Gifted Ones in a Community

There is a popular idea that in order to be recognized as one who is closest to the spirit of Mother Earth, Father Sky, nature, animals on all realms, and the spirits of wise ones past, you must belong to, or have blood lines attached to, a special “indigenous tribe”. Why is that?

I think it is largely due to the fact that indigenous tribes from every corner of the world seem to have one thing in common that stands out; there are revered individuals within each tribe that try very hard to preserve ancient wisdom and hold onto the belief that man is simply part of the great circle of life in the natural world, as designed and cared for by a higher source. They remember and teach that thinking humans are tasked with being caretakers of this earth and keeping the balance according to Mother Nature and Father Sky. The economic world at large has sadly distanced itself from this practice, creating this “us and them” perspective on what is real and what is important.

Indigenous tribes respect their elders, revere nature and animals, pay attention to and learn from parallel worlds, realms and elements that cannot always be seen with bare eyes. By virtue of birth and/or apprenticeship, select tribal members who display special gifts or abilities are mentored into roles such as shaman, medicine man/woman, tribal leaders, and other important roles in between. These roles exist to help hold the balance within the tribe as well as maintain the tribe’s health and respectful place in their natural environment. Now don’t think for a moment that every tribe doesn’t have its challenges hanging on to their ancient heritage while existing in this modern material world. What outsiders of these tribes admire is their tenacious effort to preserve and pass on knowledge and respect for living in synchronicity with nature. But what defines a “tribe”?

I am very proud to say that I am in fact a member of a tribe. So are you. We all do! We belong to the Soul Tribe, the tribe of ONE along with every being on this earth. The Hopi call it a “Rainbow Tribe”. Now we can get complicated and talk about the celestial origins of soul groups, BUT, my point is this; the authentic you resides beyond your physical form, beyond your ego self and deep within your soul. Your soul is not bound or defined by your human flesh and blood. Your body and the ego person you are, is simply a vehicle for your soul to drive in this lifetime. Every soul has a history based on something much bigger and deeper than color or creed. Along the soul’s journey, it may have resided with many different life forms depending on the lesson to be learned. A soul may go through an intensive learning path for a specific purpose that suits the greater good. Possibly a soul has gone through several lifetimes as a healer, leader or, craftsman of some sort. And sometimes a soul endures a tough journey of earthly hardships and challenges in order to learn and grow into a state of grace.

All beings are soul connected and every life form possesses characteristics and strengths unique to that form. As a unified soul group, spirit life forms are always present to lend their support to those on the physical journey in order to help keep the balance, and some of us can commune with these helpers and visit those realms. Regardless of color or creed, there are people in all walks of life that are gifted in seeing, communicating and/or healing in some special way. Some choose to ignore and block this gift out, some embrace what they were born with,  while others awaken one day to remember who they truly are and why they are here. Those that choose to acknowledge, learn and develop their gifts for the greater good, can provide valuable information and healing to those that seek help. They become key members of a community by doing this.

No matter where you live, what your community looks like, or what your family tree says, as a member of the Soul Tribe, open your eyes and heart to the wonderful realization that a gifted seer or healer may be closer at hand than you might have thought possible. They are recognizable by their dedication to serving their community in a light, peaceful, natural, harmonious and healing way. In this lifetime they may in fact be an indigenous tribal member, or maybe they belonged to one in a previous lifetime but wear a different face this time. No matter, the soul has a mission regardless of the body it is housed in, and the soul belongs to ONE tribe; your tribe.

Namaste, Aho, Welcome, Blessings, With Love,

Andrea, Critter Doc.

Shamaness

I am sorry to say that until now, the writing bug has eluded me for several months. It  happens. Even as I have celebrated my first time as a published author in a hard cover
book this past summer! The book is called “The 7 Joys of Life” by Dr. Amit Nagpal and was recently launched in New Delhi, India. I am honored to be one of several contributing authors as I was asked by Dr Amit to write an excerpt on a subject near and dear to my heart; The Joy of Connecting with Nature. I hope this book finds it’s way to North America soon to be enjoyed by folks on this side of the pond too! 

This is an entry from my dream journal dated Dec 9th 2010. For those of you who recall your dreams, I strongly encourage you to start journaling ONLY the dreams that stay with you long after you have gotten on with your day. If they are that vivid and that memorable, it is most likely that you have either; solved a problem, recalled a past life, seen the future, received an important message, or experienced soul travel. All of these things I have come to learn I do, and have done for a long time. The trick is knowing which one is which, and writing your recollections down while it is still fresh in your mind can help. You may not “get it” until a few years later, but the value of reading a past recording and having a big “AHA!” moment, is so worth it. And now to “the dream”;

♦ I am sitting on the front steps of a simple white home gazing out at a beautiful desert expanse across the dirt road that stretches into forever. The sky is big, wide, indigo blue, and the sun is warming the skin on my upturned face. As I look up into the sky, I suddenly see an odd looking figure floating down from the sky.

The odd figure becomes that of an ample woman, and as she reaches site of the ground across the road, she miscalculates her landing just a little and lands perched atop a saguaro.  I wonder how this woman is not prickled by the cactus. She seems fine and deftly hops down to the dusty earth and briskly brushes the travel dust off her pants. As she turns, I see she is no longer ample, but a very beautiful and strong looking elder. Her face is dark and wide with high cheek bones. She looks a mix of Asian and Native American with thick long and very wavy dark hair. She is wearing soft deer hide pants and a jacket with layers of wavy dark olive green/gold hair of some sort. She has a small leather pouch slung over her back, a woven wide brimmed hat, and a tall wooden staff. I notice a small piece of cactus is stuck to the back of her shoulder but she seems not to notice or care – it suits her. 

As I quietly watch with mild curiosity  the woman shakes something in her hand and a magnificent horse appears in front of her as if from nowhere! It looks like a great war horse with a thick neck and strong body. The horse, like the woman’s coat, is also covered with a blanket woven with layers of long thick wavy olive green/gold hair. The woman begins to lead the horse along – the two are beautiful in their dark shimmery splendor – and they come to stop in front of the white house. I think of her as “The Grandmother”. She does not seem to see me.

I am now inside the house sitting on a worn sofa, and The Grandmother is also in the house. There are men present in the house as well – a father and sons. They each are wearing at least one article of clothing that is the same dark green/gold (pants, a tie, a shirt, a jacket, head band) and as I study each of them, I think to myself “this is right. Good job.” I see that The Grandmother is busy preparing for something and is taking items from her leather pouch and arranging them on a narrow table against the far wall. Her back is to me so I cannot see exactly what she is handling.

 I feel that everyone in the house knows I am there, but none look at, or acknowledge me directly. As the The Grandmother toils, the men seem to be hesitating or waiting for something, so I finally get up from the sofa and think “I should leave now so they can get on with it”. As I am leaving the white house and am stepping back outside, I clearly hear the thoughts of the elder man. With a tone of mild relief, the voice of his mind says “I was wondering what would happen”. 

And then I awake…and my hair looks like a wild woman !! It looks thick and like someone tried to curl it all night!!! I usually wake up with very tidy hair because I don’t move around much, but I awoke in the same position I fell asleep in.

The image of The Beautiful Grandmother with her magical horse, in all their green and gold  splendor, has been permanently etched in my mind’s eye. For a while I wondered what and who the woman was…but I think I have come to know.

Namaste,

Andrea, “Critter Doc”.

Shifting From 2011 to 2012 on Silent Wings 

As I toss a parting glance over my shoulder at 2011, I realize there was a very prominent critter theme all year; Owls. Not only did owls become a big part of my own life on a personal level, they were everywhere! Owls were showing up on the shelves of trendy house wares shops, tucked in the racks of hip clothing stores, fashioned into fabulous  jewelry pieces, perched playfully on top of toy bins, making their way into the movies, brush stroked  into decorative  artwork…owls became en vogue!  As I made a final stop at my local Pier One Imports store looking for just the perfect topper for my Christmas tree (I just KNEW I’d find it there), the manager who knows me well asked what I was looking for. I told her I wanted an owl to top my tree this year. Without skipping a beat she produced the perfect wise yet adorable owl made of twigs, seeds and other earthy materials…it was one of only two left. She said “You mean like this? What is with the owls this year? We just can’t keep them on the shelves!”

It is Divine timing that Spirit Owl chose 2011 to weave its wise and all knowing presence into our lives on such a grand scale with clever stealth and power. With so much ado about the coming of 2012 and what the year will really mean to mankind and the state of our future existence, one thing is clear; people in every corner of this earth and from all walks of life, have been moved en masse into an interesting state of introspection, searching for truth, and stretching to see the future.  Hmmm, sounds like rather “owlish” behavior to me.

The Great Spirit Owl has indeed arrived on silent wings and here is to stay for a while now. There are many thoughts and beliefs around the presence of an owl; some are rather dark and ominous, while others are mystical and magical. What Spirit Owl is truly here to do, is to help us open our eyes.  Owl will teach us how to focus and see clearly to the truth of the matter beyond the surface, be it within our own state of being, or that of those we choose to walk forward with. We are to awaken our forgotten sensitivities and trust our intuitions as we look ahead to the future and beyond. Owl is here to remind us to slow down, free ourselves of needless clutter, and conserve our energy so that we may move with efficiency and accuracy to grasp onto that which is vital for our current and future survival. Lastly, Spirit Owl is tasking each of us to redefine who we really are by discovering what is truly of importance to us at the deepest levels. It is time to unveil the “authentic self”.

2012 has now arrived and no matter what the year ahead may have in store for us as a whole and as individuals, one thing is for sure; things will change and the shift has already begun. How that change affects each of us will depend on how well prepared we are to adapt and whether we are willing to embrace the future we clearly see, or blindly cling to the past.  Lucky for all of us, Spirit Owl has arrived to help us along; all we have to do is pay attention, be good students and apply what we learn… Don’t look now, but there is an Owl on your shoulder. 

                                                                           

Namaste and Happy New Year,            

Andrea Sobotka “Critter Doc”

Dreams of A Seer

“A Selection of Experiences from My Dream Journal”

By Andrea Sobotka

The Magic of Owl and Wolf

 

Dream Journal entry Dec 10 2009 – Dream space left me thinking hard as I awoke from this surreal but beautiful dream. It takes place in another space and time in which I am a young girl living on the edge of a forest, near the top of a mountain. I recognize the soul of the sibling sharing my dream space as that of my youngest son in this (my awake) realm.

The dream begins with me tucking my younger sister in for the night. It is winter and we are both retiring to the same big, warm bed with a frame and posts made of pine logs. Most of the simple furnishings in the room are made of natural elements including a smooth wooden floor, but rather than wood or brick walls and ceiling, we are nestled under a large clear crystal dome. Outside is a beautiful winter landscape of snow covered mountain peaks, and tall pine trees under a clear night sky full of twinkling stars and a full moon.

 We are very young, but my sister is in my care so I make sure she is comfy and settled on her side of the bed before I settle myself for the night. Then quite suddenly, my sister becomes tangled in a silver spirit rope. I sense a being from another time zone beckoning me from the other side of a veil and I wonder what it wants – then I understand! This being is in need of my help and is trying to get my attention in hopes that I will follow. As soon as I realize this, the spirit rope dissolves away followed by a burst of activity that catches our eye outside just below our dwelling.

We gaze out from under our covers, watching in awe as a massive grey and silver wolf chases an equally large white owl up the snow covered mountain side we are perched on. As they reach the crest of the mountain, both creatures pause dramatically, backlit by rays of blue moonlight. Their majestic beauty and power is breathtaking, and for a moment, time seems to stand still in frozen beauty. The spell is broken as they once again explode from the snow and race after each other back down an angle of the mountain peak. Snow is flying around them, like a brilliant cascade of diamond dust as they race across the rugged terrain, and off into the night.

The magical Wolf and Owl have disappeared, the snow settles, and we dare to breathe again. We turn to look at each other in silent wonder at what we have just witnessed, it felt sacred.  As I return my attention to settling in for the night once again, I feel myself being physically pulled out from under the covers; the being from the other realm is still trying desperately to coax me to follow! The pulling on my left side becomes very strong, so strong, that I awaken from my dream. All is quiet and still, but am left hearing an echo of the number 9.

Sweet Dreams,

Andrea, “Critter Doc”

Words Flow in Poetic Ways

Although I choose to live in the desert where I feel centered, grounded and “home”, I have always loved and sought out the healing power of water, especially when chakra realignment is in order. I think of water as Gaia’s lifeblood; without it she would not exist…and so nor would life on Earth.

Several months ago I had a very vivid dream about water. I dreamt I was the water; I became a wave playing across the top of the ocean. I could kiss the face of all manner of beautiful animals in the sea as they rode with me, beneath me, atop me. The feeling of freedom, peace and harmony was incredible. Yet in this form I felt I held the ultimate power of life, and I awoke just as the enormity of that responsibility settled on my consciousness. I had almost forgotten about this dream until this morning.

Last night I was trying to think of words to describe this new focused feeling that had been coming over me the past few days. A good feeling, but for someone who is used to wearing many hats, serve many masters, and trying to do and be several things at once, this is an odd state. It is as if I am finally purging and gathering all aspects of myself back together. There is a momentum gathering to move forward along the one focused path I was always intended to follow. An exciting prospect, even if I am not entirely clear what that path is yet! Then some words just came to me. The words quickly filled my head up so it was impossible to think of anything else. They seemed to come flooding from within and without at the same time, and insisted on being written down.
These are the words:

Water’s Kiss

Water
She goes unnoticed as she quietly recedes away
Far, far away from the shoreline
The water is forgotten
Quickly dismissed by those on shore
But the water never loses sight of her intended course
She patiently plans her return
Her rebirth
Then with all her might and the forces of currents deep
The water rises and returns home
She exalts!
They say they never saw it coming

By Andrea Sobotka