Animal spirits
ANCIENT SECRETS By T. SELVA
star2@thestar.com.my
Find out which creature is protecting and guiding you and how you can use its power in positive ways.
WHETHER or not he is aware of it, every individual is guided by an animal spirit that helps him in his daily life by providing protection, guidance and healing.
According to Native American Indians, these animals can appear through silence, prayer, meditation, a vision and dream, or on earth in their physical form. They can be birds, reptiles or mammals and sometimes even fairytale creatures such as mermaids, unicorns or dragons, although they have no physical representation in the real world.
During my recent visit to the United States, I finally found my spirit animal, the whale, which has been appearing in my life since I was 11.
Whales have fascinated me from young, and I get affected each time I read about or see photographs of dead whales in any part of the world.
Because of my strong relationship with the mammal, I have travelled to look at them in their breeding grounds in Hawaii and Seattle in the United States, and Sydney in Australia.
With the help of two shaman healers in New York, I discovered that the spirit of the whale has been my life guardian and it has been helping me navigate life’s challenges and transitions.
According to the experts, the source of power for my animal spirit is not just a single whale but the entire species. The discovery also explains my affection for the sea and maritime-related activities.
Animal spirit means something that touches deep inside a person who yearns for a more intimate and heartfelt relationship with the natural world that is often ignored by people because of their busy lifestyle.
It may not be the same as the zodiac sign or animal symbol linked to an individual’s horoscope following Chinese or Indian astrology.
How can a person know which animal is aligned with him or her?
When an animal appears in an unusual way or repeatedly (but not through one’s imagination) within a short period of time, like in a dream or vision, or through symbols, it means the spirit of that animal is trying to reach you and send you a message.
When this happens, it is important to pause and sit in silence, to distinguish what the message is and its relevance and meaning to the question or concern at hand. In some cases, the spirit guide chooses the person once it has developed a harmonious relationship with and respect for him.
Indigenous people believe that the more importance a person gives to his spirit guide, the more it will respond to him.
Most spirit guides do not immediately acknowledge themselves to the individual because they are wary of his intentions and knowledge.
Another way to determine the connection is to use oracle cards specially made for the purpose, to find out which animal spirit is linked to you.
The 44 cards with various animal images have a life force of their own and to understand their energy, one has to learn to pay attention to one’s feelings and reactions to each card as the pack is spread out. Healers say that a person can have any number of spirit guides throughout his life, whether or not he is conscious of them.
Some appear only for a period of time and another animal spirit may then “take over”; the latter can also appear in various periods of one’s life. Also you don’t need to be “gifted” to call upon any power for help or healing because they come to whoever sincerely calls upon them.
Among the ways to invoke the powers is by just thinking of the particular animal silently, saying its name aloud or writing the name in your diary.
Once you know your animal spirit, display, carry or wear clothing that illustrates your animal; such a decoration will protect you and your space from any danger. Also, visit the animal’s habitat to connect directly to its spirit.
An important aspect of linking to these energies is to do so with an open heart and mind, and with faith and respect.
The positive effects of working with your animal spirit guide is that an individual will develop a greater appreciation for that species, and is likely to extend that care and respect to the entire animal kingdom.
In return, your animal spirit will help use this power compassionately and in service, to heal and empower the individual and others in positive and inspirational ways.
■ T. Selva, chief news editor at The Star, is the author of the Vasthu Sastra Guide and is the first disciple of 7th generation Vasthu Sastra master Yuvaraj Sowma from Chennai, India. Selva provides tips on Vasthu Sastra on RTM’s TRAXX fm at 11.15am on the last Friday of every month. This column appears on the last Sunday of every month.
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