animal spirit guides

My Spirit Animal White Wolf Shared Her Name with Me

My Spirit Animal White Wolf Shared Her Name with Me
Photo credit: Nadine Doerle

Ever since I began the planning for my Animal Wisdom SoulCollage® Workshop, which I’m facilitating this Saturday at my home studio, I’ve had white wolf visit me on several occasions. She first came to me two years ago in a guided visualization during a challenging time, encouraging me to continue to let my heart lead the way for my life. 

It’s not always been easy, as life can be, and as you try to not let the doubts or belief’s of society fill your mind. As I’ve been working on another workshop, this one to be online about working with our dreams, I had white wolf come to me again. 

It was yet another guided visualization that my friend, Dawn, who will be presenting the workshop with me, that I saw white wolf in the visualization Dawn did as a run through. She didn’t appear at first, but it was after seeing a variety of colors swirling around me and above my head in greens, purples, and pinks (almost like the Northern lights!) that white wolf appeared next to me on a bridge.

So many good feelings flooded my body when I saw her! Then the next day I happened upon a documentary, The Snow Wolf Family and Me, about a man who lived with a family of white wolves for three months. It’s a series, so I can hardly wait to watch the second episode. And shortly after that I came across a very unique commercial about… yup, you guessed it….wolves. 

Then two nights ago before going to sleep I asked white wolf to guide me in my dreams and help me to remember them, as that can be a challenge for me.  Before I drifted off to sleep I asked her what her name is not knowing if anything would happen.

I heard immediately, Laiola. Isn’t that so pretty?  It feels so fitting! This morning as I sat in meditation for fifteen minutes she visited me yet again. I really feel like I’m beginning to know her and it is so comforting to know she is here with me to help me in this earthly life.

I’m increasingly fascinated by how we can connect with animals in what is sometimes defined as the non-reality world – but truly a world where we can find many answers for our lives if we trust in it and practice going there in meditation and in our dreams.

For more information about my upcoming workshop this Saturday, April 22nd and to register, please visit the link here

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On Not Being Left Behind and into Awakening

On Not Being Left Behind and into Awakening

Late yesterday afternoon I saw an article on my friend’s facebook page titled, Humans are Waking Up: For First Time in Recorded History, Schumann Resonance Jumping to 36+

While I don’t completely get all the science or deep thought behind it (even though I consider myself to be a deep thinker!) what I do understand is how I relate it to how I’ve been feeling and so many others I know, too.

And this section of the article helped me too:  Scientist’s report that the Earth’s magnetic field, which can affect the Schumann Resonance, has been slowly weakening for the past 2,000 years and even more so in the last few years. No one really knows why. I was told by a wise old sage from India that the magnetic field of Earth was put in place by the Ancient Ones to block our primordial memories of our true heritage. This was so that souls could learn from the experience of free-will unhampered by memories of the past. He claimed that the magnetic field changes are now loosening those memory blocks and we are raising our consciousness to greater truth. The veil is lifting. The blinders are coming off. If true, it raises even more intriguing questions.”

What makes sense for me in reading this is that humanity is beginning to awaken – to what no longer works – to helping us to see what will work. Though this means we each have to do our own inner work. Something I’ve talked about a few times on my blog.

This sent me down a path last night of wanting to know more. While the speeding up of time feels frightening sometimes, I wanted to know how I could move through this rapid time of change in a way that will help me feel more grounded. I also wanted to know what does this really all mean?

That’s part of the mystery that is being slowly revealed to us – and only if we are willing to open to it. And I can say, even though I feel frightened at times, even anxious, I don’t want to be left behind. 

I also hope you don’t feel I’ve flipped my lid and gone all “woo-woo” on you. It’s always my wish that my blog is a soft place to land for those that aren’t always sure what to make of the world…because it is where I can find myself too if I don’t work to stay centered and grounded.

The more I explored last night, the more I began to feel at ease. I also realized that I’d been so worried about keeping up with the rapid change and worried how I was going to do that, I’d lost sight of how I can more easily move through this time.

Something I’d been preparing for all along – well, at least for the last thirteen years or so as I’ve walked my own spiritual path—moving more and more into who I authentically am— and how I am fascinated by the wisdom that animals hold for us, nature, and opening to our own intuition.

And that was it! I have the tools in place to guide me through these tumultuous times – not that it’s going to always be easy as I ‘m human and fall of the wagon now and then too. But it’s vital and important to keep my practices of ritual in place. Because when I do, I move through my days in a much more peaceful way, which positively affects those around me. And I’m really beginning to understand that my own vibration of peace and continuing the work of healing myself is what this awakening is about, and what we are all being called to do.

I went to sleep last night feeling less anxious than I have in a long time. This morning, I listened to Jocelyn Mercado of Sacred Planet talk about how she believes it’s the indigenous way of being we are moving back to. Something I’ve found a fascination with also the last few years.

It’s a way of living on this earth that does not need to be learned – we already know – we just must remember – and then we must begin to live in this way – one step at a time. But we must begin to move in that direction.

Jocelyn shared ideas of how we can begin to shift toward healing, peace and love talking about shamanic journeying, meditation, and understanding what Mother Earth is trying to convey to us. And I got so excited because I realized again that I’ve been walking this path for quite some time. It was a comfort to feel that I’m moving in the right direction.

One suggestion she had was creating altars, which is something I’ve done for quite some time too. But I loved her idea of bringing in the four elements of earth, wind, fire, and water. So before I moved into my yoga practice this morning, I created this altar:

The candle represents fire, the stones, pine cone, acorn and rocks, earth. The feathers represent sky and the small container of water. What I especially enjoyed was that having this small jar of water as part of your altar is a call to remember to just be in meditation with your altar as a practice. If you return to it after a few days and the water is gone it’s a gentle reminder of remembering to incorporate these moments of sacred and stillness into your everyday life.

I decided to pick at random an animal card to go with my altar for the day. And Swan couldn’t have been more perfect (taken from Animal Spirit Guides):

  • No matter what is happening your life right now, do whatever it takes to keep your faith strong.
  • It’s important to accept your life circumstances and surrender to the will of Spirit, trusting that all will work out.
  • You’ll soon find clarity and purpose in the confusion that you’re experiencing.
  • Focus on the fact that life is a precious and sacred gift, and express your gratitude and appreciation in as many ways as possible.
  • Whatever changes you’re going through, go with the flow.

And lastly from Animal Teachings: Swan is graceful and elegant. Swan brings our intuitive gifts to the surface, balancing insight with fair-mindedness. Swan reveals how to integrate inner beauty with our outward expression, teaching us to be clear and confident about our own personality.

As I moved through my yoga positions, standing in tree pose, my eyes locked on this bunch of pea pods hanging from our locust tree. They looked more alive than I’d ever noticed them before as if they came into a clearer view. I couldn’t help but think this is what we are being called to be – to see more fully and with greater depth the beauty around us.

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Red Moon Passage and Animal Medicine

Red Moon Passage and Animal Medicine
Photo credit: http://wordsofraven.blogspot.com/2010/10/when-moon-turned-red.html

Recently I came across a book by Bonnie J. Horrigan, published in 1997, called Red Moon Passage.  As someone who is a newborn of my post menopausal years, I was struck by the title and that it is about “The Power and Wisdom of Menopause.”

You may be wondering what this has to do with animal medicine, but hang tight as I will share that with you shortly.

Red Moon Passage is a term that the author came up with as a way to look at this time in a woman’s life “as a spiritual journey to a new way of being and celebrating menopause as a spiritual journey of transformation.”

red moonI love this because it is exactly how I am trying to embrace this transition I’m now in. It’s not to say it does not bring with it challenges, because I’m experiencing a few of those, too.

But as Frankie, my paralyzed dachshund taught me so many years ago, I want to always find ways in which to focus on the positive.

And there are many to this red moon passage time such as feeling freer to live from the inner light of who I really am and not getting caught up in what others may think of me and my choices.

While I’m not always positive about when a hot flash comes, I do remind myself to view it as the old self leaving and a more empowered self emerging.  And you know what? Most often, I really do like this new self that I’m witnessing in the reflection of my mirror.

Which brings me to animal medicine…

A friend suggested a homeopathic medicine called Lachesis Mutus by Boiron to help with the hot flashes. I was quite excited to give it a try because I want to move through this time as naturally as possible.

I went ahead and ordered the product. Afterwards, I came to find out it is made from the venom of the South American bushmaster’s snake. I researched further and read the venom is so dilute that only almost undetectable amounts of the poison remain.

But I couldn’t get over the fact it was snake venom. I thought I might die if I took the little white pellets which they instruct to put under your tongue when you feel a hot flash coming on. Which is silly because they couldn’t sell it if it did that!

But this led me to read more about snake medicine in Dr. Farmer’s Animal Spirit Guides book and to also consult author Dawn Brunke’s Animal Wisdom Tarot cards.

What did I need to learn from Snake?  I wondered. But more so, was I open to it?

As I consulted the two resources these are the passages that resonated with me:

From Animal Spirit Guides by Dr. Steven Farmer:

“You’re going through a major life or developmental transition, one so powerful that it requires you to shed a lot of attachments, especially to your old identity.”

“You’ve gone through a series of initiations, including death and rebirth experiences and as a result have gained compassion, wisdom, and a powerful capacity for healing.”

“You’ve gained a deeper interest in ancient and indigenous cultures and spiritual practices and feel quite at home with these.”

From The Animal Wisdom Tarot Cards by Dawn Brunke:

This is a card (Snake) of enthusiasm, adventure, excitement and adventure. Fueled with inner heat, we sense a challenge—and are ready.

As guardian of sacred places, Snake helps us to explore the far-reaches of our soul and learn to be fully alive.

Be bold, daring; let your inner light shine.

I appreciated how Snake reminded me of what was, what is, and what is yet to come…and to be open to all of it.

Animal Wisdom Tarot CardsI was still a little apprehensive about taking the tiny white pellets, though I was feeling a bit more confident. After a discussion with my friend a few days later, I finally found the courage to give it a try.

And guess what? They work for me… And I’m here to tell you about it!

And oh! how I’ve grown in expanding my awareness and embracing even more how animals can show us the parts of ourselves we are sometimes afraid to look at.

But when we do, how our world can open in even more magical ways helping us to heal and move forward.

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