Spirit Animal – Connecting with Meerkat

Meerkat picture from www.irishviews.com

Is the third time the charm?  I am about to find out as I try again to connect with Meerkat to receive her message.

Meerkat pops up beside me and snuggles in.  She seems to be more comfortable with me than vice versa.  I find her quite comforting.  She sighs, and then begins to speak.

“We are so much like you humans and yet you know very little about us.  I find that rather disturbing.  We have many of your traits – politics, breeding practices, pup and elder care, and survival tactics.  We originally came up from the depths of the Earth.  We are some of the life forms that went underground when there were difficulties in the air and ground, difficulties that have re-emerged.  We have learned to burrow underground and to build safe nests deep enough to avoid having to be poisoned by the air.

As the food above us died, we moved downward in search of food that we could eat.  We found that others had also moved downward.  We became hunter and prey.  We learned the value of cooperation.  We learned to be respectful of our resources and therefore to adjust our numbers to the food that could support us. 

We watch you now and wonder why you fight against the obvious laws of nature.  We wonder why you are destroying that which gives you life.  There is nothing that you can produce with all of your machines that is as wonderful as what She Who Feeds Us All can provide. 

We have black masks because our eyes are still sensitive to the light.  We find the blackness dulls the glare of the Sun. It seems however, that humans find our mask fearful.  We are part of the issue of fear or darkness that humans have to deal with.  We are therefore, part of your path – just as you are part of our path.  The easiest strategy to cope with fear is to meet it head on, much as we do.  We wish you well.

Judy@angelsandancestors.com   See our free February magazine on line at www.angelsandancestors.com  Send us your comments about the magazine! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Spirit Animal – Meerkat’s Message

This picture of Meerkat is from www.eicsd.k12.ny.us

 

 

I sat in my space and waited.  Meerkat said that it would come.  As I watched it approach, I thought how much it looked like a furry little human.  Perhaps we did look like that at one time.  I also realized that in Rupert Sheldrake’s remarkable book, “The Seven Daughters of Eve”, research showed that humans originated on the continent of Africa.  And now, here are the Meerkats, little fur balls that they are, also in Africa, in the Kalahari Desert.  My body started to tingle.

As she came closer, I became more curious about the nature of her message.  I could see behind her, several small heads in a distance and I realized that there were others, watching her come to share their ideas with me. 

My mind stopped again at the phrase “ideas”.  Exactly what was going on here?  As she walked forward on her hind legs, I realized that she only has four toes on each paw, and yet each paw looks remarkably like our hands.  She moved nearer, and it seemed that she had a grin on her face.  I wish that I had brought some food because the Meerkat lives in a hostile environment – at least it seemed hostile to me.  I had looked up what Meerkats eat.  Wikipedia says:

Meerkats are primarily insectivores, but also eat lizards, snakes, scorpions, spiders, plants, eggs, small mammals, millipedes, centipedes and, more rarely, small birds. They are partially immune to certain venoms; they are immune to the very strong venom of the scorpions of the Kalahari Desert, unlike humans. They have no excess body fat stores, so foraging for food is a daily need.

Their food also seemed pretty hostile.  It seemed incredible to me that they would be immune to most venoms. 

My little friend was now about six feet away.  I held her gaze, and suddenly popped out of my meditation.  I could not get back in it!  It seems I am not to talk to Meerkat today.

Spirit Animal - Meerkat

                                 Picture of Meerkat from Wikipedia

“The meerkat or suricate Suricata suricatta, a small mammal, is a member of the mongoose family. Meerkats live in all parts of the Kalahari Desert in Botswana and in South Africa. A group of meerkats is called a "mob", "gang" or "clan". A meerkat clan often contains about 20 meerkats, but some super families have 50 or more members. Meerkats have an average life span of 12-14 years.” ~from Wikipedia~

This morning, in my meditation, a Meerkat came in and asked to be part of the blog, for she had things to say.  I did not even know what a meerkat was, so actually had to look it up before I could even properly identify the animal.  She says that she has words to share with us.  I am to meet her tomorrow in meditation to listen to her. 

It feels strange to have an animal that I thought was fictitious appear in my meditation.  The energy was warm and loving, although highly active.  I am looking forward to my next discussion with her.

Judy@angelsandancestors.com    

New Moon Meditation :
TIME CHANGED TO. . .Friday, February 12, 2010, 7:30-9:00pm
Aphrodite, the Greek Goddess of fertility, sexual love, and beauty, will come in to guide us. As this is the eve of Valentine’s Day, one may be sure the message will talk about love! Fee - $10.00. Pre-register with Judy at 403-225-2016. Let me know if you are interested in dialling in to the audio webcast of this event.

Spirit Speaks – Harmony!

Every day, I am given a word of the day by Spirit.  This word is what I contemplate on during a meditation, and, perhaps through the day when I take a rest from a task.

Today’s word was once again “Harmony”.  I have received this word several times over the past three weeks, and last night, it also showed up in my dreams.  Therefore, I know the word and the concept is important.

I tried to decide what harmony looked like.  Was it a picture of a bear with his arm around a tiger, as in my blog several days ago?  Was it the park covered in pristine whiteness because of an inch of hoar frost?  Was it a baby sleeping?  I wasn’t satisfied with any of those images.  So, I began “Stumbling” through the internet, looking for a picture that would satisfy my idea of harmony.

I finally found the picture – below – at the website www.omstrument.com.  This picture captures a stillness and an energy that makes me feel that we are all moving in harmony.  I am grateful to the artist who created this.

Judy@angelsandancestors.com  

Judy@angelsandancestors.com  See our free February magazine on line at www.angelsandancestors.com  Send us your comments about the magazine! 

Tarot Discussion – What Does Mankind Need to Watch for In Feb 2010

This was the question that I posed to the OSHO Zen Tarot Deck.  Here is the response.

  The issue: “There was no danger for the seed, the seed could have survived for millennia, but for the sprout many are the dangers. But the sprout starts towards the unknown, towards the sun, towards the source of light, not knowing where, not knowing why. Great is the cross to be carried, but a dream possesses the seed and the seed moves.
The same is the path for man. It is arduous. Much courage will be needed."

 

The unseen internal influence: “It might make some people uncomfortable, accustomed as they are to all the noise and activity of the world. Never mind; seek out those who can resonate with your silence - or enjoy your aloneness. Now is the time to come home to yourself. The understanding and insights that come to you in these moments will be manifested later on, in a more outgoing phase of your life.”

 

Awareness of an external influence:”In the beginning is nature, in the end is nature, so why in the middle do you make so much fuss? Why, in the middle, becoming so worried, so anxious, so ambitious - why create such despair? Nothingness to nothingness is the whole journey.”

 

 

 

What is needed for resolution: “The figure on this card is being born anew, emerging from his earthbound roots and growing wings to fly into the unbounded. The geometric shapes around the body of the figure show the many dimensions of life simultaneously available to him. The square represents the physical, the manifest, the known. The circle represents the unmanifest, the spirit, pure space. And the triangle symbolizes the threefold nature of the universe: manifest, unmanifest, and the human being who contains both.”

The final outcome: “The enlightened man is the greatest stranger in the world; he does not seem to belong to anybody. No organization confines him, no community, no society, no nation…… The Rebel challenges us to be courageous enough to take responsibility for who we are and to live our truth.”

 

 

What is the message?  I think it will be slightly different to each of us because of our perceptions.  For me, the process that we will all go through in February begins with courage and ends with courage.  It is a journey of moving from being one of the flock of sheep, following blindly behind the pronouncements of big business and government, to being truly awake – enlightened. 

I would love to hear your view of these cards.

Judy@angelsandancestors.com  See our free February magazine on line at www.angelsandancestors.com  Send us your comments about the magazine! 

Spirit Animal – Coyote’s Warning

 

Picture of Coyote taken by Judy Hirst-Joyeux in 2008

 

Today, a coyote paced the dogs and I as we walked along the river.  He was on one side of the channel, and we were on the other.  He started to “yip” and to make a wailing noise.  My dogs stopped and listened with their ears picked up, and with their bodies very alert.  Neither dog seemed nervous or afraid.  Instead, they both listened intently.  Here is what I heard.

               Coyote’s Warning

We are the free people that roam the land.

We walk in the forests and the cities.

We know how to walk in two worlds.

We walk too between this world and the next.

 

The Mother of Us All asked the coyotes to be guardians of the prairies.

She asked the Wolves to be guardians of the mountains.

She worried about the frail two legged ones who struggled

With the weather and the land.

 

Two leggeds are not like the trees that bend with the weather.

Man tries always to control and be master of all things.

He rejected the overtures of the Coyotes and the Wolves –

For we all offered help to find food and good places to den.

 

Instead, Man saw us as ferocious and feared us.

He chased us away with pitchforks and swords and guns.

Who chases away a helping hand?

One who is steeped in fear and sees only the threat.

 

Over time, we have watched the humans and learned from them.

Not only did Man chase us, he chases away anyone that is different from him.

We wood land animals get on much better than do humans.

We do not hunt needlessly or threaten needlessly.

 

We four leggeds remember how to play – by ourselves, with each other.

We see you and smell your anger and frustration and underlying fear.

Why is that fear so ever present?

How does it serve you?

 

We see your attachment to the animals that you control.

They are all wild, like we are.

They work with you because of the deep love many have for you.

We too have that love – we watch you with love and affection.

 

Yet you hunt us and chase us because we will not be slaves to you.

And, as you take our land, we grow bolder in confronting you.

A deep fear of all things wild has seeped through humans.

We see you try to dig and cut and temper the land.

 

We say – go with Nature, for that is as was intended.

We say – greet us as old friends and see what you may learn from us.

We have survived for forty million years with all our stories passed down.

We watched you being born seven million years ago.

 

We see you struggle and try to adapt Mother Earth to your ways.

We tell you, She is bigger!

We say that you need to learn from her and use her gifts as we do.

We say – begin now!

© Judith Hirst February 2010

Judy@angelsandancestors.com   Join us for our Channelling Workshop on Saturday Feb 20th.  www.angelsandancestors.com/workshop.html#learning

See our free February magazine on line at www.angelsandancestors.com  Send us your comments about the magazine!

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Spirit Animal – Groundhog & Groundhog Day

                              

      Groundhog’s picture from Wikipedia

 

 

 

Groundhog or woodchuck is a furry little creature sometimes called a land beaver because of its burrowing habit and its beaver like appearance.  Unlike beavers, Groundhog eats wild grasses and other vegetation, and berries and agricultural crops when available. Groundhogs also eat grubs, grasshoppers, insects, snails and other small animals.  Compared to many fur bearing animals, Groundhog has a relatively short life span of about three years.

With this short life span, one would think that Groundhog would be a group or herd, animal.  They are however, quite solitary. If the environment is somewhat cramped, several individuals may occupy the same burrow. Groundhog burrows usually have two to five entrances, providing groundhogs their primary means of escape from predators. Burrows are particularly large, with up to 14 metres (46 ft) of tunnels buried up to 1.5 metres (5 ft) underground (from Wikipedia).

     Groundhog sentinel from Wikipedia 

Groundhog is a superb whistler, and will whistle to alert danger or to alert the others about food. It also whistles different mating calls.  Our Earth Ancestors found that by watching animals, and in particular, Groundhog, that they could get a good indication of what the weather would be like, either on a daily basis or for the next month. 

From this observation, our Ancestors began to watch for Groundhog to come out in the spring, that is, as soon as the snow began melting.  Remember, they did not have calendars and February  2  meant nothing to our Ancestors.  When the sky was clear, and the animal came out, it would sniff the air.  Groundhog could smell if another bought of snow or storm was in the air.  If so, she would run back into her burrow to sleep where it is warm for another four or five weeks.  If she came out and it was cloudy, then she could smell the warmth and the sap beginning to move up the trees, indicating that spring is here.  Groundhog depends mostly on vegetation and small insects so the weather has to be warm enough for her to feed herself.

If indeed Groundhog did indicate spring, then our Ancestors knew that it was time to start prepping for planting, if that is what they did.  If the People were not farmers, then they would make plans for one more big hunt for meat to carry the families through the spring thaws, when animals may be less available because of migration or simply poor hunting access.

Groundhog wishes you a good spring and a wonderful summer!

Judy@angelsandancestors.com   Join us for our Channelling Workshop on Saturday Feb 20th.  www.angelsandancestors.com/workshop.html#learning   

See our free February magazine on line at www.angelsandancestors.com  Send us your comments about the magazine!

 

 

 

 

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Spirit Animals – Brothers All!

Usually, there are profound differences between species of animals or nationalities of people.  The following story makes a strong case for the “Nurture” argument. The specific nature/nurture argument revolves around the relative importance of an individual's innate qualities ("nature", i.e. nativism, or innatism) versus life experiences.  Well, you be the judge.

And, thanks to my friend Lise for sending me such a good story!

   Brothers All!

(All pictures are copyright by Barcroft Media. Story dated in the email at December 8 2009. )

They make an unlikely trio, but Baloo the bear, Leo the lion and Shere Khan the tiger have forged an unusually strong bond. Considering that they would be mortal enemies if they ever
were to meet in the wild, it is stunning to see their unique and genuine friendship in these intimate pictures.

Jungle japes: Shere Khan the tiger, Leo the lion and Baloo the bear all live together in a specially-built enclosure at Noah's Ark Animal Rescue Centre, in Georgia, USA

Rescued eight years ago during a police drugs raid in Atlanta, Georgia, the three friends were only cubs at the time at barely two months old.  

They had been kept as status symbol pets by the drug
barons.  Delivered to the Noah's Ark Animal Rescue Centre in Locust Grove, Georgia, the decision was made to keep
the youngsters together, because of their budding rapport.

'We could have separated them, but since they came as a
kind of family, the zoo decided to keep them together,' said Diane Smith, assistant director of Noah's Ark.  

'To our knowledge, this is the only place where you'll find this combination of animals together.'

Living with the zoo's founders for the past eight years, Shere Khan, Baloo and Leo have now moved to a purpose-built habitat were the US public can now witness first hand their touching
relationships.

Best friends: The three  beasts have been kept together since they were rescued from drug barons when they were just two
months old.

'We didn't have the money to move them at first,' said Diane.

'Now their habitat is sorted and they have been moved away
from the children's zoo areas where the public couldn't really get a good look.

'It is possible to see Baloo, who is a 1000lb bear, Shere Khan, a 350lb tiger and Leo, who is also 350lbs, messing around like brothers. They are totally oblivious to the fact that in any other
circumstance they would not be friends.'  

Handled by Charles and Jama Hedgecoth, the zoo's owners and
founders, the three friendly giants appear to have have no comprehension of their animal differences.

'Baloo and Shere Khan are very close,' says Diane.  'That is because they rise early, and as Leo is a lion, he likes to spend most of the day sleeping. It is wonderful and magical to see a giant American Black Bear put his arm around a Bengal and then
to see the tiger nuzzle up to the bear like a domestic cat.  When Leo wakes up the three of them mess around for most
of the day before they settle down to some food.'  

Larking about: Noah's Ark owner Charles Hedgecoth enjoys a visit with Baloo and Shere Khan

Surprisingly for three apex predators with the power to kill with a single bite or swipe of their paw, they are very relaxed around each other.

'They eat, sleep and play together,' said Jama.  'As they treat each other as siblings they will lie on top of each other for heat and simply for affection. At the moment they are getting used to their new habitat.  Shere Khan is being quite reticent about the move, but Baloo, the bear is very good at leading him on and making him feel comfortable and safe.'  

Explaining that the three 'brothers' have always seemed to share a unique bond, Charles said: 'Noah's Ark is their home and they could not possibly be separated from each other.  You just have to remember who you're dealing with when you are with them though.  It's when you forget that these fellows are wild animals that you get yourself in trouble.'  

The trio's new habitat cost an estimated £15,000 and had to be constructed carefully, in order to accommodate its occupants.

Jama said: 'The clubhouse had to be very sturdy for the guys, because they all sleep in it together.'  

She added: 'We had to include a creek, because the tiger and the bear both like to be in water.' 

Close: The animals treat each other as siblings and even lie on top of each other to share warmth and affection

                                    ***********************

This story illustrates to me that humans could definitely learn from animals.  If these predators are willing to ignore their differences, why is it so difficult for mankind to just allow everyone to be?

Judy@angelsandancestors.com   See our free February magazine on line at www.angelsandancestors.com  Send us your comments about the magazine!

Spirit Animal – Grizzly Bear

When an animal speaks to me continuously through dreams, waves at me from pictures in a magazine, or even comes up in regular conversation, I know that I need to pay attention to what message is coming through.

Adult Grizzly

Picture from www.weforanimals.com

 

 

 

Sometimes, however, getting a message is like picking up a lot of static on your favourite radio station.  And, I was getting lots of static.  I could see Grizzly, and could not hear her.  I was getting frustrated!

Grizzly cub from 

www.weforanimals.com

 

 

 

Then, I was walking out in the provincial park.  Even though it is only the end of January, I began to think about bears.  I know that there is a Cinnamon Bear hibernating on the island.  As soon as I had this thought, the next thought flowed – Grizzly Bears are having their cubs about this time.  Where did that thought come from? I was startled!

                 

Mother Grizzly with her cub – picture from Wikipedia from Wikimedia Commons 

To get in touch with the feeling around the thought, I began to do a deep meditative breathing.  My dogs looked at me, wondering what was amiss.  And gradually, a message came. Grizzly Bear said:

This is the time of hibernation.  During this time, many changes take place in bears.  The female give birth to their young, usually from two to four cubs. It is a time of introspection. For bears, the long sleep lets us walk with The Mother Of Us All without the constraints of the physical.  We learn from her, and apply the lessons when we wake up.  Bears have been shy.  We are now moving back to that place where we see humans as equals, and we will walk in the same places that they do.

There are many humans who are undergoing the same change that we are experiencing.  However, these humans do not sleep the required time to germinate something new.  They do not empty out their systems to give the body rest.  I say this to you – this is a time of giving birth to new ideas, projects, and new ways of living.  Listen to that inner voice. Sleep when you need to, and disregard the chatter of the masses.

Bears are solitary by choice so that we can move as we need to. We also can think, play, eat, and sleep when we need to.  We are not governed by what others want to do or by any control.  Will you let your self be so free as to walk away from those things in life that control you?

Judy@angelsandancestors.com  See our free February magazine on line at www.angelsandancestors.com  Check out advertising with us!

Spirit Speaks – Machu Picchu’s Rest

Five days of torrential rains in the region centred on the town of Cuzco have destroyed bridges, some 250 houses and hundreds of hectares of crops. Authorities have also said the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu will likely remain closed for weeks until the government can repair highway and railroad tracks washed out by mudslides and the raging Urubamba River. Damaged buildings, including hotels, are flooded by the Vilcanota river in Cuzco, Peru, on Thursday. Hundreds of tourists waited to be airlifted out after flooding and mudslides stranded them near the Incan citadel of Machu Picchu. (Mariana Bazo/Associated Press)  Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2010/01/29/peru-flooding-evacuation.html#ixzz0e1VJOn3o

I have been watching the natural weather and earth movements that are happening around the world.  I saw this article on the weather at Machu Picchu, and I wondered what was going on.  I checked in with Spirit, and the closest that I could get to an understanding is that the rains are cleansing  the Earth chakra found here (the male at Machu Picchu and the female at Lake Titicaca). 

Just as we humans must cleanse our chakras as part of our forward progression on our spiritual journey, so too the Earth must cleanse as she makes her way forward.

 

Picture of the chakras from www.psychicchildren.co.uk/

This natural event is a good reminder to us that we must do our work to rid ourselves of any energy that is holding us back.

Judy@angelsandancestors.com   Watch for our new free Angels And Ancestors Magazine being launched online in February at www.angelsandancestors.com