Dolphin day

Yesterday was the final day of our Kundalini Yoga Teacher Certification course. Intense and inspiring, it was great to be a part of it—not only as a participant, but as one of those who made it possible.

To celebrate our closing, one of our fellow yoginis arranged an afternoon boat ride down the islands courtesy one of her friends who has a large cabin cruiser. On the way back to the jetty, about fifteen dolphins surrounded the cruiser, playing and swimming in front of, alongside and behind us. It was magical. The perfect send-off.

Read about the symbolism of dolphins here.

Awakened by a long-tailed creature

I was awakened this morning by the sound of Jasper leaping through the window. The furtiveness with which he landed made me realise he had something in his mouth. Sure enough, I opened my eyes to see his face hovering above mine, a creature with a long tail clenched between his jaws. In the dark, I thought it was a rat.

I leaped out of bed, turned on the light and saw the iguana. (Iguana as power animal.) As Jasper dropped it to the floor, I ran to get a bucket, which I placed over the reptile to (a) protect it from Jasper and (b) prevent it from running all over the bedroom. It stayed under the bucket until dawn.

In an attempt to take it outside, I lifted it by the tail. It started to squirm, gripped its feet onto my sneakers with surprising force and started to pull. The tail broke off and wriggled at my feet.

My only option was to place the bucket over the iguana and push the bucket outside. The above image (somewhat blurry) shows the iguana, either half dead or still stunned, lying behind the hedge near the driveway.

(Just went to check on it and it's gone . . .)

Reading the snake

Be patient with yourself, with others, with life in this period of great inner and outer change. There will be moments when you suddenly feel that you do not "fit". Familiar environments which once gave comfort begin to feel uncomfortable—akin to a foot that has suddenly outgrown its favourite, most comfortable old shoe. Get new shoes.

Be flexible, allow the change, surrender. Have the guts and you will have glory. You are not alone. There are others, perhaps as yet unknown to you, who are willing to assist along the way—often without you even having to ask.

Speak and project your essence with confidence. Believe in the power of you as you are now.

The Freedom of Sat Nam

Sat Nam

I met this turtle on the sidewalk yesterday during my morning walk after sadhana. The heavy rains must have washed her up from the river or a drain. I named her Sat - short for Saturday (the day she was found), but also "Sat" (meaning Truth). Her surname is "Nam" (meaning name or identity). Together they mean "Truth is my identity." This mantra Sat Nam is used a lot in Kundalini Yoga and refers to the Universal Truth in all of us.

Speaking of Universal Truth, the shell and underbelly of the turtle are used in some cultures as a tool for divination. Their markings are believed to be a map of the stars, as well as ancient sacred writings. The Chinese saw the turtle's four feet as four corners of the world, holding up the globe - hence the powerful, grounded earth energy that is associated with this animal.

The message they bring as power animals - slow down, be patient, ground yourself to the Earth's power, go within and seek inner knowledge.

The below video shows Sat Nam being relocated to the wetlands at the back of Spring Village south of the highway in St. Augustine.

It died in my hands

This little fledgling (dove) flew into my window this morning. I found it looked sickly: swollen beak (where beak meets face) and runny eyes.
Held it to keep it warm and comfort it from the shock.
It kept fairly still.
Eventually started to sit up. Its parents were flying back and forth over us.
After a short while of holding it, it started to struggle and heave and (from experience of having birds die in my hands), I knew it was on its last. Said a prayer and chanted mantras for a peaceful transition.

Sky Rat prepares to eat Tree

Location: Mt St Benedict, Trinidad

Today's words of wisdom are brought to you by power animal Rat

My little Yoga Companion

(I don't have a photo of my Yoga Companion for this post)

Early yesterday morning while doing yoga, out of the side of my right eye I noticed something dark and large (i.e. "large" for an insect - if it was one) running next to me along the wall. Whatever it was ran behind a manilla folder I had leaning against the wall.

I shifted the folder to see if the thing would run out, but it didn't. I kept my eyes open in case whatever it was was in the mood to run onto me. After a short while, I looked in the folder, but saw nothing. I don't know where the thing was, but a few minutes later I saw it emerge: a furry, dark brown spider. It scuttled out of my sight and I thought it was gone for good.

This morning as I was doing yoga, the spider scuttled out of nowhere, ran past my mat and disappeared. Later, as I was holding a meditative posture that required no movement and eyes gazing at the tip of the nose, the spider appeared again. This time it sat right next to me at the edge of the yoga mat, keeping perfectly still.

Thankfully I'm not afraid of spiders. I see them as creative beings and I admire their ability to spin webs. This particular brown furry one seemed to be soaking in yoga vibes and doing her own yoga next to me.

When she had had enough, she scuttled away to wherever her hiding place is.

Just in time too ... as Jasper came in through the window and joined me on the mat.

Mantis Power

Source of image
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This morning my friend Rosanna called. She said she had found a card someone had sent her and wanted to read to me what was inside. It was about this.

As she started to read (something about if each person is at peace within, the whole world will achieve peace), I happened to look up. There on the ceiling, on either side of my light bulb, were two praying mantises, completely still, praying.

Wow. What a symbol. Just when a friend is reading about individual and global peace: to look up and see two prayerful creatures with light between them.

I took two photos (which are in my camera).

The mantis brings interesting messages.
http://souledout.org/earthday/mantis/pm.html
http://www.linsdomain.com/totems/pages/prayingmantis.htm

The Perfect Christmas Eve Gift

The Bird of Peace came to visit

Last night my friend Vandana and I came back late from dinner. Jasper was waiting. We got out of the car and, as I went to lock the gate, I heard V call out: "Jasper has something!" I looked in time to see him standing over a small form against the wall on the ground.

I went quickly to what looked like a dead dove. Jasper was sniffing at it but, surprisingly, not grabbing at it as he normally would. I reached to take it up and realised that it was still alive, just sitting quietly.

"How odd," I thought, for a few reasons:
(i) It was alive but Jasper was not attacking it
(ii) It was not exhibiting the slightest hint of fear when I picked it up and held it
(iii) I checked the wings, legs and body and there were no injuries and no blood - yet it was not flying

A part of me thought maybe it was traumatised and stunned. But it seemed to just be at peace, sitting quietly in my hands, as though sitting on eggs in a nest. We took it upstairs and put it in a basket out in the verandah, so Jas would not get at it during the night. It sat quietly in the basket, not moving, just blinking its eyes.

In the morning I went onto the verandah before dawn to do yoga. The dove was still in the basket, sitting quietly. I picked it up, once again observing that it didn't even flinch with the slightest indication of fear or struggle.

As yoga finished, there was a flutter and the bird jumped up to the edge of the basket, then down to the floor.

I went to get it and held it in my hands as I spoke with one of my fellow yoginis in Toronto via Skype. The bird sat in my hands and, at times, perched on my finger, looking content.

As soon as we hung up the Skype call, the dove looked at me, flapped strongly and took off.

Rescue Mission

This morning I was sitting in the driveway with Jasper, reading papers and eating watermelon. At one point we heard a sudden commotion in the ixora bushes lining the driveway. Jasper got up and ran in the direction of the squealing ... and so did I ... just in time to see Mr. J about to pounce on a baby bluebird that had fallen from its nest high in the palm tree above.

The parents were hovering around and swooping down on me as I tried to grab the determined Jasper (who is now locked in my room, sulking under the bed).

At the advice of Detta, I made a nest in an old basket, put the baby bird in it and placed it on a bush where the parents could see it.The parents looked frantic and worried, flying around and swooping at me as I moved their squawking baby. Obviously. Their child was no longer at home in the nest. She was lost and in the hands of a strange being. Perhaps because it's fresh in the news, looking at these frantic bird parents made me think of all the parents in Trinidad and Tobago whose children are missing ... or who were missing and have been found murdered ... or not found at all. A report in one of the daily papers stated recently that now Tecia has been found dead, "only 76 children are missing in Trinidad and Tobago."

Only???

I stepped away and allowed the parents to flutter around their baby's new nest. I saw them coming with mango in their beaks, to feed her.

However, she was on top of the ixora hedge in the open sun, which would surely fry her eventually. I put a cardboard box in the pine tree (more shaded) and tied it with blue string so it would be secure. Placed the basket nest with the bird in it, making sure that she cried out so the parents could hear and see me moving her. I even found an open, bird-picked mango, took off a little piece and the baby bird actually opened her mouth and accepted it from my fingers.

Once I put her in her new location, she seemed adventurous enough to hop out and went onto a branch. I'm sure she can fend for herself ... but I'll have to try as much as possible to keep Jasper inside.

And of course, as usual these animals bring a message ... Bluebird as Power Animal (modesty, happiness, enjoyment, etc.)

Update: According to Detta (who just saw the photos), it's a Blue Tanager (Thraupis episcopus)

Head and Heart

I almost didn't feature this shot because it may appear 'gruesome' to some. So if you see the image and decide you don't want to read on, then don't.

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This is Jasper's latest gift (this morning on the mat at the foot of the stairs). Powerful symbolism into which each person can/will/might read their own message(s).

It's rare that Jasper would eat the body of his prey (he normally doesn't even kill). What struck me about this particular catch (baby dove) is the parts of the body that he left: the Head and the Heart.

After my initial "Jasper!" ... I found myself marveling at the beauty of the small Heart in its visual perfection. So well preserved that I wouldn't have been surprised if it was still beating.

Artfully exposed ... the work of a masterful surgeon. What is the likelihood of a cat in hunting mode eating a bird in the dark and so cleanly and clearly leaving its delicate little source of life?

And the Head ... dark with dried saliva, but still somehow peaceful.

Head and Heart. Sometimes they 'battle' each other ... but one usually wins. (Guess which).

Wings ... He also left wings. Everything else was gone.

I buried the head, heart and wing in the upturned U shape of the horseshoe in the little garden in front of my bedroom window. In the image below, it's in the spot where these flowers once grew.

A Miracle!

One of the many
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I woke up to a snowstorm of feathers all over the ground and no sign of a bird ... which was odd, because Jasper normally doesn't eat his prey. But, since there was no body, I thought he had made the exception. Judging from the amount of feathers, I was convinced that the bird had not survived.

I went to plug in the vacuum cleaner in the plug behind the fridge and something told me to look behind the washing machine. Lo and behold, there was a plump ground dove, 100% alive and looking fine, but scared. She looked up at me, made a squeak and ran out from behind the machine. Because she was running, I thought that her wings were damaged ... but just as I thought that, she flew up and bounced into a window (disoriented). By this time I had my camera in hand.

She ran into my room and onto my yoga mat

*

She then proceeded to run into my room, where I thought (as most birds do) she would flap around in confusion, probably hurting herself as she struggled to find a way out). But she seemed to know her way. She ran onto my yoga mat. In that moment, Jasper, who was on the bed, made one last leap onto her ... but before he could touch her, she lifted off and flew effortlessly through the window!

Totally amazing: (i) that any animal had survived after that snowstorm of feathers (ii) that she had so easily found her way back to freedom and life.

Gift of the Treasure Bringer

I had just finished yoga, checked e-mail and was wondering "Hmm, what will I blog about today?" ... when I heard a noise behind me.

I looked around to see Jasper (whose name aptly means 'Treasure Bringer'). He was wearing his "hunter's look" and had a dove clenched between his jaws. Thinking that the bird was still alive, I moved quickly to get it from him. He dropped it and ran off. But where did he drop it? In the large clay saucer, next to the two lumps of clay which I will be using to make my interactive art piece for Mystic Intervention (which is part of the Red Earth Eco-Arts Festival).

Very interesting ... since my piece is about Nature's Wisdom and the messages She brings to guide us through life ... if we only take the time to slow down, tune in and listen.

"Ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds of the air, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish of the sea inform you." (Book of Job; 12: 7 - 8)

Butterfly

Are You Me? (My last post until ...)

These days I am tired. Not physically tired, but deeply and internally tired. It feels like a tiredness that has built up over some time and has caught up with me. I need a special recharge and refueling. My deep well of energy wants replenishing. I don't know from what, where or whom this will come ... but I want and need it to come.

I was awakened this morning by the feeling of intense warmth swirling around my left hand. I thought it was heat emanating from Jasper's body, but then I realised he was lying at my feet. I lay there in the dark for a while, dead still, in case movement would cause the warm feeling to go away. It swirled around my hand for a while, increasing in heat. I felt that someone or something was there, gently and intently making contact. I'm not conscious of it having gone away, even when the intense swirling feeling eventually stopped.

Eventually I got out of bed, lit a candle, rolled out my yoga mat, tuned in, did some spinal flexes, some breathing, a short meditation. I payed attention to how I felt on a deeper level as I did each thing. I felt myself reviving slightly.

I drank some water and went into the garden to collect more flowers for a little box I had started filling a few days ago. Jasper (who follows me everywhere) came out with me. The dogs ran to greet me. I started to collect the blooms (dried Petria flowers). Being in the garden, I felt more energy returning.
Lower in the garden I noticed many bird feathers strewn all over the grass. From the kind of feathers I could tell that something had killed (and consumed) a mocking bird and a dove, mere feet away from each other. It wasn't Jasper because (a) he wouldn't go into the back garden with the dogs unless I was there and (b) had he caught birds he would have brought them for me. And I don't think it was the dogs either. I collected some of the feathers and added them to the box.

A while later I came to the front of the house and lay on the driveway, looking up at the clouds. They were similar to the way they were all of yesterday. When I used to fish, we would call those clouds 'fishing clouds' (also known as 'mackerel clouds' or altocumulus). They are said to indicate a good time for fishing. I lay on the ground with Jasper flopped next to me, feeling the earth sending something into my body. Above, the mackerel clouds (on the upper layer) were unmoving. Little wisps drifted by quickly, closer to earth.

It's been a while since I closely examined the other forms of life around me. I got up, went to a patch of plants and was looking at the shapes of the stones between them, expecting to find a heart or a quartz crystal, as I normally do. Instead, I saw a caterpillar, moving slowly and purposefully through the dry leaves. It occurred to me that the garden was its Universe and it was bravely exploring and going somewhere. I suddenly felt as though I was not taking advantage of the fact that I too live in a huge world - inner and outer.

Where are you going? was the first question that came into my head upon seeing it.

Are you me? was the next question in our silent conversation.
It seemed to be drawn to me. I deliberately kept shifting my position to see if it would turn and head my way ... and it did. Eventually it was on the driveway with me. I ran inside to get my camera and, when I returned, it was there, stationary and waiting.

I put my hand out and it started to move towards it. Wow. Now as I write this, I realise it was my left hand! The one that was getting the warm swirling energy early this morning ...

It climbed up. I enjoyed the feeling of its moist, cool little feet against my skin.

"Are you me?" I asked it again.


"How does one become a butterfly?" she asked pensively.
"You must want to fly so much that you are willing to give up being a caterpillar."

- Trina Paulus -

When the Heart is moved ...

Just saw these ants carrying a heart-shaped piece of Jasper's food across the wide expanse of floor to the front door.

Still fascinated

One of Jasper's recent gifts, in the garage
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When I was a child I had a fascination with ants. Sugar ants (indoors) and bachacs (outdoors). I would spend ages closely examining their behaviour. With the sugar ants, I would marvel at their journey across the wall, following each other along the invisible path of what seemed to be a guidance scent left by their leader. None of them would stray from this predetermined pattern until I wiped my finger across the invisible line, breaking the scent. My imagination would peak as they scurried around madly, running back to tell others, to get their news reporters and return to the spot where the giant alien object had intruded.

Sometimes an ant would get killed by the wiping motion of my finger. The others would scurry off to call the ant ambulance and loved ones. Many of them would return, gather around the body in a circle, falling still for a moment, before moving in together, lifting the body and carrying it along the newly formed scent-path. I imagined that later, on ant TV, they would report the incident. I wondered if they knew that a human had done this or if, to them, my finger was the equivalent of a force of nature (like a hurricane, earthquake or tidal wave would be to us). I wondered if they could see me watching them and if they even knew what humans were. Were we God? I used to think that we were probably so much taller and bigger than they were that their eyes couldn't see far enough to perceive us ... and therefore we didn't exist.

Bachac at the crossroads.
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I am still fascinated by ants. Between last night and this morning a whole set of them were diligently removing food from Jasper's bowl and transporting it outdoors. I spent some time watching them when I woke up early this morning. I marvelled at the fact that each piece of cat food must weigh much more than the leaves and petals they usually carry ... and yet they were still moving with such ease and determination ... sometimes alone, sometimes running to help each other.

Helping
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When an animal crops up so often and so disctinctly in my life at any point, I see it as a power animal or animal totem ... bringing important messages. I can see messages here for myself. I'm sure you can see something in it for you too.

Read about the messages brought by Ant as Power Animal:
Symbol of Teamwork, Oneness and Patience
Patience, Order, Discipline (the promise of success through effort)

Dreamweaver

Pulling strands
Catching Light
Enlightening me
Illuminating my path

Spider in garage the other morning at sunrise
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Below, an extract (full article here):

Spider honors each individual's essence. Honor and encourage each person's individual essence, recognizing and gathering only the sweetness. In our world, humans are often honored for their actions instead of their essence. We often look to be fed by what we do instead of who we are, by work and play instead of our divine essence. Spider assures us that a thousand hours of work will never be as valuable to her or Great Spirit as one drop of your essence.

Have you ever looked closely at a spider's web sparkling in the sun? Each place four directions intersect (much like the intersection of our world) is the home of countless rainbows, adding to the spectacle that is the kaleidoscope of her creation. Can you be dedicated enough to Beauty to encourage each of her creations to shine forth their own light so that the whole web can sparkle its infinitely complex pattern? When an individual's essence is not honored, a rainbow is stifled. Are you secure enough in your own shining that you can allow others to join and compliment your light?

Duck Dream

This morning I went into a thrift store to see if they would take the packed up items that I will give away, rather than discard (... and they will, so I'll go back with the things on Wednesday). Inside, amidst the books, clothes, shoes and other odds and ends, I came across an old little box containing two tiny gold ducks on springs. They bobbed up and down when I touched them and suddenly I remembered my dream from last night.

I was standing naked in front of a mirror by a window. The room was dark, but my body had a glow to it that made the air around me bright. Suddenly I heard a voice calling. It was my neighbour, Mrs. C, calling what I thought was her dog. My first instinct was to dart away from the window, but then I realised she couldn't see me. I looked out and realised she was calling not to the dog, but to swarms of ducklings. I was amazed to see hundreds, maybe even thousands, of baby ducks running around outside the window. I had never seen anything like it.

As I played with the two little gold ducks in the old box, I told the woman in the thrift store (who was walking around with me, talking): "I now remember that last night I dreamt a whole set of ducks."

"Oh, you know about dreams?" she said.

I told her I had never dreamed ducks before and that when I got home I would look them up.

The Duck is symbolic of water energy (emotions) and the ability to deal powerfully with them. The Duck is also known as a helper of clairvoyance and seers. His message is to listen to emotions and feelings as the bringers of truths, as opposed to side stepping or ignoring them as intolerable or shameful. Water Energy is the carrier of intuitive messages that can be missed due to intellectual stifling.

Source

Dream Cat-cher 2

I came back from dropping T off at the airport and saying godbye ... to find a gift on the bamboo mat in front of my bedroom door. Another lizard (courtesy Jasper who clearly didn't want to be outdone by Herman). Confirmation that dreams are on course.
Lizard is about dreaming. In our dreams we imagine different futures and choose which we will materialize. Lizard teaches us the importance of respecting and remembering our dreams, incorporating the messages from our dreams into our lives.
(Extract from here).