Spirit Animals –Hare or Jackrabbit

White Tailed Jackrabbit found in western Canada – from Wikipedia.

Do you remember which Bugs Bunny cartoon is your favorite? Did you read any Br’er Rabbit stories as a kid? Or, did you read Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter. Perhaps you have read them to your children? Any of us who grew up in the ‘60’s will remember the famed

song “White Rabbit” by the rock band Jefferson Airplane (a psychedelic commentary on using drugs by comparing the experience to fantasy story “Alice In Wonderland” Remember that the White Rabbit in “Alice” was a March Hare). These stories are all great examples of Hare or Jackrabbit as a trickster. Carl Jung states that the trickster archetype is: “a primitive cosmic being of divine-animal nature, on the one hand superior to man because of his superhuman qualities, and on the other hand inferior to him because of his unreason and unconsciousness.” So, what does this mean if you have Jackrabbit appear as a spirit animal?

First, Jackrabbit is the master of camouflage. He is seen and disappears in the blink of an eye. Jackrabbit is also very active at dawn and at dusk. This time of day is filled with wonder and is usually when fairies, spirits, orbs, and other things we associate with supernatural are most likely to be seen. Since Jackrabbit is about during this time of day, he is associated with the magic and mystery of the other worlds. Indeed, Faeries are said to ride jackrabbits between dimensions. For us, Jackrabbit reminds us that a leap of faith will take us to new worlds, and that just because something is unseen does not mean it is not real.

We know Jackrabbit for her speed and keen eyesight and for her sudden movements and unpredictable behavior. We judge her rapid movements away from anything that “seems” to frighten her as being a “fearful” behavior. Jackrabbit asks you to pay attention to what is around you. When you “leap and bound” through life, you must be alert for opportunities that will help you or harm you. High energy is often associated with nervous behavior. In fact it is speedy decisive movement. Moving too slow can cause imbalance and growth is stifled. One may even end up in a rut. If you move too fast without stopping and looking, as Jackrabbit does, you may end up as “dinner” for someone else.

With Jackrabbit’s ability to move between dimensions, you may see him in your dreams, in the shadow world. This is where are fears are stored. Is your reflex action in most situations to “jackrabbit” back to your old, familiar habits/patterns/environment? If you keep dashing for safety, how will you move forward? Jackrabbit stops and faces what scares them to determine which way to move. This is a good lesson for us! We need to accept that we have fears, honor them, hold our selves with compassion, and know that fear need not paralyze us in our movement forward.

Remember, too, that Jackrabbit loves to play. She will tease other animals and make friends with them. It may be that Jackrabbit is appearing now to remind you to take time to play with your friends – to leap with joy and celebrate life. After all, life is worth celebrating!

For those of you who sort of remember the song, "White Rabbit", here are all the lyrics.

White Rabbit –

Jefferson Airplane

One pill makes you larger
And one pill makes you small
And the ones that mother gives you
Don't do anything at all
Go ask Alice
When she's ten feet tall
And if you go chasing rabbits
And you know you're going to fall
Tell 'em a hookah smoking caterpillar
Has given you the call
Recall Alice
When she was just small
When men on the chessboard
Get up and tell you where to go
And you've just had some kind of mushroom
And your mind is moving slow
Go ask Alice
I think she'll know
When logic and proportion
Have fallen sloppy dead
And the White Knight is talking backwards
And the Red Queen's "off with her head!"
Remember what the dormouse said;
"FEED YOUR HEAD

FEED YOUR HEAD!"

 

© May 2008 Judith Hirst-Joyeux. Judith is a Sage-Healer-Shaman who works with the Goddesses and Gods, Great Spirit, and angelic realms to move quickly to the source of issues or blocks.

The Greatest Wisdom

The following quotation appeared in the March issue of Angels And Ancestors "TIDINGS OF INTEREST" newsletter.  There were several comments from our readers echoing the wisdom contained in this saying.

Enjoy!

Judy

 

 

The Greatest Wisdom

The greatest achievement is selflessness.
The greatest worth is self-mastery.
The greatest quality is seeking to serve others.
The greatest precept is continual awareness.
The greatest medicine is the emptiness of everything.
The greatest action is not conforming with the worlds ways.
The greatest magic is transmuting the passions.
The greatest generosity is non-attachment.
The greatest goodness is a peaceful mind.
The greatest patience is humility.
The greatest effort is not concerned with results.
The greatest meditation is a mind that lets go.
The greatest wisdom is seeing through appearances.
---Atisha

About Love....

Pink Tourmaline Earrings  -© 2004 S. Roger Joyeux

This lovely verse about love was sent to us in an email, and subsequently published in Angels And Ancestors's March newsletter.  To see the article about Pink Tourmaline, go to www.angelsandanecestors.com/archive.html and look for the March issue.

Namaste,

Judy

About Love....

Love is the only bow on life's dark cloud.
It is the Morning and the Evening Star.
It shines upon the cradle of the babe,
and sheds its radiance upon the quiet tomb.
It is the mother of Art,
inspirer of poet, patriot, and philosopher.
It is the air and light of every heart, builder of every home,
kindler of every fire on every hearth.
It was the first to dream of immortality.
It fills the world with melody,
for Music is the voice of Love.
Love is the magician, the enchanter,
that changes worthless things to joy,
and makes right royal kings and queens of common clay.
It is the perfume of the wondrous flower -- the heart
and without that sacred passion, that divine swoon,
we are less than beasts;
but with it, earth is heaven
and we are gods.

-Robert G. Ingersoll

Karmic Thoughts

"I am the owner of my karma.

I inherit my karma. I am born of my karma. I am related to my karma.
I live supported by my karma.

Whatever karma I create, whether good or evil, that I shall inherit."

The Buddha, Anguttara Nikaya V.57 - Upajjhatthana Sutta

 

"When the earth is dying there shall arise a new tribe of all colours and all creeds.  This tribe shall be called The Warriors of the Rainbow and it will put its faith in actions not words." - Prophecy of the Native American Hopi people

Spirit Animals –Bobcat

Bobcat in the grass!

Picture courtesy of Wikipedia Commons  Public Domain.

Bobcat is often associated with new lessons and with growth in spirituality.  Weighing in between 15 to 25 pounds, the Bobcat doesn’t move fast. However it can leap up to eight feet to land on prey. Bobcat will actually pounce on yearling fawns and antelope.  In November and December of 2007, bobcats were sighted by residents who live along Fish Creek Park in Calgary.

On January 11, 2008, a Bobcat walked into Paul Nicholas’s store in Whistler. The tourists had been taking pictures of the bobcat and it sought shelter in the store, “far from the maddening crowd”. Mr. Nicholas said that he and his customers were not fearful because the Bobcat was calm and went in and sat behind the cash register in a crouch very much like a house cat. In November and December of 2007, bobcats were sighted by residents who live along Fish Creek Park in Calgary. This reclusive animal is listed as a “sensitive species” in Alberta. So, why is it suddenly showing up in different places?

If you have Bobcat as a spirit animal, then Bobcat has a message for you. It is time to make a change. While Bobcats teach us to be alone without being lonely, and to quickly train our young to fend for themselves, these Bobcats are saying that it is time to come out of isolation and walk with people again. Bobcats show they carry magic and mystery by their black and white markings against their beige or brown fur. Because the animal blends so well with desert, plain, forest and mountain, the Bobcat is regarded as the keeper of secrets of wisdom. In Munay-Ki, we call them Wisdom Keepers. The Bobcat is choosing NOW to share the wisdom. One lesson it teaches is how to draw from the land to live. Bobcat eats carrion, mice, rabbits, squirrels, rats, and insects so it never wants for food. It is discerning in where it goes and who it allows to see it. This animal has keen night vision so sees equally well in the darkness and the light. Therefore, very little can be hidden from this animal. People with this spirit animal usually have keen psychic ability and are also very perceptive about other people’s body language and actions. This animal moves silently and often startles those that meet up with it. Are you cloaking or masking yourself? It has a very large yowling sound which sometimes paralyzes its prey. When the true you does emerge, are you startling those around you? Maybe now is the time to expand your knowledge and share what you know.

Spirit Animals - Peacock

Peacocks have the most glorious feathers and long have been used as an analogy for pride in appearance। Who has not heard the phrase “proud as a peacock”? What makes this bird fascinating is that the display is used for mating, or for anyone who shows interest in him – other birds, the person who feeds it. Mating starts in May and continues through the summer matching the seeding and growing season of the Northern Hemisphere. Observers of the mating ritual say that when the tail feathers are spread, the peacock seems to have hundreds of eyes on him.

Peacocks then, bring messages about standing proudly, with integrity, regardless of who is watching. Peacock is also about healing since their feathers are believed to have protective powers and are used by healers all over the world. For some, the “eyes” on the feathers watch for dark spirits that might inhibit healing. The feathers are also about seeing clairvoyantly and reminding the Healer/Shaman that the eyes can see at different levels. The iridescent blue and green and white have significance. Green relates to healing/heart; blue is about the truth/throat/communication; and white to the connection with the divine/crown.

The beauty of the peacock has different messages as well. Peacock stands with dignity and demands to be noticed. If you have this totem, this is a reminder to stand with dignity and allow your work and talents to be recognized. This is a confirmation that you may be called upon to lead in your field. The peacock shuts down his display in the late summer and keeps it humbly under wraps until the following year. If you have been full of ego and vanity, this is a signal to learn to temper the ego and learn to be powerful with grace and dignity. © April 2008 Judith Hirst-Joyeux। Judith is a Sage-Healer-Shaman who works with the Goddesses and Gods, Great Spirit, and angelic realms to move quickly to the source of issues or blocks. See http://www.angelsandancestors.com/.

Damona, The Divine Cow

The Symbol of the Goddess -Note that the symbol of the triple goddess used in Wicca in reference to the Goddess, is similar to the description of Damona, The Divine Cow."

In ancient times, before common era, Western Europe (Italy, France, Belgium, part of Switzerland, part of the Netherlands, and the west part of Germany) was called Gaul. The Gauls are believed to be a people similar to the Celts of Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. Like other ancient people, the Gauls had many gods and goddesses. One such Goddess is Damona, sometimes referred to as “the divine cow”.

The main temple honouring Damona was located at Alise-Sainte-Reine in the area now known as Burgundy, France. One of the features of the temple was a healing pool. Damona is believed to be a water Deity with powers of healing and procreation. Carved images of Damona show her with horns of corn, with a serpent coiled around her hand, and a cow as her favored animal. Sometimes she is seen too with the Moon as a symbol behind and over her head. Damona is associated with fertility, with healing (much like the serpents on the symbol of medicine). Damona was paired with Apollo, the healer or physician. Today, all doctors take the Hippocratic Oath which swears to “Apollo the physician”… and “takes witness to all the gods and goddesses”. Damona’s serpent was representative of shedding illness as a serpent sheds its skin.

The legends around Damona talk about the pilgrims that flocked to Burgundy, hoping to either lose their illness in the healing pools or to have a healing sleep. The pilgrims prayed to Damona to have her visit them in their sleep, in dream time, and that Damona would give them a cure. Damona was also associated with Prophecy, and it is believed that she could either direct the Fates to deliver a vision to a person’s dream or, that she would come and lead you to that time ahead so one would see what would happen as a movie, and know the circumstances and outcome of a situation.

If you see Damona in your dreams or visions, know that you are being blessed with fertility that may be translated as change, creativity, or healing powers for self and others. One should be gracious in their thanks to Damona, and spread seeds of corn or cornmeal on the Earth in thanks.