power animal
A Message Of Hope From Hel’s Pond
A yellow butterfly guided me to Blanke Helle, or “Hel’s Pond” during a recent visit to Berlin, Germany. It darted ahead of me all the way from the bus stop in AlboinStraße, until I reached the entrance to the park where lies forgotten, and hidden from public notice, the ancient pagan site sacred to Hela, or Hel, the Norse-Germanic goddess of death and the underworld.
I have been guided by butterflies on a regular basis over the past two years, since the first one appeared to me at the Temple of Apollo in Delphi, Greece. I was much encouraged by the sudden presence of this golden, magical creature, because it predicted that my visit to this sacred pagan site would be less somber than I had imagined. Yellow butterflies represent rebirth, new life, transformation and resurrection in several cultures. The Irish believe yellow butterflies to be an indicator of the peaceful transition of departed souls. And in Christian tradition yellow butterflies are symbolic of the Christ’s resurrection from death. They are also regarded as a sign of the presence of angels. Would Hel’s dark waters ultimately leave me with a message of hope? Continue reading
Spiritual Practices To Promote Alignment
There are many types of spiritual practices that will bring alignment to your life. Spiritual practices are the methods by which we understand the inner world, and learn just how much impact our inner world has on the outer world.
Jesus said, “With faith the size of a mustard seed you could move a mountain.” Faith is a constant, and always brings forth the manifestation of our inner beliefs. Spiritual practice allows the practitioner to gain spiritual awareness, and by doing so shifts negative or useless beliefs into useful beliefs that can have a profound impact on the journey of life. Continue reading
Prairie Dog Wisdom
In Native American tradition the “prairie dog” brings with it a special message of retreat when it crosses our path. In times of stress and over-exertion it reminds us to take some time out, withdraw from our busy modern lives and recharge our batteries.
This is what the prairie dog does when it gets into trouble. It withdraws into the safe depths of the earth, with several escape routes waiting in case of emergency. The prairie dog teaches us to pick our battles carefully. Prairie dog medicine is also symbolic of the opposite. In times when we have become too withdrawn and disconnected from family, friends and the world around us, this magical animal encourages us to reach out to others and join in social activities. Continue reading
Afterlife Signs From The Dearly Departed
When someone close to us passes on they often give us signs to let us know that they are still around. Our loved ones are very eager to let us know that everything is fine with them when they cross over.
Those who have passed on still know what goes on in our daily lives and they still love us. They want us to know that. Not all of us can always sense them around us, that doesn’t mean they will not give us a sign.
These signs from the other side come in different ways, shapes and forms:
Animals & Insects
Loved ones often come to us in the form of an animal or other creature, from a butterflies and puppies to birds and wild animals. These animals might show up from nowhere, cross our path, call to us from outside, fly into a room, or even land on us! The Monarch butterfly is a well-known symbol of loved ones visiting us from the spiritual realm. Continue reading
The First Chakra
Chakra literally means “wheel” or “circle of light.”
The first chakra, or Muladhara, is located in the coccygeal region at the base of the spine where we sit. It is symbolized by a four petaled red lotus flower.
The animal totem of the first chakra is the elephant. The musical note that resonates with this chakra is C. It is considered the root chakra.
The color of the root chakra is red. It rules the feet, legs, anus, hips, bowels and bladder.
Foods to stimulate the first chakra include beets, strawberries, raspberries, cherries.
Corresponding gland: Adrenal glands. Continue reading
A Black Bird Visits My In-Laws
A black bird is believed to be a good omen by some, while others see it as a sign of misfortune. My experience with a black bird sign proved to be both.
I was over at my in-laws’ house one day when we noticed this black bird trying to get into the room. I thought the bird might be injured the way it was acting. It kept hitting the window hard, trying to fly inside. I felt this must be some sort of omen, but decided not to share this notion with my in-laws.
At that moment I got a call on my phone from my ex-wife. Our son had fallen off his scooter and broke his arm. After the call, the black bird was still doing his thing, but eventually gave up and flew away. I thought then that this must be the news the black bird was bringing. Continue reading
The Shaman’s Schmetterling In Gottsdorf
In my previous blog I shared the story of the sign I received from the ancient oracle during my visit to the Temple of Apollo at Delphi. Well, the magical presence of the butterfly totem did not end with my visit to Greece. In all of the other countries I was to visit on this particular European tour, I would encounter butterflies at every sacred site, and during special moments I shared with significant others.
The miracle continued when I arrived at a country inn in Gottsdorf, outside Berlin, Germany. This was to be the venue for a four day meditation seminar I was attending. The event was set to take place in a cozy Yoga studio attached to the small hotel.
The moment I entered this room, I noticed a small altar the seminar organizer had set up for the time we would be working in this space. The display was charming and colorful, but that was not what drew my attention. No, what struck me instantaneously was the large, vibrant butterfly hanging on the brick wall behind the altar.
Yes, indeed. I had received yet another mystical route marker along this personal odyssey into self-realization. This time the butterfly was not black and white, like the one who came to whisper in my ear at Delphi. Instead a brightly colored paper butterfly waved hello to me from above! It was like a psychedelic kaleidoscope reminiscent of the shapes one sometimes sees in sacred geometry art… or tie-died T-shirts from the 60s. Continue reading