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Nature Whispers, Remember Who You Are
On a planet that is so diverse with every kind of natural wonder we could dream of, isn’t it incredible how nature doesn’t have a divide and conquer approach with hidden agendas or malevolent motives?
Rather, things coexist and intermingle as an unspoken state of harmony in simple and mutual understanding that gives and receives in flow of one’s natural essence.
Nature knows the integral web that each thread has value in.
You might say, “Well, that’s nature.”
An interesting remark considering some may believe there’s no, or little, consciousness in nature like humans experience and yet nature sure does things miraculously, in balance, and left to her own devices, knows how to regenerate and thrive.
If we think in any way that we have more awareness or consciousness than nature, it bears asking why we are so out of balance and in fight against ourselves?
We are part of nature so why not say, “Well, that could be humans too?”
Instead, there is often a divisive and conquering drive that desires power over most anything, including the power to go against our very nature.
When I look out on any landscape I see my, and our, potential that we’ve forgotten – to live as masterful works of art like nature does, weaving our colors together as one.
Days come and go, but unconditional love is eternal.
Feeling the ways in which we can learn to expand or limit our experience.
The heart is the bridge.
My #1 Wellness Tip & Other Non-Negotiables for Well Being
We hear a lot about self care and well being these days being top priority, especially for those of you not used to providing yourself a healthy dose of it in your life. This includes sensitives, empaths, healers of any kind, out-pourers of energy, care-givers, anyone in service positions within any field, and simply any of you who self-sacrifice, overwork and overdrive yourself, don’t feel deserving, and don’t make the time for it.
When we are in a state of well being, we are more productive, have greater inspiration and motivation, create and connect from the heart, and are able to give more to others and anything we desire to assist.
However, if we don’t make wellness a priority, it simply won’t be our consistent experience and now more than ever that isn’t something I’m willing to compromise. How about you?
I found it helpful to create non-negotiables in my life that help me to pinpoint the really key and important things I feel are most valuable to me and make the most difference for me, and then make sure to focus on those. I find that much more supportive and productive, rather than deeming everything high priority and running myself ragged or discouraging myself into an all or nothing state of being that usually turns me off of doing anything because I think it’s impossible to do ALL of those things. You know that feeling I’m sure.
You can create non-negotiables in any area of your life to help you to know what is a focal must for yourself and what things aren’t really that crucial. In this way you can be more open to compromise or finding some kind of middle ground with the rest and come to see what things really make the difference for you – not every single little thing.
So, while I’m talking about things that are non-negotiable for your well being right now, you could make a list of these to help you with the relationships, friendships, business partnerships, job, home, goals, etc. that you want to draw into your life.
I personally saw the benefit in that when I started making my non-negotiable list for a relationship, which made me realize what really isn’t that important and let me focus my time and energy on what was. Having differences is healthy and creates space for evolution. Sameness on all levels can equate to stagnation and boredom. So knowing what is fundamental for you and what really doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things, is super eye-opening and life-changing. It also invites more exercise of your heart when you open to understanding other viewpoints, being more compassionate and unconditional, and not being attached to every little thing as if it’s life or death. You discover the true nectar of life that enriches and weaves a bond of connection that has longevity.
But back to wellness, as with things in the world right now, being at your optimal and knowing what boosts your energy levels, keeps your aura high-vibed, and strengthens your immune system are vital.
I shared this just under one minute video on Instagram a couple of weeks ago, but uploaded to my YouTube Channel to be able to link it in this post. It cuts off at the end, but you get the idea I think. It’s a little live action “me” snippet doing my chosen activity for the day for body, heart, mind, and soul vitality. I love how at 15 seconds, when I emphasize “essence to beam through,” the light beams across my face in an upside down arc or rainbow. Gotta love those energy alignments. 😉
Here’s My #1 Wellness Tip:
As you can see, this is me being me, doing my favorite thing for well being – hiking. Spring is here in the mountains and that means tons of forest bathing, vigorous exercise for this faery every single day. I love all outdoor activities all year round (hiking, biking, kayaking, snow shoeing, skiing), but hiking is my favorite.
Moving your body in nature is not only amazing on every level for you and incredible for your immune system, but it’s free! Soon the wildflowers will be blooming and their scent will add more amazingness to the pine air my lungs are breathing in.
Hiking or outdoor activity/exercise didn’t use to be a priority in the earlier part of my life, but I experienced first-hand the huge difference it made for me on all levels and came to understand how moving the body is so essential to our well being. When you couple that with doing it outdoors, then you amplify the effects. Energy wants to move and so if you’re someone who sits most of the day or doesn’t get a good blood-pumping into all parts of your body, with deep breathing, and maybe even a little sweat, then you likely may experience challenges on one or other areas of life. Stagnation, blocks, anger, resentment, stifled emotions, mental clarity, good sleep, digestion, etc. can all benefit from some kind of movement. Even a simple walk or doing stretches outdoors could make a big difference.
And remember that trees are hugely beneficial to you – pine trees especially, but all trees are magnificent supporters of wellness. So even just being out forest bathing for 20 minutes can produce positive changes in the body. Spending time among trees and breathing in their phytoncides helps improve the immune system.
Whatever you enjoy doing that either gets you outside and/or moving is super beneficial. Be it a walk, gardening, yoga, meditation, physical therapy, dancing, sitting at the park, painting, writing, enjoying a picnic or meals on your balcony or in your backyard, building something, breathwork, walking your animal companions, camping, more vigorous outdoor activities, you name it. The addition of physical movement, exercise or therapy of some sort aids things like heart health and lowering blood pressure, muscle strength and balance, increase life span, improve brain function, mental clarity, and sleep, weight management, helps with joint stiffness/pain, and reduces feelings of depression, anxiety, and stored up emotions in general.
Everyone is different and will resonate with different amounts of exercise, types of exercise, activities, etc., but for me daily outdoor exercise is a non-negotiable.
I also learned that particularly for me I need much more of this than perhaps others do because of the astrological make-up I was born with that needs a supercharged outlet for physical activity, movement, and expression in a certain way or else I’ll see the effects manifest as a result of repressing that energy. I didn’t even have to know my astrological chart to figure this out because I felt the difference when doing or not doing it, but the chart made sense of it and highlights it’s part of my make-up. You might know this for yourself, too, or you could take a quick look at your own astrological map for life.
I also know that I put out a lot of energy into all that I do or send into the world – some of you are likely nodding to that as well in resonance for yourself – so I need that supercharge that nature immersion and physical activity provides me to replenish, refresh, revitalize, and realign myself – overall helping me to reflect my truest and strongest radiance or soul emanation.
This is why I do a lot of outdoor things to include the exercise activities, but also gardening, yard work, sun bathing, or simply enjoying the beach, a picnic, or sitting on our deck reading.
So what are some of my other non-negotiables for well being?
You already know my #1 and here are the rest of them in no particular order:
- Spending time with my husband and lots of time physically and emotionally connecting with Astrid, my rabbit soul companion, and the kitty babies, Sweet Pea & Boojum
- “Me” time
- Eating nourishing, creative, and fun vegan meals and drinks (no alcohol, drugs, or mind-altering substances of any kind)
- Daily intermittent fasting – I’ve been doing this now for nearly a year and a half and intend to continue indefinitely
- Getting at least 8 hours of sleep a night
- Listening to, trusting, and backing up my intuition
- Dealing with emotions when they come up
- “Whatever time” to do something I find fun on any level, luxuriating, or simply relaxing
- Creating peace in any situation and keeping an open heart and mind
- Practicing daily gratitude
- Doing what I love, but also seeing the gift in what ever I do
These are MY non-negotiables, but aren’t necessarily what you might deem a priority for well being. I have found these to be key to feeling balanced and maintaining my energy and vitality, as well as keeping my well full for giving.
Would you like to reclaim and reflect your soul radiance?
If so, then what can you commit to as non-negotiables for your well being that make the biggest difference for how you feel and show up in life?
Once you’ve identified what they are, then make it a priority to be accountable for them. No one else is going to do that for you. Work one step each day toward believing you are worth it and then start implementing a routine that can become your new norm for wellness. Your body and soul will thank you.
Bridges to the Heart of the Cosmos Within
It’s been a while since I’ve shared some artistic creations so today’s post focuses on the energy of two recent custom commissions I completed, which I feel hold collective messages for reflection. As always, I find that the projects that find their way to me end up being much farther reaching experiences than just for the person they’re created for. I believe that each of us not only taps into the messaging of our higher selves through these channelings, but is tapping into the bigger picture well of themes that are relevant and supportive at this time. In this way, each person becomes a vessel or portal for the messaging and through their courage, we all receive the gift.
The first piece is the latest Magick Keepsake Chest that I was so excited to create. The title for it came to me right away – “Harmony Is…”
These chests are creative canvases for me to either take someone’s ideas and channel them into a cohesive expression, or completely flow through an entire vision from scratch for them. They become their own mini portals that are functional for storing things like crystals, jewelry, intentions and dreams, keys, special little mementos and treasures, store the ashes of beloved animal companions with locks of fur, and make wonderful Reiki boxes or gift boxes.
This one is going to be used as a Reiki box.
I was only given a list of some things the person was drawn to, to work from: They were drawn to the night themes in some of the chests they saw from past creations, were interested in what a “night rainbow” might look like since they see rainbows a lot, have had rabbit, bear, and hexagon energy showing up, and wanted that incorporated somehow with a tiny dandelion some where.
I was so happy when they saw their creation and shared, “I absolutely love how all the random elements came together so beautifully.”
The photos you see are what channeled through as the woven story for this vessel.
What do you think?
As I relayed to the person who commissioned this, here is a little description of the vision that manifested:
“It’s SO hard to capture the accurate colors and details – but you’ll see in person that the experience of it is quite different than a photo. The colors are so rich – I made that midnight blue night sky rather than black, as it felt more aligned with the energy. In person it actually shifts from deep teal, to teal and royal blues, to darker areas mixed with a little black to create the variations. I call it “Harmony Is…” and the image of the white rabbit and young bear sitting on clouds in the heavens extending arms to one another in friendship are the focal point. You can see the stars that energetically connect their outstretched paws merge as a heart at center, while two other star hearts in the Cosmos are on either side of them. The rabbit holds a dandelion, with little puffs of seeds blowing up into the Cosmos, while a perfect rainbow emerges from it and they transmute into the four hexagon woven symbol that came to me to create for that balance at center….from there the rainbow emanates out into a rainbow nebula that fills the whole back (this is one of the things that really doesn’t show up the greatest in photos) and there are gold, white and colored stars scattered throughout. Actually the gold I used for the hexagons, stars, constellations, and energy is metallic so it shimmers in the light – again you’ll see that in person. On the sides I created an extension of the clouds from the front with more loose flowy rainbows that merge at back with the nebula. And on the left I created the Lepus and Ursa Major constellations – Hare/Rabbit and Great Bear…they appear as if running along the rainbow. The inside is painted in varying teals and blues.”
Custom Magick Keepsake Chests are available here: The Magick Rabbit
Then we move into the second custom commission – a sacred tattoo design that was an extremely challenging, yet super potent cocreation for both of us.
As I shared with my client: “There was a sense of great importance and even more surrender because of the magnitude I could feel coming through it and you. I have to admit, at first, ego was ‘hoping’ I would be able to hear/see what was intended for this…then after embracing that humanness, I listened to my higher self that wanted me to just trust and it would come. There was a feeling of words saying, ‘You do know, but you have to let go fully. Drop into essence and believe. Allow it to move through. It will then be you.’ “
Because my client had tattoos already in a particular style of powerful simplicity, boldness, and indigenous quality, I needed to stay within this energy, while not compromising the essence of this portal and also drawing upon a boundless Cosmic energy that needed to merge spirit in Earthy flesh.
Her visions and messaging from those working through her spoke loudly about how we were working with a very expansive energy that needed to come through a multi-dimensional doorway with 3-D effect and continuum of movement. So embodying the contrast of simple complexity was quite a task and surrender indeed was needed. In fact, this piece was ever-more drawn out because I really had to wait for each piece and only sit down when the doorways opened to feed through me the ingredients for the vision.
The image you see is a series of Star Wheels – a medicine wheel mandala that incorporates the Star Nation.
Without going into the full meaning of this piece, here are some of the elements you might discover while gazing upon it and can then draw your own energetic messaging from:
- An inner medicine wheel represented with the turtle shell – so the entire center is the back of the turtle – very simple lines and the inner smaller circles are part of the shell uniqueness, but double as mini wheels and orbiting planets in the Cosmos
- At center of the turtle shell/star wheel is the spiral/nautilus for that continuous flow and evolution energy. The spiral interconnects with the shell’s inner circle/design between each section of the shell and also the tendrils or threads that move out around the outer wheels – reflections of the golden threads my client envisioned
- I created all of these tendrils to feel alive and like sprouting new life from the plant kingdom, but also having a cosmic nebular spiral effect. So I added a few simple leaves on some of the tendrils inside the shell on the spiral and outside around each outer wheel
- I wanted the star wheels to have the essence and recognition as a wheel, but also to double subtly as more. There are four outside the center, fifth one, creating the four directions. I added two hawk feathers – a client connection and messengers between worlds – for a subtle hawk presence at both sides of center to give the effect of those directions without creating lines and down the center the stars rise from the medicine bowl below, along with three symbols my client wanted to have included that also are subtle in creating the center of the four directions.
- The bottom star wheel I felt needed to be larger as it will sit on the sacrum – or sacred portal area – and I felt this is where a medicine bowl would be. A primitive healing hand or hand of the Divine Creator rises from within and holds or reaches toward the bowl. The bowl is filled with stars and another of my client’s symbols amongst those stars. Then the another of my client’s symbols is right above it with a third just above that leading to center. Then stars continue to rise from there. This portal area and star wheel feels to be the gateway and so it infuses spirit in body reflected and both Earth and Cosmos bridged together and creating alchemy. The tendrils spiral around the wheel and I created an effect of movement and emergence with the subtle circular spiral rising from bottom and integrating into the circle subtly. Later I noticed how this created the feel/look of a bee hive and I loved that symbolism and how honey is the nectar of life and the hexagons are such potent symbols.
- The two star wheels at either side have the other two symbols my client wanted in them and each of them also surrounded by the live tendrils/nebula spirals and stars. I then felt they needed motion as well to feel like those moving or orbiting planets and so the lighter and descending wheel shadows are to reflect rotating movement in the Cosmos. Everything also feeling like rotating atoms or Cosmic matter.
- Then the top star wheel again is tethered also like the others with the tendrils, but these wrapping around to create that feeling of motion, parts of the wheel, and rotating atom-like nature. Instead of repeating the similar movement of any of the other three, this one has rotating, open circular matter creating a link or doorway effect
- Each star wheel is its own separate portal to other dimensions, but in totality they are part of a larger multi-dimensional grid – they have ability to give and receive through their doorways.
- And last, you will see that on both sides near the bottom there are stars creating two designs – one a constellation and the other created to appear like one. The right is Ursa Minor – also known as the Little Bear constellation. This was included because of a Cosmic bear connection that came through the messaging we discussed. The Bear constellations are very connected to the Arcturians as well. And on the left, jaguar energy was incorporated, but rather than do any literal or abstract parts of the jaguar’s physical nature, I opted to create the jaguar paw with stars, to balance the constellation on the right, making it appear like its own constellation, but more so to reflect how the jaguar is a dimensional gateway keeper and timeline guardian. What I saw after the fact was how the overall effect of these constellation additions created the feel of a dream catcher to the overall design, which I loved as another unifying tie-in.
The first photo I shared is a very straightforward design photo and the one below is in natural outdoor light.
As I shared with my client, “What I found very interesting was, as soon as I went outside to photograph it in the natural light, the white little feather you see by it blew over to me.”
That gave me chills as confirmation and a Cosmic smile.
The third photo I took has a magickal effect of enhancing and casting more light in areas and darker in others, which creates the feeling of movement and as if the light is swirling along with the design.
Perhaps these images will speak to you, invite a deeper awareness, take you on a journey, or water a seed within you to expand even more – bridges to the heart of the Cosmos within.
Whimsical Wednesdays ~ The Artist’s Corner: Cosmic Bear Messengers of Merging
This is my latest custom original portal painting I just completed on Saturday 12/19/2020 – the day Jupiter went into Aquarius. It’s titled Autumn Light and features momma bear and her cubs enjoying the precious moments of life in their beautiful forest home, as the seasons shift. No matter how natural I’m creating something, I always love to infuse a touch of ethereal quality and a connection to the life force and consciousness within all creation. (I only have one basswood plaque custom portal left at The Magick Rabbit Etsy Shop)
It was a very hard one to capture on camera in terms of reflecting the nature of blended colors and details accurately. Yet, what I love about art is that in every light, at each angle, and to the individual heart of the observer, it will always convey something different and perfect to experience.
And what I’ve been loving about my art recently is how my process of creation has completely changed so much so that it’s nearly getting to that place I dreamed of where I might be able to just project a vision and feeling onto canvas with little effort – something similar to telepathic transference. For me, colors are my favorite thing to play with, alongside infusing energy, feeling, stories, and light codes into each piece. My painting used to be much more labored and more of a process, where as now I no longer sketch ideas or map the whole thing out. It simply comes together in the moment and quite quickly. I also discovered my resonance is to paint on the natural and not canvases – wood portals are my favorite and wooden chests as well are so fun! Smaller pieces speak to me than the larger ones I used to create as well.
And all of this reflects the shifts my life has gone through and how things are so much more efficient, accessible, integrated, and about merging parts, rather than separating them. As life has become a walking meditation, so too has painting become an extension of breathing. Essence is streaming through much more clearly and for that I’m grateful.
I’ve mentioned in previous posts how bear has been showing up for me so repetitively that it’s easily become the key theme to dreamscapes all year and likely the most abundant theme in general. They also show up quite a bit in person (black and grizzly bears alike), especially since our time in the Magick Bus, but we’ve had many sightings here in Tahoe over the last couple of years – several of these taking place right in our backyard forest. One of these included momma and her single, sweet little cub.
Because of the profound presence of this messenger in my life, I thoroughly enjoyed creating this piece and deepening into the relationship with bear.
While bears hold their own symbolic medicine, I’ve come to know their repetitive presence to be Cosmically connected for me. In fact, the increase in animal sightings and intimate experiences and connections I have both in person and through dream time have spoken to me much more of the stars and my origins.
What I’ve uncovered is that extraterrestrial experiences and star connections are showing up a lot more through animals, rather than the literal way they used to. I still have straight Cosmic experiences, but the majority of ways this has been translating is through Nature.
These animals are the messengers for them and manifestations of them and this speaks to how as a collective we’re needing to come back to Earth and bring the Cosmic here. That experience of spirit in body, grounding, integrating, and basically embodying the totality of our essence here and now.
These experiences used to be more separate and the way we focused was more toward what’s “out there,” rather than bringing that through “here.” Psychic and intuitive abilities were thought to be only for the perceived gifted and physicality was devalued. Meditations to leave the body, spirituality as a thing to ascend to, and maybe even for some using other kinds of mind-expanding inducements to accelerate and separate from the body’s own miraculous nature, all took prominence.
And now we are being asked to drop back into body, ground our awareness, and merge our parts so that we can be cocreative manifestors of the new realities unfolding on Earth with the surge of energy pouring through to support this.
We are learning balance within and without and this is part of the harmonic frequencies I feel coming through.
All that to say, that bear has been a way shower for me in these times and a messenger of Cosmic origins helping to activate light codes.
Whether one believes in these kinds of things or not, at the very basic nature of it all, bears, animals, plants, trees, and Nature at large, are all reminders to us of the natural cycles and how we can align more consciously in ways that will support, rather than destroy this planet we call home.
But I’ll go a step further, even if just to seed possibility.
Arcturus has been quite prominent in communications over the years and so it isn’t surprising that bear shows up so much at this shift-point for humanity. My understanding has been that Arcturians are strong guardians and supporters of Earth and her inhabitants. A bridge for that Golden Age of transformation people speak of, or the future selves we can access to bring through that fuller embodiment of spirit and body merged.
Arcturus has Ancient Greek roots, coming from the name Arktouros and carries several meanings to include “guardian of the bear,” “keeper of the bear,” “bear follower,” “the bear watcher,” and others.
Mythology speaks to the story of Arcas nearly shooting and killing his mother Callisto who Zeus transformed into a bear. Zeus prevented this tragedy by transforming the boy into the Boötes constellation called Arctophylax “bear guardian” by the Greeks (Arcturus is a red giant star and the brightest star of this constellation) and turned his mother into Ursa Major (Greek: Arctos “the bear” and in Latin the name means “greater she-bear”).
So, again, at the least….it’s an interesting connection linking bears to the stars and prompts the expansion potentials that curiosity can have – including the awakening of latent parts of ourselves.
May all possibilities be open to you.
A Winter Solstice Visual Spell to Activate the Light Within
Today’s Winter Solstice (for the Northern Hemisphere – Summer Solstice for the Southern Hemisphere) is imbued with rich possibility, accentuated by the Great Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn forming a rare Christmas Star. These two planets will be the closest they’ve been in 800 years. Innovative Aquarian energy has anchored as well, and so there is a fresh reset for humanity at hand.
Winter Solstice celebrates a return to light and provides a regenerative portal to honor the remembrance of this light that you are, for making those leaps in consciousness by moving within to shine your own light even when no one else around you is, and to “see the light” even when things get dark and you’re unsure of what to do, where to go, or even how to think or feel.
Through inward focus you can receive insightful guidance on the months and year ahead. Perhaps you might envision the light and inner fire of your heart and soul expanding and filling your entire body and emanating out and joining with the light of our Great Central Sun, allowing yourself to take up more space and be who you really are.
We need each of you standing in essence, more than ever.
This quietude and dreamtime mirrors the germinating seeds lying under Earth’s winter-kissed skin. Nature awaits renewal in the stillness of brisk air and clear stars. While much seems asleep, everything is percolating.
Today I offer you this visual spell I was guided to create as a way to help activate the light within. I stepped into essence and the child I was born on Earth to be, recapturing the dance and song I used to share as a little girl to all who visited us. There was a time I would tell stories through my dance and the music moving through my spirit – it was an energetic dance shared heart to heart.
The root of my name, Tania, comes from Titania – The Faery Queen. I was born a Winter February baby and with Jupiter and Venus in Aquarius, the energetic landscape upon us feels right at home.
From the essence of which I was named and that I be, I drop into my heart and spread love and harmony throughout the land.
It is my hope we remember and embody the nature of kindness and compassion, come to live with each other, every living being, and Earth’s realms in true cocreative partnership, and open our hearts to the creative magick within each of us to manifest new realities for the highest good of all concerned.
Along with the visual spell, here is a Winter Solstice Spell from Ben and Christina of Wytch Wood (my favorite Vermont Magick Maple Creators):
Winter Solstice Spell
Winter is here, and as I light my space,
Bring forth only love and peace in my place.
Accept my Yuletide offerings to help my wishes come true,
May there be wisdom in all I do.
Abundance flows generously, to me and through me,
I place blessings and love to all beings on land and sea.
Earth Spirit, this is the year’s last cycle learning,
And I welcome the next season turning.
My candles are burning free,
as the sun returns, so it shall be.
Blessed Be and So it is.
Manifesting from an Open Heart
Another cycling through of powerful energies is upon us with this Lunar Eclipse Full Moon in Capricorn – just one of the many astrological influences going on right now. With this Moon we are working with the energies of Capricorn and Cancer – think sensitive, open heart, and intuitive trust meets wise discernment, inner strength, and exercise of boundaries.
Emotions are raw at these Full Moons and heightened by Cancer’s energy right now. Capricorn steps in to help navigate these feelings more effectively and with a mature wisdom that helps you to harness determination and clarity to review things from a more balanced perspective. Then the intuition that is revealed doesn’t just sit idle, but now has a way of coming forth into manifestation.
This photo was taken of me on Sunday while we were on an adventurous hike. I love the merging of water, snow, and ice with mountainous terrain, rock, and greenery emerging. It speaks to me so much of this Capricorn and Cancer balancing made tangible, which was also part of the journey to get to the lakes at top – using feelings, intuition, determination, responsible action, and wise discernment to navigate the way.
I also love how my shoulders are in perfect alignment with the mountain behind me – almost creating an expansive wing-like essence, but one of solidity. My stance is grounded and anchored, and yet my energy feels open, free and flowing like the waters surrounding me.
If it’s hard to imagine what the merging of Cancer and Capricorn would feel and look like this, at least for me, helps me to envision it. And the experience helped me to embody it more.
It’s incredible how things happen like that.
Messages of this Moon speak to not relinquishing that inner heart and spirit knowing in place of what others or society are trying to impose as decisions for you.
Nurturing more courage and strength and surrounding yourself with more resonant spirits that align with you and help you to steer a more aligned course for yourself will likely be beneficial, especially if you feel challenged by doing it on your own.
It’s a time for discovering, embracing, and realizing your worth at the core of your being and that it’s not determined or defined by anything else but that.
Perhaps you might be feeling the desire to withdraw, but these are times to expand further.
The only true enemy you have is when you fight against yourself or give in to the perpetuation of collective struggles and patterns running the show.
There are some who may find moving on from experiences and people that feel oppressive will be supportive for this. And many others I’ve noticed are exiting in more extreme ways, as it feels timely for them to simply move on altogether.
It can be challenging and that’s why having some kind of support system – whether friends, family, like-minded kindred spirits, animal companions, loved ones, or a strong relationship to Nature or the nature within you can help.
Peace can be found through an understanding of non-duality – that there is a place where all things meet in the heart.
And speaking of hearts, I posted this share along with the photo above on my Instagram page and it felt aligned for these energies. I’m resharing it here, as I know many of you aren’t on Instagram.
Surrender to the courage of your wild heart – it has a power very rare.
Surrender to the guidance of your heart and take courageous steps to be more vulnerable and connect more intimately and deeply with yourself, others, and all of life around you. Your life will shift immensely in reflection to these commitments.
When the heart is continually being conditioned only by the mind, its voice and inspiration become stifled and confused, even when you actively try to engage it.
When you allow the mind’s influence to overpower the heart’s, you place limitations on the extraordinary source and well-spring of energy, vibrancy, guidance, intuition, and inspiration it can provide naturally. Not to mention, you hinder the joy and extraordinary experiences that could infuse your life if you had a clear path to your heart.
It’s not that we abandon the mind, but integrate a healthier union between it and the heart, with heart leading and being supported and channeled most effectively.
A wild heart is one that operates naturally, instinctively, and freely, providing direction from your authentic self and from the deepest passions and desires that stem from that truth. This is hidden between layers of “ideas” you have about yourself and the conditioned “desires” that you have come to learn.
Your wild heart will lead you back to your essence, and toward real liberation, satisfaction, harmony, and balance at the core of your being.
Be willing to face and lovingly let go of old mental and emotional patterns, and the conditioning that reins you in from experiencing your own wild, free heart – taking time to repattern yourself back to who you really are.
It’s not a simple journey at first, but it does become increasingly easy when consistently and actively engaged.
Afterall, it IS simply you returning to natural harmony. That may seem like a foreign experience right now, but it’s the most natural experience there is. You’ve simply forgotten this.
It’s interesting that in the last several days a few new animals have shown up for us here. Yesterday we had two long-tailed weasels visit our deck, which we’ve never seen. And on our bike ride, I saw a dead baby porcupine alongside the bike path. A few days ago I found a dead mouse on the forest trail behind our house. And swallowtail butterflies and large, chubby bumble bees (I like to call mini bear cubs with wings) galore have been visiting and dancing around me.
I didn’t get to see this one myself, but a friend had come to pick us up the other day and she said she saw a grown rabbit on our lawn. This made me happy because I’ve been wondering about Blueberry and his mom – the rabbit family from last year – and this made me feel that Blueberry was grown up and still making this his home.
These are just the more unusual of sightings to add to the array of daily regular ones, although I have a thing for finding all of the dead animals.
I also found five – my favorite number – Steller’s Jay feathers on Saturday…one after another. I actually “knew” I’d find five – even though they were all spread out over 7 miles.
The symbolism and energies of them are also telling and feel aligned with things.
Cycles continue and transformation is part of life. Best to flow with it, rather than fight it.
There are a lot of retrogrades also happening right now and these always lend to it being a beneficial time for reviewing and clarifying your life and life focuses.
What has been running the show for you?
What are your choices rooted in?
You have opportunity to change that story and live from a renewed connection to your inner heart’s guidance that now has the strong support system it has always craved, to do what it wants most.
This is manifesting from an open heart and it comes from the union of energies working together to strengthen each other.
The One Thing I Know
The one thing I know is that if ever I’ve felt alone, Nature assured me I had more friends than I could count.
Every bit of magick I believed in and experienced, She whispered reiteration of to me.
Every question I couldn’t understand, She unraveled the simple mystery of before me.
Every Cosmic connection I referenced that met with rolled eyes elsewhere, She clarified with no need to defend.
If lost, Nature reflects the Harmony that always Is.
A New Chapter Begins
Have you been feeling the pull to take your life to a new level of experience? I know I’m not the only one embarking on a new chapter in life right now and I know that for some this can be both a scary and exciting thing, as well as potentially intense. Change is not always easy, but can become a more fluid experience when you play in the fields of potential with curious wonder, rather than fight it. After all, these shifts are soul nudges that have answered your desires or evolutionary needs, both consciously and subconsciously. Sometimes what shows up might not seem aligned with that and yet even when those things seem separate and not connected, there’s something at the heart of it all in essence that may be a hidden gift, reminder, empowering opportunity, or core way to integrate the new path.
I’ve traveled extensively in the outer world to what are considered sacred and exotic spots, but it’s the journeys within and even the traveling between spaces and through all the energetic and emotional nooks and crannies that things like physical travel took me to, that have made all the difference. And while much of that travel has been on more etheric planes, even such things as the sacred tattoos I wear, have been ways to come into my body and harness spirituality more tangibly for this Earth plane I currently reside in.
I feel like we’re being guided through new doorways of experiences, relative to each, but that are operating on a whole new plane of existence – in essence helping to create whole new realities.
Starting all over can feel like so many things, including some unpleasant or uncomfortable variations, but mostly I see it is an opportunity, a potential to rise to the “now” occasion, a possibility for recreating from new choices – a rebirth – and a means to shape in that “now” what the “future-you” already is walking, without past restraints.
Sometimes you might have that tug of war within yourself, as you wrestle with old and new, or sometimes it’s as easy as slipping on a new pair of shoes that feel oh-so-much-more comfortable, spacious, shiny fun, and upgraded.
This last Saturday, 8/18/18 – a very cool number sequence to end on – marked the conclusion to my teaching Reiki, which has been an 11 year cycle. Synchronously, one of my students (who also captured this sneak photo of me teaching) was someone I taught Reiki 1 & 2 to, 10 years ago when she was 19. She now returned, at a completely new place in life to complete her 3rd Master Teacher level and boy has her life positively changed on every level. AND, she’s already put out there to her clientele, that she is available for teaching.
Talk about fast upgrades and changes, but it came with a lot of work over these past 10 years and willingness to keep saying, “yes” to what her soul was putting forth for her, even though her ego wasn’t understanding why and wasn’t fully on board with yet.
In some ways I’m in a similar place where my soul has put forth this inspiration and guidance, after culminating to an ending vortex of choice, and it wasn’t something I saw coming even though I toyed with things twenty five years ago.
That ending left me both fulfilled and feeling uninspired, completely soul spent, and nostalgic for a different place I call home.
In many ways, the “past me” might have seen the work I’ve been doing until recently as being my end result, and in a way it was – as it truly was more of a predictable soul path I was completing from lifetimes of build-up. Many of you likely can relate. And although not necessarily an easy path I was on, it was easier to melt into and only challenging in terms of moving into more vulnerability, clarity, and opening that throat chakra that yearned to teach, yet had the fear to transmute.
When everything pointed to endings 3 years ago, I was left with a choice and so I followed a nudge, went off into Nature (just as John Muir says, “The mountains are calling and I must go”), listened deeply, and found myself here when I might have been elsewhere.
This then put into motion a potential new cycle and so I began playing in this new field of experience and trying on how it felt. I decided to go with it, feeling a new level of inspiration was the very and only thing that would keep me here and that offered a completely new and freer embodiment, if so chosen.
Little by little, and quickly in some cases, I shed my skin and this led to now and a fresh start. During that time, a story began channeling through and I wrote when the moment moved me, while building a new life.
Perhaps the story reflects a journey intimately remembered or maybe it energetically rewrote what has been to what can be.
In any case and for what ever reason yet unknown, it is the only thing calling my heart besides seeing what is possible from living at a different and more balanced vibration.
This past Thursday, 8/16 – a day earlier than expected – I received my manuscript back from my editor (more on that shortly) and this coincided with Astrid’s early birthday gift arriving (her birthday isn’t until 9/15), which I’d ordered custom a couple of months ago, but was on back-order. No coincidence we both received something new and connected on the same day.
Astrid’s gift was this special child’s chair stitched with her name and a star on it, chosen to match my green chair and the green theme in our shared room.
I have both a green chair – my desk one – and a comfy arm chair by my book shelf, which Astrid loves to climb up and sit on. I thought she might enjoy her own arm chair so that she and I could both sit and mastermind together. Besides, every queen needs their special throne and now she has one that declares her star child essence as cosmic spirit in bunny body.
It took until yesterday to finally figure out where she wanted it, but the second I put it together and set it up for trial runs, she was exploring and jumped right in it quite comfortably.
But as the days went on, she was missing her bed and carrot cottage under the stars looking out on the forest by the door, so I moved it to a new location and put her other things back and she instantly said, “yes, that’s it!”
She climbed right in and sat there for long periods not moving at all, but just sitting up tall in it and looking at me from across the room, very regal and wise.
Then she started grooming herself and making it home. Good thing is, it’s super light and therefore totally mobile with a handle on top, so we can move it whenever she feels she wants a new vantage point.
She now goes to sit on it when I sit in my comfy chair and we gaze across at each other, feeling the immensity of our combined energies in this space.
It’s a bit like this new path for me, where I know it’s what my creative spirit is guiding, but will take some adjustments (likely a lot more work than Astrid’s few days of helping me to figure out where it belonged) in order to fit as comfortably in my own new “chair” as she does, but I’m following her example.
That brings me back to receiving my manuscript from the perfect editor I was guided to. I couldn’t be happier and more grateful for the opportunity to work with her and her feedback was just what I had hoped it would be to both support and kick me into deeper explorations with highlighted strengths and weaknesses. I feel as if I’m getting a whole new education and training in a way that works in better alignment for me than studying at a university, for example. She’s definitely my vibrational fit.
Since I had a workshop to teach last Saturday, I put aside editing and novel thoughts except for the summary letter, because I knew that once I dove in, it would be all-consuming. And quite literally, even though I still have yet to go through everything, as I’m creating the space for full digestion of it and all that I feel it will ask of me, it HAS become all-consuming on my mind. I find my thoughts are always going there and so I know where I’m meant to be.
Yet, just from her letter, I can sense the enormity of this commitment and choice I’ve made with it and why nothing else can be on my plate going forward. I was curious how I would feel from receiving the feedback and the only thing it brought up for me was this incredible sense of soul challenge to grow and deepen, which inspires me. I can also feel the reality of the creative limb I’ve flown out on with this, which presents further challenges to rise to, including even the genre choice I decide upon with it.
I definitely have my work cut out for me. I never do things simply, and it makes complete sense that for something to truly engage my heart and spirit to feel inspired to continue on here – regardless of any outcome with it what so ever – it WOULD have to be the biggest challenge yet.
Any fellow writers (or creatives), will understand the journey and it is one that can sometimes take years, of which I’m fully on board and committed to. So I truly don’t know the extent of time this project will take and I’m not rushing it so that I can immerse fully in the growth and learning, feeling that this is about much more than a book – it’s a whole new adventure and journey of mind, body, heart, and spirit.
And it IS a whole new playing field, as I’ve mostly only been a blogger and put out one self-published book – Spiritual Skin, along with a lot of creative writing when I was much younger. This one has the potential for traditional publishing depending on how vulnerably and flexibly I stretch myself and even how I surrender completely to living my dharma and embracing the new lessons this path is creating for me.
In any event, the old cliche is true…”it’s the journey, not the destination” that matters and I can really feel that in traveling this unknown territory simply for sake of bringing through vibrational potential that arises from the challenge and exhilaration of experiencing how far and wide I can fly on the wings of my creative free spirit.
It will definitely involve a constant cycling through of deaths and rebirths, as makes sense with next year’s growth year #13 – death / 4 year I’ll be entering come my birthday. The 4 energy will have me focusing on foundations, sharpening skills, working hard, involved in patient, methodical approaches to goals, nurturing of projects, and overall serious approaches to career, well being/health, and relationships of all kinds for balance. All of which I’ve been preparing for with deep cleaning on all levels and flowing with the creativity that was inspiring me this last 12/3 year I’m still completing.
I didn’t need to know this information on numerology, but it is definitely interesting to see how we do in fact follow the energy imprints regardless of not being aware of them playing out.
I always start experiencing trickles of the upcoming energies before they set in fully and I can see how come this Fall, pretty much exactly after Fall Equinox, I’ll be on a different trajectory.
This also falls perfectly with my sweet and dear Laura coming to spend a fun and potent week here at the same time we co-teach and host our “Living a More Magickal Life” workshop event on the Equinox – the official ending for me to this kind of teaching platform in general. It’s not often that we get in-person time together, but when we do it has always put into motion some huge life shifts for both of us and this coming together in a month from now feels like the most potent alchemy potential we’ve created yet.
So, between now and then I am readying everything, we have some other friends visiting, I’m getting fully organized and cleaned out, creating a workable plan to put into action, reviewing my editor’s feedback, tuning in, and beginning research – that way I’m fully ready to go, come end of September, and dive fully into things.
I see Fall and Winter perfectly fitting for nose-to-the-grind action, but in my newly adapted balanced way so as not to repeat my past neurotic tendencies to overwork myself until I “crash-and-burn.” This is why Dave and I have and will continue implementing a new well-being track into our life, while we also focus on other life goals we’re creating foundations for. It will definitely be a busy 6-8 months to get things ready for the next leg of the journey.
This is why I’ve released everything else, as a way of having laser beam focus on the new and yet without any old patterns being brought into that space and reality that is forming.
There is an invitation being extended to us all I feel where a portal of fresh possibilities await.
Have you also increasingly felt drawn away from things and toward completely new ones?
Where might you create more balance in your life so that you can be more present and vibrant to what is calling your heart’s attention?
Sometimes what we think we should be doing is only a choice away from what we could be doing.
If something nudges you there is reason. Whether it directs you into a whole new life journey or supports your journey with new, you will experience invigoration from listening to that subtle voice rather than dismissing it/you.
Thank you for being part of and supporting my journey. I not only support yours equally, but do my best to keep embracing each challenge on my own, as my contribution to the collective.
Harnessing that Cancer/Capricorn Balance – New Moon & New Phase in Motion
With the Solar Eclipse New Moon in Cancer and yesterday’s magickal Friday the 13th, I was feeling another influx and opening of opportunities present itself. Cancer really has us paying attention to our emotional and psychic sensitivities around matters of home, heart, nurturing, creativity, compassion, and feminine energy, but also learning to keep that all in Capricorn check so that we aren’t giving our energy and power away, we learn highest use of boundaries, true responsibility, and courage and fortitude to support healthy vulnerability that can be evolutionary for self and humanity and help you to take action that leads to manifestation of dreams, goals, and intents for the highest good. We’re definitely working on creating new foundations in all areas of life and the New Moon encourages birthing new things over and over with each cycle. There’s always a window of opportunity and it’s never too late to make changes – it starts with choice. New Moons are great for planting seeds of the new, and when you commit to something during the window of its energy you really help to fuel and solidify maximization of that energy.
I found myself the last couple of days really multi-tasking and honing in on more closures, new beginnings, and clearing my plate as well. I really felt that multi-dimensionality kick in, as my mind was expanding and at times exploding with all the levels of complexity it was journeying into simultaneously. I definitely felt like I was getting a brain workout in a good way, as I traveled different paths of thinking, focusing, perspectives, and potentials.
I also was working with that courage and vulnerability I spoke of, as my book journey ignited phase 3.
This all synchronously finalized yesterday on Friday the 13th and in the New Moon energy, or rather, it all ignited, as I officially committed and signed the client agreement with my editor. Things went into motion last weekend, but she was away on vacation and everything aligned us when she got back for it to fall as such.
So, this is an evolutionary igniting of taking my new step of responsibility and committed action with my heart project, as well as fully investing myself to see things through – definitely that balance of Cancer and Capricorn energies in acknowledging both my vulnerabilities and strengths, and supporting a balanced and well-thought out plan of responsible and serious action.
I also spent a good portion of the last couple of days doing bookkeeping on Quicken – this is all VERY new for me this year – for Dave and I and our shared work together, which was a big project and hones in on my Cancer/Capricorn balances with its focus. Another expansive venture for me that exercises my brain and capitalizes on my strengths, while also developing my weaknesses. Whew!
And synchronously, the last of my two massage tables was sold yesterday to the perfect person. They both went to perfect people, actually. This closing out my Reiki teaching journey and the in-person sessions I once used to offer.
Synchronously, also, Dave sold his guitar on the same day. He had two, and decided only to keep one.
We both had really nice people come to get them who were both so aligned and we both ended up talking to for a while. Dave’s went to a wonderful family of a man and his really sweet 14 year old and wife, and mine to a really lovely soul I would never have met if not for this. She and I had a lot in common. We both had tattoos all over us, she does massage and other body work, we both are writing a book, she also just got an editor (and actually had offered to refer them to me, but I’d just signed with mine), and we said we should hang out some time. Gotta love alignment!
So phase 3 is in full swing and while it is going through its extensive editing review, I’ll be focusing on other aspects to prepare for more phases to come.
In the meantime I will also enjoy a little different creative focus with the Magick Crystal Wand commission and my own staff this week. I have 2 more Mystery Magick Crystal Wand commissions remaining. I only plan to work on these over the next couple of weeks, so please try to get in any orders, as after that I’ll not have a window anymore.
Some people who haven’t seen my wands were curious, so here is a link to the first batch I channeled. I went on to create several more custom ones after that, but they are in individual posts and were much more complex, larger pieces that are not part of this offering. You can search my blog if interested in seeing more. This link is just for an idea, but each is unique to the wood and the inspiration I feel come through when working with it:
And here is the link where you can order one of the two remaining wands-to-be:
Crystals, Mystery Wands, Reiki Healing Attunement Zappers & Workshops
In this same post I was offering other things, but the only remaining is the last two wand commissions I mentioned.
All of the crystals have found new lovely guardians – thank you so much! – I will be packaging them up safely this weekend (which takes time) and shipping off either Monday or Tuesday depending on my time window Monday between two engagements.
The workshops still have space, but the Fall Equinox is getting close to filling. There may end up only being 2 spots remaining soon.
Reminder these are my last workshops I’m teaching and the first and only co-teaching with sweet, magickal Laura.
I plan to bake a cake this weekend – one I’ve been feeling the last week or two, which will be a vanilla lavender cake (perhaps with another twist too, but we’ll see what comes to me). I’ll be using my fresh lavender from the garden for this, which is what inspired me. I’m so loving the smell of fresh lavender and cinnamon basil blossoms right now in my kitchen that I made a sweet little arrangement of in a tiny vase.
I have some new flowers and succulents to plant too.
Will be getting outside as well for sun and exercise.
There was a lot of hard work going on the last couple of days, so its time to kick in some serious play. 🙂
All to continue experiencing greater balance and inner harmony and peace.
So, yes, it’s important to nurture ourselves with those Cancerian things – for me the creative infusion of some fun projects to shift focus, making a nurturing cake that I love so much, giving back to Mother Earth with some Nature time and tending to her blossom and plant children around the home and home garden, and nurturing others with some Reiki Healing Attunements, as I’ve already put into motion one for myself and Dave.
And, key to remember our Capricorn aspects – for me this is implementation of business minded focuses, action-oriented step-by-step, patient processes, courage and confidence in what I am creating, putting into place supportive structures for long-term goals, and persistent focus to see things through for the highest good of all concerned.
All of this helping me to feel most essence aligned and helping to create greater harmony within and without.
When Shadow Meets Vulnerability: Tale of the Magickal Strawberry
Friday was a particularly key day here at the Forest Portal, when for the second time a sweet little one found her way into my care. You may remember Fiver the mouse last year who truly touched my life in the short time he and I had together. And just three days ago, it was Strawberry the chipmunk who carved out another place in my heart. I often find myself in a guardian and caretaker role to create sacredness and reverence around our animal brothers and sisters – and especially so for the most vulnerable ones.
While Fiver’s journey was beautiful and full circle in the natural cycles, Strawberry’s experience met with happier endings in terms of how our human hearts view things.
As you know from a recent blog post, Dave and I have been readying our garage to be organized and spiffed up. This included resurfacing the floor – quite a project Dave did himself – and involved thorough cleaning to prep it, and then filling in cracks in the cement with a thick repair epoxy that you apply, and finally refinishing with a strong epoxy paint finish to seal it nicely. Well, on Friday, he’d just finished the second half of the garage with the cement repair, which was drying, before finalizing the last round of paint. He then was inside working, while I got the feeling I should water my Garden Tower and plants outside. So, I went into the garage to look for my large two-gallon watering can I’d given to Dave to use for the cleaning process of the garage floor.
I walked in to look around, and immediately my eyes went to the left side of the garage where I saw movement. I knew right away it was a chipmunk who had gotten herself stuck in the drying cement epoxy. Dave had the garage door open to help it to dry, which he’d done the previous days of work, as well, but today a little one became extra curious with layers of messages and experiences tied into that choice.
I acted fast, as she was obviously frightened and desperately struggling to free herself, which was NOT going to happen on her own.
If I hadn’t shown up when I did I’m convinced she would have struggled to death with exhaustion and further emotional and physical torment, as her fragile body would not have been able to handle it, and nobody was going to go back in the garage for a while since it was drying.
Chipmunks are prey animals and extremely vulnerable and sensitive (like rabbits), despite their adventurous bravery. Plus, with that free-spiritedness comes a restlessness and desire for them to be free. This was not only “killing” her spirit, but would ultimately be her demise.
I acted fast, knowing I had to free her. I couldn’t do it with my hands, as that stuff was just too thick, plus I wasn’t sure how she would react to my handling her. So I found gardening gloves on the shelf and went to work very cautiously and gently removing each part of her body (mostly the right side) from the silvery goop imprisoning her. It only took a minute and once I had her free I yelled for Dave to come help me.
He had no idea what I was yelling about, but arrived in surprise to find me standing there holding a little chipmunk gingerly in my hands. I told him we needed to see if we could wash some of the stuff off somehow, so he immediately grabbed a bucket and went in to fill it with water and some Dawn we had on hand – which is the stuff they used to remove the oil on ocean wildlife during the spills. It was also the only stuff that worked best with Cosmo when I had to wash him, so we still had it on hand luckily.
I held her gently and she seemed to understand and didn’t struggle much, while Dave gently rubbed around her right eye, which we felt was most important, as she had it closed and the outside was fully covered, as well as the fur around it. We got as much as we could off while the stuff was still somewhat wet, but it was impossible to get everything, as it is super thick and already hardening, as well as we couldn’t rub her too hard. But we did free her eye so she could open it. Dave went to work on the rest of her body as much as possible and he got a decent amount (maybe 1/3 or more), but still she had a layer covering the right of her body, her back, and her legs.
She’d been moving a bit in my hands, but started to slow down and stopped moving. We decided to stop because she was likely in shock and any further torment would have been too much. It’s enough that she got stuck, but now she was being held, which prey animals don’t like.
So, I told Dave to get a box with towels for her and food. I held her nestled in a towel in my hands (I had removed the gloves now, as I wanted her to feel the closeness and warmth of my touch rather than the distant, non-organic gloves), as she went into a fetal position and gave her Reiki while I envisioned her healed and whole. He came back out and we wiped her a bit to try to dry her and then I put her in the towels so she could balance back and dry.
I didn’t realize Dave had also gotten his camera and before I knew it he took this photo of us, which caught me in my sadness.
I ended up sitting with her for an hour, as she didn’t move. She laid in the same fetal position and I knew she was traumatized by it all and at this point I was worried that it had been too much for her little heart, as her breathing was labored and nearly non-existent at times. I decided to get one of my amethyst crystals for her and put it in with her to aid her in calming down and balancing out.
I stayed with her, breathed with her, flowed fluid Cosmic light through to her to fill her body, and caressed her crown now and then. All the while my heart and eyes filled with tears that I brushed away in order to be there for HER. If she was going to pass, I didn’t want her to be alone. So I continued giving her Reiki and I told her, “I love you,” several times.
She kept hanging in there and I had the sunlight on her to keep her warm while her wet fur dried.
While this was going on Dave had called our local wildlife rescue, whom I also called for Fiver, and we called once for a dove too (who ended up being okay). They didn’t answer, but I was glad they hadn’t, as I remembered that when I told them of Fiver, they said there was nothing they could do and if I wanted to bring him in they wanted me to know that they would feed him to their rescue predator birds. I knew he would be better off living the rest of his time nurtured and in comfort and peace with me….I felt the same for this little chipmunk sweetie, whom I now knew was in my care and relied on me for knowing her choices she would want supported.
I didn’t know if she’d turn around or not, so I told Dave we should find a bigger box to keep her in while she recovered and we nursed her. So he did, and made holes in the top for air, then I gathered pine needles, pine cone, some branches, put in two towels, and we added some raw unsalted hazelnuts and pieces of apple to create a little healing sanctuary for her. I included the amethyst once again.
I placed her gently inside (you can see her on the left of the box above) and brought her indoors into my room so I could be with her, and kept the top closed and door closed so the cats didn’t know she was there, which avoided any added stress of their energy around her.
I kept checking on her, but she didn’t move much.
Just breathed, blinked her eye sometimes, and slightly moved her front fingers. I gently touched her back legs, as they had the most stuff on them, feeling worried they might petrify, and rubbed her gently on her head and back to soothe her with Reiki. But mostly left her in peace to recuperate.
Intuitively I felt she was a girl, whereas Fiver the mouse and Blueberry the baby rabbit I felt were boys. I decided to confirm all of this with my pendulum, which it did. I then immediately got that her name would be Strawberry. For one, it was a chipmunk that ate my strawberries before I netted my Garden Tower and potted plants. Two, it felt to be the perfect partnering name to my wild baby bunny, Blueberry (who just as I wrote that ran by my office). And three, she is just so sweet….like a Strawberry.
We had to leave for an evening Beethoven symphony, so I put Strawberry in a safe room with box lid closed on top of that so she wouldn’t be disturbed and I have to say that the whole time listening to the classical music I thought of her and sent her energy, anxious to go home and see how she was. We were bonded and connected now.
When we got home I found that not only had she moved, but she was up and about sitting on her back legs as these little ones do and cleaning her face with her paws. She then went off to hide/nestle comfortably in the towel under the pine needles, so I figured it was time to say goodnight and wish her sweet dreams. Her wet fur from cleaning her had dried AND she’d eaten quite a bit of the food. YAY!! This was a great sign.
I gave her more food for the night and told Dave that I felt if she continued well the next morning, that we should release her, as I could sense she would be miserable and not do well by being trapped in the box. She’s far too free-spirited and explorative – and sharing that essence myself, I knew that would not be supportive for her. I was prepared to care for her for however long she needed, but the least amount of disturbance to her nature was best, if in fact she was capable of going out on her own.
I went to bed feeling lighter and optimistic, grateful I had found her, she was doing better, and that she chose me for this journey.
The next morning I checked on her again and she’d eaten more food and had continued moving around. Her untouched/non-epoxy coated fur looked fluffy, and when I gently nudged her, she was moving all four legs and feet spritely like her chipmunk self.
True to her chipmunk self and what she symbolizes, she wasn’t going to let anything get her down. Depression isn’t part of their M.O., as they maintain positive outlooks on life always, teach us how to view things lightly, and never let the idea of failure get to them.
Strawberry seems like the perfect mascot for the Summer Solstice Gratitude Giveaway that just kicked off today with 39 committed souls.
They are also great leaders in bringing harmony and fulfillment to life, as they know how to balance dedication to work with playfulness and fun. They turn hardworking into an artform of adventure, where discovering new things is their joy and the way to make things more pleasureful in the process.
They also enjoy solitude and that’s just what Strawberry was needing. She mostly wanted to hide in the towels and I don’t blame her, as this was all quite the adventure she likely didn’t have a clue would be this tough.
I do have to say that she was the sweetest and trusted me fully, as I never handled her again with gloves after the first initial phase and she never tried to scratch, bite, or do anything to me. We had an understanding.
We decided it was time to release her so we took her box outside my sliding door on the deck. Dave gently turned the box on its side while I held everything in place so she had a soft and easy transition with the movement. Dave then taped the box in a way it provided a small opening on the left where she could come and go as she pleased, but would keep out any larger animals.
In this way, she could choose to stay or go, and had a safe and warm place with food if she so desired or found herself not feeling as well as she thought she was.
Astrid had been a part of the whole experience, and along with me, was nurturing Strawberry with energy through the day, night, and morning. And when we took her outside and placed her down, Astrid was at the door watching over it all, as you can see here.
Dave left and I stayed a bit giving her energy and told her she could go. I put lots of protection and energy all around her for when she did decide to leave, and intended the healing energy would stay with her as long as she needed. I went inside to let her be, while I worked at my desk keeping the corner of my eye on if she went. I checked about a half hour to forty five minutes later and she was still there huddled in a corner.
I went back in and immersed in things, releasing any need to see her leave, and returned about a half hour or more to check and she was gone.
Strawberry was free, and although her fur would take time for the stuff to completely go through natural cleaning, shedding, and rubbing against nature and the elements, I knew she’d be okay and have quite the story to chat about with her friends. Chipmunks are great with communication, and hence message to us our ability to be good with words, spoken or written. So, it’s no wonder I’m telling her story now, as she chirps it in my ears to give voice to her experience.
It didn’t take her long, as several hours later, when Dave completed the last step of painting the second half of the garage floor, I was called out to the garage again to get something. The second I opened the door and stepped in, what do you know?
Another chipmunk was inside exploring, and had ventured over to the side where Strawberry had gotten stuck. (A chipmunk just ran by my office, as I wrote this – too fast to check who it was). Anyway, luckily all that cement goop was dry and the paint wasn’t sticky and had already started its process so this little one didn’t fall on the same experience. As soon as he/she saw me they ran back out through the small opening Dave had left for the drying.
Strawberry hadn’t wasted any time telling the others how she got herself into the Faery Realm with Astrid and Faery T.
And that’s how Strawberry came into my life for a couple of days, and yet her presence lingers strongly in heart and here in the Forest Portal.
She won’t be hard to spot (at least until she fully gets the stuff off of her fur), so we’re keeping an eye out for sweet little Strawberry.
I took many things away from the experience – from the simple to complex.
Some of it included things just for Dave, some for me, some for Astrid and myself, and indeed for Strawberry herself. Some of it in relation to the symbolism I mentioned chipmunks embody and some of it simply messages I derived from current experiences in our lives.
There was also the collective message to me that keeps coming up in theme of how mindfulness and thinking ten steps ahead is necessary, as to the possible repercussions and far reach things can have beyond your immediate experience. Humans and nature living in harmony isn’t something most people think about, nor how everything we do affects nature’s cycles. Ideas of progress don’t take into account nature in that mix. Technology can be used in ways that enhance and work with nature, rather than completely against it. Perhaps that’s part of why I love living in the mountains and on the forest, and why I like to keep our landscape as natural as possible, so as to blend with nature rather than change it. Our house has a lawn it came with, but I let the clover and other plants and flowers the little animals love munching on, growing on it. Things like fixing/painting your garage can be dangerous, as you saw in this story and it makes me ever-more determined to be diligent in finding ways to not repeat what I, others, or our ancestors have done to Earth’s children. I always drive slow because of all of the animals that cross the street and that I’ve seen killed by recklessness. We can always do better and at any given moment, do our best.
Native Americans view chipmunks as messengers of luck and fortune – sometimes also carelessness and yet even though they don’t think before acting, they are still lucky.
I’d say that’s accurate for little Strawberry and perhaps she might be sprinkling some of her good vibes on us about something good being on its way. Chipmunks are said to grant wishes that reflect your most treasured heart’s desires. Hmmm!
She’s definitely made an impact and through her luck, she taught us to think more like a chipmunk so as to better our lives and theirs.
I also found it interesting that she may be reflecting a message for Dave, since he had done the garage work. He recently has come upon an injury likely from skiing that got aggravated through biking and is waiting on an MRI to see what the issue is. He can still hike, but any weird turns/twists of his leg/groin area causes pain. He told me how it had him very down and worried until the last day or so, as he’s very active – like a chipmunk – and not being able to get out and do the outdoor adventurous stuff he loves, puts a damper on his spirits.
I feel Strawberry was messaging him to keep his spirits up. Even though she also was incapacitated and stuck, she didn’t give up. And while she may carry that odd fur for a while, she’s still going to enjoy life and not let it get her down. A chipmunk must keep that free spiritedness nurtured, which is why I wanted to release her as soon as possible but only if I knew she could walk and was strong. So, like her, Dave too will be ok and have his legs in working order as he likes again to get skiing and biking once things resolve and go through their healing process. Perhaps he just needs some rest and recuperation like she did, and a new perspective, with some Faery dust on top.
Synchronously, the next day after she left, Dave and I went to Tahoe Meadows for a different hike than our usual, which inspired him and got his spirits high again. He found that he could do more hiking than he thought and went out again this morning on his own for an adventure.
As for me, since I mentioned shadow work with the garage metaphor recently in a blog, Strawberry felt representative of this and how quickly we can integrate healing when we bring things to light and invite things to be seen. We all have vulnerable spots and not all of them are always hidden. And with consistent work, they become easy to see.
Strawberry showing up felt symbolic of how ease has come to this process and that things aren’t hidden anymore in my life. They also aren’t things that are bigger than me, nor scary. So while chipmunks definitely remind us of quick journeys into secret passageways, tunnels and doorways, she definitely wasn’t hiding from me – nor do I hide parts of myself away from myself anymore.
She reminded me of my most vulnerable part being my heart and that it’s capacity for love is a huge gift.
She reminded me of what is most meaningful in my life at this time, which is being a voice for the vulnerable and innocent ones – especially the big spirits in little bodies – and to use my gifts merged with theirs to inspire harmony.
She reminded me that this is and always has been my gift – to work with the animals and to be a channel for their message.
She reminded me that my home is an animal sanctuary and all that live in the forest know and I’ll be called upon again and again as a Faery godmother and guardian to those in need.
And to all of that I say yes and humbly embrace the hand they offer me.
When I held Strawberry in my hands, just like with Fiver, Cosmo, Astrid, Joy, Nestor, Gaia….and all of my little ones who have been in my life, all I can feel is both the fragility and endurance of life and love that breathes in that moment and the greatest of honor and responsibility granted for me to embrace.
To have their trust means everything to me. I will never take that for granted.
Strawberry is part of the Forest Realm and I can’t help but feel her actions that day were made with wise intention for us all, including herself. I sense a part of her who has been curious looking in on Astrid and myself in our Faery portal room got the best of her. She may have acted rash, but with chipmunk luck on her side she not only got to walk away with the greatest tale to share with the other chipmunks about what it’s like on the other side of the glass, but she got to receive the love of a Faery and her Faery bunny, enjoyed a decadent feast, and has the silver and Reiki lined fur and body to prove it.
Strawberry became a legend herself, as the magick chipmunk of the Forest Portal.
Tania Marie 