spirit animals

Clean It Up and Hummingbird Spirit: Oracle and Animal Guidance for the Week

Posted by Barbara Techel

It’s a hot and steamy one this week in Wisconsin! When it’s like this, which it was also 56 years ago, I can’t help but think about how my mom who was pregnant with me. Yup, it’s my birthday this week on Thursday and I’ll be 56! I don’t know how she endured this heat, but I’m grateful to have come through her to be here on this planet. Thanks, Mom!

So this week’s general reading is written below or you can listen to the recorded version. I had trouble uploading directly here, so just click on the link to listen via Soundcloud.

Listen here to this week’s reading.

What is it we need to be aware of this week for our highest good?

From The Wisdom of the Oracle: Clean it Up in reverse. In this deck, reverse means protection and a message to pay extra attention.

I’ll be honest here. This is one of those cards that when I pull it I sometimes sigh and hear myself inwardly (or outwardly!) groan. But it’s a perfect opportunity to share here not only for you but for myself as well, that this card means just that, OPPORTUNITY.

It means that once we clean up what needs to be dealt with we are going to feel a lot better. And who does not want that, right?

The card being in reverse is asking us what are we avoiding? Are we thinking that by ignoring the situation and putting our focus elsewhere is going to take care of the problem? Ever notice that when you have something that you need to take care of that feels unpleasant or uncomfortable that procrastination pays a visit? Or you find that you busy yourself with other people’s concerns and get involved with helping clean up other’s messes to make yourself feel better?

Yup – time to stop doing that. Get that broom out, put those big girl panties (or big boy brief’s) on, and get to work on your own stuff.

In my meditation time, the image of a cobweb came into my mind and then the image of a maze regarding clean it up. You know how it is that we think we can think our way out of something? And how this causes cobwebs in our mind or like we are walking through a maze that we can’t find our way out of?

But when you think of something that needs to be clean up in your life, you know what it is because you feel it in your heart. But those pesky committee members in your head are busy running amuck in that maze in your mind causing you to feel confused!

And because this can feel overwhelming we find it easier to put our focus elsewhere and think that if we just do good for other’s we don’t have to deal with our stuff – but all that does is delay our own cleaning up and really, cleaning up what we need to on our own side of the street is truly all we can do. We each have our own work to do that other’s cannot do for us.

So just take a moment to first feel into how much lighter you will be after you tackle that certain something you’ve been putting off.

Additional insight from guidebook I feel relevant: You aren’t doing yourself or other’s a favor, and may just be adding to the strain of all involved. Stay on your side of the street.

The reality and truth is that we can only clean up our own stuff. And isn’t that a great example to be to others and a way of encouraging other’s to do the same?

From Spirit Animal Oracle: Hummingbird Spirit

What a beautiful animal spirit to have as our ally as we stay in our lane and clean up our side of the street this week.

Hummingbird’s message to be here now is also a wonderful message in helping us to not bog ourselves down by wishful thinking that a difficult situation or challenge is just going to go away, or that we wished it wasn’t here. Just BE HERE NOW, focus on what needs to be done, and before you know it it will have passed.

Think about the hummingbird – such a tiny bird – it must always be in the present moment in order to survive. Think about how it flies in with such speed to drink from a feeder. It can’t be thinking about anything else or it could mean disaster.

Hummingbird to me represents joy and feeling light in spirit – and just think of hummingbird and how you will feel a weight lifted from you when you take care of that certain something that needs to be cleaned up this week.

Hummingbird is all about the joy of life. This does not mean it does not come with challenges, but that within challenges and facing them, we get to experience the rewards of life from growing and evolving that when we do the real work of doing that feels so good!

Additional insight from guidebook I feel relevant:  Here and now, you are becoming the person you wish to be to have the experiences you wish to have.

Hope this reading was beneficial!

XO,

Barbara

Book a private reading with me here.

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

Chaos as Opportunity: Oracle and Animal Guidance for the Week

Posted by Barbara Techel

Our cards this week are both in protection (reverse) Chaos and Conflict and Sandpiper Spirit.

Note: I’m sharing a photo of the cards upright so you can study them for yourselves for added personal insight and how the message may pertain to you.

Whenever this card shows up in a reading I try to take a moment to check in with myself. It’s easy to look at this card and think, Oh no, I don’t want chaos or conflict! Who does, right? But the card pulled in reverse is asking us where do we feel conflicted right now and how can we approach this as an opportunity to deepen in understanding? Not only for the benefit of ourselves but for all involved.

Think about those times where something just wasn’t working out as you hoped. But yet, when you look back you can more often than not see that what you thought you wanted that didn’t come to fruition was actually for your best interest.  In the middle of chaos it’s important to take a moment, pause, and really listen for what you are feeling and to stay in the present moment.

To think ahead of what could be or what might or might not happen only causes more internal chaos and conflict.

Zebra also is a reminder that most things are not black and white. So many factors may be at play and each needs to be taken into consideration.

Sandpiper Spirit as the second card pulled and the message of “Be playful” is another valuable reminder of when something feels out of control the importance of getting out of our mental state and engaging in some time to just be. I love that the Sandpiper on this card is splashing in the water and lotus flowers float around him.

The lotus is rooted in deep mud and grows through to become this beautiful flower. Just like we too, when in the thick of what feels like slogging through the muck is leading us to bloom in a new and expanded way.

Sandpipers are scavengers and must work hard to find their food. This is another good message for us that in order to feel whole we must work for what is important, while also incorporating time to do what brings us joy also.

Hope you enjoyed this general reading for your week!

XO,

Barbara

Book a private reading with me here.

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

Making Magic: Oracle and Animal Guidance for the Week

Posted by Barbara Techel

 

Our cards this week are Flexible in protection (reverse) and White Raven.

Flexible in protection is asking us where it is we are being too rigid in our lives. When we stay stagnant or stuck in a certain way of perceiving something or a situation we can potentially lose out on a way in which we could grow.

With White Raven as our second card and symbolic of magic, creation and deeper awareness ask yourself in relation to flexibility how you can see something in a new or different way.

How often do we get stuck in our logical and analytical mind? White Raven reminds us to pause and tune into the deeper aspect of ourselves, within the center of our heart, and really listen for the answer of what is true. This is where the magic is.

In the book, The Key to Spirit Animals, author Dawn Brunke writes “Raven is a powerful bird that oversees changes in consciousness, helping us to deepen awareness and move between worlds.”

When we get locked in something or an outcome to be a certain way, being inflexible, Raven can help us tap into our deeper self in connection with the Divine to hear the truth of what is best.

***

Yesterday I ordered a book by author Brianna Saussy called Making Magic – Weaving Together the Everyday and the Extraordinary. Then just this morning in my inbox was an email from Sounds True who published Brianna’s book. It was an announcement of an interview they recently did with her and I listened to part of it before I pulled today’s cards.

After pulling the cards for our reading I looked up to notice on my bulletin board where I keep photos and inspirational quotes this quote from the book, The Secret Garden:

I shall live forever and ever…I shall find out thousands and thousands of things. I shall find out about people and creatures and everything that grows and I shall never stop MAKING MAGIC.

How perfect I thought to be surrounded by all this symbolism of magic. And something I’ve realized over the years is that we can have magic not only in big moments but in many simple and what we might deem as small moments.

I tend to be someone who loves routine and the perfectionistic part of me can get in the way of being too rigid and thus losing out on the magic that could come my way.

But when I allow myself to listen to my heart and follow its lead, I’m often granted the gift of magic. And in those moments I feel that deeply in my bones as the truth of who I am. That IS magic while at the same time that is REAL.

And I don’t know about you, but the more magical moments in my life, the more I want to be like that quote above from The Secret Garden. The more it happens, the better I feel, and the more I want to keep living in this way.

Cards used: Wisdom of the Oracle and Spirit Animal Oracle by Colette Baron-Reid

XO,

Barbara

P.S. I offer personal one-to-one oracle readings and guidance sessions. If you are feeling stuck and need some support, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me. You can learn more about my oracle reading service here.