Sunday 2 April 2017

Reading the Signs of Nature: Divination.

Crows by Marion Rose 
  Have you heard the phrase: Everything happens for a reason? I am not sure till what point this is true, intuition and premonition are tricky sensations as we are pushed to mistrust them by the current worldview. Nonetheless I have come to learn to trust my intuition over the years. Interpreting the signs of nature and the universe, as witches and shamans have done for generations,  has turned out to be both useful and easier than expected.
  The divination arts have always caused a great controversy, specially since charlatans and fortune tellers go around deceiving people's trust. As witches we believe that the only thing that exists is the present. So what are we predicting then? The answer is something a bit bigger than what the future holds, it's about the destiny we have created with our actions, thoughts and feelings. Basically it's an energy that has already been created but that has not yet manifested in the present. 

   Everyday life is full of examples. Have you ever found yourself thinking about an old friend that you haven't seen in a long time and then, all of a sudden, you meet them or receive a phone call?
 As far as I know the "science" behind  all divination processes lies on what Swiss physiologist Carl Jung denominates as synchronisation, term that uses in his work over the I Ching (a traditional Chinese method of divination), conducted in 1949.
  The synchronisation process becomes aware of events in time and space, revealing a sense beyond mere chance. That is, a specific inter-response between specific events. (As tossing a coin in the air to predict the future like on the I Ching to create a pattern). Synchronisation is found in the heart of all divination techniques, Whenever you lay out a tarot deck, or interpret the future using runes, wax or viscera, a pattern is created which reflects an internal condition that is already forming, or is about to.
To read the signs of nature, and divination through experiences with animals works exactly the same way, with the advantage that is more organic and intuitive than other methods. At the time of your encounter, the pattern is appreciated through the habits and characteristics of the animal, the folklore and mythology as well as the circumstances that surround your experience; the health of the animal, your feelings about the experience as well as any personal idea or association that you might have about the animal.

Intuition plays a fundamental role in divination, especially that related to animals. Socially there are certain attributes traditionally associated with a certain animal such as loyalty in the dog, power in the lion or transmutation and change in the butterfly. But we should by no means limit ourselves to these concepts. We can use them as guides, as bases to develop meaning but, above all, let your intuition guide you.

Most of the time we overlook this signs, even once we've learned how to interpret them. We don't often pay attention to them or decide to ignore them... I went on a date last summer with a lovely guy, I was quite excited and on the middle of the day I found a dead dove on the street, I didn't want to believe it and completely ignored this sign, and guess what, our relationship didn't last more than twenty-something days... The Dove, universal sign of peace and love appears in the art and folklore of numerous spiritual traditions, religions and cultures. I am not suggesting that you put an abrupt end to any relationship just because you found a dead dove. Remember to take into account the context and holism of the situation.

Here are some pointers to help you understand the meaning of your encounter:
1. Consider your initial reaction (you attract animals according to your deepest beliefs about the animal, as well as your way of seeing and understanding the world and yourself
2. When did it happened? Day or night, the hour o the day, the season you are in...
3. If the encounter was in the habitat of animal (less rare) or in a different one (more significant).
4. How did you feel? Usually the emotions are the direct link of the meaning of your encounter.
5. The person or people with whom you were at the moment of the encounter.
6. What activity where you doing?
7. Symbolism and possible meaning of the animal:
TRANSFORMATION - Butterfly, Frog and Snake.
ROMANCE, SEXUALITY and LOVE - Horse, Swan and Rabbit.
MESSAGES - Owls, Dragonfly and birds in general.
LOYALTY and FAMILY LOOSES - Dog, Elephant.
CREATIVITY AND EXPRESSION - Spider and sparrow.
JOY, PEACE, FORTUNE and PROSPERITY - Dove, Hummingbird and Lady Bug.
INTUITION, MAGIC and SHAMANISM - Raven, Wolf and Fox.
SPIRITUALITY AND HEALING - Dolphin, Bee and Deer.
POWER - Bear, Lion.
INDEPENDENCE AND LONELINESS - Cat and Iguana.

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