Power Animals

Judith Ashley is the author of The Sacred Women's Circle series, romantic fiction that honors spiritual traditions that nurture the soul.

Last week I talked about the snowy owl mask my circle sister, Heather, made for me. This week I’d like to talk a bit more about power animals or personal totems.

There are formal ways to ascertain what your power animal is and also informal ways. Today I’m talking about the informal process. In some ways it’s as simple as asking the question: Are you a dog person or a cat person?”

In other words what animals are you drawn to?

I see red tail hawks no one else sees. They are an anomaly in a tree’s structure. While the red tail hawk is not my primary power animal, it is one of my animal totems.

I can also spot whales spouting when other folks miss them. I have a physical or visceral reaction to seeing the sleek black back break water. My breathing fractures if I’m so lucky to see one breach.

But what brings me the most comfort is the snowy owl.

My horse drum

This owl has many of the same characteristics as all other owls but it is more diurnal than nocturnal. In the arctic tundra there aren’t a lot of trees so some actually build nests on the ground (or on ledges on cliffs). I’ve only seen snowy owls in person a couple of times. Once was in a raptor rescue center and the other was when I flew into Logan airport decades ago and all these white birds were on the grassy areas between the runways. At that time in my life, I didn’t even know what they were—only that I was smitten by them.

If you want to find someone who can help you formally figure out your power animal, here are a couple of ideas:

Check with metaphysical stores near you. They may know someone who holds classes or helps people identify their totems.

Look for shamans. Again your metaphysical store may be the best place to look.

A process called “journeying” is involved. Journeying is facilitated by drumming so check out stores that sell drums (not the drum sets musicians).

You can learn more about The Sacred Women’s Circle series on my website.

Check out my Windtree Press author page.

Follow me on Twitter: @JudithAshley19

I’m also on Facebook

© 2016 Judith Ashley

Friends and Schedules

By Judith Ashley

This past week I spend several days with friends from Arizona and Texas along The Oregon Coast. We may talk for an hour every Tuesday but it had been 2012 since we last spent time together.

Not only did we talk and talk and talk, we had quiet time where we just watched the waves roll in. I saw whales spouting and a pair of pelicans as well as numerous seagulls. The majesty of the Pacific Ocean was inspiring. With great reluctance we left and are now each caught up in the day-to-day tasks of our every day life.

What I learned for myself as I drove away is

1. I've really been pushing myself to get my seven book series written and published. (#5 will be available in early June).

2. While I love my writing and still feel compelled to tell these stories, I need to find a different writing pace, one that does not compromise my health.

3. Spending time with friends away from the hustle and bustle of every day life is critical to my mental, emotional, physical and spiritual health.

4. Life, or at least my life, is about finding and maintaining balance and realizing that as time passes the balance between different elements in my life change which means I'm no longer in balance until I shift.

5. I don't spend as much time around water (ocean falls, rivers) as my spirit would like.



How does that fit with the month of May?

I'm visiting with my friend, Judith for just over two weeks. We've been friends for thirty-five years and met at a William Glasser Institute Conference in Houston, TX. I'm sure we'll take walks in a near-by park, spend time along the river as well as reminisce about our 35 years of adventures. (Remind me to tell you the cockroach story). We'll listen to cassette tapes of Croatian musicians and singers and remember our trip there during the Balkan War as well as another one shortly thereafter.

My cousin from California will be visiting with me over Memorial Day Weekend. I expect we'll go to Riverview Abbey and take flowers to our grandparents' graves, maybe drive up the Columbia River Gorge to see Multnomah Fall if not take the old highway and stop at several of the others. We'll also talk about a Rawson Family Reunion - the big one is celebrating 100 years in Rawsonville, Vermont in August! I suggested our branch (there are surviving children from 4 of the previous generation) celebrate here in Portland that same weekend. Only 5 cousins live any real distance away.

Before June 1 comes, I hope to spend at least a few hours with my VBF of over 40 years. Due to many different challenges, we've not seen each other face-to-face since January.

Friendships whether with family or others is an integral and important part of our lives. What are your plans to spend time with friends in May? What do you like to do with your VBF?

PS: I'm recycling posts from much earlier in this blogs history over the next two weeks and will share more thoughts about friends on the 25th. 

Judith is the author of The Sacred Womens Circle series, romantic fiction that honors spiritual practices that nourish the soul and celebrates the journey from relationship to romance. You can learn more about Judith and her books at http://judithashleyromance.com