparate cultures have myths of death and rebirth? One could argue that they explain the cycles of life on earth. Daily, the sun rises and sets, and then rises again. In Ancient Egypt, Tawerat of Egypt acted as midwife to the daily rebirth of the sun.

However, these myths go beyond simply explaining the daily or seasonal cycles. They make explicit the delicate balance between the needs of people and nature. To keep the balance of life, deep harmony has to exist between the two. Lest they upset it, people need to be reminded of their relationship with nature. In building their city, the Romans were conscious of disturbing sacred groves in building their city.

Where ever humans lived, they faced the vagaries of nature – volcanoes erupt, monsoons flood, droughts linger. The myths reassured people that after everything died, it would come back. Living in an uncertain world, people needed to know that the sun would rise again. The retelling of stories of death and rebirth restored people’s faith in an ordered universe.

Since everywhere, people need to know that the universe is orderly and secure, similar stories are told by different cultures. Myths of death and rebirth tap into the human need for hope and a better future. People could go about their daily lives, reassured that in the future, the warmth, welcoming rains, and fertility of the land would come once again.

"Other wordly Beings"? (1)

Except for stories of “space aliens” among us, I never thought much about “other worldly beings” among us. However in conversations with various New Age folks, I learned of “walk-ins” and “star people”. “Walk-ins” are people who have another being take over their body. “Star people” are folks who are aliens reborn in human bodies. Later, I encountered people who told me about the “Other Kin”, folks who are animals, dragons, and fairies reborn in human bodies.

All these concepts are difficult for me to comprehend, since I take mental illness seriously. I regard these stories as a way to explain away serious mental issues. To me, it is easier to be an “other worldly being”, than to admit that perhaps one’s brain is disordered. I often thought that this was a convenient explanation for not taking responsibility for one’s actions.

Living in the city, I have not encountered any “other worldly beings”. It may be that cities are not conducive to these beings. Or it could be that the mentally-ill people I meet are maladjusted “other worldly beings”. For me, it is hard to tell the difference between someone with a malfunctioning brain, and someone trying to adjust to a new life on Earth.

White Stag and Hind

This is from the Celtic point of view.

The Celts regarded Hind to be a fairy creature who could pass between worlds. Upon seeing White Hind, the seeker would be guided safely into the forest towards the gates of the Otherworld and beyond. Hind were “fairy cattle.” They were guides for people when life seemed chaotic and illusionary.

In many stories, Stag signified a great change in a person’s life. White Stag initiated a series of challenges for a person to overcome. For later Christians, Stag came to represent Christ leading souls through the darkness. In both traditions, Stag is the one who guided the person through changes.

Stag’s Teachings Also Include:

“Venerated by many peoples in the past and today, Stag is a creature who is generously willing to share its life with people.” Copyright: “Through the Unremembered Gate”, Tira Brandon Evans.

“The White Stag is infact one representation of our own soul with the hunt, proving to be a vital lesson in self-discovery.” Copyright: “Animal Messengers”, Scott Alexander King.

Sharks in Danger! (2)

In light of the recent shark attacks, I want to remind people that it is the sharks that are being overfished, and are in danger. They are needed to keep the oceans healthy!

Sharks come in all shapes and sizes, and live nearly everywhere. This diverse group of Fish vary in size from the small Dogfish to the huge Whale Shark. They have adapted to living in freshwater, saltwater, and even the ocean depths. Sharks inhabit all the seas and oceans, even the icy waters around Greenland.

Although Sharks are feared, They often fail to live up to their fearsome reputations. Only a few Sharks attack people. Whale Sharks are plankton feeders, and Leopard Sharks are considered to be docile. However, Sharks are quite good at defending Themselves. Great Whites, Blues, Bulls, and Mako Sharks are the world’s only uncaged predators left. Sharks teach self-defense but also warn that the reputation for ruthlessness may overwhelm others.

Contrary to popular belief, Sharks are not instinctive killing machines. Like everyone else, They learn through experience how to hunt. Sharks are a much maligned Fish. Without them, the ocean would be a cesspool. Sharks eat sick, dying, and dead animals, and Some even help coral reefs to grow. Sharks have survived eons taking care of the earth's seas for everyone's survival.

Skunks: Weigh Your Risks

Originally placed with the Weasel Family, Skunks were later moved to their own family of Mephitidae (meaning “stench”) which includes the Stink Badgers of Southeast Asia. (Skunks’ DNA were found to be different from the Weasels’.) These bold patterned Mammals go about their business, self-assured and self-confident since no other animal wants to be squirted with a bad smelling musk. The world “skunk” comes from the Abenaki (Native Americans of New England) word segonku which means “One who squirts.”

Before a skunk sprays an intruder, They will warn them first. First a Skunk will arch their back and walk towards the offender. Then the Skunk will lift his tail and click his teeth. After stamping his feet, the Skunk does a headstand and sprays the offender.

Thought of as brave and feisty, Skunk goes about His life unperturbed. But his spraying comes with a physiological cost. While replenishing his spray, Skunk is defenseless for ten days. However, most Animals do not wish to gamble on that chance. So They avoid Skunks.

Skunk Family teaches us to weigh the risks before taking action. Do not be too clever for your own good. Go about your business with self-confidence.

Teachings from Skunk Family Include:
“We saw a couple of skunks -- odious animals. Conscious of its power, it roams by day about the open plain, and fears neither dog nor man. Certain it is, that every animal willing makes room for the Zorillo (skunk).” Copyright: “Voyage of the Beagle” by Charles Darwin.

“Skunk teaches us to be clever but not foolish. Take risks when they are worthwhile, but do not become a daredevil, flaunting your mortality to the universe.” Copyright: The Nahualli Animal Oracle by Caelum Rainieri and Ivory Andersen.

Skunk Family’s Wisdom Includes:
Having a Reputation
Respect
Nonviolent Action
Honor Yourself
Self-respect Brings Other’s Respect

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Science Note: Although Skunks are also called “polecats”, they are not relatives of the European Polecat (Mustela putorius). Meanwhile Zorilla (Striped Polecat), Ictonyx striatus, which looks like a typical Skunk, is a member of the Weasel Family.

Note: Hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, and liquid soap mixed together is the most effective to remove the smell. DO NOT PUT THIS MIXTURE INTO A BOTTLE OR IT WILL EXLODE.

Periwinkle (2)

On my walks around the neighborhood, I connected with this plant elder. Whenever, I went, I encountered “many hills of purple”. In his natural places, I could relate to Periwinkle and meditate with Him.

Periwinkle is a plant of the semi-wild places, and not of the home. Silvanus, the Roman God of the uncultured land and woods, watches over this plant elder. It is best to meet Periwinkle outdoors on the fringes of gardens.

I understand why Periwinkle has so much strength and intensity. This plant elder is a wild untamed flower living in the city. Periwinkle creeps around seemingly tame, but then takes over without notice. For me, this plant cannot be contained on an altar but must be free. I see Periwinkle as a Spirit of the Semi-wild Places.

Meditations on Periwinkle

Periwinkle, Your Most Purpleness
Periwinkle, Your Most Intenseness
You envelope me.

Your blossom small
Hides your spirit wild.
I say to all
Watch for the Periwinkle.

Note: I think of Periwinkle as a male.

References:
Andrews, Ted, “Nature-Speak: Signs, Omens, and Messages in Nature”, Dragonhawk Publishing, Jackson TN, 2004.

Bradford, Nikki, “Heal Yourself with Flowers and Other Essences”, Quadrille Publishing Ltd, London, 2006.
“Periwinkle”, A Modern Herbal by M. Grieve, Botanical.com, 2008, 21 April 2008,

Periwinkle (1)

With his bright purpleness, everywhere I walk, Periwinkle greets me. Peeping through the groundcover, He and his Relatives welcome me. However from time to time, I find myself overwhelmed by this plant elder.

In spite of this plant’s intenseness, I was drawn to meditate on Periwinkle. After studying his natural history, I realized that my efforts to know this flower would be fruitful. According to “Heal Yourself with Flowers and Other Essences” by Nikki Bradford, “Periwinkle can help wash away memories of those past experiences and beliefs, which drain the flow of your energy.” A plant that can clear away the past would have to be intense. Therefore, I thought that this plant elder would be a good ally in dealing with life issues.

Since the time of the Anglo-Saxons and later Chaucer, Periwinkle has been a friend of people. In the Old World, Greater Periwinkle (Vinca Major) is used as an astringent and tonic. Lesser Periwinkle (Vinca minor) is used as a part of a tincture for hemorrhages. Because of this plant’s usefulness, Europeans transplanted Him to the New World.

In Europe, Periwinkle is also called the Sorcerer’s Violet. Planted on children’s graves, this plant elder would protect them from malevolent spirits. Since this plant has the power to exorcize evil spirits, people used Him in healing and magic.

Animal Individuals and Families

Many books and websites that discuss animal wisdom have Snakes, Lizards, Frogs, and Turtles listed as one animal each. However, the individuals in each group are widespread in their characteristics and habits. A Rat Snake is different in temperament from a Cobra. The Lizard species encompasses tiny Geckos, huge Komodo Dragons, and fierce Horned Lizards. Turtles range from the quiet Box Turtle to the rapacious Snapping Turtle.

Since some characteristics pertain to the entire species, one can offer some generalizations about the group, for example, such as Snakes have no legs or that Turtles have shells. However, bear in mind what most members of each group may have in common, some animals will not. Therefore it is wise to learn about both the family and the individual.

Working With Your Shadow

Our shadow animal is the dynamic that brings change to our lives. They test us, and give us energy to change ourselves. They help us break out of our comfortable places, and push us out into the world.

Welcome the animal into your life. Regard it as an ally. Remember you do not have to cuddle up with your shadow animal or feel warm feelings towards them. Accept that they are there to help you.

Mole (2)

The mole that lives around my dumpster is a Common (Eastern) Mole (Scalopus aquaticus), who constructs a vast series of deep tunnels for living. One of the largest and strongest of moles, Common Mole is also the most adapted for life underground. With his bullet-shaped head, powerful muscles, and web-like claws, Common Mole is an earth miner swimming in search of earthworms. A prolific tunneller, He has his own exclusive burrow system of summer and winter tunnels. During cold weather, He uses the deeper tunnels for warmth. In warm weather, Common Mole constructs surface tunnels, which may include hornets’ nests (one of his favorite foods).

Eating hornets is something I never thought that a mole could do. For me, Common Mole is a powerful totem, since He transmutes poison into food. As a hunter of hornets, Common Mole protects those around Him.

Most people see Common Mole as a pest since He digs up their lawns. But people should welcome Common Mole, for He mixes and aerates the soil, provides tunnels for water to reach plant roots, and eats many destructive insects. Instead of cursing Common Mole, watch Him as He swims through your lawn, making it greener for the future.

Perhaps people can see this mole the way the Lakota (US) do – as a care taker of the earth. According to the Lakota, moles know the earth’s aches and pains. Being nearly blind, moles also see the world without bias.

In their underground world, moles are unseen and solitary. However like Mole of Kenneth Graham’s “The Wind in the Willows”, we can go outside of our comfort zone. Following brave Mole, we can come into the sunshine and make friends. We can be as fearless as Mole.



Sources:
Forsyth, Adrian, “Mammals of North America”, Buffalo: Firefly Books, 1999.

Jones, David, “North American Wildlife”, Vancouver: White Cap Books, 2002.

Palmer, Jessica Dawn, “Animal Wisdom”, London: Element, 2001.

The Mole (1)

After I found a mole near the common dumpster, I learned that moles live underground in many urban areas. This particular mole was trying to find his way home amid the concrete. With my handkerchief, I carefully picked him up and deposited him on the grass.

Nearly forty kinds of moles live in the woodlands and fields of Eurasia and North America. Moles spend most of their lives underground. In the darkness of their burrows, moles eat, sleep, mate, and raise their young. These insectivores, with their small eyes and ears, eat many insects and other invertebrates. As underground tunnellers, moles have taken advantage of where they live.

Usually out of sight and underground, moles are the least understood among mammals. As swimmers of the earth, moles’ bodies are digging machines with their shovel-like paws. Similar to a person swimming the breast stroke, moles push the dirt behind them as they dig. Once their burrows are done, moles spend much of their time patrolling their system of runways. Since their burrows act as a giant pitfall trap, moles often find worms or insects that fall into one of the tunnels. With their sensitive snouts and Eimer’s organs, moles can detect juicy worms, one of their favorite foods.

The mole’s ability to tunnel underground reminds me of an explorer hacking his way through the jungles. But the mole not only finds a path, he also makes the path for others to follow. To me, mole is more than an explorer; he is also the guide into the unknown. The mole is the Pathmaker!

Who wants to know what lies beyond the bend? Who is unafraid to go there? Who makes a road to get there? The mole!

Guardian Dragons

One Nature Spirit that people are fond of is the dragon. Many of our experiences with them are usually with the “small ones”. Being curious, young dragons find people fun and intriguing. For these reasons, they enjoy the company of humans.

Usually a younger dragon, who likes to play, will become a guardian dragon. Sometimes, an older dragon will ask you to mentor a young dragon. Watching you unawares, the older one has decided that you are mature and steady, qualities of a good dragon mentor. Although the older dragon will guide you, understand that you have the responsibility of caring for the dragon “child”. (Age in dragons is different than with people. They age more slowly.) Remember in your relationship with these two different dragons, that they have placed their trust in you. Treat both with love and consideration.

Before inviting a guardian dragon into your home, first make it “dragon friendly”. Place dragon pictures around your house. Have gems, crystals, beads, bells, and bright shiny pendulums for them to play with. “Baby” dragons love to swing on pendulums and bounce up and down.

At first, you will only sense their presence. You will see an eye, a flash of wings, or a face in the window. Eventually, when the dragon feels comfortable, they will make themselves visible to you. When that happens, speak to them kindly. Enjoy their antics, and include the dragon in your daily activities. Remember to leave them little gifts, and above all express your love to your guardian dragon.

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Read more about Dragons - purchase my book "Dragons" from my website.

The Magic of Forsythia (2)

People frequently plant this shrub because it is adaptable to many conditions. Few diseases can attack a forsythia bush. It is easy to reproduce either by cuttings or by pruning it back. In addition, the shrub will root itself by drooping branches on the ground. Later, these branches will root on the spot.

People also like the forsythia because it acts as a living wall or a privacy fence. When this bush is leafed out, it forms a dense screen. Forsythia shields people from unpleasant things, and offers privacy.

With its vigorous growth, one forsythia bush can overrun a large area. According to horticultural experts, in five years, a shrub can grow eight feet tall (nearly three meters) and five feet across, (almost two meters.) Because of this ease in taking over an area, it is often listed as an invasive plant species. Unless forsythia is carefully monitored, it can crowd out native plant species. The shadow side of forsythia is its heedless dominance.

These aspects of the forsythia help me to understand its relations with the fairies. The bush provides places for the fairies and other nature spirits to dance. The forsythia protects them from view, and offers them shelter.
In this aspect, forsythia acts as a gateway to the Otherworlds. If you stand quietly on a bright spring day, you can see the fairies come and go. Also on quiet summer evenings, the nature spirits peer shyly from underneath the leaves. This ordinary plant keeps secrets well.

The forsythia helps people to understand that they can grow where they are planted. They can be transformed into something better. Be brave and go out into the cold world to bring happiness is what the forsythia counsels us. However, always be aware the shadow side of forsythia - excessive and overwhelming force. As we do with the fairies, we must also approach the forsythia with caution. This bush’s good qualities must be tempered with moderation.

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References:

Bradford, Nikki, “Heal Yourself with Flowers and Other Essences”, Quadrille Publishing Ltd, London, 2006

Wells, Diana, “100 Flowers and How They Got Their Names”, Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 1997

The Magic of Forsythia (1)

According to “Heal Yourself with Flowers and Other Essences” by Nikki Bradford, the essence of forsythia can be used to help people with their addictions. The author writes that the plant can give a person the strength to change their engrained habits. From the book,

“Allow the golden yellow of my blossoms to bathe you in the light of transformation. Let me strengthen your willingness to move forward.”

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The natural history of the forsythia does suggest this particular attribute of its magical qualities. Brought from China in 1842 by Robert Fortune (famous plant explorer), this bush thrived unexpectedly well in both England and North America. Robert Fortune named the plant after William Forsyth, who had started the Royal Horticultural Society of Great Britain.

Before that in 1833, another species of forsythia had been introduced in Europe as a lilac. After further taxonomic work, botanists decided it to be a new genus of the olive family, and classified it with the Forsythia family. Since then, this plant has mutated several times, providing gardeners with a variety of choices, such as being more upright or having larger flowers. Forsythia demonstrates the ability to start over fresh.

Often seen as one of the first signs of spring, the bright yellow flowers of the forsythia bush shouts, “SPRING IS COMING!”. Walking down a drab street on a cold, grey day, a person feels often happy after seeing this cheerful bush. Its flowers give hope and reassurance that warm weather is soon to arrive. Like the forsythia, we can be bright on the greyest day, knowing that a better day is coming.

Forsythia is a brave shrub. When many other plants wait for warmer weather, the forsythia pops out, in cold March, with all its glory. A person can draw strength from the courageous saffron flowers of this plant.

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References:
Bradford, Nikki, “Heal Yourself with Flowers and Other Essences”, Quadrille Publishing Ltd, London, 2006

Wells, Diana, “100 Flowers and How They Got Their Names”, Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 1997
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If you want to journey further into Nature: see my website Inner Journeys: http://funkman.org/innerjourney/innerjourneys.html