Reading the Signs

Hello to my return journeyers. A warm welcome to my semi-constant journeyers. And, a very special welcome to my new journeyers.

I am so glad you’re here.

The ability to read nature is a skill that, with practice, you can develop. To do so, you will need to accept that you, as a living being, share a fundamental relationship with your environment and the beings within that environment. Shamanism is animistic, meaning that all material and immaterial objects are understood to have a soul or vital essence. The Fox has a soul, as does the Wind, the Sun, the trees, the rocks and so on. 

Reading the signs has much to do with your perception filters.

A good practice shared with me many seasons ago was a perception-shifting practice of sitting before a great tree. As you sit before the tree, notice at first the characteristics of the tree – the shape of the trunk, the texture of the bark, the knots, and the size of the limbs. Refine your awareness to the smaller parts of the tree – the slimmer branches, the groups of leaves, the individual leaves, the shape of the leaf, the colour of a single leaf, one single leaf the veins on that one leaf. Then, sharpen your perspective to the space between the leaves and then to the forces around the tree – the wind. Listen to the sound of the wind through the leaves of the tree. What do you hear? What is the sensation? How does this resonate in your being? Where do you feel this in your body? What emotions does this bring forward for you into your awake awareness? What is the tree speaking to you?

Reading the signs takes practice. 

Somewhere along the way, human beings became disconnected from our place in the interconnectedness of all things. A pathway back to this connection is through learning to recognize the cycles of Nature and decode the messages that Nature brings with grace over force. It can be an intensely challenging practice to attune yourself to natural omens around you and work to understand the messages those omens bring. 

Reading the signs is about relationships. 

As always, let us not throw away common sense in our relentless drive for connection to Spirit, Source, Oneness, the Divine, or whatever word that we use to describe what is greater than us that unites us together of which we are all a part. 

Of course, it is possible to misinterpret the signs. Generally, this is the result of your fear or blindspots. It is very important to first learn about the normal patterns and beings that inhabit your daily spaces. By understanding the normal patterns, rhythms, cycles, and behaviours of the beings in your environment, you can then begin to recognize and deeply perceive the occurrences that are out of sync with the usual – these are the signs that Spirit is willing you to pay more attention to. 

My return journeyers know I recommend walking / moving in the change after Shamanic journeying. This works well, too, for opening your awareness to reading signs from the natural world. To read nature, you must immerse yourself in it and be open to her voice. Learn about the sacred place you inhabit and what creatures inhabit this place with you. Start small with your home or land that you live on. If you’re feeling blocked, ask to see the space around you with clarity. If you work with spirit allies, you can ask them to lend you their vision. Without overthinking it, attune yourself to what stands out. What animals, plants, and colours seem more visible, brighter, or sharper to you?

Often, I walk through a looped trail just East of where I live. The path is narrow and deeply forested. I often observe images of animals that appear to be carved or etched into the trunks of trees. Some faces I see for many walks in a row, and others I see at a pivotal time in the current season of my life. When I experience these moments of Spirit communicating through Nature, I work to make meaning of the signs. Numbers and colours are an important component of learning to read the signs – their symbolism is cross-cultural and has been explored since time immemorial. 

One of my favourite resources is Animal Speak by Ted Andrews. This is a very palatable resource if you are learning to read the signs. 

I’ve found that this practice helps to welcome the sacred into my daily life. Immersing yourself in Nature and learning her language connects you with the Earth, the sacred with the mundane, and the body with the mind and Soul. Learning to read the signs brings you back into relationship with Nature and connects you more deeply to your own nature. It is so nourishing for your Soul. 

Until we meet again on this path, happy journeying. 

-Heather 

An Addendum

I have been facing some big questions in my personal journey on this path. Most recently, I have experienced internal resistance and a reactivation of my Warrior Self – old wounding has resurfaced. I am no stranger to the spiralling nature of this path – I have come around many times to heal different layers of my own wounding – sometimes supported by others and sometimes on my own. 

Most recently, I’ve been asking for guidance for my work as a healer. 

This afternoon, as I walked along a very familiar and well-trodden trail next to the river, I was stopped rather forcefully in my tracks while in mid-conversation just a mere moment before I crushed a fuzzy caterpillar with my pink Nike shoe. 

What a peculiar sight to see a caterpillar nestled between the rocks and at a time when one harsh overnight frost could end her time in this form. 

For me, this is one of those moments to pay attention to. 

A caterpillar begins as an egg and then transforms into a caterpillar. The caterpillar’s entire focus is to nourish itself enough to achieve a solid foundation. When the caterpillar has nourished itself fully, it establishes a foundation and then the stage of the chrysalis can begin. The caterpillar weaves a covering called a cocoon around itself. For some time, the caterpillar appears to be completely lifeless – a kind of death occurs as it reorganizes itself in the darkness and solitude of the cocoon.

I have been asking for guidance to understand my work here with The Shaman’s Path. 

As Ted Andrews says, the caterpillar reminds us to first develop a strong foundation by nourishing ourselves, and then “sometimes individuals need to back off, after laying a foundation, and then go deeply within so that creation will be able to come forth strong and in new light.” (284)

Deep within, I go. 

-Heather