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How to Recognize Messages from Spirit through Animal Messengers
Have you ever noticed a bird or other creature crossing your path in a profound or obvious way? Or perhaps, you keep noticing the same animal over and over and it seems a bit unusual? Your guides might be sending you animal messages from Spirit.

Each of nature’s creatures has its own special medicine or power. When you understand this magick, it is much easier for the Universe to send you relevant signs and guidance. By revealing the right animal at the right time, guidance can show you what to focus on, or warn you to be mindful of negative traits.

How do you know if you are receiving an animal spirit message?

Some common indicators are:
- You notice an unusual sighting of a bird, animal, lizard, or other creature;
- Some specific creature keeps crossing your path more than usual;
- You suddenly notice something that you see every day but never caught your eye before.
A good example of animal magick crossing your path might be a hawk swooping down in front of your car when driving. Or perhaps, it sits on a post in your yard until you finally pay attention to it. Then, once you notice it, it flies away. Or maybe there are a dozen chipmunks on your lawn one morning, many more than usual.

Any of these or similar scenarios could be a sign to pay attention to. Your guides might be sending you animal messages from Spirit.

Get on the internet and look up the medicine that the animal represents. You can usually find it by searching for “animal totem”, “spirit animal”, “meaning”, or “magick”, for example, “chipmunk magick”. Or if you prefer books, my go-to reference for animal magick is Medicine Cards by Jamie Sams and David Carson. It’s a great place to start for most common animals. The readings are very detailed and insightful, plus they include inverse readings/warnings as well.

Either way, if you take the time to lookup an animal that really catches your attention, you might find its magick relates to your current life circumstance surprisingly well.

Here are a few simple steps to welcome animal messages as part of your spiritual practice:
- Tell your guides that you would like to receive messages through animal helpers. State your claim and let your intention be known. You can say it out loud or silently. I would suggest you take a moment to create a clean, clear space and get centered. Then set your intention as clearly as possible. Imagine holding it in your hands like a gift, and then release it up to Spirit and to your guides.
  
  Intention is the beginning of manifestation, in part, simply because it changes your focus. You will start seeing things that you overlooked before. You may not receive an animal message instantly, but at least you will be aware and ready for one.
- Get in alignment with nature. Unless you already receive psychic messages without even trying, you will probably need to work on honing your senses. Part of this adjustment is simply releasing the perpetual hustle and bustle of modern life. You know what I’m talking about, that constant gerbil wheel of things to do and places to be. You cannot be fully present and aware of the gifts being offered to you if you are always rushing around from one task to the next. And the animals definitely won’t want to come near you if you are running around like a maniac all the time.
  
  Slow down! Then perhaps you will notice the tiny green anole that watches you every day from your porch rail. He has magick for you if you take the time to notice him.
- Trust that you will get “the nudge” the next time an animal messenger is near.
  
  If you’ve set your intention, and you’ve slowed down, your next step is simply to believe. Know that eventually, you will start to see the messages around you. Expect it. Be on the lookout and ready for it. When it happens, you will recognize it!
  
  The key is, be mindful as you go about your business. Intentionally be aware of the creatures in your path that you ordinarily might not notice. When an animal messenger appears, it might feel profound, or it might not. The question is, why was your attention drawn to it, or how? If either the animal (or you noticing it) is out of the ordinary, that may be your tip that it has a message for you.
- When you think you might be receiving a message, look up the animal totem meaning. Don’t make excuses about how busy you are or reason it away. Spirit delivers messages to those who take them seriously and act on them. Don’t miss the opportunity you’ve been waiting for!
  
  Gifts wasted will sometimes stop appearing, or maybe we just stop seeing them. If you want to enhance your communication with guidance, it’s important that you take action on the gifts given.
Then, all you have to do is stay mindful and allow it to happen. Let go and enjoy the experience!

The more you indulge your curiosity, the quicker you will learn to recognize animal messages from Spirit. Over time, you will become better and better at discerning the difference between your mind talk and guidance or intuition.

You’ll have the hang of it before you know it!

Need a good resource for animal totem meanings?

This is my favorite book for animal medicine and always where I start when an unfamiliar creature has crossed my path. It provides in-depth descriptions, symbolism, and interpretation for a good list of common messenger animals. Plus it includes cards for divination for anyone inclined. Personally, I prefer to let nature take its course and just use the book as a reference. Either way, you can’t go wrong.

Click here to view this item on Amazon.com
April 30, 2019
The Beauty of a Witch

When you think of the word “witch”, what do you think of? Pointy black hats and broomsticks? Wicca? Cauldrons and spells? Something else?

For me and others like me, being a witch (or a Hedgewitch in my case), is simply about a reverence for nature, an understanding that we are all God/dess’s creatures, and a recognition of the magical essence that runs through us and around us all the time.

A hedgewitch (or natural born witch) is not necessarily someone who studies Wicca or witchcraft, but rather who is very intuitive and can see/hear non-physical energies and realms. She might also have a natural green thumb in the garden too, which makes spiritual sense, since magick is often linked to the realm of nature spirits, faeries, dragon wisdom, and healing.

“And harm to none” is a holy vow that many witches know better than to cross. Root workers often do not share the same values and beliefs around this tenent and have no problem crossing that line, but I have found that attempting to interfere in anyone’s free-will is a big no-no and can come with lifetimes of consequences that become less and less enchanting over time… but that’s another story for another day.

Still, in this life, my craft is about compassion, wholeness (embracing your shadow!) and healing. It’s about fostering self-love and good stewardship. It’s about helping others and living an example of a healthy, balanced life to the best of my ability.

We all have access to power that we wield everyday in a variety of shapes and forms–from family time and work to spirituality and hobbies. In every moment, we are choosing how we show up in our world; how we will use our gifts and talents; and for some, how we will manage our vices.

I choose Good.

August 3, 2018
Yes, It can be that easy!

Your software malfunctions and you don’t know how to fix it. Do you suffer through and work around it? Or bite the bullet and call the manufacturer support desk?

Hopefully, neither!

If either “suffering through” or “biting the bullet” and calling the manufacturer seem like viable options, you could be making life more difficult than it needs to be, simply by the way you are thinking.

Many times when I owned my computer repair business, I would go onsite to meet a completely frustrated client who was angry at their technology. However, when I arrived to happily investigate the issue, it was not present.

Coincidence? Maybe. Maybe not.

Sometimes, their issues were simply user-error, but the clients were so upset they couldn’t slow down enough to read the error message(s) that told them how to get what they wanted. Too often, we go through life in the same manner.

When we act from a place of emotional balance, we can be open to all of our options and will often find quick, peaceful solutions. When we don’t, we suffer.

A great example of this is, over the last three days, I spent time trying three different versions of music notation software for my new laptop. None of them were a good fit for different reasons. I felt stuck. I was going to have to buy an expensive program that I really didn’t need because there was no upgrade path for my current product. (To put this in context, I had already dealt with this exact situation several years ago, and was forced to pay money to downgrade my product at that time in order to “get current” for collaboration purposes.)

With those thoughts in mind as I made my decision on what to do next, I could have: 1) given up and paid too much for something I didn’t want, 2) installed my old software which didn’t have the nice feature updates and crashes with newer versions of windows, or 3) called the company, guns blazing, because they keep discontinuing my products and not having current versions available for upgrade.

Instead, I chose to simply put a smile on my face and call to ask what other options were available. Did they have an upgrade path I was unaware of that would meet my needs?

In fact, they did!

I spent 10 minutes on the phone with a wonderful sales rep who was able to answer all of my questions, find my lost account with my old product registrations, and merge that information into my new account–entitling me to a significant discount on the upgrade I needed. Now, I have all of my product registrations and updated information in one place and a brand new 2014 version of their best product, which I was able to purchase at a terrific price!

Because of my positive attitude, emotional balance, and openness to unseen possibilities, I was able to be greeted by a kind, helpful customer service rep, have a short, pleasant conversation that answered all of my questions, and find a terrific solution to my situation!

You may not always be placed in situations or with people that make you happy or comfortable. But in truth, you’re responsible for your own happiness. By employing a positive, emotionally balanced attitude and outlook, and expecting to be able to find a solution to whatever challenge you are facing, you’ll be much better able to handle whoever you have to deal with and whatever you have to do. Additional options will become available because you can think with a clear and open mind and you will resolve your challenges more quickly and peaceably.

The moral to the story… Success is in large part based on your ability to stay in equanimity and out of the drama. Try it.

Open your heart. Open your mind. Smile. And go get ’em!

February 12, 2014
Lemons to Lemonade

It’s easy to follow our dreams when everything is going well and we have plenty of financial resources and support from our families, friends and communities. But sometimes, life will throw us a real hook, changing things up and making the safe way of living we’ve become accustomed to no longer easily available. When this happens, most people find themselves stressed, worrying and in a state of decline. But consider this: what if suddenly changing circumstances are the universe’s way of creating the space and time for us to do what we really love and have been wanting?

Often adversity is the exact thing that brings out our greatness, our love of life and our ability to see opportunities we previously didn’t recognize when gazing through a lens of obligation and responsibility. However, when that lens radically shifts due to illness, loss of a job, loss of a significant person in our lives or other major changes to our current living situation, we can be “freed up” to see a more accurate view of what is truly necessary and important to us. When we allow this shift in perspective, we find opportunity to step out into new realms of experience and new ways of being.

So whatever challenges you face, choose to embrace them as a gift. Set your intention to use that challenge to see a new and higher Truth that will free you from limited thinking, old wounds and resentments, and negativity. With a perspective of trusting in the process—knowing that all things are working together for your good and all you have to do is seek the gift—you will find room to make lemons into lemonade.

Discipline yourself to let go of the should’s and have to’s that control you. And instead, focus on, “What would I love?” You might be surprised where it takes you.

Image provided by © Adekvat | Stock Free Images & Dreamstime Stock Photos

August 8, 2012