Power Animals
Working with Power Animals
Our Personal Emissaries from the Spirit Worlds
Power animals are personal emissaries from the spirit worlds. They can come to us in a variety of ways. We are born with some, who–whether we are aware of it or not– watch over us and assist us in surviving and thriving on our earth walk. They are guardian angels from the spirit animal kingdom who bring power and wisdom into our life. Think back on your favorite stuffed animals, or animals you were particularly drawn to as a child—this may provide a clue as to what your birth power animal may be. Power animals may be with us for a particular time or task, and then may be replaced by another, or they may stay with us for our whole life.
One of the most dramatic shifts in my life occurred when I learned that I was not alone, and that I had power animals and other helping spirits assisting me in life. As an incredibly empowering belief to be walking in the world with, it changed every aspect of my life forever.
As a shamanic practitioner, and one who walks in two worlds at once, I have different power animals for different purposes. I have power animals that help me with my singing, my soul retrieval and extraction ceremonies, pouring lodge. I have a personal power animal (‘body protector’) that keeps me safe, and one (the ‘gatekeeper’) that manages the flow of the worlds’ and people’s energies in and out of my personal and professional space.
I wholeheartedly invite you to take this as an opportunity to engage power animals into your life.
How do we find out about our power animals? Several avenues bring us into contact with them. Most notably in my world is the power animal retrieval that I and most modern shamanic practitioners perform for people. We journey into the spirit realm…most frequently the Lower World of Nonordinary reality –the landscape of shamanism– with the intention that the most potent power animal for this time appear for the personal.
If you know how to journey, you can journey and ask for a power animal to appear. Or you may go into meditation and ask. Or take a walk in nature and ask. It is all about intention, and being open-hearted and clear-headed to receive. Michael Harner, a North American scholar and shaman (RIP), suggests that to be sure the animal is truly your power animal of your calling, we ask it to appear in the journey or meditation at least 3 different times or ways. I would say that you use your heart to discern whether the animal that appears when you call is truly the one you are asking for at this time for your specific purpose.
Once you have a power animal, what do you do with them? How do you work with them?
They are excited that you have (finally) recognized their presence and are eager to be engaged with you. Find pictures and/or figurines of your power animal and place them around your home, car, working environments to serve as a reminder that they are present in your life. Notice the upliftment you might feel as you see them.
We enter into partnership and friendship with our power animals, so giving them offerings, or eating certain foods for them, honors this new friendship. At first you can use your intuition to determine what offerings or foods to honor them with.
As your awareness of their presence and the sense of partnership grows, you can begin to connect with them on their spiritual plane through meditation, shamanic journeying, or psychic conversation during those half asleep/half awake states at night or in the morning while in bed. In these three states of consciousness, your openness and access to “non ordinary reality” wherein the power animals and other helping spirits operate is greatly enhanced. You can begin posing questions about your partnership and your life to them. In this altered state of consciousness, information passes back and forth between you telepathically. You may receive this information through any one of your senses–it may be that they are speaking to you and you hear them; you may have imagery come to you from them; you may feel body sensations (mine rub up against me). There also just may be a sense of knowing that comes to you through their communication with you.
In these states, you can ask them anything (best to avoid yes and no questions, though). Be open to their wisdom. They may do healings on you. Receive and say thank you. They will show you how.
Each unique power animal has a particular set of powers and skills and attributes that are perfect for what you need at this time. Ask them to show you how they will be helping you with the healing and integration process.
Reading about the biology or mythology of these animals, watching video footage of them, reading about mythes and medicine tales about these animals, will provide insight to their magic. The most important inquiry, however, is direct, by you. They have a unique meaning and power for you that may not be discussed when looking at traditional descriptions of the medicine of these animals (as in Animal Speak or Medicine Cards).
The key is to dialogue and engage their energies in your every day and spiritual activities. They are excited to be noticed. They will provide access to power and wisdom that when used with a loving compassionate heart, will raise your vibration, resulting in the most benevolent outcomes!
Ecotones: A Shamanic Sound Expedition:A Rich Inquiry Into Our Edges and Boundaries
You can cue up the shamanic sound work now here
or Wait until prompted below & hit the Play button to the left
Broad Purpose & Intention
This series of shamanic sound experiences is meant to be an expedition into the ecology of the soul.
We engage here in a fruitful spiritual and soulful investigation into the edge or boundary between “this” and “that”--two adjacent or polar states, conditions, ideas or beliefs.
Between them there may be a solid boundary or threshold we flirt with, or a grading from one form into another. Here we look, and listen, and work with an edge or boundary that yearns for resolution or dissolution.
Ecotone: Its’ origin:
The ecological concept of ecotones has been coming in vibrational waves through the senses, during my nature journeys and everyday livingness.
In ecology, an ecotone is defined as a transitional area between two adjacent ecological communities (Merrium-Webster).
There exists a unique set of dynamics and characteristics of the species present and facets of the physical environment, as we move from one ecological state to another, through the ecotone, to the other state. In ecological studies of biodiversity in forests, we call these stand conditions. So there is a parallel when we address boundaries or edges in our life between “this” and “that”.
This concept of inquiry streamed into the forefront as a result of my work my sensing and working with thresholds (A hot topic inBill Plotkin’s SoulCraft)
Here the term ecotone can be used to denote where to any two adjacent states butt up against each other– in the mind, heart, thoughtscape, belief system, energy field, or any other aspects of our physical & metaphysical lives.
One of My Personal Ecotones
When I used this first sound journey for myself after it was completed, I found the edge between “safe and not safe”.
As I worked with my spirits from the bird nations, this ecotone feathered into, ascended up to a third way– neutrality–a spiritual practice/mindset/life skill/ soulscape quality is-ness. We have been cultivating, merging with, inviting, whooing neutrality very intently at in LightSong’s Mystery School teachings and learning experiences/ceremonies. So what a beautiful weaving of messages from the Divine to help me with my fears and courageousness.
Birds as Emissaries of the Divine: Singing Hearts on wings
We ask for help from compassionate spirits from the Bird Nations. Birds life our eyes from the heavy Earth to the sky with their glorious choruses, laments, and excitations! Their power of flight assists us to rise, and see our soul’s landscape from their bird’s eye…with eagle vision, a different, higher perspective.
Power and Practice of Part 1 of Ecotones, Edges & Boundaries:
This part 1 of the Shamanic Sound Journey Ceremony initiates us into the power of sound and spirit which we invite to help us discover and transform edges, boundaries, ecotones.
First, the invitation: The Invocation–Calling in the bird nations. You can include any of your known, vetted compassionate spirits. Rattle, sing, hum, drum, or simply vibrate with intention. INTENTION IS EVERYTHING. As close as you can get toa sense of love of your soul, and connection with your ability to hear your heart yearning...Call forth to the compoassionate universe!
There is an opportunity to make offerings, a simple altar, add to your own. You can pause the audio if so moved to do some listening and finding altar items and offerings.
Then we are propelled on a Sound-empowered Spirit-guided journey. My (Lauri’s) spirits and sounds assist us in this journey, holding the Intention to find an edge or boundary…of spiritual/mental/physical significance. It may be an abrupt line or a gradient/gradation between 2 conditions, this or that.
The spirits will guide us to see-feel-sense-know more about a particular edge, boundary that you are needing to transform around. Nature spirits–in particular the birds–show us something surprising and important about the landscape of our soul/life and an edge that is revealed. As in forest ecology, the tree spirits may show up and reveal patterns that help us understand and sense our ecotone, as one state (“this”) fades into another state (“that”); graded or abrupt.
We engage compassionate spirits from the Bird Nations to be primary guides on this sound journey. This journey is meant to help provide a birds eye view & experience. The eagle’s view.
Mato Lauri’s bear drum, and her Abundance (G) crystal bowl, along with lakeside birds Lauri recorded in July 2020 provide sonic drivers, cleansers, fillers, songs, spirits all!
We ask for trust that Lauri’s guiding ones will collaborate with yours in the biggest way, and support you in your own experience. Journey and use the sounds coming through me (Lauri), my instruments, you, your instruments, our altars, to inspire curiosity!
Ask the spirits that you be surprised!
Mmmm
Begin!
Take a moment to breathe, contemplate...
Be comfortable, and make your space safe to do whatever you are guided to do!
If you are guided to set up a simple altar. and/or gather offerings.
Do not worry if you dont cant wont its all good!!
Play Sound Track
Afterwards:
Come back; have some water, stretch.
Walk around. Then write.
What did you notice?
How did that make you feel?
What do you think this means–what story are you telling yourself about it?
Feel free to send writings of contemplation and sensation and manifestation, or whatever is in your heart.
lauri@shamanicsoundhealing.com.
Part 2 coming shortly!
Afterwards:
Come back; have some water, stretch.
Walk around. Then write.
What did you notice?
How did that make you feel?
What do you think this means–what story are you telling yourself about it?
Feel free to send writings of contemplation and sensation and manifestation, or whatever is in your heart.
lauri@shamanicsoundhealing.com.
Part 2 coming shortly!