Among the benefits of reading are learning about things you never understood before, and gaining a fresh perspective on things you thought you understood. I've always known that, but I hadn't expected this to happen while reading children's books. I've been researching many folktales in preparation for my next book on kindergarten comprehension skills. This week my focus was on Native American folktales, one of the Common Core domain topics. I had just read Fire Race: A Karuk Coyote Tale by Jonathon London, on Friday night. Saturday morning I woke up from a dream with an image of an elephant riding a bicycle in my mind. Immediately, I felt tremendous gratitude for the vast network of intelligent minds who have touched my life. When I couldn't figure out the connection between the image of that funny, wobbly elephant and this sudden sense of overwhelming gratitude, I went back to Fire Race. On further research, it turns out the animal people in the story represent the Native American belief in Animal Spirit Guides.
Animal Spirit Guides show up in our lives in many different ways: a dream, in reality, a feeling of connection, a tv show... At any given time, we have up to nine of these guides, who watch over us and bring us "medicine." The combination of animals may change over time. One animal is our totem animal. The totem animal stays with you through out your life.
I made list of nine animals who have been in my life in recent days. Then I studied the descriptions of the "medicine" they bring. After spending a day thinking about it, I was able to apply this philosophy to my life. I don't think I'll ever view nature in the same old passive way again. From now on, I'll be curious to understand what the animals are bringing to my life and how they are guiding me. Below are my nine recent animal spirit guides.
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| My cat, Autumn, bringing the medicine of independence. Writing has led me to the most independent work of my life. Autumn has been my constant companion - my totem guide. |
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| I heard coyotes howling a few nights ago, bringing me the medicine of wisdom in the form of the Native American folktales I have been reading. |
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| On my way home from the library, I saw three crows on a tree branch overhanging the road. I couldn't help but look up. They were bringing me the medicine of a higher perspective. |
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| I am thoroughly enjoying the PBS series The Story of China, with Michael Wood. My husband and I first watched it last summer. There is so much history and culture we were happy to see it air again. At the beginning of each episode, there is a dragon. This dragon is bringing me the medicine of infinity. Life never really ends, it is renewed over and over again. |
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| My funny, wobbly elephant - what a character! What could he possibly have to do with my sense of gratitude for intelligent people? Well, there have been many times in my life when I have felt absolutely surrounded by ignorant and dare I say downright stupid people! What a sense of frustration and hopelessness for the future of our world that brings. But my thinking was unbalanced (the wobbly bike). The reality is I have always been surrounded by networks of very intelligent people. Often they are on the fringes of my life, or in the past, but they are there. They are a part of me. The medicine my elephant guide brought me was a sense of history. Only on looking back could I see the error in my thinking - the absurdity in focusing on the negative when the truth is far more positive. I know more brilliant people will be in my future. |
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| This red fox moved in under our shed. We are learning its schedule, and see it come out at dusk, stretch, yawn, and then dash off to hunt in the woods. It comes back at sunrise. The fox brings the medicine of diplomacy. Something we are all in need of these days. |
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| Behind our home, on the other side of the hill, is a horse farm. At dinner time, we can just make out a rider on horseback, with a miniature horse trailing behind. We started seeing it more this week, a week in which I had some trouble sleeping at night, which made the daytime hours a bit troublesome, but I got through it. My horse guide brought me the medicine of stamina. |
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| Last week, I saw a squirrel (maybe this one) narrowly escape the grip of our fox friend. My squirrel guide brings me the medicine of preparedness and resourcefulness. |
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| We've been seeing large flocks of turkeys this winter. My turkey guides bring the medicine of generosity, and the sharing of blessings - which is why I'm sharing this story with you, my readers. |
to learn more.
It's important to do it in this order, because your spirit guides choose you, rather than you choosing them based on the descriptions you read. I'd love to hear about your discoveries, so please share!
Laura S. Pringle is the author of The Pringle Plan, a series of educational guides.
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©2018 Laura S. Pringle. All Rights Reserved.
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