Dear reader, this post is from the archives of AskGCW.
Dear friends, I feel a great heaviness in this world right now.
I can feel the vibrations of your tension, the tightening of your shoulders and throat, the churning in your gut, the stress, the weight of worry many are feeling right now in this time of uncertainty.
For those who are worried, frightened – lean against me and those of my kind, the extended family of trees. Enter into our friendly energy, rest your weight on us, we will support and calm you, help you know what is real and solid and true.
Grandmother Cottonwood
Tune yourselves to our quiet and subtle frequency. Listen with your whole body and heart, your wise self.
We will help you know you are not alone, that life goes on, that you are safe in this moment.
Know this. All trees and the collective spirits of nature – animal and plant, insect, reptile, amphibian, all angelic beings, your human ancestors who have crossed to the light, all spirits or land air and sea, of heaven and Earth, of the Universe are with you always.
Male Cardinal in winter
Please call on us for advice, kindness, companionship, spiritual nourishment, comfort. You are not alone. You are surrounded by love.
Tune into our quiet and loving voices to steady and calm your anxious minds.
Dear readers this post is from the archives of AskGCW.
Rumors of the demise of Mother Earth have been greatly exaggerated. This planet will endure, she will continue spinning on her axis, orbiting the sun. Day will follow night. The sun will rise in the East. The ancient cycle of seasons will endure, the moon will wax, become full, wane, then begin again in darkness.
Full Moon
The ancient cycles will endure even if humans are no longer here to witness the beauty, to name the seasons, and study the stars
Humans are slowly committing suicide as they ignore the warning signs of the stressed and overtaxed environment and atmosphere. I ask you to slow down and listen to your Great Grandmother the Earth. Learn her language. Pay attention to her signs, symbols, her distress call.
When you learn her language, the language of the web of life, you will learn the ancient ways of survival on this planet. You will learn to respect the amazing intelligence built up over eons of time within every living thing and every living system.
Tuning in to the messages and intricate interconnections of the web of life and hearing the voices of all living things here on this planet still means survival.
Technology in your pocket, shiny objects, expensive homes will not save or buffer you from the reality that you are a part of this web of life, a part of nature. We survive together!
Take action to divest yourselves and your human cultures of greed and corruption. Stop over-consuming our precious resources and hoarding wealth for only a few. These things damage the web of life.
Learn to use only what you need. Learn to be humble. Learn to love each step you take on Mother Earth, each breath you take into your miraculous body, each beat of your heart.
Wake up and embrace your precious life on this precious Earth!
Dear friends, your power animal is a spirit helper who comes to you in a familiar form you can relate to and understand, one that will inspire and advise you.
Your logical mind may scoff at this idea. Your logical mind or your logical friends may call you crazy or state that you are living in a fantasy world divorced from reality.
I’m here to tell you, there is a spiritual reality you can access when you allow your mind to release doubts, worries, shoulds and oughts. When you release your ego for a time and let your brain slow down and relax, you are better able to connect with the vast and rich spirit world that underpins all measurable, scientifically agreed upon reality.
Pair of Canada geese swimming at dusk
For those of you who are able to access the spirit realms, spend time face to face with your living and compassionate spirit helper. When you get to know them, when you’ve built up trust, you can merge with your power animal. They will let you know when you’re ready.
Invite them in, allow yourself to dissolve into pure energy and let your energy become one with your creature. You will know what is it to fly and soar on warm updrafts or to pop into a cool earthen burrow, to smell the rich soil, to gallop at top speed for miles without tiring, to build a tiny nest in a tall tree…
…to feel your wings spread wide on hot sunlight, to weave a beautiful web in a forest, to allow your body and being to transform in a cozy cocoon, to sip nectar from wildflowers, to see the Earth spread out below you in its wild beauty, the rivers, mountains, plains, the valleys and lakes.
Amazing spider web
Use these powers for good, for the healing of your life, for the gaining of compassion and empathy, for increasing your wisdom, for inspiration, for comfort, for the betterment of our Earth.
Your power animal will help you experience new insights and expand your definition of reality.
Your power animal (or spirit animal) may take the form of insect, mammal, reptile, fish, sea creature, amphibian, bird, arachnid. Even extinct or legendary animals may come to you in spirit form.
They may be tiny, shy, sleek, flashy, magnificent, meek, camouflaged, strong and powerful, a hunter, a grazing animal, a nest builder, or burrower, a deep sea diver…
Grasshopper on purple coneflower
To meet your spirit animal, close your eyes and let them come to you. They may not be who you expect! They will choose you, for spirits know what powers you require in your life, what messages what healing energies for your growth and wholeness. They are attuned to you and your spiritual mental, physical and emotional needs.
Be open to whatever creature comes to you. Set aside your logical mind and allow yourself to be curious, without judgment. All creatures have powers and wisdom to share!
Power animals, also called spirit animals or totems have access to spiritual information that humans do not. Human vision and knowledge are limited and Earthbound.
Your spirit animal can help expand your awareness and bring hidden knowledge and wisdom to your life. Ask your power animal how they will work with you, what you can do for them, how to honor and thank them for their service to you.
When you meet your spirit helper in animal form, use your senses to get to know them. Imagine feeling the texture of their coat, their scales or feathers… imagine smelling their scent, hearing their voice. Picture them running, flying, sliding, gliding, crawling, swimming. Imagine the feel of their body heat, or the dry coolness of the skin or scales, the delicacy and fragility of their tiny wings, the sharp claws, the wet nose, the soft fur…
Red wing blackbird
Get to know them. Create a relationship with them by meeting often. You can do this by learning to do shamanic journeys, by writing and asking them questions, by going out in nature, leaning against a tree and tuning in to the wavelength of spirit and asking for their presence.
You must call them in each time you wish to visit and have a question or intention for your meeting. Pay attention to the messages you receive.
Build up your trust in them by meeting often. When you know them well, your power animal will be with you during times of trial, they will be with you when you are sick, they will be with you when you sleep, when you travel.
Orange butterfly on elderberry bush
Your part is to ask for their presence, ask for their advice, ask for their protection…ask for what you need from them. Then use your senses, including your sense of intuition to discern the messages they bring.
A power animal will expand your awareness of what is possible in your life.
In freeing and healing yourself from unhealthy relationships, patterns, beliefs, and situations, you free others. In the web of life, all things, all beings are connected.
In this way miracles happen, coincidences occur beyond your awareness, without your conscious participation.
Set your course for health of mind body and spirit, then trust and allow the mystery to unfold for your highest good and the good of all beings.
Amazing spider web
Set your healing intention into motion, follow the instructions of compassionate helping spirit guides and helpers, and ask for more guidance.
Ask for spiritual guidance. Pay attention!!! Listen and act with integrity. This is all you have to do.
(True spiritual advice will never hint at or ask you to hurt yourself or another, will never ask you to curse anyone, will never advocate hatred or violence.)
When you are compelled to heal and free yourself from unhealthy situations and patterns, you are regaining your power, autonomy, life force, and vitality.
When you free yourself you unlock what may be many lifetime of enchantment. Then like Sleeping Beauty, you wake up the potential and renew the life energy that has been dormant in you
When you do the sometimes lonely and often difficult work of healing by moving closer and closer to your own pure spirit, your own soul, healing your wounded heart and psyche, reweaving the hurt, making yourself whole again, you send ripples of well being and freedom throughout the web of all things, making those broken places stronger and more resilient. Creating wholeness.
Red wing blackbird, bare branches
Through you, others are set free as well if it is their soul level wish. You cannot control the ripples of the web, you cannot control who receives healing. These assignments must remain a mystery to you while you are still in a body. You can only work on behalf of yourself and do what is right for you.
So much is beyond your knowing and control as a human being in a body. Surrender to the mystery!
Does the prospect of change, even a small shift toward the light feel challenging, as though you must move a boulder off your chest, a ton of bricks from your back, extricate yourself from quicksand that is sucking you under?
You can ask for spiritual assistance, guidance, and help with problems and challenges in your life that seem insurmountable. When you ask from a place of self honesty, surrender and trust, you will receive answers and assistance.
Painted lady butterfly on red zinnia
The answers and assistance from spirit may come in many forms. You may see a sign in nature, such as an amazing spider web, a colorful bird in flight, a full moon surrounded by colored light… You may receive spiritual wisdom and assistance through your senses, sight, sound, touch, taste, smell as well as simply knowing the truth in your heart and mind.
Your challenge is to discern the true and helpful spirit given messages from other random thoughts or ideas in your head.
Loving spirits will never ask you to harm another living being or the environment or send hateful messages or energy to another. Loving spirits will never ask you to harm yourself, put yourself at risk, or keep yourself small.
True spirit messages will give you a feeling of energy and possibilities and purpose. Spirit messages will resonate with your wise self and in your heart.
When you carry out loving spiritual advice your actions will enhance and reweave the web of your life and all life with energetic threads of love and renewal.
Robin in winter
We loving compassionate spirits are all around, supporting you, waiting for your awareness and awakening to our presence and our support for you.
Please ask for our help, receive our communication in whatever form it comes to you, then do your best to carry out the loving and compassionate advice you receive.
Trust what you receive from the compassionate spirits, and more will be given to you.
Every human on earth has spirit helpers. You are not, nor have you every been alone. Unseen benevolent spirits whisper in your ear and offer guidance for your highest good 24-7.
Orange butterfly
You can ignore this guidance, you can continue to plow through the problems of your life like a bulldozer, or you can listen and take your spirit helpers’ loving advice to heart.
You may have one or more helpers appear to you in animal form. Snake, horse, bird, spider, dolphin, bat, frog… these spirits take on forms that will resonate with you and inspire, delight and teach you.
All mammals, insects, birds, reptiles, amphibians have special powers, wisdom, and personalities they may choose to share with you. Bat will help you find your way in the dark. Dolphin will help you dive deep and communicate with your community. Butterfly brings transformation….and so much more. It is in your interest to form a deep and abiding relationship with your power animal.
Allow your power animal to choose you. It may not be wolf or bear or buffalo. Keep your mind and heart open to receive whoever appears to you. Be open to the wisdom and the powerful magic of spirit helpers and the many forms they may appear to you.
Ask Grandmother Cottonwood 