Curiously,I was guided to undertake an Earthwalk as night/darkness was coming on. The theme for it was described by Horse and Beaver. I took this to mean that I’d be
presented with signs proffering messages that would give insight related to
difficulties using power compassionately, ego getting in the way, blocking the
energetic flow that would otherwise help in working in community, for the good
of all. Asking for totems to guide me, I was to follow suggestions put forth by
Dog and Mouse.
The appearance of Dog immediately brought to mind a dog skull I’d happened upon on a walk a couple days’ previous. This wasn’t the same one I’d seen on the Earthwalk I’d posted previously, but another one. At the time, I thought, “What? Am I destined to come upon dog bones on every walk I take?” While I realize that so many of us are here on missions of compassionate service, seeing how Dog is sometimes treated really threw my ability to extend myself.
Once I
found my way in the rapidly dimming light to this most recent skull, I took out
my flashlight, made like Mouse, and started scouring the trail and forest floor
for what details I could find. Whiskers to the ground, I couldn’t help but
notice a small spot of brown goo that looked like oil. Having given it a sniff,
I found out it wasn’t oil, though for the life of me I couldn’t tell what it
actually was (thankfully, it wasn’t faeces, either!). The colour brown is a
suggestion to become more grounded. For the fact that it had appeared in the
form of a fairly fluid substance (as compared to an object with very defined
edges/borders/boundaries), it also seemed to be a message to become more a part
of the earth and my/our surroundings, in contrast to existing as such an
individual/egoic entity.
The
flashlight illuminated tiny white fungi that were on the dog skull and over
much of the forest floor. I now understood one of the reasons I was guided to
do this walk during darkness; this fungus would have been nearly invisible in
daylight. The whiteness of the fungi (~ a
reference to our “…innocence,
surrender, peace, and protection”, and our angelic nature) is something that’s easiest to see in
darkness (~ during difficulties,
challenges, our ‘dark times’, when it’s difficult to maintain hope). When
the sun is shining and all is rosy, our angelic natures are in plain view (that
is, the tip of the iceberg is, at least), but not as easy to recognize or
appreciate, without contrast. The difficulties we’re presently experiencing
help facilitate that (as in the case of coming upon the dead dogs I seem to
keep finding).
At the
intersection of two gravelly trails, I found a piece of a white plastic banner
with a blue dot on it (~ offering
clarity) and a ‘Mini’ logo on it with wings ~ “…a desire for
freedom, abandon, glory, self-expression and to take flight from the confines
of your earthbound life that you may feel a closer connection to
God/Goddess/Spirit”. It had
been part of a piece of flagging that someone had used to mark a rally route. In
one direction, a path climbed steeply upwards. I followed it (taking the earlier
appearance of the wings image as a message to indicate – among other things – attaining
some height).
I
stopped when I felt I was in ‘the right spot’. My flashlight on for a moment, I
found myself looking directly at an incredibly vivid shadow of a butterfly, an effect of the torch casting its
spotlight on a lone patch of leaves directly in front of it. I was awestruck by
the perfection of the image/experience, and sat down to meditate on it.
Now in
the dark, I heard owls in the distance. Wondering about what they might be
hunting, I tried to be Mouse – in accord with the ‘Mini’ sign, I thought myself
small. Although I didn’t otherwise hear or see anything, (my perception of) what
light there was suddenly went visibly darker, twice. Not knowing what to make
of that, I (later) pulled a Path of the Soul card for some insight. It talked
about friends and loved ones who’ve crossed over wanting me to know that they
are with us. In hindsight, it made perfect sense, Owl being (among other
things), the go-between to the Underworld.
I got
to thinking about the signs I’d been presented and the suggestion of ‘making
myself small(/Mini)’; in other words, lessening my ego and loosening my
boundaries. I recollected a shamanic death experience during which I’d taken on
a demonic energy (for ‘transport’, to deal with at a later time). I couldn’t ever
see myself doing that again, but why
not take on the alternative, I wondered? (…and then, “Why didn’t I think of it
before?”). I opened my arms to welcome in a ‘good’ earth energy, with the
intent that it be an energetic entity that’s working towards the healing of the
planet. At that moment, the wind picked up. I saw a short, white, ghost-like figure
running through the forest in my peripheral vision. Guidance describes it as an
Earth Angel.
I
don’t know what I was expecting, but I can’t say that I necessarily felt any
‘different’ in the moment. But then, in the case of my realization with the demonic
presence earlier, I only became vividly aware of its presence after some time
had passed (‘evicted’ since, thank you very much!). As confirmation, on my way
out of the woods, I peered through a window frame into the ruins of an
abandoned house and caught a brief impression of the movements of a bird that
I’d startled with my light. I couldn’t see it directly, but it was definitely in
there.
As
ever, a Shamanic Earthwalk is a Shared Earthwalk. For those of you finding it
challenging to stay your path at this time, Earth is putting this forth as a
message for you to call in an Earth Angel (as compared to calling on one). It may be subtle at first, but
you’ll find yourself experiencing greater clarity, feeling renewed, and with a
deeper understanding of your purpose here on Earth.
Big Medicine Love to You,
