Animal Spirit Oracle: Susan Boulet

Animal Spirit Oracle, Susan Boulet

A friend of mine did a mini-reading for me using the beautiful Animal Spirit Knowledge Cards Oracle, created by Susan Boulet. (Boulet died in 1997.) I fell in love with the deck and ordered one as soon as I returned home. They arrived the other day, and I've been enjoying exploring this deck.

Crow, Susan Boulet

Some readers feel  that the deck is not used for "divinatory" purposes but  more for personal use. I haven't tried using them in a reading for another, but I will try that just to see. I've had good readings using other animal decks, the Medicine Cards in particular. I'm also curious about using these cards in a multi-deck reading, maybe with the Angel Dreams oracle. (Doreen Virtue.)

The cards are on the smaller side, with full picture on the front, and the meaning on the back. I like the fact that there isn't any text on the front. Just the image, there for you to meditate on without words. The slightly smaller than usual size for tarot or oracle cards doesn't detract from the artwork. There are 48 cards in the deck.

Back: Animal Spirit Knowledge Oracle
Source: Aeclectic Tarot

One slight criticism: I would have liked more diversity in the key words with the descriptions, and some of the images are sideways or "landscape" while the majority are vertical. I found that to be a little distracting.

Gnome Visit?

I'm not that well acquainted with gnome lore. Just not an area I've explored or am into. But I had a weird little dream right before I woke up this morning that was a bit of a nightmare. (Or morning-mare.)

image:pixabay

Jim is outside working in the front yard. I'm inside, watching from the living room window. I see a short, plump man who looks to be in his fifties, maybe sixties, bright white longish and curly hair. He's wearing a dark blue baseball cap, bright red -- candy apple red -- t-shirt, and jeans. He's behind Jim, and picks up our cat by his leg and just starts swinging him and dragging him around.

I am horrified and furious, and yell to Jim "He has Mango! He has Mango!" and then the man looks up at me, gives a wild grin, and jumps onto our porch, thumbing his nose at me, and starts messing around with the things on our porch. I yell at him "Get away from here, get off our porch!" but he just laughs.

He's a nasty little bugger.

When I wake up, I'm breathing hard, I can't move even though I'm awake, and I'm feeling a little frightened. Later in the day, when thinking about how odd this dream was, I get "gnome." "But," I say to myself, "he wasn't wearing a red cap, his shirt was, but not his cap. And he was bigger than a gnome, even though he was short, about five feet at the most." That other voice just says to me "Sigh."

I came across this regarding gnomes and cats:

illustration: Brian Froud

Gnomes | Type of faeries: Males are the guardians of animal kind and show little preference for their animal friends, not withstanding their aversion to cats both wild and domesticated. (Monsters.com)

Well, there it is and as far as I care to go for now. The dream had a "pop in" feel, meaning, it came from "out there." I have had those kinds of dreams before, including this one that I call the "green warty man." (Come to think about it, that was a gnomish type of dream as well.)

By the way, the green warty man I saw was not as cute and innocent as the Brian Froud drawing. My green warty entity was ugly, and not nice.

Panther

Panther came to visit me last night in a dream. 

I look out my bedroom window; in the yard is a huge black panther. She is beautiful! And very large, as big as a car. She is not aggressive, just lying there, up against the white picket fence.  A collar is around her neck, and a rope -- more like a ribbon, which is also white -- attached to the collar. But the leash of ribbon isn't attached to anything. She can go wherever she wants. She seems content to just be where she is.

I go out there, she is aware of me. No danger and yet, I am cautious. Awed, and so grateful I am so close to this wonderful creature. I am happy she has decided to come to my yard! But I am worried, for her, and others. If she's someone's "pet" well, she shouldn't be! No one should own an animal like that! But if she's on the loose, is she a danger to humans? I don't know. She doesn't seem to be.  

Everywhere I go, there she is. Not following me, but just there. Quiet, calm. Yet as I peer into her her glossy fur, and see the even darker spots beneath the blue black of her coat, her fur, her skin, begins to ripple. There is immense power within.

I also worry about this incredible and beautiful creature. Is she okay put here by herself? Doesn't she need to run free, in open spaces? What about food? She can't survive out here, what is there to eat? She seems okay now but . . .
I try to tell people that she needs help, or at least, contact someone who can assess her situation, like animal control. But no one seems to notice her. When they do, they just shrug and move on. They don't appreciate the gift of her presence at all.

 I wake up feeling both comforted and happy at having this visit from Panther, but also a little sad.

Image: public domain, RWS deck

The Tarot image that came to me large and vivid  when reading this dream: The High Priestess. This came to me before I found the following -- I did a little searching and found this: "Black Panther's Power Includes astral travel, guardian energy, symbol of the feminine, death and rebirth, understanding of death, reclaiming ones power, ability to know the dark, aggressiveness and power without solar influence, reclaiming Power." (Black Panther, Power Animal, Symbol of Astral Travel, Feminine Energy, Death and Rebirth By Ina Woolcott)

The High Priestess has to do with the subconscious, dreams, intuition, power, and the sheer membrane between realms. The High Priestess knows how to journey through these realms. 

Interesting about the feminine, and reclaiming power. I've been having some health issues lately and yesterday had to take care of some of these issues; on pain pills, which I do not like to take at all and rarely do, and meditating on the karmic cycle of these issues.

Zuni Fetish, panther. Image: Regan Lee

Woolcott also writes: Panthers are generally loners, extremely comfortable with themselves and are often drawn to other solitary people. … People with this power animal can develop clairaudience, the ability to hear communications from other forms of life or dimensions. They must trust their thoughts and inner voice/visions as they are based in reality. This is an animal guide to assist you on your path, sometimes in the form of a real person such a mentor or teacher. The Black Panther is endowed with great magic and power, which will increasingly be experienced.

I am definitely a solitary person or "loner" but not lonely. 

The following gave me goosebumps; remember I said as I walked closer to Panther and looked at her fur, I saw her skin rippling:

Panthers possess acute sensitivity. The hairs that cover their lithe bodies, especially on the face, pick up subtle vibrations. This is symbolic for those with this guide. It is an indication of a need to pay attention to their feelings and honour the messages those feelings transmit. (Woolcott)

I've been doing work with ancestors and animal guides, and have had the zuni fetish of a panther shown here on my altar for awhile now.

Another image that strikes me: the juxtaposition of the stark black and white in the RWS card, and the black of the panther against the white fence in my dream.

Related links:
Wolf in the Dark
Ancestor Altar

Cat Attraction: Electric Blue Aura Quartz Crystal

 

I bought three electric blue aura quartz crystals at the Gem Fair last weekend. Even though they are not "natural," having been intentionally enhanced  through a process involving an electrostatic charge applied to the crystal (read about that here) I was attracted to these crystals. Some practitioners don't like to use these because the stones have been tinkered with. However, some, like myself, have found that this enhancement amplifies and can be very useful.

These enhanced quartz crystals differ in appearance depending on the process used and the stone. My particular crystals are also known as cobalt aura quartz.

I wrapped this myself and am very pleased with the result. (The photos don't do it justice.) I've been wearing it all day and right away felt its energy; an interesting blend of calmness but also energy.

Earlier this evening my cat came to visit me as he does at the same time every evening. He loves to sit in my lap for his nightly routine: combing, pets, love, and affection (as well as attention), play time, etc. He began to climb onto my lap, and he stopped and stared -- really stared! -- right at my crystal. Now I wear a lot of jewelry every day, including all kinds of pendants, crystals, stones, etc. around my neck. Often more than one at a time. He's never been interested. But tonight, Mango stared at my newly acquired crystal, then took a few steps closer, looking even more intently at it, put his face to it -- it was very interesting! I wonder if he wasn't picking up on the energies of the crystal.