Changes

The Coyote is one of the sacred animals that can open the door to the other world and it acts as a messenger between this world and the next.

  • Keynote: Wisdom and Folly
  • Cycle of Power: Year-round

The coyote spirit animal makes its presence known when you feel like you have lost your way.

The Coyote shares many of the characteristics of the Fox. It is the trickster God, the miracle-worker, the shape-shifter, and as such plays an important part in Native American belief. Because Coyotes can be heard howling at night they are often associated with the Moon.

The Coyote is an amazingly adaptive animal, and the Native American lore about this animal is rich and plentiful. It is the creator and the jokester. Much magick has been associated with the Coyote, but the magick does not always work. Even in its not working, it serves a purpose. There is always hidden wisdom where the Coyote is concerned.

In many ways the Coyote is to the plains Indians what the raven is to the people of the Northwest ~ creator, teacher, and keeper of magick. Both are playful and love to have fun. Both are skillful, but often look for ways to do things that will not involve the use of their own skill. They often look for short cuts. Both remind us not to become too serious, and both remind us that anything is possible.

Oftentimes in many of the tales, the Coyote makes things more complicated than they need to be. If Coyote has shown up as a totem, you may wish to ask yourself some questions:

  • Are you and those around you being too serious?
  • Have you forgotten that play time is essential to health?
  • Are you complicating what is really simple in some are of your life?
  • Is someone playing tricks on you?

The Coyote teaches the balance of wisdom and folly and how they both go hand in hand. The image of the wise fool has been used in the lore of many societies. This is the individual who seems to be a simpleton and yet the words and actions have a much greater wisdom than is initially recognized. Are you not seeing the wisdom of your life and its events? The Coyote will help you.

If Coyote has appeared for you, it’s time to find the humor and laughter in the lessons of life so that you will continue to appreciate it for the exciting and unpredictable adventure that it is! When you learn to laugh at your mistakes and disappointments, there are only life lessons and experiences, and a whole lot of possibilities.

Call on your Coyote Spirit Animal when:

  • You need to inject more humor into your life.
    Life doesn’t have to be so serious and somber all the time. Laugh at yourself, and don’t let life get you down!
  • You want to gain more wisdom and understanding of how the world works.
    Life is a big puzzle which you will eventually understand the more that you experience it. Do not be afraid of change because this will give you meaningful lessons.
  • You want to fully experience life!
    Sometimes you need to throw caution to the wind and live each day as it comes. Be present in the moment because life is too short.

In the tarot deck is The Fool card. This card is good for anyone with a Coyote totem to meditate upon. Its energies are tied to simplicity and trust. It is the card for developing poise in the chaos of life. It stimulates and renews innocence, and it reawakens a childlike wisdom in response to the world. It is the card that reminds us that true teachers of wisdom have a wonderful sense of humor. Through the Coyote, we learn to become again as little children with a reawakening of the intellect, creativity, the artistic mind, and all of the intuitive faculties.

The Spirit Keeper of the South is represented by the Coyote, that wild and wily teacher of the animal kingdom. There is a whole body of Native mythology dealing with the Coyote, the old trickster who is sometimes Creator and sometimes sacred clown. The Coyote is the most sacred and most profane of animals. Like loon and frog, he is a powerful singer whose song can move humans to freedom or to fear. Coyote brings growth to everyone, but to those who love life he gives the gift of trust. It is trust in life that teaches true survival and real endurance.

When he serves as Shawnodese, The Spirit Keeper of the South, the Coyote’s coat is the mottled color of the sun at midday shining on the earth. Sometimes when serving with Shawnodese the Coyote’s coat is so mottled he seems to disappear. It is then he does his most powerful work.

Coyote can be found in many rural settings in North America. Smaller than a wolf, the Coyote has proven adaptable to the onslaught of civilization. Coyote’s most distinguishing attributes are his swiftness, sharp senses, doglike features, and song. On many evenings in the country, the yipping and howling of Coyote pierces the quiet night, reminding all the two-leggeds who can hear that although they now predominate on earth, they are not the only species in existence.

Of all the figures in Navajo life and mythology, Coyote (Maii’) is the most contradictory and delightful animal. Coyote is considered a god, a trickster, and an evil spirit. He cannot be killed because he is powerful and contradictory.The Coyote is important in traditional Navajo life. Coyote always seems to be hiding or lurking just out of view. He is a shadowy figure that can be funny or fearsome.

Although often seen as a pest to be eliminated by many groups, it has managed to extend its range. It is found in every part of the country. It has been able to do so because it has used its keen intelligence and adaptive ability. The Coyote used to be most active hunting at dawn and dusk. Today it is most active at night. This is done to avoid other hunters.

The Coyote will often use cooperative hunting techniques. They have a well organized system of running down smaller prey. The chase occurs in relays. While one Coyote rests, another gives chase. This kind of cooperation hints at the energies that Coyote can bring to your life ~ an ability to stimulate cooperation to accomplish important tasks in the most efficient manner. Sometimes the Coyote has even teamed up with badgers and they have hunted together, reflecting the Coyote’s ability to adapt to the situation.

The howl is one of the Coyote’s most significant qualities. It is generally accepted to be primarily a social gesture. It can express loneliness, warn of danger, or call for assistance. It touches the soul of whoever hears, reminding us of our primal connections.

A Coyote’s den can be located anywhere. They usually prefer the side of a hill near a water source. The Coyote will often return to the same den for each litter, but they rarely use the den year-round. It is a place they work out of. This same kind of pattern is common among those who have a Coyote as a totem. They are most effective when they work from a place, but do not limit themselves strictly to it. It hints of the need for mental stimulation, and those with this totem require a lot of it.

Coyote’s have a very close-knit family unit. They will sometimes mate for life. The father is very conscientious and participates in the care and raising of the young. Both parents train the young in hunting techniques. The male cares for the mate, while she is pregnant, helping to protect and feed her. If something does happen to the mother, then the male takes over the care of the young.

The Coyote is one of the most fascinating animals, and it is not easily locked into any particular category. It is filled with paradox, but at the heart of its energy is the balance of wisdom and folly that makes for a fulfilling life.

Coyote Superstition and Taboos

The Coyote is sometimes held responsible for all the evils of the world, and in the countries where it makes its home it is generally a symbol of bad luck.

How people react to Coyote teaches a lot about them. Those who love life and the earth are inspired by Coyote’s song and his ability to outsmart the civilization that has tried to destroy him. Those who fear all that is natural also fear Coyote and try to destroy him by shooting, poison, or traps. Fearful ones depict Coyote as a thief, one who eats domestic livestock, like chickens. Coyote prefers to eat natural, free-roaming animals like mice or rabbits but he will lunch on an occasional chicken or small domestic animal in areas where civilization has killed all of his natural prey.

Navajos have an omen that can also be considered as a taboo. They say that if Coyote crosses your path, turn back and do not continue your journey. If you keep traveling, something terrible will happen to you. You will be in an accident, hurt, or killed.

Coyote Symbolism

Coyote symbolism has a tendency to be rather powerful in what it is trying to tell you, and if the spirit animal does appear to you in your life, then it will often signify a number of rather important changes or differences that are going to occur.

However, there are a number of clear facts surrounding this particular spirit animal that you may like to be aware of just in case it does end up appearing in your life.

  • It appears when you feel you have become lost.

There is nothing more disheartening for an individual than believing that they have become lost with the path that they are following in life.

If that sounds like you, then this may be the time where the coyote spirit animal will appear.

It offers you strength and knowledge that you will get through this period and find your direction once again as you have the ability in your own self to be able to achieve this.

  • It is intended to inspire some change in you.

The meaning of the coyote inspires change. If you do the same things over and over, you will pretty much get the same results, and that’s truly no way to live your life!

There has to be a time where you realize that doing the same actions will always lead to the exact same outcome, so the coyote spirit animal is reminding you that this does not always have to be the case.

Instead, you can do something different and see the outcome and whether or not you prefer it to be this way.

The challenge for you by your coyote totem is to do things using new methods, options, and solutions. Out with the old, and in with the new!

Trying new things will help you learn new tricks to succeed in life and win at relationships. A whole world of choices and opportunities will open for you if you start letting go of your old fears and insecurities.

  • Let go of sentimental things to get freedom.

When the coyote totem appears to you, it urges you to let go of sentimental attachments and focus on what you are going to do with what you have in the present. What it is trying to do here is to get you to focus on the present and what you have surrounding you right now as that is the most important thing of all.

The coyote meaning reminds you that life is always changing, and nothing ever stays the same. Even if you fight change with all that you have, you should learn to let go of the mental anguish and find a way to laugh it off and make it work.

This rather important idea is that the coyote spirit animal is encouraging you to release yourself from the bind of those items that are not allowing you to then grow as an individual.

  • It pushes that there are hidden roads that you do not know of.

The coyote symbolism ushers in a time to find hidden paths that will lead you to where you should be. It’s time to reveal the truths behind the masks, and it’s time to see beyond the illusions.

The coyote is able to wander all over the place, and it finds new roads to travel down, so that is one message that is loud and clear with the coyote spirit animal.

However, it also teaches you that there is no need to be afraid to go down that hidden road even though you may not know what is at the other side as you have the ability to deal with whatever is placed in front of you.

  • You may be slightly reckless.

Coyote symbolism is also tied into the idea of you being reckless at times simply because you see some kind of opportunity and you then look at going for it.

This will work in your favor at times, but then it can also work against you as well, so you need to try to weigh up your options as much as possible.

It’s time to do things that bring you joy, contentment, and happiness.

There is no doubt that the coyote spirit animal is a bit more of a free spirit than people are perhaps aware of, but it will also show you to focus on the present rather than being stuck in the past or wondering what the future will be like.

Dreaming About Coyote

The coyote is a complex dream symbol. On one hand, the coyote represents wisdom and being aware of the balance of Nature. It means surviving in all circumstances and maintaining a sense of humor. On the other hand, the coyote is a symbol of weakness, deception, hypocrisy, and meddling in things that aren’t your business.

If your dream includes being attacked by a pack of coyotes, or if several coyotes are threatening you, this is a warning that you need to be very careful and watchful in the near future. If you see a friendly coyote in the dream, it indicates that you are or will be deceived by someone close to you. Alternatively, the friendly coyote suggests that you will be able to get past any troubles that are keeping you from evolving psychologically.

The appearance of a coyote in a dream may symbolize a lack of ambition or a weakness of some kind. It may also indicate that you are attacking those around you who are weaker and can’t defend themselves as well.

Coyotes represent “tricky” and unexpected elements in life. For Native Americans, the coyote is a creator, teacher, and a keeper of magic. The coyote is the Trickster God who appears as the Creator in many creation myths. The coyote is considered to be a messenger who has the ability to change his appearance. The coyote generally represents a sacred power.

If you see a coyote in your dream, it is a reminder to keep your sense of humor and not become overly serious in life. The coyote suggest that you need to learn how to balance wisdom with folly, as represented in some cultures by the figure of the “wise fool.” Coyotes in nature are very cooperative with one another, so the dream coyote may be telling you to be more cooperative with others and that you can accomplish great things through cooperation.

Sources:

  • Keynote: Transition and Initiation
  • Cycle of Power: Nighttime

The bat is one of the most misunderstood mammals. Modern depictions in movies and television have given it a sinister reputation, but it plays an important role in Nature and as a symbol in the totem traditions. Although more modern lore places the bat in cohorts with the devil, with its dragon-like wings, in more ancient times it was a powerful symbol.

In Babylonia bats represented the souls of the dead. In China they were symbols for happiness and long life. To the ancient Mayans, they are symbols of initiation and rebirth. To the medieval peoples, they were miniature dragons.

From the early Meso-America traditions came a sacred book of the initiatory process in which bats hold a significant role. This book was called the Popol Vuh It was discovered by Father Ximinez in the 17th century. (You can read excepts from it on Widdershins). The second book of the Popol Vuh describes the seven tests that two brothers must undergo The seventh test took them into the house of bats. Huge bats flew through the labyrinth and it was overseen by Camazotz, the god of bats. This being had the body of a human, the head and wings of a bat, and carried a great sword by which he would decapitate unwary wanderers.

This powerfully symbolic story and imagery reflects the process of transition – part human and part bat (animal). It implies a loss of one’s faculties if unwary about the changes. It also holds the promise of rebirth and coming out of the darkness.

The authors, Jamie Sams and David Carson, refer to the bat as reflecting the traditional shaman’s death – the breaking down of the former self through intense tests. It is a facing of your greatest fears – that it is time to die to some aspect of your life that is no longer suitable for you.

Most people fear transitions, holding onto a “better the devil you know than the one you don’t” kind of attitude. If a bat has flown into your life, then it is time to face your fears and prepare for change. You are being challenged to let go of the old and create the new.

For many, change is always distressing. When the bat comes into your life, you may see some part of your life begin to go from bad to worse. That which worked before may no longer. This is not negative though! And it will only be upsetting to the degree that we are emotionally attached to the old way of life or to the degree we focus on the past rather than the infinite possibilities of the future.

Changes and transformations are blessings. They are not triggered from without but from within; and the world is our mirror. As we change, even within our consciousness, everything reflected with the world also begins to change. To understand and enjoy the blessing of change, begin by taking or renewing responsibility for your life. This means opening to the power within which will override all fears.

Look beyond the immediate and limited circumstances. There can be no death without there also being rebirth. Everything reflects the divine. Remember that fear and death is choosing to block or go against the Divine energies that are yours by right of inheritance. Rebirth and life are found by choosing to follow the flow within. The choice is always ours. Remember that each time you trust your inner promptings, you chase the fears within the dark corners of your mind away.

  • What you choose to do today will have repercussions for years down the road.
  • Do you want those repercussions to be positive or negative?

Though small in stature, the bat is a powerful symbol. Its medicine is strong and can even be traumatic. It is a nocturnal animal, and the night was often considered the home of fears. Home fires and lights are often used to chase back the night and the fears rather than facing them and transmuting them.

  • Are you avoiding something that is inevitable?

Sometimes bats are a symbol of facing our fears. They have very sharp, needle-like teeth. They can also be carriers of rabies. Rabies is an infectious disease of the blood, created by a virus. It was often associated with madness. Fears that are allowed to spread, uninhibited, will eventually permeate our system and can create a kind of madness within our lives. Bats can reflect a need to face our fears. The imaginings that result from fears that are incubating are often much worse than the actual facing of the fears, themselves.

  • What are you most fearing right now?

From a naturalistic view, bats are not sinister. They play a very valuable role in nature. They feed on insects and are essential to the pollination of many plants. Their waste product, guano, is also used as a valuable fertilizer. This hints that every aspect of facing our fears will have value to us, no matter how messy it may seem to be. It holds the promise of empowerment.

The bat is also the only flying mammal. Its tremendously elongated finger bones support the wings which are made of a tough leathery skin. Its flight seems fluttery and jerky, but it is flight nonetheless All flight implies a rising above.

Because humans are mammals as well, the bat is an even more important symbol for us. It becomes a symbol of promise amidst the sometimes chaotic energies of change. It reflects the ability to move to new heights with the transitions. Yes, our own flights may seem fluttery and jerky, but we will be able to fly.

We will not only be able to fly as a result of the changes, but we will be able to see the world from an entirely new perspective. Bats sleep with their heads down. This posture has always reminded me of the Hanged Man card in the tarot deck.

This card reflects the piercing of new barriers and the opening to higher wisdom. It symbolizes a new truth being awakened. It also implies great strength and stamina to handle the ordeals that may beset you as you open to new consciousness. Its message contains the promise of new horizons and unexpected views about to manifest. Meditation upon this card would be most beneficial for those with a bat as a totem.

The bat is actually a sociable animal. It lives in flocks and thus its appearance usually reflects either a need for more sociability or increased opportunity with greater numbers of people.

The bat has a medicine which awakens great auditory perception. The idea of “blind as a bat” is wrong. Bats are not blind, and their eyes are large and developed. They can easily navigate by sight in lighted situations.

On the other hand, they are expert at maneuvering through the dark. They have a form of sonar in their nose that gives them perfect navigation. Their ability at echo-location enables them to perform amazing flying feats even within the flock. They rarely, if ever, collide. This sonar and echo-location can be linked metaphysically to the gift of clairaudience or clear-hunting. It awakens the ability to hear spirit.

Those with a bat as a totem will also find that they have an increasing ability to discern the hidden messages and implications of other people’s words. Listen as much to what is not being said. Trust your instincts. The nose is the organ of discrimination, and with its sonar located in its nose, the bat reflects the ability to discriminate and discern the truth in other people’s words.

The bat is powerful medicine. It can be trying, but it always indicates initiation – a new beginning that brings promise and power after the changes.

From: Animal Speak by Ted Andrews


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