Friday, 25 September 2015

4 - Deer - Gentleness & 19 - Buffalo - Prayer and Abundance flipped up in the deck while I shuffled today doubling today's medicine.


4

Deer

Gentleness

Deer . .  so gentle
      and loving you are
The flower of kindness,
       an embrace from afar



One day Fawn heard Great Spirit calling to her from the top of Sacred Mountain. 

Fawn immediately started up the trail. 

She did not know that a horrible demon guarded the way to Great Spirit's lodge. 

The demon was trying to keep all the beings of creation from connecting with Great Spirit. 

He wanted all of Great Spirit's creatures to feel that Great Spirit did not want to be disturbed. 

This would make the demon feel powerful, and capable of causing them to fear him.

Fawn was not at all frightened when she came upon the demon. 

This was curious, as the demon was the archetype of all the ugly monsters that have ever been. 

The demon breathed fire and smoke and made disgusting sounds to frighten Fawn. 

Any normal creature would have fled or died on the spot from fright.

Fawn, however, said gently to the demon, 

"Please let me pass. I am on the way to see Great Spirit."

Fawn's eyes were filled with love and compassion for this oversized bully of a demon.

The demon was astounded by Fawn's lack of fear. 

No matter how he tried, he could not frighten Fawn, because her love had penetrated his hardened, ugly heart.

Much to demon's dismay, his rock-hard heart began to melt, and his body shrank to the size of a walnut. 

Fawn's persistent love and gentleness had caused the meltdown of the demon.

Due to this gentleness and caring that Fawn embodied, the pathway is now clear for all of Great Spirit's children to reach Sacred Mountain without having to feel the demons of fear blocking
their way.

Deer teaches us to use the power of gentleness to touch the hearts and minds of wounded beings who are trying to keep us from Sacred Mountain. 

Like the dappling Fawn's coat, both the light and dark may be loved to create gentleness and safety for those who are seeking peace.

If Deer has gently nudged its way into your cards today, you are being asked to find the gentleness of spirit that heals all wounds. 

Stop pushing so hard to get others to change, and love them as they are. 

Apply gentleness to your present situation and become like the summer breeze: warm and caring. 

This is your tool for solving the present dilemma you are facing. 

If you use it, you will connect with Sacred Mountain, your centering place of serenity, and Great Spirit will guide you.

Overview:

As a power animal, Deer stresses that there are other ways than force, and shows that there is a power in the gentle word and touch, and that strength comes through caring.

You are confronted by those whose attitudes cause you pain and sorrow, and sometimes even fear. 

But it is they who are the wounded ones, and whoever tries to help them will only make matters worse. 

To soothe them you must touch their hearts with the healing balm of the gentle spirit and the embrace of kindness.

Deer teaches the need for compassion and kindness towards others and yourself. 

Don't drive yourself so harshly!

Be gentle with yourself, and you will cease to project your fears onto others. 

Deer is a power animal that is directing you towards a serenity of heart, mind and spirit.

Gentleness has the power to melt a heart of stone.

Be gentle with yourself and offer kindness to all living things.


Contrary:

Deer in the contrary position indicates that you are courting your fear by fighting the internal demons of negative ideas. 

This is a clue to you that force is not always the best method.

You may not be willing to love yourself enough to feel your fears and let them go. 

You may be projecting your fears on others. 

It may also be others whom you fear, reminding you of a time when you reacted to life in much the same manner. 

At any rate, love is the key. 

The only true balance to power is the love and compassion of Deer. 

Be willing to find things to love about yourself and others, and your demons will melt away. 

Your fears cannot exist in the same place that love and gentleness abide.

Remember, Fawn can teach you many lessons about unconditional love. 

In its true application, unconditional love means that no strings are attached. 

The gentleness of Fawn is the heart-space of Great Spirit which embodies Great Spirit's love for us all.



19

Buffalo  

Prayer and Abundance

Buffalo . . .
     
       You bring us the gift of life.
Hear our prayers,
            
              Smoke rising,

                   Like Phoenix,

We are reborn,
      
         Within the sacred words.



In the Lakota tradition it was the White Buffalo Calf Woman who brought the sacred pipe to the people and taught them to pray. 

The bowl of the pipe was the receptacle that held tobacco, an herb with male and female medicine. 

The seeding life.

In the coming together of male and female, the connection to the divine energy of the Great Spirit was made. 

As the pipe was loaded with Tobacco, every family in nature was asked to enter into the pipe and share its medicine as prayer and praise to the heavens.

The smoke was considered to be visual prayer, and was very sacred and cleansing.

All animals are sacred, but in many traditions White Buffalo is most sacred. 

The appearance of White Buffalo is a sign that prayers are being heard, that the sacred pipe is
being honoured, and that the promises of prophecy are being fulfilled. 

White Buffalo signals a time of abundance and plenty.

Buffalo was the major source of sustenance for the Plains Indians. 

It gave meant for food, hides for clothing, warm and soft robes for long winters, and hooves for glue.

The medicine of Buffalo is prayer, gratitude and praise for that which has been received.

Buffalo medicine is also knowing that abundance is present when all relations are honoured as sacred, and when gratitude is expressed to every living part of creation.

Because of its desire to give the gifts that its body provided, and because of its willingness to be used on Earth for the highest good before entering the hunting grounds of Spirit, Buffalo did not readily stampede and run from hunters.

To use Buffalo medicine is to smoke the pipe in a sacred manner, and to give praise for the richness of life to be shared with all races, all creatures, all nations, and all life. 

It means smoking for others to that their needs are met, praying for the good of all
things in harmony, and accepting the Great 

Mystery as part of that harmony.

If you have drawn the Buffalo card, you may be asked to use your energy in prayer. 

You may also be called upon to be an instrument of someone else's answer to a prayer. 

This could portend a time of recognizing the sacredness of every walk of life, albeit different from your own. 

To honour another's pathway, even if it brings you a sadness, is a part of the message that Buffalo brings. 

This may be a time of reconnection to the meaning of life and the value of peace. Most assuredly this time will bring serenity amidst chaos if you pray in earnest for enlightenment and the power of calmness and give praise for the gifts you already have.

Buffalo medicine is a sign that you achieve nothing without the aid of the Great Spirit and that you must be humble enough for that assistance and then be grateful for what you receive.


Contrary:

To receive Buffalo upside-down is a signal that you have forgotten to seek help when it has been needed. 

If your hand is closed in a fist, you cannot receive the bounty of abundance. 

In understanding the significance of the reversed Buffalo, you may well ask yourself. 

(1) Have I forgotten my eternal partner, Great Spirit? 

(2) Am I pushing myself too fast in the physical world and keeping myself from seeing the importance of reunion with the Source of all life? 

(3) Have mI forgotten to honour the ways of others and to afford them the same respect that I wish to receive for myself? 

(4) Am I feeling like my life is being used for the highest good at this time? 

(5) Have I forgotten to be grateful for my life, my possessions, my talents, my abilities, my health, my family, or my friends?

(6) Is it time to make peace with another, or to make peace with some inner conflict I have so that I may walk in balance again?

Become Buffalo. 

Feel the smoke of prayer and praise change your Buffalo robe to white so that you may be an answer to the prayers of the world.

Overview:

The Buffalo was the most sacred of all animals to the American Indian because it gave entirely of itself providing not only food, but also materials for clothing, housing, cooking utensils and equipment, and weapons. As a power animal, 

Buffalo is thus concerned with provision and abundance, with sustenance and sharing. It stresses the importance of being prepared to share one's energies with others, and to recognize other
people's needs.

Buffalo is also symbolic of Wakan-Tanka - the Great Spirit in manifestation, who was also referred to as the Great Everything - and is a reminder that whatever talents and abilities we may have they all derive from the source of the Great Provider. 

So Buffalo as a power animal serves as a reminder that everything we possess is but temporary, and that true happiness can never be attained alone; it comes through sharing what one has, and what one is, with others. Sharing and caring.

Make way for abundance. 

Release fear of lack or scarcity. 

Open yourself to receive.



Source: 

Sams, Jamie and Carson, David. 
Medicine Cards 
Santa Fe: Bear and Company, 1988

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