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Blog

22 Apr

Posted at 16:15h in Animal Symbolism by
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A rabbit crossed my path twice this Easter. The first rabbit was from my dear old mom, a stuffed bunny that I promptly named Renoir Rabbit since the hands, feet, and ears were all different colors, just like a painter’s palette. The second rabbit sighting happened right after dinner. I took a stroll around my old stomping ground, Laurel Springs, the town where I grew up, and a rabbit hopped across the road with a basket of brightly colored eggs. Just kidding about the basket of course! But the rabbit's appearance was multi-synchronistic and his message timely. Rabbit is my symbol for financial abundance, mainly because of the fertility aspect that rabbits embody but also because they are so darn cute. And having more of the green stuff in my life is one of my main goals this year. There are many ways to attract abundance into our lives but lately I’ve been using crystals to help me with the task. I sit with the crystal and mentally tell it (program) what I want then I meditate with it, envisioning various aspects of my life, all the while feeding it positive emotion and feeling. The key to abundance is feeling like you already...

15 May

Posted at 23:54h in Animal Symbolism by
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[caption id="attachment_1954" align="alignleft" width="300"] My cat Jasper saying hello to the grasshopper.[/caption] I’m still amazed when an animal, or in this case, an insect appears so that there can be no mistake about the importance or right timing of its message. Its the middle of November so I wasn’t expecting to see a grasshopper sunning itself on my window ledge but there he was, soaking up the warm rays as if he were sitting on a white sand beach dotted with sea shells somewhere in the Florida Keys. He got my attention, this messenger of the Hopping Gods. I’ve been going through some challenges of late (like a lot of people that I know these days) and that’s usually when I have an animal sighting, or unusual dreams, and I did have a dream this week about an actress, Hyacinth Bucket on Keeping Up Appearances. She was rollerblading with ease and I interpreted that to mean that I would sail through my current difficulties. I see these timely messages now as the Universe/Goddess/God leaving me a message on my cell, “Hi Shelley, I just wanted to remind you to (fill in the blank). You’re doing a great job, and don’t forget that we...

16 Jan

Posted at 06:09h in Animal Symbolism by
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I've been getting a lot of animal sightings lately. Last week I discovered a mouse sitting inside of my office doorway at work. He stared up me as if I was a long lost friend. He was really cute too, and he didn't run away when I approached him either. Sadly, I believed he was injured due to the fact there was a mousetrap in my office (I didn't put it there), and it had been turned over. The unlucky mouse probably escaped the trap but had gotten hurt in the process. A coworker of mine released the mouse outside, so hopefully he will be okay. Mouse is a sign to pay attention to details, like your checkbook or bank account. For me in particular, mouse was telling me that I was doing too much and juggling too many projects. I needed to prioritize and focus on one thing at a time because I tend to do too much at once. Later that week an injured doe had run across the road while I was driving to work. Something from the inside of the deer was hanging out of her backside (I will spare you the gory details), but I'm sure the animal...

08 Mar

Posted at 18:30h in Animal Symbolism by
8 Likes

A red cardinal is a glorious sight to behold, especially against the backdrop of newly fallen snow, so it was a shock to find this beautiful bird on the kitchen floor of my friend Priscilla’s house instead of perched on her bird feeder. Buzz, her tabby cat, had proudly delivered it to us. Priscilla had invited me and few other good friends over for a brunch when we discovered the dead cardinal. As a symbol, the bright red color of the bird’s plumage reflects its confident and bold nature. A male cardinal will defend its territory with fierce courage. It is also a good parent, taking care of the female and sharing egg incubation duties. As a totem animal it reminds us to step into our own natural confidence. Their ruby red color can remind us of our own importance as individuals on the wheel of life. It is a sign to value your gifts, talents and abilities and yourself as a human being. It can also be a sign to "keep the faith" through difficulties that might appear hopeless. Micheline happened to have an applique of a red cardinal on her shirt (what a synchronicity huh?) She was at the stove cooking some...

18 Jul

Posted at 12:30h in Soup to Nuts by
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I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Robin Renee. Not only is the performing songwriter not afraid to listen to what the voices in her head tell her, but she makes that intuition real. Renée's accessible tunes with a spiritual twist have forged her own genre - Mantra-Pop - and its development can be heard across the sounds of spirit.rocks.sexy. She began this leg of the journey with In Progress (2000), which was applauded in much alternative press across the U.S. All Six Senses (2002), stands as the real-life chronicle of one caught in the act of cosmic transformation. It was produced by Scott Mathews, who has worked with artists as fabulous as George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Elvis Costello, Patti LaBelle and many more. Live Devotion (2007) is Renée's first recording dedicated wholly to sacred chant. Now, will you please welcome Robin Renee …   1. What inspired you to create your own genre, Mantra-Pop? I don’t feel like I exactly created Mantra-Pop.  It’s more that I had certain sounds running through me that were shaping up to become more and more a distinct exploration.  When I was recording the All Six Senses album in Marin County, CA, “I’m Coming Down” initially didn’t have the...

06 Jul

Posted at 17:23h in Metaphysics by
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The past is so alive in some buildings that I feel teleported to some other time the minute I step inside. An energetic signature of repeated thoughts and patterns seem to permeate the walls, floor and furniture, imbibing it with an essence so strong I feel I could have a conversation with the brocaded couch in the corner. It has that much (energetic) character. Enter Blases Tire Service Shop in Berlin, NJ. I hate car maintenance. I’m not mechanically inclined and never will be, but my tires were in bad shape. After finding a flat tire on my trusty Toyota, it was discovered that the tread was wearing out unevenly, which meant that I not only needed two new front tires but also a frontend alignment. My dad recommended the mechanics at Blases. The tire shop was a veritable 1950’s time capsule complete with a Bear Statue and wall paneling that my grandmother had in her house. As soon as I set foot inside the dusty shop, I was struck by the sensation of time slowing down, like I do when I walk through the Amish Market in Williamstown (I love their soft pretzels). At Blases, I knew that I had stepped...

27 Jun

Posted at 21:27h in Soup to Nuts by
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Winning the foot race at the ball field was all that I could think about the week before fireworks-spectacular Fourth of July 1969. That, and winning the best decorated bike contest. I was convinced that I would win the foot race, but I needed some help. I decided that to be the fastest runner I needed new sneakers. Mine were old, ripped up and stained from hunting frogs with my brothers in the muddy glen at the end of our street. But only red sneakers would do. Red was faster, better. After much convincing (whining) to my mother, she caved and took me to Shuster's Shoe store on the White Horse Pike. I immediately picked out a pair of shiny red Keds. The white laces gleamed against the bright red canvas. They even smelled good! As soon as I got home I ran down the street, my face a wide grin of hope and expectation. My feet were flying. The sneakers were magical and sure to bring me luck. I imagined myself up on the podium receiving my award. There was no way that I could loose, not as long as I had my new sneaks. On the morning of the race,...

14 Feb

Posted at 23:41h in Metaphysics by
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I love the way symbols manifest themselves in my life and the synchronicity that goes along with it. It’s this kind of magic that makes my kiddie heart laugh with delight! It makes all of the struggles, hard work, and confused glances that I get from people who don’t, won’t or can't believe that another world could exist beyond this one, so worth it. Enter the Red Feather. But first, let me introduce Derek O'Neill, a transformational therapist, author, healer, speaker and humanitarian. He has this online radio show that I’ve been listening to for the past two weeks. I’ve also seen him seven times in NYC when he decided to come across the pond (he’s from Ireland) and teach us a few tricks. I can say without a doubt that he’s the real deal and has helped me and many others with his wisdom and healing. He is a master teacher if there ever was one. Today, as I listened to several of Derek's shows on dream interpretation as well as color, I learned that the dreams you have just prior to waking will affect your mood for the rest of the day. Fascinating stuff. And when you decide what color that...

06 Dec

Posted at 16:39h in The Art Table by
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I've been working on different illustration ideas for my book, The Oghalon Chronicles, for the past year, and my medium of choice was graphite. I love the feel of the pencil in my trained hand, as it glides across the smooth surface of the paper. My paper of choice for this project was bristol board, which has a very smooth surface. I still like some tooth, just enough to give it a textural feel, and bristol board fits the bill nicely. For lead weights in my pencils, I tend to use 2B, 3B and 6B because they add the dark values quickly. I do like the H leads when I need a hard edge, or to layout a sketch, but tend to stick with the B's the most. This particular drawing, the swan, is going to be part of my title page for every chapter (there is also another P.O.V. character, in which a bear will be part of the title page). I'm still working on an embellishment that will sit in between two identical swans, but once that is completed, I will post a layout of what an example title chapter page will look like. I had originally created a swan...

23 May

Posted at 09:35h in On Writing by
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I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Fran Metzman, author of The Hungry Heart Stories. It is a short story collection that deals with the universal search to fill a void. I found them to be funny, deep, quirky, surprising and enlightening. In one story, a grieving husband in the darkly funny Right Seasoning conjures up his deceased wife's presence in the beloved kitchen they once shared. From My Inheritance Fran spins a tale of a grown daughter, trying to find the love and peace she has always craved with her dying mother to Getting Closer, the story of a woman left with the violent legacy of food that defined her life - we find the characters reaching the low points and triumphs of human emotions. Especially poignant is the story, The Reunion, about a woman born into poverty who reaches the pinnacle of success but with questionable sacrifice. Each of the twelve stories and one essay incorporates food as a means to some end or fulfillment. In Metzman’s sure hand we get these fully realized worlds, leavened with passion and sprinkled with humor. Now, will you please welcome Fran Metzman … How do you create your characters? What is your process? Fran: A certain type of character...

22 Dec

Posted at 16:13h in On Writing by
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What is a character flaw exactly? It’s a limitation, imperfection, problem, or phobia in someone who for all intents and purposes is a functional human being (some of my in-laws I would not classify as functional). Everyone has them, and so should your characters so that they become real people to your readers. The flaws can be glaring, like being so selfish that it makes Ebeneezer Scrooge nod with admiration, or it can be something simple, like being dishonest by telling little white lies. Below is a list of character flaws that I found on the Internet (I love Google). • Absentminded- Preoccupied to the extent of being unaware of one's immediate surroundings. Abstracted, daydreaming, inattentive, oblivious, forgetful. • Abusive- Characterized by improper infliction of physical or psychological maltreatment towards another. • Alcoholic- A person who drinks alcoholic substances habitually and to excess or who suffers from alcoholism. • Addict- One who is addicted, as to narcotics or a compulsive activity. (gambling, drugs, sex, etc. List specific addiction.) • Aimless- Devoid of direction or purpose. • Anxious- Full of mental distress or uneasiness because of fear of danger or misfortune; greatly worried; solicitous. • Arrogant- Having or displaying a sense of overbearing self-worth or self-importance. Inclined to social...

03 Feb

Posted at 16:44h in Animal Symbolism by
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Whenever I decide to begin a post for my Animal Symbolism series, I don’t always know what animal I want to write about, just that I have the urge. And it never fails that the animal wanting an audience makes itself known to me, as if by magic, a day or two or three before I actually sit down to write. So I waited for a sign and later that same day a leaf blew across the grass in such an odd way that it caught my attention. It looked just like a butterfly. “Ah hah,” I thought to myself. “Could this be the one?” To reinforce the message sent by the Animal Gods, I began seeing commercials for butterflies. I even overheard two conversations in passing about them. The coup de gras happened on my way to B&N to write this post. En route to the bookstore, I stopped at Kmart to get a few things and while I waited in line to purchase my goodies, I looked up, and there, sitting in a mason jar was a mechanical butterfly. With a wide grin on my face, I pushed the little black button on the bottom of the jar and watched it...

28 Nov

Posted at 12:47h in Animal Symbolism by
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Sparrows like to frequent my bird feeder often, voraciously eating the seeds like a bird twice its size. It’s a common bird, the Sparrow, and not as pretty as a Cardinal or an Indigo Blue Bunting (my favorite), but like every animal on this planet, each has its gifts to share with us. And don’t let the size of this feisty little brown bird fool you either, for it is a survivor, and according to Animal Symbolist, Ted Andrews*, it symbolizes the awakening and triumph of the common nobility. Sparrow has come to symbolize humanity for me and whenever I see a few of them gathered around my bird feeder, I am reminded of the great changes that are taking place on our lovely blue planet, changes that are cooking nicely in the alchemical cauldron, and will continue to do so at an accelerated rate. Humanity, the common folk, is about to experience a new level of freedom, a freedom that has never been experienced before, except by a few Mystics. The natives are restless. Just read the news and you’ll notice that something big is brewing. I believe that people are starting to awaken to their own power and their own inherent...

14 Dec

Posted at 22:03h in Dream Series by
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Below is a dream that I had, full of symbolism, and a great example of how powerful dreams can be. At the end of the dream, I will show you how I interpreted it, and how I uncovered the hidden messages. First, let me give you some background on my life during the time that this dream took place. I had left my full-time job as a graphic designer to pursue my dream of being an artist. I had planned to support my creative endeavors by continuing to do graphic design on a freelance basis. But at the time, I was struggling with my lack of self-confidence. Could I really live my dream, and how was I going to do it? What if I failed? The lack of success in my life, especially in my career, has plagued me all of my life. I have often felt like I was forever climbing up the same mountain, only to slide back down again, and never being allowed to reach the summit. Then I had this dream… THE FARMER An ex co-worker and I are on bicycles, trying to cross a road. She is yelling at me because I am hesitating, but my timing is...

05 Feb

Posted at 14:20h in Animal Symbolism by
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[caption id="attachment_1996" align="alignleft" width="300"] Bald Eagle[/caption] While kayaking on the Delaware River one summer I watched a Bald Eagle fly overhead, knowing instantly that a Spiritual Test was coming my way. Unbeknownst to me, I was about to go through some major relationship tests. Eagle was my symbol for an initiation into these tests and it started in earnest that summer. I had some major Fox lessons to learn. My homework turned into honing my skills in discrimination as I entered the world of online dating and relationships. Eagle flies so close to the sun, that as a child I often wondered if her giant wings could actually touch the orange ball of fire. During meditations I sometimes fly on the back of this magnificent bird of prey, and gaze at the Earth below with a sense freedom that stays with me long after the meditation. This majestic, proud and lofty raptor deserves great honor, since it is the symbol for Divinity. The Indians of both Americas believe that Eagle is the symbol for the Great Spirit. True Shamans will often dream of where to find the body of an Eagle so that its feathers can be used. Eagle feathers are very sacred...

10 Jan

Posted at 14:09h in Animal Symbolism by
1 Like

One morning I walked into my office at work and found a stick leaning against my desk. It was a beauty and approximately 6 feet in length. It also had bite marks from a Beaver all over it. A friend and coworker had given it to me as a gift. I call it my Beaver Stick now, and feel a little like Gandalf, from The Lord of the Rings trilogy, walking through a mystical forest whenever I use it for my hikes. The significance of Beaver did not escape me. In fact, it just drove home the message I needed to hear at the time. DO NOT GIVE UP YOUR DREAM. Beaver is a great builder. Just look at all of those dams. Busy beavers, yes they are, and all you have to do is watch them work in nature to see how true this is. I knew I had to get busy with building my dream of writing, illustrating and publishing a book. No small feat, but with Beaver around, I knew that I had a superb ally by my side. I felt assured that I would accomplish my goals no matter what difficulties lay ahead. Below is a narrative on the Beaver,...

18 Aug

Posted at 23:07h in Animal Symbolism by
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Owl is a lifelong animal totem of mine. She sits on my left side, the feminine and the intuitive side. I am very comfortable with Owl medicine, but some people are not. Owl can literally see in the dark and metaphorically speaking it can see in the dark, the kinds of places where people hide things, like the truth for instance. Owl cannot be fooled, for it sees through deception, lies and whatever else may be hidden from you. Owl has wisdom because it can see what others cannot. Owl is also the medicine of witches and sorcerers, of both black and white magic. I do not condone or practice black magic; never did and never will for I do not believe that stealing energy from another will improve my life, but will in fact create just the opposite. The Night Eagle (Owl) has visited me on quite a few occasions (I will share more tales in future posts), and for the most part she appeared as a reminder to use my intuition to perceive the truth in some situation. Owl has been a great teacher and friend to me and I am forever grateful for her timely guidance. Most recently, Owl appeared...

16 Sep

Posted at 23:56h in Animal Symbolism by
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As I stood in line at the post office, waiting to get my package off to its destination, a tiny spider floated on a an even tinier thread in front of me. Delighted to see an old friend, I watched the spider as it was gently tossed around by the warm air currents coming through the heating vent in the ceiling above me. Hmmm, I thought, as I left the post office, seems Spider wants my attention. But I forgot all about her until later that night, as I sat down to dinner at a Mexican Restaurant and twisted the cap off my Snapple. The inside of the cap said, “A Spider’s silk is stronger than steel.” So what does Spider want with me? The main message of Spider was telling me to Create! We are ALL Creators, and as such, it’s our responsibility to manage our energy, which is to say, mind your thoughts and emotions for they are the very things that are creating your world, life, and happiness or unhappiness. Spider has eight legs which is very significant, because eight is the number of manifestation, creation and power. Spider also weaves a web. This web is similar to the...

13 Dec

Posted at 14:52h in Animal Symbolism by
20 Likes

Here kitty, kitty. Big kitty. Nice kitty. Well, sometimes he’s nice, but at other times this kitty can roar. Mountain Lion is a symbol for leadership and is not an easy totem animal to have. I should know. It is one of mine. He sits on my right side and reminds me about the true nature of leadership. I also believe that Mountain Lion is a symbol for the right use of power. This cat can put you in the unenviable place of being a target for the issues of others, and you could become the perfect reason for their troubles and lack of self-confidence. Mountain Lion will give you tests in the use and abuse of power if you are in a position of leadership or have influence over others. The best way to handle these tests is to create a balance of power by using clear intention coupled with right action. Mountain Lion could also be telling you to believe in yourself, dream or purpose and let your heart lead the way. Being a leader sometimes means that there will be followers, which may involve more tests in leadership. You could also be seen as a Queen or King and...

06 Aug

Posted at 14:41h in Animal Symbolism by
6 Likes

I love the sound of the Cicada. It’s the sound of summer; the sun, heat and humidity accompanied by the explosion of plant growth. I found one the other day while walking through my apartment complex. It was on the ground, and dead of course, probably killed by a Cicada Killer (big nasty hornet). Cicada is a great omen and I was thrilled to get it. It means that my energy has shifted to a more positive vibration (everything in the Universe vibrates at a specific frequency). I have recently reconnected with some old friends and it’s been a wonderful experience. The appearance of Cicada can indicate a happy time with old friends and renewing old ties. And this has certainly been the case for me. When Cicada shows up in your life, a gift or opportunity that could surprise you is coming your way. It will bring you much joy. Also, we will tend to attract the opposite sex (or same sex if you are gay) much more easily. There will be more offers and invitations that could come out of the blue. Sometimes Cicada reminds us of the need for change. Perhaps we are stuck in the past and reliving old...

09 Sep

Posted at 16:07h in Animal Symbolism by
1 Like

I love to fall asleep in the arms of a cricket song. The sweet sound slips through my open window on a velvety night breeze and then carries me on a magic carpet into the dream world, my favorite place to be. Cricket made its appearance to me in the film, Pinocchio, in the guise of Jiminy Cricket, the lovable character and conscience of Pinocchio. I didn’t realize that cricket had a message for me until the next day, and seeing it was a sign. As I watched the movie, Pinocchio, in my living room that night, one of my favorite scenes opened on the TV screen — the Blue Faery that comes into Geppetto’s bedroom to give Pinocchio life. The song, "When You Wish Upon a Star,” began to play and I started singing along with it, and right at that moment a tiny flash of brilliant blue light appeared in my left eye. I had been getting this “flash of light” for about 12 years now, but when it first started happening I thought that my retina was detaching, or worse. I got a check up with a clean bill of health, but I was still left wondering what could be...

24 Jul

Posted at 14:57h in Animal Symbolism by
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Late one afternoon, I drove a friend and myself to a favorite park by the Delaware River to hang out and enjoy the sunset. We brought our cameras along and took shots of the surrounding area not expecting to have a visitor. Mr. Hawk arrived just as we were getting ready to leave. He landed on a fence and allowed us to get within ten yards of him, which gave us an unlooked for opportunity to get some close up shots of this dapper fellow. With silent grins on our faces we zoomed our lenses and clicked madly away! Hawk is a Messenger and to see one means that a message is coming your way. Being ‘hawk eyed’ means to be aware of what’s going on around you. That is the true essence of Hawk. It’s important to notice the signs, symbols and synchronicities that are appearing in your life for they are trying to tell you something. The message can come in the form of a dream, person, T.V., book, thought or feeling. When Hawk shows up its time to pay attention. This magnificent bird has shown up in my life on many occasions. Some messages were easy to figure out...

18 Aug

Posted at 12:43h in Metaphysics by
4 Likes

I have several Spirit Guides and one of them I call Two Feathers. He’s male, Native American, and somewhere in his early thirties. He first came to me in a dream when I was going through an amazing transformational period in my life, which upon reflection was relentless and painful as well as enlightening. The entire process was akin to forging steel into a blade. Imagine being thrown into the fire, then pounded with a hammer, and doused with water, only to have it repeated over and over again. It makes a beautiful sword, this gleaming blade of steel, but to achieve this type of transformation much work must be done. Needless to say, I don’t wish to repeat it! In the dream I was walking down a long hallway wearing Two Feather’s clothes; moccasins, long leather pants and shirt made of deerskin, as well as many necklaces and medicine bags that bounced across my chest as I walked. But what was different was the way that I felt. Never in my life did I feel as confident in myself as I did in that dream. I also understood what it was like to be Two Feathers. He was showing me how to...

07 Jun

Posted at 13:25h in Animal Symbolism by
3 Likes

What does it mean when a Great Blue Heron (GBH) shows up in your life?  Well that all depends on how it shows up and when. For a period of time it was appearing in my dreams and waking life in strange ways. And whenever I see it flying overhead these days, I thank it for reminding me to stay on my unique Path. Whenever an animal makes itself known in my dreams, conversation, TV, articles, real life, thoughts or daydreaming, especially if I see it several times, I know that it is trying to get a message to me. Each animal has its own unique talents and abilities that help it to survive in the world. We humans can learn a lot from them by observing how they live, adapt and thrive, and then apply the same abilities to our own lives. The appearance of GBH indicates that it is time to assert our own authority and to follow our own unique path in life. We need to listen to the inner calling of our hearts and not the ideas of others. There may also be a great opportunity coming our way and to grab it quickly when it comes. The GBH...

23 Apr

Posted at 13:19h in Animal Symbolism by
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The first time I encountered Fox was in the Pocono’s for a weekend trip of camping and hiking back in 2003. At the time I was searching for my biological father and using the Genealogy sites offered on the web to try and track him down. I had contacted a few promising names and hoped for a response. When I got home an email was waiting for me. It was from my half brother, and he said in the letter that he believed we were related. It later turned out to be true and Fox lesson number one had been administered. What did I learn, you ask? I believe that in this case Fox was teaching me to use its skill in cunning and the prize was my father. Fox has been with me ever since and I believe it is a power animal of mine. Sometimes he lies dormant for quite awhile, and when I think, “Yep, he’s gone now,” he shows up again. Lately he’s been very active and sniffing around my hen house more than unusual. Power animals arrive when you need them and depart when the learning/helping is done. Totem animals are different because they are with you...