To finding more depth to my life. I've been really intrigued by Native American culture and the way they spiritually connect with Nature. I have always felt a healing of self when I meditate or even venture alone in nature. Not that I should dismiss having a companion to frolic with! But the sacredness of prayer in that uninterrupted state out in nature is hard to be found. And when it is, it is beautiful. The connection. The sound. The feeling. I've been reading a book over Native American symbols, omens, spirit guides and nature. I've never connected more spiritually than I have in Nature. Growing up in a predominant Christian society it would be considered blasphemy to utter such. But I find it true to my soul. I have many experiences since my moving to the east coast that warrant at least contemplation. Many years ago I was told, and I felt the Owl as my spirit guide, my totem. Not long after moving here, I was walking in the woods, enjoying a beautiful autumn day....when I looked up to see a barn owl right before my eyes!! I gasped and told my husband to look! It was ENORMOUS. The owl flew away, great wings spread... Off into the sky. We continued walking along the woodland path along the Potomac River and I kept looking through the tree tops to catch another glance of what had just shook me. About 8-10 minutes later, I happen to quit watching Sugaree (our lab mix) sniffing in the underbrush and look up. RIGHT ABOVE me was a beautiful white OWL face looking right at me!!!!!!!! I audibly gasped! It was if he flew ahead and waited for me to come along the path!!! I told my husband to look and when he did, the owl flew away again. I knew it had a spiritual message for me. It connected with me. Deliberately. To my dismay, my reading up on my spirit totems has left me a knocked down a notch, for the Owl is seen in most Native Tribes culture as a bad sign and omen. I have felt connected to this bird all my life, I do not fear it. It is apart of me. I have Owl figures all over my house!! But it does raise some hairs on my arms after reading that Owls usually are messengers of death, and if you see an owl on your path in daylight (which IT WAS... being another reason I feel it had a message for me) that it is to quote "Death himself stalking you". I about crapped myself when i read that. I plan on meditating on it in the future and if I ever get to talk to a Tribe Elder I will most certainly be asking his interpretation. I'm sticking to the mind set that he is a powerful wise spirit guide.
A couple weeks after my Owl experience, I found a beautiful painted turtle right by our backyard fence, connecting to our Nature Trail that takes you to the Potomac River. Turtles, I am ecstatic to say, are a good omen :) Sha-whew. The Turtle is a healer and protector. In the words of Bobby Lake-Thom, "It can grant long life, wisdom, and good health." So now I'm totally confused. The Owl is Death, but then I have Turtle telling me i will have a long life. Maybe the Owl was warning me, and then the Turtle was sent to reassure me. I don't know. But it was another sweet spiritual moment for me.
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