October Messages

Hello Everyone~

Coyote and Mouse Medicine~
Trickster and Scrutiny....

We find ourselves fast into the month of October. In many circles the talk is how time is speeding up. I would agree. Although I am also finding plenty of time for "right action."

There is no time for foolishness and lots of time for right action.

Have you ever had the experience that the world is a stage and that everyone seems to be playing a cartoon like character in your life? That is coyote medicine.

I will share a personal story about Coyote medicine in action. As you read this story, let whatever comes into your mind about how you are "playing with the trickster" to be shown to you.

I decided to do a personal grieving ritual for myself recently. It was simply time to let go of the pain and sadness resulting from numerous events in my life. Over the course of my life, I have experienced many traumas. Most of these traumas involved those I loved. I carry a strong Mother and Healer archetype, therefore I have held in not only my grief, but my children's grief, my partners, my clients grief, my parent's grief,the grief of the feminine, the grief of the world etc, etc. It was time for me to release this grief with a beautiful healing ritual**

I strongly recommend ritual for many reasons. Ritual creates a sacred place in which you may honor, celebrate, and share. It creates space for a thriving life that is connected to what is important to you. Ritual is sacred process and gives a deeper meaning and value to life. This ritual involved writing down everything I had grief around. I tied the strips of paper around a small branch from a tree, took the branch- heavy with my grief and threw it into the Poudre River near my home. I watched as the branch ever so slowly disappeared. A family of ducks saw that branch coming and quickly moved out of the way. When the branch of grief passed them, they swam out and watched it float away. It was profound. They knew and I felt comforted. As I watched I continued to release the energy of grief. I felt it leave my body in waves of old tired pain.

After I could no longer see the branch, I went walking down the unpaved county road. I had walked this way many times before. It was a healing path for me. I walked for about a half mile to a very old lone, cottonwood tree. Sitting with this familiar tree, I took in its strength and wisdom. Feeling complete, I turned to go back home to continue my healing day. As I walked toward my car, parked back near the bridge that crossed the river that swallowed my grief,  I could see the figure of a woman up ahead riding a bike. She seemed frantic, circling around near the bridge.  I was yanked out of my ritual energy and into the energy of fear. I started walking faster, worried now and confused by what this woman was doing. As I got closer I heard her calls. She was yelling loudly the name of my ex- husband. She was looking for a dog, whistling and yellling his name. This name is not necessarily a common name, especially not for a canine ( it is a very old name- think King___) and it is the name of one of my sons as well. She yelled it loud and clear as she circled around on her bike.  I tried to lighten the mood as I walked past her.

 "That is my son's name." I said.

 That was all she needed to launch into her story about how she had taken her neighbor's dog...because they work fourteen hours a day and leave that poor dog alone all the time...well, the dog escaped her and the dog with my ex-husband's name was nowhere to be found.

It was then that I began to realize that the way she instantly engaged me with her story of her own folly was indeed Coyote Medicine in action. I stepped out of her reality and back into my own - fast!  (If she or the dog where really in harms way, there is no question I would have assisted. That was not the case though. The river was painfully shallow, the dog was a lab, of which I had two, so I knew that dog was off having the time of its life.)

 Lo and behold, she tried anyway to give me her grief and her panic. She shouted direct orders at me letting me know what to do with the dog, where to bring it, etc, etc. AND she explained why she was so fraught. She had taken the dog without the owner's consent and had done it out of arrogance and righteousness (as she told me). Coyote medicine in full force!

I stepped out of her drama- again!  I had just let go of years of heavy grief around abuse, divorce, and the life threatening illness of my son (the one with the same name). Years of caring for others without regard for myself.  And this woman point blank was trying to engage me in a way that was oh, so familiar. She needed me because she had made a mistake and I must stop what I was doing and help her. 

This felt oddly familiar and oh so comical. What was I to do?

 Go on my way and allow her the space to figure out her own resolution to this dilemma she created. (Mouse Medicine)  I had not finished my sacred ritual. I would not be deterred or distracted by my old ways of stepping in and carrying other's responsibility, pain, grief, etc.

 I gave her a comforting word or two and was on my way to complete my ritual. I laughed in shock at the nature of what just occurred. I had intentionally thrown all the grief energy in the river and watched it disappear and in a few short minutes, I could have found myself back in that water swimming after the grief stick. Drama alive again!
But I did not do so.

I used Mouse Medicine. Discernment. I knew that I must complete what I had set up for myself that day, move on and trust that the woman would find her way. I had to trust what I was being shown~that I was to leave the past and the grief. I continued on my way to continue and complete a very powerful day of healing.

Mouse Medicine is the energy of discernment. Of creating a place for all things important in your life. It is important medicine at this time, for it allows us the focus needed to wade through some murky waters.  Mouse Medicine supports us as we refine and define our own inner values, our core beliefs.

There is a place for all right action.

If it is not in accordance with what makes us thrive, then there will be no place for it. We make clear choices with Mouse Medicine.
Coyote medicine is the medicine that always asks us "are you sure"? It is the reminder of what we don't always want to see in ourselves, but is exactly what we need to see in order to make real and lasting change. Watch for those cartoon moments!

Where are you making some clear choices in your life to thrive? What plans have you made to support those changes. Coyote is making sure you are true to yourself.

I wish you a blessed week.
Mary

**If you are interested in learning about this grief ritual, please contact me mary@Inspirationstotheheart.com
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