animal wisdom

Sweet Flower Teaching Moment

The rain came down in waves of sheets yesterday. This morning the ground is well saturated and more rain will be on its way.

While sitting at my vanity this morning I glanced out the window to see this sweet, delicate flower gently dancing in the breeze. I could only see it from the back and was anxious to get dressed and get outside to see it from the front.

As I was enjoying this lovely and welcome moment of beauty a chipmunk type critter ran up to the plant, stood on its hind legs, and reached up with its tiny paws…to yes, try and eat the flower!

Tap, tap, tap, my fingers went on the window pane. Okay, it was more like bang, bang, bang (!) because I really wanted to get his/her attention to not eat that sweet flower before I got to take in its full beauty. I did have a moment of guilt for doing that. But I told myself once I saw the flower and could take a picture, I’d allow nature to take its course.

After I took the photo and looked it at on my phone I realized that along with the blessing of the flower that came from all the rain, there are also many weeds that made themselves known. I’d have to address pulling them over the weekend.

Just then I heard, “But where will you choose to focus?” The delicate and lovely flower was sharing a teaching with me. Right. I chose to stay in the beauty of that flower for just a bit longer.

I then thought more about that critter who was anxious to partake in enjoying that flower. Will I focus on the sadness of the flower that will eventually be eaten by that critter, or will I be happy that he/she will get to experience the flower in its own special way, too?

Where will I choose to focus? I decided I shall be happy for that critter when he/she will no doubt return and take great delight in enjoying that sweet flower as a delicious snack. And this, this is learning to live in harmony with nature. A little for you and a little for me…and all of us then shall be as happy as can be.

P.S. If anyone knows what type of perennial this is, will you let me know? I bought it last year and didn’t save the tag, so I’m curious what it is. Thanks!

XO

Barb

                  

May 2022 – Animal Wisdom Reading: Butterfly & Navigating Uncertainty

Photo credit

Happy May!

This month we are looking at exploring uncertainty. Sure seems to be an ongoing theme, right? No need to worry as it’s just another opportunity to help us grow in learning to stay grounded during these times that can feel like we are on a rollercoaster.

Butterfly gracefully invites us to view change in a positive way so that we can transform and evolve far beyond our wildest dreams!

Click here or below to listen…

I’d welcome hearing if this resonated with you. Feel free to leave a comment here on my blog or on Youtube.

Take good care.

XO

Barb

                  

Sandhill Crane Invites Us To Come Back into Balance

Sandhill Crane for my upcoming Animal Reflections Oracle Deck

Small magical moments are often playing out around us. But how often do we just dismiss them or think of them as coincidences? I used to be afraid of sharing such moments for fear of others thinking I was just weird.

But you know what? I’m really liking this thing of being ‘weird.’ And you know what else? It’s really not weird at all. It’s just that we’ve been conditioned to think it is.

Here’s an example of one such small moment that played out for me in the last 24-hours. 

Before I left my studio yesterday afternoon, I randomly pulled a card from the animal deck I’m creating and from the twelve I still need to write messages for. I like to do this so I can simmer in the energy of the animal before I work on writing the message the next day.

Since I’ve been back from vacation I’ve been thinking about self-care and some things I’m working on for myself in that area. While I was getting ready for the day this morning, I was listening to an interview with Anita Moorjani and her newest book called, “Sensitive is the New Strong.”

While the subject of empaths and highly sensitive people isn’t new, I welcome hearing more about it because it resonates with me. I especially enjoyed hearing her take on what the world would be like if there were more sensitive’s in leadership positions. 

While I don’t particularly care for labels, I strongly identify with being a sensitive being. I feel everything. This hasn’t always been easy and sometimes still isn’t. But I continue to understand the vital role that self-care is for me and being sensitive. And the last two years with all the upheaval, it has in many ways been beneficial as I’ve learned even more that as I take things in, I must also let them go instead of consuming me.

So perhaps you are wondering what this has to do with Sandhill Crane’s energy and small magical moments? 

Well, when I see or hear a Sandhill Crane I am brought to a place within myself that feels connected to some ancient wisdom. It seems like cranes have been here on this planet for so very long. A quick search on the internet brought me an answer that they’ve been around for over 2 million years! That’s a mighty long time.

When they migrate to Wisconsin in spring and I first hear their call or catch a glimpse of them in the sky or feeding in a field, a sense of calm washes over me. They are a connection for me in revisiting what really matters – simple pleasures – a simpler way of life – a life that is more in balance and grounded.

Sandhill Crane is very protective of their young and while the chicks will walk just eight hours after birth, the mother cares for them for a year. This spoke to me as mothering my own inner self when I know I’m in need of self-care and being protective of my energy when I’m feeling out of balance.

So as all of this was floating around in my mind, I happened to glance out my bedroom patio doors just in time to see two Sandhill Cranes fly overhead. 

This is one of those magical moments when I know the Universe just sent me a confirmation of what I’d been feeling and contemplating. 

So while some may think this is a strange way of looking at life, being sensitive benefits me with the advantage of experiencing the joy of this confirmation.

And I come back to reflecting on what Anita said about more sensitive’s being in leadership roles. I can feel the positive, inspiring, and hopeful implications of that when I think about what is all playing out in our world right now. It’s time to let go of the old and stagnant ways that just aren’t working and come back to remembering who we really are and what really matters. In many ways I see this as going back to what we’ve always known and has always been here, but that we lost our way.

And Sandhill Crane seems fitting for tapping back into that ancient wisdom that will bring us back into alignment and open us to having more compassion for all beings.

XO

Barb