Connecting with your Animal Guides

Animals have always fascinated me. They live among us but completely in their own realm. Some even live in our homes and sleep beside us each night. They are constantly speaking to us in their own divine language. Animals have always been messengers from the spirit and connecting with yours may open up a whole new world of clarity and understanding.

I have a few very prominent animal totems in my life. Cardinals, butterflies, snakes and crows are the ones that show up most frequently for me and hold the most meaning. Occasionally I am visited by others and I get excited about making that new connection. This however, is the story of how the crow came to guide me.

For some the crow is a frightening omen of death or hard times to come. For me the crow has always been a messenger of change, hope and healing. That is why it is so important to make your own connections with the divine and its creations to see what messages they hold specifically for you. What meaning I find may vastly differ from the meaning and personal experiences that you find.

When I first discovered Reiki, I mean REALLY discovered it (it had showed up through my entire life but I never connected the dots... palm to forehead) but that is another story for another time. I had finally decided to go to a local reiki share after the suggestion from my chiropractor. It was amazing! I instantly knew not only was this my new passion but it's also part of my life's purpose. No doubt about it! I had been asking for clarity of purpose for months even years and finally... I had it.

That evening as I lay in bed and was going over all the wonderful and weird things that had happened at the share an amazing thing happened. One of my guides introduced themselves to me. He was an elderly Indian with crow feathers very prominently displayed as part of his headdress. He looked like a scratch drawing, black and white but also three dimensional. It was very clear and very striking.

He said only one thing to me... "You were healed before you came." His voice was deep and booming and I heard it clearly. Then he was gone.

The days and months after he first appeared I started seeing crows everywhere. On the fence in my backyard sitting in a row just starring into my back window. Showing up in the bird bath or flying over the house and cawing. When I'd go to the chiropractor there was always a murder of crows standing right there in the parking lot! Needless to say I thought it was bizarre but also wonderful and comforting in a strange sort of way. My new companions. I kept wondering what were these crows about and why are they everywhere?

When I started working on clients often I would see black feathers in my minds eye. They would sweep by so fast like catching a glimpse of a fluttering wing. I wasn't completely sure what it was I was actually seeing. After some time of working on clients the wings became clearer and eventually they morphed into what I'd call a guardian Indian with huge black feather wings. Trust me I know how strange this sounds...

I decided I needed to meditate on this and figure out why this Indian kept showing up. As I did a picture began to emerge of a past life. This Indian was connected to me and now serves as one of my guides. I asked spirit, if this is true please show me an undeniable sign. Like a smack me in the face no doubt about it kind of sign. In the beginning I was not very good at accepting the subtle signs from spirit. I needed big flashing lights and a LOOK HERE sign. So I asked, please send me something like a very prominent crow feather in the yard to confirm I am not making all of this up. A couple days later I heard loud cawing coming from the tree in my front yard. I went to the window in my living room and there he was sitting in my cherry tree in front of my window. A big beautiful crow hopping from branch to branch cawing. At one point he stopped and looked right at me. Then it started hopping around the tree again and finally flew away. This was a huge confirmation. Ask for a feather and get a whole crow! Spirit has a sense of humor. Not only did a large and very loud LOOK HERE sign appear but it appeared in a cherry tree which has always been my favorite tree since childhood.

I know some would shrug this off as mere coincidence. I am not one of those people. I believe spirit is always trying to communicate with us, we just need to quiet ourselves and listen. The universe wants a connection with all of us. It is a divine gift given to us at birth from the creator and it sits deep within the soul, waiting patiently to be awakened. When I see a crow now I always say hello. I send it love and gratitude because I know something is about to change in my life. I know it's divinely guided and all I need to do is quiet my mind, be thankful that spirit is so alive and connected to my life and TRUST that its leading me somewhere.

So ask yourself, what animals seem to be prominent in your life story? What traits do those animals have? If you are getting a visit from the animal realm, think about the qualities that surround this animal. Let's think about a dog for a minute. To me dogs are a sign of family and are part of your support team. They are loyal, trustworthy and protective. The dog could be urging you to lean on your close family and friends for the support you need during challenging times. Fox's are sly, beautiful but cautious creatures, perhaps there is a "foxy" female in your life that you need to pay close attention to. The spirit of the horse could be a call from the soul to travel.

How about butterflies? They are a symbol of ultimate transformation. Cardinals carry messages of love from family that has passed on and gently reminding us that they are still here. Do snakes cross your path when you are in need of healing? A visit from the squirrel could be urging you to close your purse strings and save for the future. Spirit has so many ways of communicating with us. Recognizing that might open a door to a path you never knew existed.

There is great love for all of us here. It is my hope that the love and answers to the questions you seek find you.

Love and light!