This morning, before the coffee had finished brewing and before I had put my glasses on, I was perusing FaceBook and found a post from Jenny Pavlovic of 8 State Hurricane Kate fame.  Jenny said a woodchuck had gotten under her truck and she was asking about the significance of woodchuck.

What a great way to start the day and to incorporate the wisdom of animals in your life! First you notice the animal, and then find out what the animal signifies.

Woodchuck, also known as groundhog, speaks of the following:

• Getting to new areas of interest: are you entering a new time of studying, building?
• Hibernation: is it time (regardless of the season) to pull back and reflect?
• Rebirth: what is it time to let go of?

Animal-Speak: The Spiritual & Magical Powers of Creatures Great & Small by Ted Andrews, is a magnificent reference book to have on hand as you are studying and learning about the animals.  It helps you to identify and meet your own animal helpers, those animals that will guide you through the everyday of your life.  It is also a comprehensive dictionary of more than 100 different animals, birds, reptiles and insects, giving you basic as well as symbolic and historic information on the animal.  I highly recommend this book as a fundamental in your own library.  True confessions here: My copy is well worn and well loved, but it’s never where I need it.  I have been considering getting two more copies…..one for the car and one for the upstairs, leaving my original copy in the office! That way I will always have one on hand when I need it. If only there was a digital copy for my computer…..

What animal is reaching out to you today? Remember: U2CanTalk2theAnimals!

Harmony,

Janet Roper

Back to the Talk2theAnimalsBlog

Hear that calling: ‘jaay-jaay’? That’s because Blue Jay is the animal of the week here at Talk2theAnimals, and Blue Jay is calling for your attention.  Blue Jay is related to Crow, so he’s not shy when he wants you to pay attention to him.

Blue Jay connects the Sky, represented by his blue color, the Heavens, represented by the white, and Earth, represented by the black on his feathers.  Blue Jay reminds us we are able to connect with Sky, Heaven and Earth if we desire.  One way to do this is by integrating spiritual practices in our everyday, mundane, physical world.

Because, like Blue Jay, we can connect to both the spiritual and physical, we need to be aware of not becoming too scattered, but staying focused on what is at hand.  We need to be aware when ‘Shiny Object Syndrome’ begins to creep into our lives.

Blue Jay is fearless and has no qualms about harassing and/or driving hawks and owls away.  We can call on Blue Jay’s courage when needed.

Questions to ask when Blue Jay appears:

• Where am I too scattered/distracted?
• What areas would be beneficial for me to explore more deeply?
• What fears do I have?

Thank you, Blue Jay, for coming forward and calling out your wisdom.  You have much to teach, we have much to learn from you if we only open our senses.  For this we are grateful.

Harmony

Janet Roper

Back to the Talk2theAnimalsBlog

Pampas Deer

• Found in Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil
• They eat herbs, shrubs and new green growth
• Classified as ‘near threatened’

Harmony,

Janet Roper

Back to the Talk2theAnimalsBlog

If you like stories about dragons, elves, humans and halfbloods, you’re really going to enjoy The Elvenbane (Halfblood Chronicles, Bk. 1).  I started reading it as summer fun, deck reading, and I was quickly amazed at the different underlying thoughts and philosophies that were woven underneath the main story.  Yes, you have dragons and fire, elves and magic, halfbloods and wizards, dragons talking to halfbloods and so on.

This is the concept that truly fascinated me: the elven kept the humans as pets. It gave me a rude awakening as to how pets are still considered in society.  Made me think about the word ‘pet’. I’ll be writing more about that in a future post.

This book itself is magical: it can be a fun summer read, it can take you away to fantasy land, or it can stir up your mind and open your eyes.  Your choice.

Click on the link to purchase The Elvenbane (Halfblood Chronicles, Bk. 1).  After you’ve read it, leave your comments and let me know your thoughts. It will be fascinating to hear what you think of the book!

Harmony,

Janet Roper

Back to the Talk2theAnimalsBlog

Prepare for fun, prepare for a good time, because our buddy Otter is visiting us this week!

Now just look at Otter’s picture…..don’t you already feel a smile coming to your face? 

Otter brings joy on all levels, inner, outer, spiritual, physical.  While Otter is attentive to all things which ask for his attention, he is not overwhelmed by them, nor does he take them too seriously.

Whether it’s earth or water, Otter feels at home in both elements.  Take a minute to playfully look at your environment: do you feel comfortable in more than one element?

Otter helps us to be children, no matter our age.  Otter would like us to remember (these are his words): “Remember that you are all children at heart.  So many of you humans play at being an adult, meaning you are acting like you think adults should act.  Where did that come from? (shaking his head) We otters have lots of fun AND we do what we need to do, as we need to do it. But we do it with a light heart, a light Spirit.  What happened to your light Spirit?”

Questions to ask when Otter shows up:

• Am I working too hard?
• Am I being called to be more creative?
• What’s my light Spirit up to these days?

If you’re ready to lighten your burdens, create more freedom in your life, have a good time and discover delight and joy in life, call on Otter.  Otter is ready and willing to help you find fun!

Thank you Otter,  for your guidance and leadership, we delight in your presence with us!  For this and all you are, we are grateful.

Harmony,

Janet Roper

Back to the Talk2theAnimalsBlog

Harmony,

Janet Roper

Back to the Talk2theAnimalsBlog

I received this prayer in an email.  Please pass it on.

Gulf Coast Oil Spill – Sioux Prayer Request

A Great Urgency – To All World Religious and Spiritual Leaders

My Relatives,
Time has come to speak to the hearts of our Nations and their Leaders. I ask you this from the bottom of my heart, to come together from the Spirit of your Nations in prayer.

We, from the heart of Turtle Island, have a great message for the World; we are guided to speak from all the White Animals showing their sacred color, which have been signs for us to pray for the sacred life of all things. As I am sending this message to you, many Animal Nations are being threatened, those that swim, those that crawl, those that fly, and the plant Nations, eventually all will be affect from the oil disaster in the Gulf.

The dangers we are faced with at this time are not of spirit. The catastrophe that has happened with the oil spill which looks like the bleeding of Grandmother Earth, is made by human mistakes, mistakes that we cannot afford to continue to make.

I asked, as Spiritual Leaders, that we join together, united in prayer with the whole of our Global Communities. My concern is these serious issues will continue to worsen, as a domino effect that our Ancestors have warned us of in their Prophecies.

I know in my heart there are millions of people that feel our united prayers for the sake of our Grandmother Earth are long overdue. I believe we as Spiritual people must gather ourselves and focus our thoughts and prayers to allow the healing of the many wounds that have been inflicted on the Earth. As we honor the Cycle of Life, let us call for Prayer circles globally to assist in healing Grandmother Earth (our Unc’I Maka).

We ask for prayers that the oil spill, this bleeding, will stop. That the winds stay calm to assist in the work. Pray for the people to be guided in repairing this mistake, and that we may also seek to live in harmony, as we make the choice to change the destructive path we are on.

As we pray, we will fully understand that we are all connected. And that what we create can have lasting effects on all life.

So let us unite spiritually, All Nations, All Faiths, One Prayer. Along with this immediate effort, I also ask to please remember June 21st, World Peace and Prayer Day/Honoring Sacred Sites day. Whether it is a natural site, a temple, a church, a synagogue or just your own sacred space, let us make a prayer for all life, for good decision making by our Nations, for our children’s future and well-being, and the generations to come.

Onipikte (that we shall live),
Chief Arvol Looking Horse
19th generation Keeper of the Sacred White Buffalo Calf Pipe

Harmony,

Janet Roper

Back to the Talk2theAnimalsBlog

Want to help with the oil spill but don’t know where to start?  Here’s something you can do!  Would you also pass this video to your friends?  Many thanks!

Also thanks to Raise A Green Dog for posting this and Matter of Trust for doing this.

Remember, We All Do Better When ALL Creatures Do Better!

Harmony,

Janet Roper

Back to Talk2theAnimals Blog

I was having lunch recently with Marita Rahlenbeck of Honoring Earth.  On the table was a copy of Charlotte’s Web, which Marita was rereading. Marita asked if I remembered the scene in the doctor’s office with Mrs. Arable talking about the amount of time her daughter Fern spends in the Zuckermans’ barn, just watching and listening to the animals:

“It’s about Fern,” she explained. “Fern spends entirely too much time in the Zuckermans’ barn.  It doesn’t seem normal.  She sits on a milk stool in a corner of the barn cellar, near the pigpen, and watches animals,  hour after hour.  She just sits and listens.”

Dr. Dorian leaned back and closed his eyes.

“How enchanting!” he said. “It must be real nice and quiet down there.  Homer has some sheep, hasn’t he?”

“Yes,” said Mrs. Arable. “But it all started with that pig we let Fern raise on a bottle.  She calls him Wilbur.  Homer bought the pig, and ever since it left our place, Fern has been going to her uncle’s to be near it.”

“I’ve been hearing things about that pig,” said Dr. Dorian, opening his eyes.  “They say he’s quite a pig.”

“Have you heard about the words that appeared in the spider’s web?” asked Mrs. Arable nervously.

“Yes,” replied the doctor.

“Well, do you understand it?” asked Mrs. Arable.

“Understand what?”

“Do you understand how there could be any writing in a spider’s web?”

“Oh, no,” said Dr. Dorian. “I don’t understand it. But for that matter I don’t understand how a spider learned to spin a web in the first place. When the words appeared, everyone said they were a miracle.  But nobody pointed out that the web itself is a miracle.”

“What’s miraculous about a spider’s web?” said Mrs. Arable. “I don’t see why you say a web is a miracle – it’s just a web.”

“Every try to spin one?” asked Dr. Dorian.

Mrs. Arable shifted uneasily in her chair. “No,” she replied. “But I can crochet a doily and I can knit a sock.”

“Sure,” said the doctor. “But somebody taught you, didn’t they?”

“My mother taught me.”

“Well, who taught a spider? A young spider knows how to spin a web without any instructions from anybody.  Don’t you regard that as a miracle?”

“I suppose so,” said Mrs. Arable. “I never looked at it that way before.  Still, I don’t understand how those words got into the web.  I don’t understand it, and I don’t like what I can’t understand.”……

Mrs. Arable fidgeted. “Fern says the animals talk to each other. Dr. Dorian, do you believe animals talk?”

“I never heard one say anything,” he replied. “But that proves nothing.  It is quite possible that an animal has spoken civilly to me and that I didn’t catch the remark because I wasn’t paying attention.  Children pay better attention than grownups.  If Fern says that the animals in Zuckerman’s barn talk, I’m quite ready to believe her.  Perhaps if people talked less, animals would talk more.  People are incessant talkers – I can give you my word on that.”

When’s the last time you heard an animal talk to you? Remember: U2CanTalk2theAnimals!

Harmony,

Janet Roper

Back to the Talk2theAnimals Blog