power animal
My Spiritual Encounter With A Bear
Imagine venturing deep into the forest, sunlight streaming through the ancient trees. The air is crisp, alive with the gentle whispers of nature. Suddenly, a colossal bear emerges from the underbrush, its presence a primal force in the serene scene.
Well, chances are this isn’t just another wildlife encounter – it’s a potentially powerful spiritual experience, imbued with profound symbolism.
My psychic mentor and I once had such a remarkable encounter with a bear that brought me some deep spiritual insights.
The forest has always been a happy place for me, and for this particular long-term retreat, I rented a cabin in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. One crisp fall evening, while my friend was visiting me and we were enjoying the tranquility of twilight on the back porch, a large black bear wandered into the back yard.
At first, we were both gripped with fear. Seeing such a powerful creature up close is both awe-inspiring and very intimidating! Fortunately, the bear paid us little attention as he calmly foraged for food, his movements deliberate and unhurried.
After the initial shock, we found ourselves mesmerized by his presence. I am always on the lookout for signs and synchronicities from the universe. Decades of spiritual work have taught me that nothing is accidental or random, especially when you are in the wilderness.
I Am Soaring Free
When I do readings for clients to help guide them through the struggles or confusion they face in their lives, I understand what they are going through. I can relate on a deeply personal level, because I have been there myself, and I have experienced more than most.
Back in 2004, I had reached a devastating point in my life where my confidence, happiness, courage and self-worth were essentially non-existent. Fortunately, I was able to overcome those challenges with the guidance of spirit, and I now know from hard-earned experience that we can overcome much adversity.
As part of this journey of growth and healing, one of my guides gave me my spiritual name: Soaring Free.
Everyone has at least three guides in their lives. There are other guides and guardians that come and go in our lives, but the primary three stay with us throughout our lives to support and guide us.
It was my main guide who gave me my spirit name in a dream. I was to be known as “Soaring Free.” When I asked what this meant, I was shown that my life was to change direction significantly and that I was to live it as if I were soaring free like an eagle every day. I received several profound messages to awaken me at that time. It brought me to a higher level of understanding (and much confusion at first) than ever before.
What was the meaning of all this, I wondered? Why did I need a new name? Were these guides coming into my life real or just my imagination? Was I losing my mind? Was I really hearing and seeing these things, or was it just my own subconscious playing tricks on me? I had many questions at the time, and so began my journey of awakening and transformation.
Connecting With Your Spirit Animal
The concept of animals serving as spiritual guides and symbols for personal growth has deep roots in human culture, stretching back to ancient indigenous societies and persisting through to modern spiritual practices.
This enduring belief stems from the profound connection humans have observed and felt with the animal kingdom throughout history.
In many indigenous cultures around the world, animals traditionally hold a sacred significance and are believed to possess spiritual wisdom and powers. Many cultures also have animal symbolism in their myths, folklore, rituals, and everyday life.
For example, Native American tribes traditionally attribute personal qualities and character traits, such as strength, courage, wisdom, and cunning, to various animals, viewing them as embodiments of these virtues.
Acoording to these indigenous teachings our animal totems or spirit animals offer us guidance, protection, and insight on our spiritual journey.
We can connect with our spirit animal through meditation, dream interpretation, or rituals. By aligning with the characteristics of our chosen animal, we can gain strength, wisdom, and a deeper understanding of ourselves and our path in life.
Never Dabble With The Dark Side
My awakening began to unfold around the age of 21, marked by a vivid dream in which a white dolphin embodied the spirit of my boyfriend’s recently deceased brother, who had been a very good friend of mine.
The dream was not only a confirmation of my abilities as a psychic medium to receive messages from the other side. The white dolphin (speaking in the familiar, comforting voice of my friend) was also conveying insights from the spirit realm for my guidance and protection on my path as an awakening young psychic.
My friend taking the form of a dolphin in the dream made sense as he was a marine biologist at the time of his death and was doing important research on dolphins at the time.
But spirit is never that basic! The true meaning and symbolism of this unusual dream only became clear to me later in my psychic development journey when I began to investigate the symbolism in visitation dreams.
Although I was not aware of it at the time, a white dolphin traditionally symbolizes spiritual purity and a connection to higher realms. In fact, dolphins are considered spiritual guides and messengers in many cultures, offering protection and guidance to those in need.
The Mythical Legacy Of Dogs
The cat isn’t the only pet with a long history of myth and legend. Dogs have played an important role in human culture and spirituality for centuries.
The dog, or “man’s best friend,” is the subject of many magical tales, wisdom traditions, and folklore throughout the world. Like the cat, dogs were companions of the ancients and are still considered symbols of loyalty, courage and protection.
In Greek mythology, dogs are associated with the goddess Hecate, who is also known as the “dog goddess.” She is the goddess of witchcraft, magic, and the crossroads, and is typically depicted in ancient Greek art with a pack of dogs at her side.
Today, the brightest star in the night sky, Sirius, is also known as the Dog Star, because it is traditionally seen as the protector of the night sky. In many cultures, Sirius has been associated with dogs because of its brightness and prominence.
Perhaps the most famous dog in Greek mythology is Cerberus, the three-headed guardian of the underworld. Cerberus not only prevented the dead from leaving the underworld, but also the living from entering it. He was finally captured by the hero Heracles in one of his twelve labors. Another famous Greek dog is Laelaps, a swift dog given by the god Zeus to the hunter Actaeon. Laelaps was so fast that he could catch any prey, but he was also cursed to always catch his prey.
Remember, You Are Never Alone
The night is creeping up so quickly. You had so many plans for the day that has passed. You were sure that today was the day that miracles would come, that they would begin to flow. Yes, you have made some progress, you have removed some of the obstacles in your path, but here you are in the darkest part of the night, still in that place where doubt, anger, worry reign supreme.
In such moments we begin to feel alone. like a ship without a life raft, no one to call, no one to care.
Remember, we are never alone. The energies around us, the old ones, the ancients, the universe itself is here to hear our cry, our call. There are answers not only within ourselves, but there are messengers sent to Earth to listen, to hear, to care. These divine messengers come because the Great Spirit sends each one to us at just the right time.
An animal or bird we don’t normally see may appear on our path to instinctively give us the strength we may need on that path. An old beggar on the street asking for a few coins may speak words that stun us because they are exactly the words we needed to hear.
We reach out to chat groups for online support and hear craziness, advice that we can barely realistically believe. We have become cynical, forgetting that the universe puts what we need in our path when we need it.
There is no such thing as ‘being alone.’ We have the whole universe around us. So, sing out to the universe your pain, your despair. Your heart will receive the messages you need, the answers you want.
Frog’s Wisdom To Adapt To Change
I must admit, when I initially discovered that my spirit animal is the frog, my ego took somewhat of a dive! The frog is such a small, insignificant creature that is mostly overlooked, and certainly not the most attractive of species.
In had secretly hoped my totem animal might be a majestic, powerful animal that commands attention and is admired, even adored. But here was the tiny frog, my spirit guide.
However, once I uncovered some of the spiritual symbolism of this amazing little being, I soon grew to embrace its guiding presence in my life. Frog has in fact been teaching me much about myself, my path, and my place in the world.
The magnificent little frog’s most prominent attribute is its ability to adapt and transform. Frogs are all about change and new beginnings. They are also associated with purification, rebirth, and welcoming luck and abundance into your life. Frog is therefore the ideal power animal for anyone going through major changes in their life.
In my case, it was the opposite. Over the years, I had gradually developed a worldview that was somewhat stringent, restrained, and resistant to change. My inability to communicate with grace and clarity further complicated this outlook by causing me to become frustrated, and sometimes even angry and resentful.
The fact that I chose to perceive life in a self-limiting way was not apparent to me, until frog showed up. But with frog’s inspiration the realization started to sink in that it was not that the world was not kind, patient and accommodating towards me, but instead that I was creating resistance and that my needs and expectations were not always clearly expressed to others.