hello folx!
there has been a heat wave that’s been happening here in Portland, Oregon! Very rare it’d happen this early yet quite understandable with climate change being real and happening out there. Oy. I hope some cooler temperatures come very soon!
Earlier tomight, I felt nudged to look through Ted Andrews’ Animal Speak Pocket Guide book. A few animal medicines have been currently around me and/or making their presences known. So. I felt it may be a good idea to look them up. It made a lot of sense with where I’m at, currently.
Crow: (magical help) Unexpected help with problems and obstacles is at hand to bring relief. Your magic is calling and it will be answered.
Raven:(shapeshifting) Things are shapeshifting around you. There is an awakening of magic. Give it new expression and life will change for the better.
Dragonfly: (time to shine) Trust in the power of your light and your perceptions to succeed. Efforts are maturing. Spiritual path is ahead.
Bison -buffalo is another form of this : (abundance) Abundance awaits if you act with respect and honor. Now is the time for right action. Short cuts and ingratitude create problems.
Jaguar: (reclaim ) Now is the time to reclaim the fruits of your labors. With discipline, the rewards will surprise. Patience and silence is important.
Bear: (inner voice ) Inner potentials are awakening. Trust your own unique rhythms -not those of others. This will bring the honey you seek.
Wolf: (guidance) Though not apparent yet, change is occurring. Trust in self to find your path. Take control. Protection surrounds you in journeys.
Salmon: (persistence ) A great pilgrimage is ahead. Trust in your feelings for subtle changes. Persistence brings success. Your life is changing so don’t give up.
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Earlier this week, I read an elephantjournal.com article written by this woman who has lost a dear friend to suicide. She hiked to his favorite place, a waterfall, to honor his having passed and in that whole journey, she faced so much of the emotional spectrum: anger, grief , sadness, loss, then bittersweetness in the re-membering…. Then forgiveness, acceptance, release. During that experience, she remembered a memory of him telling her how the salmon return to their place of birth to die. She had been horrified initially at that. Then, when at the waterfall to honor his death, she remembered that again and was able to transform it and let him go.
For me, the feeling of how the salmon return to the place where the female spawns, gives birth to the young salmon, then the mother dies…letting her body go downstream again, letting her body fall apart, her bones lay where they do until she returns to source – the open sea. That feels like a deep, powerful gift – in her dying and letting her body fall apart, she returns life to the earth and the sea.
Also, in Celtic tradition, salmon is valued and deeply respected as one of the five counted animal spirits. Salmon represents wisdom. There is a story I love about salmon- there is a place in the Otherworld where there’s a pool, nine hazelnut trees, and salmon that jump up to consume the hazelnuts when the hazelnuts fall down from the trees. See, for each nut the salmon consumes, there will be an age spot that appears on the salmon’s body. This shows that salmon is clearly one of the Ancient ones.
When I consume Salmon, it is Spirit medicine for me and my body. I don’t look at Salmom as meat. I honor it and consume it especially when I’m feeling like I need some guidance or wisdom on my path.
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Earlier, also this week, I had asked Spirit to bring a crow feather along my path since I had given away my other ones as gifts of medicine to others who had needed it more in that moment than me. I went on a little walk to a cafe with one of my rad fae brothers… And guess what I noticed? There was a crow feather in the grass just right off the sidewalk. It felt like an answer to my asking of Spirit. I felt very grateful and took it with me. Now, at this moment, it is on my bedside little table. It feels very good having it closely to me. I trust the reason to why it appeared to me will become clear soon.
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As for all the other animal medicines mentioned, I have varying threads with all these. I’m grateful deeply for their presences and teachings. I feel right now I will be and already am learning some deeper lessons and teachings from them.
Thats my thoughts for now. More soon!
-Mr. Thorne