In
recent times I have been asked, by several people
regarding
animals as our teachers and guides
Now
what most people think of first, is the totem spirits of the Native American
way which,
while
they do, honor and revere animals to a high degree.
The
concept itself, however, is much much older, stone age in fact
:)
Ever
watch "Clan of the Cave Bear " ?
You
have heard term a Witch's familiar ? Well that's a prime example
of
an animal as a spirit guide
Most
anything can be a 'teacher" but we don't think of the
"lower"
orders as having anything to teach us .. We are often arrogant
They
are not lower than we, they are other nations, in many cases, despite our
depredations
on them and their habitats, nations that outnumber US
by
the billions, they are as old as time
The
Great Whale .. inspires us.. the wolf moves us .. but what of a bug ?
Yep
.. they are teachers too .. :)
Here
are some of the things that our brothers in different skins can teach us
The
Rabbit:
Teaches
us about fear and now to overcome it. Mr. Bunny lives in with fear
every
moment of its life, yet it is the most prolific critter going ,
they
are everywhere, blast of speed on 4 feet, gentle,
yet
don't ever corner one you will learn quickly that
Mr.
Bunny is perfectly able to defend itself :)
Fear
has its place in the scheme of things, we need a "certain" amount of it
,
it
keeps us out of trouble. We "fear" fire for good reason, it can burn us,
but
does this mean we don't use it ? No we respect it and treat it with the
care it deserves .
This
is the lesson of the Rabbit .. Fear ?.. Maybe, but don't let it run
your life, go on and live
with
care and respect and you can live well
If
you need to overcome Fears .. ? Call on the Spirit of the Rabbit
The
Cat:
The
Ever popular and my personal Fave :) The Cat teaches us about the
spiritual,
the physic, as they are natural magicians. Have a spirit in the house ?
Watch
the Cat, their eyes will follow it all around the room.
Observation
and conservation are also the lessons they teach
A
cat will nap whenever the opportunity
arises,
yet when they are in motion, they are intently alive,
every
move a study in deliberate action. This is the lesson of the cat ,
conserve
yourself and your energies, until there is something worth doing ,
then
put your whole being into it !
Need
to stop your energies from scattering ?
Call
on the Cat and get focused
The
Whale:
The
Recorders of the paths of time, the singers of Mothers song
In
the Deeps .. glides the hottest blood of all .. the Whale. It's devotion
to life
and
its fellows is without equal, if one is ill, the whole pod stops to care
for it.
If
one beaches itself, others will join it, rather than let It die alone.
Their
voices can literally be heard from one side of the Ocean to the other,
they
are ONE family, all of them
This
is the lesson that the Whale teaches. We are family, all of us, what happens
to your neighbor,
happens
to you. Know power in numbers and help each other
Let
not even one, suffer alone without comfort.
Feeling
Isolated and out of touch with the world.. ?
Call
on the Whale and reunite
The
Snake:
Renewal
and Restoration is the way of the snake. A herpetologist told me once
the
more you feed a snake, the more snake you have to feed, as they are masters
at making the best use
of
whatever they eat, it goes to build body, and they renew the skin
so it will fit ,
by
shedding the old, getting rid of pests, parasites, and healing out most
injuries in the process.
Is is a pretty
good trick of peeling off your hide, with no hands to do it :), soft, new, ready for anything
Conservation
is the other word that goes with snake, to an even higher degree
than
the Cat. A snake can go for months without eating, and feel no loss of energy
for
this lack, and will not eat unless really hungry. Pure Minimalist is the
Snake.
Make
the best of what you have, put what you have into the best use and don't
waste what you have by excess,
unneeded
actions and shed off all your cares, irritations and troubles, this is
the lessons of the snake
New
to get a new grip on life and shed off old outdated habits and lifestyle
?
Call
on the Snake to help you get some New, into your life
The
Wolf:
The
Wolf Credo:
"Respect the elders.
Teach
the young.
Cooperate
with the pack.
Play
when you can.
Hunt
when you must.
Rest
in between.
Share
your affections.
Voice
your feelings.
Leave your mark."
In
one shot, you have ALL the lessons Brother Wolf can teach us .
The
Pack is all, Play and have fun with life, be responsible for tomorrow,
take
time to get what you need, but no more than what
you need
and only when you need, Love and give Love, let others
know how you feel ,
and
Leave your Mark on the world, so your having been here
has
been for something more than a place holder !
Need
to bring some perspective to your life on what's Important ?
Call
on the Wolf
The
Spider:
Clever
Spider, Skillful hunter, Web builder with a tensile power we can only TRY
to
match. Sensitive, clued into their world. Quick to act, but deliberate,
every move a dance of the ballerina,
any
and all things are their prey. They are the most numerous insects on Earth, in every form,
filling
every niche imaginable there's a spider to fit the purpose in nature. For
any other insect, there is a
Spider
for whom they are the favorite food. Balancers of the World
They
take advantage of anything that comes their way, storing it against need
Patience
and thrift are the ways of the Spider, not for the arachnid is the path
of
wastefulness. Plan for what you need and make use of what comes your
way,
even if it's not your favorite, these are the lessons of the Spider
Everything
you need in life, slipping through your fingers ? Call on the Spider
Each
and Every living thing, can be your teacher, some are your Life guides
and
are with you each step of the way for this incarnation, others are messagers
sent
to teach you lessons you need to learn. Some are warnings,
things
you need to pay heed to, some are just to bring you Joy
and
remind you that life is sweet and for living large.
There
are explorations for almost any animal living and some that aren't
and
the means to find which is "yours", or what some animal
coming
into your life means to you
I
hope the listings below give you a good place to learn more
May
your Guides show you the way :)