personal growth

Rabbit, Rabbit What Do I Need to Know?

Posted by Barbara Techel

It’s intriguing that this sweet rabbit keeps showing up on my front stoop lately. I can walk right up to the full glass door and we look eye-to-eye at each other and she doesn’t run away.

I know it’s the season of bunnies as I’ve been seeing them everywhere! Just this morning on my walk I saw two bigger bunnies and three little ones. There isn’t a day that I don’t see at least one baby bunny – or perhaps they are more like teenagers, as they are a bit bigger than a baby would be. But whew, it seems those adult rabbits have been busy, busy, busy!

But animals, some of my greatest teachers, I can’t help but pause and wonder if there is something this particular bunny is reflecting for me.

In early January of this year, I sat down one morning and pulled a Spirit Animal Oracle card for each month of the year. I took a picture of all the cards together. It hangs on my bulletin board by the table where I do my (almost) daily card pulls.

At the beginning of each month, I print out a copy of that particular animal card for the month and place it on an adjacent table where I can see it every day.

I then study the card and journal what insight comes to me. Then I turn to the guidebook to see if there is anything that resonates from what the author wrote. If there is I journal from that prompt for deeper insight and guidance. After I’m done with that, I then turn to some books I have about animals and read more about that particular animal to see what I can glean that may link it to anything I’m going through in my life at the time.

At the end of each month, if I remember, and sometimes during the month, I stop to think about how that particular animal and their teaching may be playing out in my life at that time.

For the month of July, my animal card is Rabbit. It’s interesting that this being the time of year you see them more often that I also pulled Rabbit and not some other animal.

Now sometimes animals are just there presenting themselves for no other reason which I feel is important to acknowledge.

And I know the rabbit that shows up on my front porch loves the Impatient plant as I’ve caught her chewing it a few times.

But yet, when I saw her again this morning it had me going back to a message from the author of the Spirit Animal Oracle that talks about vulnerability and to act as if everything will be okay, and that soon you will see that you are indeed okay. This is indeed a space I’m in right now with something I’m pondering.

I also thought about that rabbit. She too was vulnerable sitting there on my stoop looking at me and no doubt her heart beating fast. Was I friend or foe?

I did kindly ask her to please stop eating my Impatient, but yet she returns and we find ourselves looking at each other through the glass. I assure her she is safe and okay with me and she reflecting that I am okay and safe with who I am.

XO,

Barbara

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I Love It When Oracle Cards and a Scarab Beetle Make Me Cry

Posted by Barbara Techel

I shared this post on my Joyful Pause Facebook page yesterday and received such a lovely response from Linda Su who appreciated my honesty and that my sharing helped her with a struggle she was going through. So I thought I’d share this post here, too.

I Love It When Oracle Cards and a Scarab Beetle Make Me Cry…

Well, ok, not always – but for the most part, I do. It means I’ve hit the truth. Once I acknowledge the truth, I can then be with it, feel it, and integrate it. Otherwise, it follows me around and weighs on me like a ton of bricks until I say, “Okay, I see you. I hear you.”

This is so great for helping not repeat patterns. We all do it. It’s human. But it’s why I enjoy working with oracle cards as part of my daily devotion to myself.

I knew right away what these two cards were about today and as happens when I hit that nugget in my heart, it brings tears to my eyes. I was falling back into the pattern of forcing something that is not yet ready to be born. I was in that place of trying to control an outcome of how I think it SHOULD unfold.

And you know where that gets you right? Yup…struggle, and an inner battle that makes you feel off-balance and cranky.

Scarab Beetle was the perfect animal to present himself today to remind me to not push because I think I SHOULD which won’t get me too far – and will feel inauthentic – but in order to shine my true magic, there is grace is allowing the flow to happen with the timing of the Universe.

Go with the flow and listen to that inner compass (i.e., Intuition!) is what To the Sea card said to me.

I KNOW this, but that dang ego of mine wasn’t listening as my mind went round and round.

But after pulling these cards and journaling, I recognized where this was coming from, and I then felt more at peace.

XO,
Barbara

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Chop Wood and Chameleon Spirit: Oracle and Animal Guidance for the Week

Posted by Barbara Techel

This week’s general reading is written below or you can listen to the recorded version.

Click here to listen to this week’s guidance.

What is it we need to pay attention to this week for our highest good?

From The Wisdom of the Oracle: Chop Wood in reverse. This means that Spirit wants us to pay extra attention.

It’s interesting that last week I pulled Clean it Up in reverse which was all about dealing with what it was we were avoiding and using procrastination as an excuse. Clean It Up was calling for us to see the challenge we were avoiding as an Opportunity to clear the cobwebs and get to the task at hand that needed resolving in order to move forward.

Pulling Chop Wood in reverse is nudging us once again to where it is that perhaps we didn’t what we should have last week and clean up what needed to be looked at.  Chop Wood is asking us where is it we are spending too much time thinking about what we want to accomplish instead of just taking one small step toward our intentions.

The Universe can’t support us if we don’t first believe in and begin to support ourselves. When we put one small step into action toward an intention we wish for, the Universe can then step in and bring us more of what we want. Even if we feel the timing isn’t quite right on something we are pursuing, we still have to take steps toward what we are intending so the rest of what is to come to fruition can.

Additional insight from guidebook I feel relevant: You have to get out of the chair to make something happen.

I do think, speaking from my own experiences, and reminding myself at times, not to make something bigger than it needs to be – which can feel overwhelming and then you don’t know where to start.

The Chop Wood I see is about just asking us to start – even in one small corner – just begin.

From Spirit Animal Oracle: Chameleon Spirit – Act as if

How often is it that we know what we want, but we don’t know how to start, and Chop Wood is asking us to just start somewhere.

Chameleon’s message “act as if” is a great message to go along with this because we don’t always know how something is going to unfold or what the outcome will be.

But taking time in meditation or in stillness, perhaps visualize the outcome you wish for – then act as if every step you will take is leading to what you intend – and then watch as it unfolds. Perhaps not exactly as you visualized and it will change as you go along, but just the act of moving a step forward will determine what is next.

Just like the Chameleon changes color to adapt to its surroundings, you may have to also.

With Chameleon being reversed it is asking us to be in awareness of what energies we are feeling. Is it our own energy or are we being pulled in by other’s energy and we don’t realize it?

Staying in tune with our own energy, our own hopes, and dreams, and making sure it is what WE want and not what other’s want of us that helps us achieve our intentions without feeling bogged down by other’s energy.

Did you know that the chameleon has a third eye? It’s located at the back of their head.

This is symbolic to remind us that our intuition is what will guide us  – trusting into what you sense and feel is what will work to your advantage for your overall well- being as you move forward.

As you Chop Wood putting into action what you know it is you wish to manifest, keep Chameleon Spirit as your guide to remind you of your true color. This may require a balance of integrating self-care along with moving one small step toward what is important to you.

Additional insight from guidebook I feel relevant:  Choose some activities that will restore your sense of being grounded and avoid people who revel in drama.

Hope this was helpful!

XO,

Barbara

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Cards used for this week’s general reading: The Wisdom of the Oracle and Spirit Animal Oracle by Colette Baron-Reid