Cold-Blooded Ones: Sensitivity to One’s Environment

My latest post at Witches and Pagans: Animal Wisdom.

The Cold-Blooded Ones are called that because they lack the ability to keep warm by using their bodies. Since these animals need to regulate their body temperatures, the Cold-Blooded Ones use their environment to help them do this. A turtle will find a sunny spot to bask in. A salamander will move under a rock for warmth. Toads will bury themselves in the dirt. Snakes prefer living in rocky dens for warmth and under leafy bushes for coolness.

Reptiles are one of the most ancient forms of life, and also one of the most adaptable. Both the turtles and crocodiles have survived the dinosaurs, while remaining the nearly same today as they were in the past. In addition, crocodiles are distant relatives to birds and dinosaurs. Snakes and lizards have expanded the ways that reptiles adapt to their environment. Snakes lost their legs, while lizards adapted to life in the ocean. Meanwhile, worm-lizards (ringed lizards) have evolved to burrow underground by using their heads.

Read the rest at: Cold-Blooded Ones

Frog Family: Tolerance

A Toad

We hear Frogs – their croaking at dusk and dawn, their plop as they dive into the water. We hardly ever see them because Frogs hop away faster than we can approach them. During the spring we hear male Frogs call to females in nearby ponds. To many people, Frogs mean spring and water.

Frogs are Amphibians that need water to procreate and to live in the first part of their lives. They live the adult part of their life on land. As Frogs, they must return to the water to breed.

In late spring, We see little Froglets darting about in ponds. Froglets, which many people call tadpoles (toad’s head) or pollywogs (wiggling head), are the Frogs’ juvenile forms. We see them swimming through their aquatic world, their round bodies swishing a strong muscular tail. Eventually, they will transform into Frogs, and leave the water for the land.

The entire family of Frogs is the Order Anura (tailless amphibians). The Toad family (Bufonidae), which contains the Cane Toad (Bufo marinus) and the Natterjack Toad (Bufo calamita), is one of twenty Frog families. Tree Frogs form the Hylidae and Rhacophoridae families. The Mid-Wife Toad (Alytes obstetricans) belongs to the Discoglossidae family. What people consider to be “true” Frogs are from the family Ranidae. All these scientific categories demonstrate the wide variety of the Frog family. Little wonder why people become confused over the question, “What is a frog?” The answer is, “They all are.”

Frogs demonstrate the principle of tolerance. Frogs come in all shapes and sizes. There are the tiny Spring Peepers, ugly Horned Toads, vigorous Bullfrogs, and green Barking Tree Frogs. The old song goes, “All God’s Children sing in the choir. Some sing low, others sing higher.” Listen to Frog songs, and you will here the low jug-a-rum of the Bullfrog, the rasping natter-natter of the Natterjack Toad, and the high peeps of the Spring Peepers. Together in unison, They provide a melody pleasing to the ear.

Important Frog Teaching: Empathy
“Frog has long been associated with water and fertility. Frogs have a keen sense of hearing that is unique to their species. They can hear octaves and pitch that other aquatic animals do not. The song of Frog often foretells of an imminent rain. Those with Frog Medicine are often "in tune" with the weather. They are often "charged" by a rain instead of made sleepy. Frog people tend to relate to others on an emotional level, and are great empaths. The ability to purge and cleanse negativity resides within a Frog person.” Copyright: Unknown.

Important Frog Teaching: Cleansing
“Frog holds the knowledge of weather and how to control it. Frog medicine can bring rains for every purpose – to cleanse, to heal, to help things grow, to flood, to stream. Its energies can be used to bring light showers or downpours for most any purpose.” Copyright: “Animal-Speak”, Ted Andrews.

Frog and Toad Teachings Include:
“Frog’s familiar song is associated with rain, for frogs and toads must lay their eggs in moisture. Many tribal people pray to Frog and Toad during drought. Folk wisdom tells us that dreaming of Frog means good fortune and if Frog visits your home, you will find romance. When you see or hear Frog or Toad, close your eyes and visualize prosperity. Then give thanks to Frog and Toad for calling forth the healing, life-renewing rain.” Copyright: Dolfyn.

“Frogs are good signs. The Frog is a doctor and healer, seer, and fortune-teller. The Frog is a messenger of rain....On the other hand, Toads are a bad power and bad luck. If you see Toad, then pray for protection.” Copyright: “Spirits of the Earth”, Bobby Lake-Thom.

Frog’s Advice Includes:
“Are you having difficulty expressing your emotions? Are you becoming fixated on one thing to the extent that nothing else matters? Frog Clan will help you learn to express yourself and to help you heal yourself emotionally. This is the position of slow, but steady change.” Copyright: Unknown.

Frog’s Wisdom Includes:

Transformation

Joy In a New Cycle of Life

Fertility

Fearlessness

Bringing Clarity

Diversity

Wisdom of the Soul

Emotional Healing

Well-Being

HYNERPETON: Transitions

Discovered in Pennsylvania (USA), Hynerpeton altered people’s notions of how Tetrapods (early land animals) lived on the land.  This proto-amphibian lived both in the water and on dry land.  Hynerpeton spent most of his time in water, but did come on the land for periods at a time.  In the Devonian Period (360 million years ago), Hynerpeton spent much of the time lurking in the watery reeds of inland wetlands waiting for his prey. 

Hynerpeton had a fin-shaped tail but also robust legs with eight toes on each.  Moreover, Hynerpeton had a primitive kidney, which is a sign of a permanent transition to life on land.  In his case, He was metamorphosing from a Tetrapod to being an Amphibian.

            Because of his eight toes, scientists believe that Hynerpeton was not a direct ancestor of modern land animals.  The five-toed body type is what many land animals adopted as the most effective way to navigate on land.  Although Hynerpeton was only a cousin, He still can show how the shift from living in the sea to on the land happened.

            Since Hynerpeton is a transitional animal, He can teach us about the process of change.  Hynerpeton understands that we may not see the end result, but that we should still “muddle through”.  He knows that one of his descendants will reach the end of the journey that He started.  To Hynerpeton, the process is as important as the beginning and the ending.  To those who get discouraged, He urges them to continue on.  When you get stuck, ask Hynerpeton to remind you why you went on this journey.