Animal Medicine

Hi, My Name is Samantha Banks and as a Life Coach and Spiritual Guide it is my job to notice the signs in my life and to assist others in seeing them in their own. When we learn to read the signposts in the reflections of the world around us we can see how indeed our Soul and Spirit is communicating with us. These reflections help us to understand on a deeper level the nature of God and indeed our own divine nature, God teaches us through the animal kingdom and this has been called medicine by the anscestors. If we study it and pay attention then we will see that animals have a wisdom to be shared, this wisdom can help us in our own life. This past week I noticed on four different occasions that I was in the company of groups of Ibis's, usually I see them BUT not four times within a few days, this was my cue that I needed to pay attention. I meditated on this and asked Ibis to teach me her medicine and I wish to share it with you, Ibis shared with me my what I needed to understand and I believe that it is my duty to share it with you dear reader.... The wisdom of Ibis has much to do with community, community with yourself and others. I noticed that they always travel in groups, but even though they do this there is an individuality about each one. Often times they will stand on one foot, whilst some others will stand on both, this symbolism suggested to me that being a part of the group is important and that in our different communities we should srtive be our beautiful unique selves also. The standing on one foot represented being in the world, but not of it, so one foot on the ground and another in higher worlds. Standing on one leg and being stable is about balance, being focussed and being able to concentrate and hold ones mind even in the midst of a group. It takes trust and faith to be able to stand on one foot, to know that one might fall and to take a chance anyway, this faith comes from a connection to a higher power. Trusting that in life we MUST challenge ourselves in order to grow and that falling down is also a part of that process. This is how we learn to stand on our own two feet!!! Ibis spends alot of time pecking into the ground and standing on one foot although not at the same time, but it suggested an awareness of being physical (needing food and the Motrher Earth energies) and also an awareness higher consciousness as suggested earlier. This is a oneness with Father Sky and Mother Earth. Because I saw several large groups in different places and in fact twice had to wait for them to cross the street in front of me I meditated on the behavior and location of the communities of the Ibis's. Clearly when they crossed the road in front of me, I had to wait, I had to slow down, this was a teaching about patience ( I find myself being exasperated whilst driving lately LOL). It was also about having patience with others in our communities, people are moving at the pace that suits them and their soul always knows what it needs to get to the other side. We are individuals on the path and some of us are a little further ahead than others and yet, when one crosses the path we all do, we are in this together as one very large community. Know that wherever you go, you are a part of a community, whether it be the community of your immediate family, your friends, co-workers, Spiritual group or otherwise. Within our communities we have a chance to affect the consciousness of the group with our input (whether it be thoughts, words or actions) and our communities are linked to other communities through the human family community. This makes us responsible for each other and asks that we contribute to our communities with an understanding that when we do we affect the whole. The energy within our personal groups, we most notice this with our families is a microcosm, study this, you will learn much about yourself:) Are you nurturing your communities? Are you nurturing your own spiritual community within yourself, I speak of your Soul and Spirit, your connection to God? In Ibis communities there are sometimes dark colored one's, usually one or two only, although one group was nearly even numbered. The dark ones are not as aesthetically pleasing and yet they are more beautiful, they stand out from the crowd! This medicine was again about being ourselves, being unique and expressing our own unique qualities, no one can be YOU like YOU! I noticed these dark ones because they stood out and they represented the wayshowers , the teachers that we come across. Sometimes teachers are teachers in a more traditional way and othertimes they are teachers for us in understanding our own nature, reflections of our own shadow selves, that which seeks the purity of the white Ibis. As the saying goes, Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and it is important recognize that beauty in all things, even in our own shadow nature, when we can we 'see' where we need the Light. This can be a challenging part of Ibis medicine, but oh so worthwhile if we are willing look beyond immediate appearances. It is also about accepting ourselves and others, the good, the bad and the ugly and not judging, this will open us up to learning. When we have preconceived ideas we shut down. To summarize the Ibis medicine i will say this; It is good to be different, we are unique within our communities, we are an essential part of our communities, our personal ones and universal ones. Think human, animal, plant, dimensional etc. Sometimes we stand on our two feet and othertimes we need each other to lean on, we cannot do this journey without every single one of us. What we do affects everyone and everything, therefore we should be responsible, loving, good humans. I hope that you enjoyed this blog as much as I did writing it. Mother Nature has so much to share with us if we will only pay attention. Namaste Samantha Banks

One of the questions I am asked the most is how do I keep good energy around me and get rid of negative energy?

Well, all of us can relate to these questions as everyone has experienced being in a negative environment or around negative people or even just chaotic energy (think the mall at Xmas time LOL). This is something that we deal with everyday and it is unavoidable, but there are some things that you can do to help yourself and to clean up your aura and your physical space.  The first thing is to be aware of the energy that you are putting/sending out, your emotional and mental energy will ripple back to you and will also effect those around you. Only you can manage this and it indeed it is your responsibility to do so, that being said oftentimes we are not aware that there is negativity around us that is contributing to our 'bad mood' or 'irritability' or 'stagnation'. We are all connected to each other and our energy affects everyone, so once we start to be responsible and take action to clean up then we can start to be more aware of how we can 'hold' our own energy in check.

One of the best ways to clear energy is to use Sage and a specially made feather fan and abalone shell. Sage smoke  has long been used by Shamans to carry away low vibrations, all you do is place a few leaves of it in the Shell, the shell represents Mother Earth and the cleansing energy of water.  Once in the shell you use fire to create the smoke, fire represents transmutation or change and the smoke is the air carrying the low vibrations up to heaven for change. Use the feather fan to waft the sage smoke from the shell around you and around your space, the feathers are the wings of the bird carrying the energy up. You can say a prayer asking for the Light to clear you and your home/office etc. Pray for the highest good and Light to clear any unwanted energy. After you have done this you could also use some Sweet grass, again this has been used for eons and Sweet grass brings in good vibrations and attracts the Light. You would use the grass like the sage, waft it around yourself and then your space. So, with the Sage you clear and with the Sweet grass you bring in. I suggest that when you do this you open all the doors to your space so that the smoke can leave and take up your prayers. 

Take a moment afterwards to notice the difference, you may also wish to see your house bathed in a golden light. Take some time to sit and meditate and feel your own energy as you feel the Light vibrations filling you and surrounding you. 

I have included a link for my online store so that you may purchase your supplies from the comfort of your own home/office.  Click here.

Enjoy! 

Rev. Samantha Banks

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