Druid Animal Oracle: Adder

[Meditation journeys based on Philip & Stephanie Carr-Gomm's oracle deck. I have been absent from this work for a month, but I'm jumping in again. I got stuck on this snake card... need to face it!]

Illustration by Bill Worthington

Today's Card: ADDER-- "Nathair" in Gaelic.  Transformation, Healing, Life Energy

The card shows two intertwined snakes upon a stony lake shore that includes shells (but its not sandy, so 'lake'). Grass tufts are at the foot of the stone phallus in the background with a snake eating an egg carved upon it with ivy circling the structure. Below the adders is a boulder with a labyrinth carving and stones like eggs and shells that encompass the spiral or egg motif.

 I step through the doorway from my realm. Its warm, though the sun is filtered, and there is a light breeze. Warmth radiates out from the rocky shore below my feet. The Adders are nearly still, just their forked tongues flicking in and out.

I sit down in the warm rocks. They're smooth enough under my butt not to be too uncomfortable. I have an embarrassing confession to make to these spirit animals, "I've taken over a month to do this with you. It's silly, I know, but I didn't feel ready to deal with your energy, and I turned the card over and walked away rather than do the journey."

The black and white adder says, "Not ssso sssilly..." I am amused by the sibilant S in his verbal speech. Most animals communicate telepathically, but the Adder is talking in English!

The tan Adder reminds me of my powerful previous dreams with snakes in them (using mental touch like most totemic animals do). They are the kundalini energy resting at the base of our spine. They are like both lightning and spirals. They are very primitive and transformative. I've been through so much change lately that I balked at dealing with a spirit animal that embodies massive shifts in life. Loss, shedding of the old, striking out, slithering through the webs and weaves of life...

I smile, "Okay, not so silly. But I'm sorry it took so long to get back to you."

They don't care. I'm here now. And it's time to move!

The Adders slither and undulate between rocks and through the grass up to the phallic stone. I rub my hands up and down the rock, and then laugh at the gesture. The Adders watch approvingly, and then they take off across the flattish grass field, gliding as they slither along.

I soon realize I have to keep going at a brisk trot to keep up! They make waving patterns in the grass as we move that are rather mesmerizing to watch, and soon I'm in a sort of trance. We travel further and further from the lake (which I never turned to look at yet-- but I could smell the water...) and then we come to a hole in the ground.

I'm instructed to duck down and grab one snake with each hand, so I do. Next I am being slid down into the hole, through the dark, and we're going through some sort of complicated maze, and we end up in a white room full of giant quartz crystals--!!

Say what?!

I let go of the snakes, and they part and then sort of become upright on their tails! I notice energy like electricity buzzing through the crystals, moving around and making my hair stand on end. The Adders remind me of illustrations of Basilisks, moving so oddly now in this special lair.

I have one snake on each side of me and they lead me to a chair-- like a throne, and each one transforms into a sort of pillar and I realize we've just become the High Priestess tarot card! I can't help but laugh, but then the snakes change again into bare lines of electric energy and they begin to circle me, Sun-wise, faster and faster!

And as I watch the white energy turns blue, I'm thinking these oracle card journeys keep shocking the hell out of me! As I think this, I start to get little zips and jolts of electrical shocks. That, too, makes me laugh a little.

As the Adders whirl faster and faster, my body gets more and more energized, and it starts to feel pretty good. Soon I de-materialize into a white light, into a God light is how I would describe it. Then the Adders spin Widdershins (counter-clockwise) and turn into red lines of energy and pull me back into my material self. I am soon back in the chair, and they become upright snakes again.

I know they are basically going through the steps of death. You enter the dark unknown, but then emerge into the Spirit Realm. Next, I know I will undergo the steps of re-birth!

They come together and rise in front of me into the air, leaving their tails for me to grab. I grab them and they pull me UP into the ceiling of the crystalline chamber. The top seems like its made of liquid, and I am pulled through a suddenly cold and wet body of water!

I emerge onto the surface of the lake, and the snakes are now undulating horizontally again, across the top of the water, pulling me to the rocky shore. I step back up and shake off some water.

That was fun! 

I sit on the stones and let their warmth penetrate my chill. The sun warms me from above and I dry out. The snakes curl into my lap and I stroke their smooth scales over and over and very much enjoy the sensation. We converse about how death is "down" and life is "up" to them, when many cultures see it the other way around. I know there is nothing to fear from the Adders ever again.

With a kiss to the top of their heads for my good-bye, I step through into my own realm again, realizing it really is silly to be even a little afraid of these journeys.

END.

Druid Animal Oracle: BULL

[Meditation journeys based on Philip & Stephanie Carr-Gomm's oracle deck.]

Illustration by Bill Worthington

Today's Card: BULL-- "Tarbh" in Gaelic. Wealth, Potency, Beneficence

The card shows a white (but not albino) bull standing by a rock formation on a semi-sunny day. Three cranes fly not far off, and he seems to be bellowing at them. A horn and a rattle in the shape of a singular testicle lay at his hooves.

Right away I notice that this animal, unlike all the others, stands before me, his ass and balls more prominent than his face! Why is that? I wonder. His tail waves and whips, and I reach out to touch his rump, then smack it. It feels right for some reason...

He looks back at me, and I feel like he's protective-- and ornery! He stamps his feet a couple more times and then turns to face me. I notice the wind is blowing pretty hard here and the leaves from the willow growing next to us is rustling loudly.

Bull snorts, and then thunks the earth next to the golden horn at his feet. I pick it up. He nods, bobbing his head at an angle towards the sky. I'm to blow the horn.

Um... okay.

I blow it and Bull turns around again, as if readying for a fight. The three cranes who were circling now swoop down and alight upon the path before us. I come around the bull, and pat his shoulders. I know he's protecting me-- but from the Cranes?

The cranes let out some odd cries and bob and flap their wings. I'm told I get to ask each one a question. One about the past, one about the present, and one about the future. Then they walk, flap, and fly onto the path, in single file, and I know I must walk the path and ask each one a question.

Bull will walk with me. I get the sense that there is danger to this? I'm finding this journey to be a little strange. Are the Cranes linked to the three Fates?

I approach the first crane. It ducks and stretches like its doing a mating dance, and waits for my question. What do I want to know about the past? I don't know what to ask about and turn to the Bull. He suggests I ask about my 'brothers and comrades from the battlefield.' I know what he's talking about. Okay...

Did they truly love me then?

 The crane answers: They believed in you. Some loved you, but some just liked you.

Not sure how knowing that helps I thank the crane and move on down the path. The crane flies off.

Question about the present for the next crane is:  
Is there a reason to keep hoping-- objectively, outside of myself?

The crane answers: You know there is. You find it and lose it and find it again.

We continue on the path to the next crane while the last one flies off. I ask the Crane of the future:
Could you please show me something to give me hope or help me "find it" again?

The crane answers: Page 34 of the Oracle book.

I look and its the page for The Fox or "Sionnach". That card fell out separately on its own when I was putting cards away the first day I did this with the oracle cards. Apparently, Fox has something special for me to learn when I reach that card! Page 34 talks about when to "come out" openly and when to "keep your council private." Hmmm.... I'm not sure what that could be referring to, so I guess I have to wait until the future to do that card and find out...

I thank the crane and it flies off.

Then Bull tells me to mount him, and I do, and soon we're running across fields. I'm puzzled, but then I start to pick up from Bull that I understand stubbornness can be a virtue. That I am "bull-headed" and "grab the bull by the horns" on a regular basis (though I am not a Taurus sign.) Bull charges forth, even if its not pretty, or uses anger to get energy. Bull energy is a simple energy: Go do what you have to do, face the tricky parts of life, and don't give yourself time to doubt.

We come full circle to the rock formation. I slide off Bull and go look at the etching on the rock. Its a classic labyrinth - like the story of the bull-headed minotaur. Long story about short-changing the gods leading to a monster being born who ate men. Bull tells me that in the spirit world, bulls charge at and challenge men, but are the protectors and friends of women.

I tell Bull my own story of my father being a "bully" and how I had nightmares about being trapped in a pen with a bull when he was alive but ill, and my mother kept trying to make me visit him. Bull looks sad, he would never hurt me. I rub and scratch his face. All those dreams ended when I realized the real bully was my mother, wanting me to make peace with the monster of my childhood.

Finally, the bull paws at the last object on the ground-- the rattle. It has a ring attached. I think its kind of funny, but shake it. The ground rumbles. Bull tells me I can shake it to summon his energy. I thank him, replace the horn and rattle by the rock, and return to my realm.

END.

Druid Animal Oracle: OWL

[Meditative journeys upon Stephanie and Philip Carr-Gomm's Oracle Cards. I suspect that they softened up the real meaning of the Owl card because I already know its not so benign...]

Illustration by Bill Worthington

Today's Card: OWL-- "Cailleach Oidhche" in Gaelic:  Detachment, Wisdom, Change
                                                         (also:  Death, Crossing Points, the Hidden)


The card shows a barn owl in an oak tree covered with ivy. The tree is in an old oak forest in winter on a full moon night. Two tokens hang from branches: a stone pendent relief of a spiraled snake, and another silver pendent of a tragedy or death mask.

** Personal note: I believe that I have a life that touches on 'owl' themes relentlessly, though I seem to have a reluctance to dive into exploring this with Owl. My friend, Mike Clelland, writes books on many uncanny owl experiences that people have, and I have noted that I seem to avoid embracing this particular totemic image. Perhaps because I saw 'behind the veil' and felt betrayed? This may color my experience with Owl now, and I feel odd about confronting this.

I step through onto an enormous and wide branch of an ancient oak tree. I note that it is still fully leaved out, though a cold wind blows through an otherwise bare forest in the midst of winter. The full moon is so bright that I can see very clearly. Though I know of what sorts of themes surround Owl, I reach out to lightly pet her with a finger, she is cute and not frightening at all. The messenger of darker things, but not dark herself.

She shifts a couple of steps away from me and ducks her head in that bowing way owls do, but then steps closer and I lightly pet her chest. She closes her eyes in pleasure, and we just try to get comfortable together for a little bit.

Then Owl rotates her head to face the ivy to one side of her and grabs the spiral snake stone token in her beak. She then walks sideways up to me and drops it into my hand. I see it is a pendent and put it over my head. She reminds me (though I know this already) that snakes are totems of life and death and the shedding of the old. Owls sometimes bring news of such great changes by flying by with a snake in their talons where they can be seen by the one receiving the message. A classic "Omen."

I feel the spiral snake on my chest with my fingers, rubbing the shape of the smooth stone. It feels reassuring. The owl knows I am very well versed in this! I am familiar with life, death, reincarnation, ghosts, prophesy, and omens. I pursue it and don't deny it, but am reluctant to ask for help (from owl.) I acknowledge this is true.

Then owl flies to the next tree and has me follow. I am tall enough, and the forest dense enough, that I can simply climb from limb to limb of various trees. She leads me to the edge of the forest where we can see down into a town. I realize I have amazing night vision! I can see great detail even from very far away-- it makes me think of looking through binoculars, only easier.

And we watch. The human world gets quiet, but that's when other things wake up. We see spirits, and strange lights, and shadow figures, and we hear strange voices and singing and odd clicking and beeping noises as well. I understand that the Owl bears witness to all places where one world touches another. Not a Guardian of the Crossroads (like a Dog spirit might be) so much as a Mind Awake.

We make our way back to the Everliving Oak tree, and both the Owl and I know there are few surprises here for me. Now she reaches for the other token that hangs from the tree: a silver mask pendent. She lets me put it on my wrist, for its a bracelet. I rub the little face with my fingers. Its all about the pain of death and the fear of the unknown. My soul feels like the expression on this face...

The Owl bobs her face up and down, and reminds me that her face appears to be mask-like, as all owls do. I don't avoid Owl because of any of the things under her domain-- I don't like masks. I don't like to be fooled. I don't like things to be hidden from me. I have a raw hunger to unmask all things.

Then she does something that freaks me out. She reaches up with her fat feet and pulls off her face!! To my shock and amusement, there is clockwork there, like she's a sophisticated wind-up toy! She plops her 'mask face' back on and is calm, but seems to enjoy the joke. I realize that Owl bothers me because she doesn't seem very emotional, and this reminds me of the alien Greys, and this is another reason I am disturbed.

She says with calm compassion, "To bear Witness, one must be calm. One must allow events to proceed as they will without succumbing to the fear of those who must live through the event or encounter. I can help you to be calm through the fear. Just call on me. Think of me when experiences overwhelm you and remember I am of your natural world. I bear Witness to the Otherworld, but I am not of it. I'll get you back safely."

This moves me deeply. I understand now. I remove both tokens and return them to the Everliving Oak, feeling tearful and a little tired. I feel much closer to the Owl and decide to stop denying her in my life. I reach out both arms and she flies to my chest with a little hop and flutter of her wings, and she sits on my arms for a minute while I feel her feathers and rest my chin lightly on her head. I thank her and release her back to her branch and then return to my realm.

END.