Your Path to Self-Discovery!
Finding a Magickal Animal to Use in a Shapeshifting Exercise
Shamanism, Shapeshifting, Magickal/Mundane Animals, Creatures
Basic Approach In Finding A Magickal Animal to Use In Future Shapeshifting
~By Witch Daughter of Aradia © 2009
There are many animals in historical myths and histories that come to mind when it comes to Shapeshifting. I believe that it is a wonderful way of being able to communicate better with Magickal Animals that may begin showing themselves to you in both your Mundane (Earthy-Plane) and Magickal (Other-Realms Planes) life. We all encounter animals at one time or another, and their Spirits and aspects of what they show us always have messages for us on our own Path in our lives, and help in protecting us, guiding us, and leading us to new adventures as we walk along our Journey on our sacred Earth and Planet.
I cannot tell you how many times I have encountered and animal out in Nature and have watched them intensely trying to figure out by their own actions what it was trying to tell me. Birds from the Sky realms have always shown me to become more aware of the coming up weather about to approach, fish in the water have appeared as mysterious creatures under the depths of the darkened waters, and many land and Earthly animals have shown me how to live on the land in many different ways from survival to escaping other prey -- all have appeared to connect me with things that happen in my own life. In finding an animal to work with more on a deeper and spiritual level to help guide and protect me in my Otherworld Journeys and Meditations is something I personally would like to achieve, and thought this would be a great basic approach and exercise in finding a Magickal Animal to work with -- so I am about to share something I wrote and hopefully it will be of use to others as well.
Before trying your hand at Shapeshifting, let's try a little experiment.
EXERCISE: Finding a Magickal Animal
Let's start first by writing down a few things on a piece of notebook paper (As an example to this exercise, we are going to use the word 'beauty' for what you want to change about yourself):
1. What are some attributes that you would like to change in your life? Write down one attribute that comes to your mind. (For example, you may have a need to want to "look more beautiful inside as well as out", so the key word that you would write down that you want to change this is 'beauty'.)
2. The next step is under the word 'beauty', make a list of five animals in which come to mind when you think of the word 'beauty'. (Keep in mind that these five animals do not have to necessarily have to be beautiful creatures.)
In turn, you may for instance, write down 'swan' (for its natural grace); 'dog' (for its pretty eyes); 'alligator' (for its shiny skin); 'bird' (for their chirping songs); and 'owl' (for its hidden in darkness). There are many beauties that you will find that you like in their features or characteristics or abilites, and this is how you are going to come about this listing of the five animals.
3. Next, next to each of the five animals, write down why you chose them for their beauties. You can write as much as you feel needed.
For example, why did you choose the 'owl'? "I admire the beauty of the owl when it only comes out in the dark. Its hidden beauty shows itself when the owl hunts its prey. The owl is a creature of darkness, and I like listening to see if I can spot one at nighttime." etc.
4. After you have done this, put the list aside for a while, and not think about it. Go about doing your normal everyday activities, then come back to the list when you are ready to move on. This is very important, because you don't want to do too much at once.
5. When you have your list in front of you once again, read over what you have written and contemplate it for a few minutes. When finding how to connect with your own true 'beauty', which of the animals through your interpretation of liking them for a certain quality connect most with you?
Let's narrow this list down now to three of the animals. For instance you chose the 'alligator' because you connect with it in the way that you want to have a shining beauty on the outside. And you chose the 'dog' because your own eyes are pretty and you want to be able to look in them to see your inner beauty. Last, say you chose the 'swan' because it is graceful, and you want to have more beauty in your grace when it comes to being more graceful in your appearance.
6. The final step to this project is to look at these last three animals and both yours and their attributes, and choose one that most reflects on the change you want to make in your life.
Which animal did you choose?
JOURNEY: Getting to Know Your Magickal Animal
Take plenty of time to now work with this animal. But before doing any Shapeshifting meditations, take as much time to study this animal. Find out all that you can about this animal in Encyclopeidias, animal books, myths and stories that this animal is in, and even if you literally can see this animal upclose and in person. If you can actually have this chance to get close physically with this animal, that is wonderful. Ask yourself questions about the animal and keep lots of notes on it, such as does it have skin or fur? is it an air or an land or a sea animal? does it walk, run, jump, gallop? does it live in a hot or cold climate? does it migrate or stay in around the same area? is this animal domesticated or wild? what seasons does this animal adapt to the best--winter? spring? summer? fall? what other attributes does this animal have--does it shed? change shape or form? does it molt? I think you get the point here on doing as much investigation of the animal as possible! And this, too, is an important step in learning about the animal you are about to start working. Otherwise, learn about this animal until you feel ready to begin working with it towards your meditation with it in Shapeshifting.
When you are good and ready to begin your Shapeshifting meditation -- remember, the example was in making a 'change' in your 'beauty' -- you are ready to perform this experience with your chosen animal in order to learn more about animal shape-shifting on your journey.
PREPARATION: Before Performing Your Shapeshifting Meditation/Ritual
Before you do your ritual, make sure that you incorporate all these attributes you have made on yourself and the animal you chose into your Shapeshifting Meditation. If need be, have a representation of your animal you have chosen to work with -- a picture of it, a stuffed animal or toy, a piece of fur or a feather of the animal, or anything that connects you with this animal that you may want to have with you during the meditation.
Find a simple and thought-provoking meditation that you want to use to perform this exercise with, or do it spontaneously, be in the right state of mind, clear out all the daily stresses, anything that will help aid you in becoming more comfortable and clear- and open- minded before you do this, and then begin your meditaiton.
*NOTE: When you are used to doing this Meditation/Ritual on your own after several experiences, there is no reason why you cannot use more than one animal in your shapeshifting abilities.
Blessings!
~WDoA
Composed and Written by: Witch Daughter of Aradia © 2009
Date Created: Wednesday, January 28,2009
Tags: about, meditation, experience, shaman, magickal, mundane, animals, attributes, shape-shifting/shifters
Basic Approach In Finding A Magickal Animal to Use In Future Shapeshifting
~By Witch Daughter of Aradia © 2009
There are many animals in historical myths and histories that come to mind when it comes to Shapeshifting. I believe that it is a wonderful way of being able to communicate better with Magickal Animals that may begin showing themselves to you in both your Mundane (Earthy-Plane) and Magickal (Other-Realms Planes) life. We all encounter animals at one time or another, and their Spirits and aspects of what they show us always have messages for us on our own Path in our lives, and help in protecting us, guiding us, and leading us to new adventures as we walk along our Journey on our sacred Earth and Planet.
I cannot tell you how many times I have encountered and animal out in Nature and have watched them intensely trying to figure out by their own actions what it was trying to tell me. Birds from the Sky realms have always shown me to become more aware of the coming up weather about to approach, fish in the water have appeared as mysterious creatures under the depths of the darkened waters, and many land and Earthly animals have shown me how to live on the land in many different ways from survival to escaping other prey -- all have appeared to connect me with things that happen in my own life. In finding an animal to work with more on a deeper and spiritual level to help guide and protect me in my Otherworld Journeys and Meditations is something I personally would like to achieve, and thought this would be a great basic approach and exercise in finding a Magickal Animal to work with -- so I am about to share something I wrote and hopefully it will be of use to others as well.
Before trying your hand at Shapeshifting, let's try a little experiment.
EXERCISE: Finding a Magickal Animal
Let's start first by writing down a few things on a piece of notebook paper (As an example to this exercise, we are going to use the word 'beauty' for what you want to change about yourself):
1. What are some attributes that you would like to change in your life? Write down one attribute that comes to your mind. (For example, you may have a need to want to "look more beautiful inside as well as out", so the key word that you would write down that you want to change this is 'beauty'.)
2. The next step is under the word 'beauty', make a list of five animals in which come to mind when you think of the word 'beauty'. (Keep in mind that these five animals do not have to necessarily have to be beautiful creatures.)
In turn, you may for instance, write down 'swan' (for its natural grace); 'dog' (for its pretty eyes); 'alligator' (for its shiny skin); 'bird' (for their chirping songs); and 'owl' (for its hidden in darkness). There are many beauties that you will find that you like in their features or characteristics or abilites, and this is how you are going to come about this listing of the five animals.
3. Next, next to each of the five animals, write down why you chose them for their beauties. You can write as much as you feel needed.
For example, why did you choose the 'owl'? "I admire the beauty of the owl when it only comes out in the dark. Its hidden beauty shows itself when the owl hunts its prey. The owl is a creature of darkness, and I like listening to see if I can spot one at nighttime." etc.
4. After you have done this, put the list aside for a while, and not think about it. Go about doing your normal everyday activities, then come back to the list when you are ready to move on. This is very important, because you don't want to do too much at once.
5. When you have your list in front of you once again, read over what you have written and contemplate it for a few minutes. When finding how to connect with your own true 'beauty', which of the animals through your interpretation of liking them for a certain quality connect most with you?
Let's narrow this list down now to three of the animals. For instance you chose the 'alligator' because you connect with it in the way that you want to have a shining beauty on the outside. And you chose the 'dog' because your own eyes are pretty and you want to be able to look in them to see your inner beauty. Last, say you chose the 'swan' because it is graceful, and you want to have more beauty in your grace when it comes to being more graceful in your appearance.
6. The final step to this project is to look at these last three animals and both yours and their attributes, and choose one that most reflects on the change you want to make in your life.
Which animal did you choose?
JOURNEY: Getting to Know Your Magickal Animal
Take plenty of time to now work with this animal. But before doing any Shapeshifting meditations, take as much time to study this animal. Find out all that you can about this animal in Encyclopeidias, animal books, myths and stories that this animal is in, and even if you literally can see this animal upclose and in person. If you can actually have this chance to get close physically with this animal, that is wonderful. Ask yourself questions about the animal and keep lots of notes on it, such as does it have skin or fur? is it an air or an land or a sea animal? does it walk, run, jump, gallop? does it live in a hot or cold climate? does it migrate or stay in around the same area? is this animal domesticated or wild? what seasons does this animal adapt to the best--winter? spring? summer? fall? what other attributes does this animal have--does it shed? change shape or form? does it molt? I think you get the point here on doing as much investigation of the animal as possible! And this, too, is an important step in learning about the animal you are about to start working. Otherwise, learn about this animal until you feel ready to begin working with it towards your meditation with it in Shapeshifting.
When you are good and ready to begin your Shapeshifting meditation -- remember, the example was in making a 'change' in your 'beauty' -- you are ready to perform this experience with your chosen animal in order to learn more about animal shape-shifting on your journey.
PREPARATION: Before Performing Your Shapeshifting Meditation/Ritual
Before you do your ritual, make sure that you incorporate all these attributes you have made on yourself and the animal you chose into your Shapeshifting Meditation. If need be, have a representation of your animal you have chosen to work with -- a picture of it, a stuffed animal or toy, a piece of fur or a feather of the animal, or anything that connects you with this animal that you may want to have with you during the meditation.
Find a simple and thought-provoking meditation that you want to use to perform this exercise with, or do it spontaneously, be in the right state of mind, clear out all the daily stresses, anything that will help aid you in becoming more comfortable and clear- and open- minded before you do this, and then begin your meditaiton.
*NOTE: When you are used to doing this Meditation/Ritual on your own after several experiences, there is no reason why you cannot use more than one animal in your shapeshifting abilities.
Blessings!
~WDoA
Composed and Written by: Witch Daughter of Aradia © 2009
Date Created: Wednesday, January 28,2009
Tags: about, meditation, experience, shaman, magickal, mundane, animals, attributes, shape-shifting/shifters
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