Squirrel

[Witch Daughter of Aradia]

SQUIRREL
~by Patricia Telesco

THEMES: Meditation, Persistance, Playfulness, Resourcefulness, Spirituality, Strength, Weather Magick.

CORRESPONDENCES: Earth/Air

HISTORY AND FOLKLORE:The squirrel is a bit of a mischief maker in Norse mythology, but it is also a welcome rain bringer. Buddhists have a far nicer image, seeing the squirrel as a symbol of spiritual strength that often comes through meditation. Mayans depicted the squirrel as a persistent gatherer-planter and one who is always prepared.

SAMPLE APPLICATIONS: The modern phrase "squirreling something away for a rainy day" says much about the squirrel's influence for magickal purposes. For shamanic work, the squirrel spirit can teach you much about frugality and careful use of your resources. If you listen patiently (squirrel spirits can get distracted), you may also get some hints for your meditations!

If you need to learn something from the squirrel or tap its attributes, the easiest way is by giving the creature a gift of nuts. Hold the nuts in your hands and imagine your need, then sprinkle them on the ground moving clockwise (to generate positive energy), possibly adding an incantation like,

"A gift given is a gift received, in this magick I believe, I open myself to receive!"


Blessings!


Found and Posted by: Witch Daughter of Aradia
Reference: Patricia Telesco. Magick Made Easy: Charms, Spells, Potions, & Power. 1999. (pgs. 202-203.)

Tags: magick, squirrel, correspondences, themes, history/folklore

[Witch Daughter of Aradia]

I grew up in the woods area all my life at my dad's house in Michigan, and although there has been many houses built up over the years, the Squirrels have been one of the many of Nature's animals that have stuck around through the new renovations of the land. All the other animals that have been in the area -- different species of birds, deer, rabbits, fox, peasants, snakes -- have all went down in number, and the Red-Headed Woodpecker hasn't been seen since I was in elementary school.

And the Squirrels have always hung around, still making all their attempts from leaping to tree-to-tree, chattering at the birds and their prey, scampering around the ground for bird seed and the acorns that fall off all the great Oak trees on the land, scurrying across the driveway and up the tree when a car comes in sight or another person is around. They still watch in curiosity peeking around the trunks of the trees when they catch a human looking at them. Even more of the miniature Squirrels and the Red Squirrels and the Black Squirrels and the Grey Squirrels have shown up more over the years.

I have always been fasinated by the Squirrel and wondered what I could learn from it in magick. They always stuck my curiosity as to why I would tease them by leaving some acorns on the ground below from them so that my dog I had would have fun chasing them -- but they wouldn't come down from the tree. Even when I would talk to them or give them my full attention, they would just stare down at me from up on the telephone wires, wag their thick tails, and sometimes scold me before taking off.

They have always both amazed me by their flights from jumping branch-to-branch in the trees, and how they held up in their leaves nests so high up in the trees even on the windiest days of the seasons; and amused me by their teasing and cunning little ways.

I shall begin working with these creatures once again, and keep notes on what I find out about them. I am still searching for my animal totem, and maybe with their attribute to "Persistence" will they help lead me to finding what I am looking for within my spirituality.

Blessings,
Mona (CSgirl)
Sunday, 01/18/09

[Aethelbert]

You are so lucky to have grown up in the woods! I love squirrels. They have a distinct relationship with me. I don't know why, but they do. I think it is their link to the wonderful trees around us. It is nice to know that this exists for other people.

[Witch Daughter of Aradia]

Yes, and I love the fact that I had this opportunity to grow up around the woods; Nature is extremely important in learning about the Craft, and making connections with it and getting out in it--even if you are in Urban areas--gives you a sense of wonder of the environment and all that Mother Nature provides us with.

I chose to add squirrels here first, because they say that in the Craft, it's good learning about the actual land around you and working with its energies and powers it has to share, and this animal has always been around in our neck of the woods. Now, we are getting more of the Black Squirrels, Gray Squirrel, and a few of the Red Squirrels (they're the meanest, but cutest little creatures)--and the only time I really remember seeing the Black Squirrels was when our family used to travel upnorth in Michigan in the summer to visit family. So I am now wondering why they are inhabiting the area down here where my dad lives.

[Aethelbert]

There is a war in England about American squirrels. The American squirrels are driving the English squirrels from their native areas. Apparently there is a virtual war in England with English groups forming across Great Britain to fight the American squirrels. I suppose that Native American squirrels can move about great distances here in the U.S.

[liz]

If you need to learn something from the squirrel or tap its attributes, the easiest way is by giving the creature a gift of nuts. Hold the nuts in your hands and imagine your need, then sprinkle them on the ground moving clockwise (to generate positive energy), possibly adding an incantation like,

"A gift given is a gift received, in this magick I believe, I open myself to receive!"

*********************************************

I've always fed the squirrels in my backyard, never thought of 'learning' from them. I'll try sprinkling in a clockwise manner and the incantation.

[Witch Daughter of Aradia]

That is a wonderful little charm (spell/incantation), Liz! I will try that sometime, thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on the subject! ;)

[Witch Daughter of Aradia]

Maybe it was a sign of the squirrel wanting to come back to the environment that it once lived in!

[Priestess Janna Ravenmoon]

Merry Meet Witch Daughter of Aradia,
What a lovely post, I too grew up in the woodlands and saw squirrels around all my life. There are parks in the nearby city where i see them still and around mi home in the trees. They are wondrous animals playful and funloving. I am from England and it's wrong to say there's a war against American squirrels. The issue is the smaller more delicate reds have been driven back to remote islands of existence even though the red is native over here. I really didn't know that reds were alive and well in America thats beautiful. I suppose you see the same as us that there are less reds and that the greys seem to dominate. There is too much abuse of all squirrels cos personally i love the greys just as much and grew up seeing them happily in the woods. I hope and pray that all squirrels are protected and live in freedom away from nasty humans who hurt them. I saw this horrific thing the other day on tv where they killed and even ate one. Urghh!!! I cried! I started a campaign about a crisp manufacturer who tried to call a flavour of crisps "Cajun Squirrel" and I said that was terrible and should be banned!!! I hope and pray you still find happy squirrels in your oak trees and I will do my best to protect all the squirrels of Britain grey and red alike!!! Thanx to Liz for that wonderful little ritual I will try it next time I'm out around the squirrels. I had a dream today about squirrels, it's funny cos I was taking a nap during a rainy day afternoon and you mention rain magick. I'm sure this dream has a lot to teach me and this post on squirrels has really helped so thank you!
Best Wishes
Merry Part!
Janna