I have loved squirrels since childhood. It was my father who shared his love of these little creatures with me. My father would sit on our back porch in Minnesota on hot summer days and eat peanuts. He would eat one for himself and then throw a peanut or two to the squirrels that gathered around the base of the enormous Maple tree that shaded our entire backyard. Forty years later I still love these little creatures. They are wise spiritual teachers that teach me about energy and peace, in addition to assisting me with returning to my true nature.
WHERE ARE THE PEANUTS?
THE SQUIRREL AND THE TREE OF LIFE
One of my most poignant squirrel teaching moments occurred approximately six years ago. I was driving alone in my car not far from our home. We lived in Plymouth, Minnesota at the time. I was driving along looking straight ahead at the road before me when suddenly something in my peripheral vision caught my eye. I soon discovered it was a squirrel and in the blink of an eye it ran into the side of the car hitting my right front tire. I was speechless. I kept driving and then looked into my rearview mirror and saw the squirrel laying in the street. Tears started rolling down my cheeks and I burst out crying. About 45 seconds later, in between breaths I somehow connected in with the stillness of Source or God within me. I stopped crying immediately. I took another deep breath in and a deep breath out. It was then I received a very clear message that made no sound but arrived in the form of a knowing Voice from deep inside me.
One of my most poignant squirrel teaching moments occurred approximately six years ago. I was driving alone in my car not far from our home. We lived in Plymouth, Minnesota at the time. I was driving along looking straight ahead at the road before me when suddenly something in my peripheral vision caught my eye. I soon discovered it was a squirrel and in the blink of an eye it ran into the side of the car hitting my right front tire. I was speechless. I kept driving and then looked into my rearview mirror and saw the squirrel laying in the street. Tears started rolling down my cheeks and I burst out crying. About 45 seconds later, in between breaths I somehow connected in with the stillness of Source or God within me. I stopped crying immediately. I took another deep breath in and a deep breath out. It was then I received a very clear message that made no sound but arrived in the form of a knowing Voice from deep inside me.
THE VOICE
The Voice said, "You wouldn't leave a person lying back there in the street would you?"
This Voice caught me completely by surprise. So much so that I took a left turn at the first available cross street I encountered.
I parked my car by the curb and answered,
"No I would never do that."
It then dawned on me. If we are all "One" as many of us begin saying once we awaken. Then we are all equal in the eyes of the divine. It is only the ego that creates an error in our thinking that says, "That's just a squirrel, turtle, or bird, " instead of realization that it's a being of light, just like me, and each being is contained within a vessel albeit furry, feathered, with scales or skin.
With this revelation I pulled away from the curb and headed back in the direction of the squirrel lying in the road. The thought flowed in that I had a paper bag in the back of my car. I pulled over to the curb next to the squirrel. When I stepped out of the car a new awareness came over me. It was inner strength and compassion all rolled into one. The strength came in knowing I was doing the right thing, and I really didn't care if someone saw me picking up a squirrel or wondered why I was doing it. The compassion flowed forth from my heart as I put the squirrel in the bag. In the next moment I was given a simple way to turn this experience into light.
THE MESSAGE
I heard the Voice again.
"Insert honor into the experience." It said.
A thought flowed in my mind, "I'll bury this little squirrel in my fairy garden."
And that's exactly what I did. I drove back to my house. First, I made a cross out of sticks. I then created a sacred space in the fairy garden and gently placed the squirrel in the ground. On a piece of paper I wrote the Ho'oponopono Prayer:
I'm sorry. Please forgive me. I love you. Thank you.
Then I got back in my car and drove to the store up the street. I purchased a single red rose.
I placed the prayer and the rose on top of the sacred spot where I buried the squirrel.
That night I had a dream...
THE DREAM
The squirrel whose life I accidentally ended came to me in a dream. The squirrel met me at the bottom of a gigantic tree, just like the one in my backyard as a child but way, way bigger. It was like the Tree of Life! Once I was aware of the squirrel's presence it began climbing the tree. He then ran up the top of the tree and stood on one of its huge branches.
He stated, "Thank you for honoring my purpose for being."
He exclaimed! "Look at where I live now! Isn't it magnificent?!"
I woke up from the dream with a new understanding. I understand the importance of inserting honor into every experience with people (this includes myself), all creatures big and small, and nature. I also understood that "the body" is just a vessel, container, or shield if you will, but that our magnificent essence, our light, never dies. It just changes form.
Whenever we insert honor into any experience we shall always take out the pain.
The Voice said, "You wouldn't leave a person lying back there in the street would you?"
This Voice caught me completely by surprise. So much so that I took a left turn at the first available cross street I encountered.
I parked my car by the curb and answered,
"No I would never do that."
It then dawned on me. If we are all "One" as many of us begin saying once we awaken. Then we are all equal in the eyes of the divine. It is only the ego that creates an error in our thinking that says, "That's just a squirrel, turtle, or bird, " instead of realization that it's a being of light, just like me, and each being is contained within a vessel albeit furry, feathered, with scales or skin.
With this revelation I pulled away from the curb and headed back in the direction of the squirrel lying in the road. The thought flowed in that I had a paper bag in the back of my car. I pulled over to the curb next to the squirrel. When I stepped out of the car a new awareness came over me. It was inner strength and compassion all rolled into one. The strength came in knowing I was doing the right thing, and I really didn't care if someone saw me picking up a squirrel or wondered why I was doing it. The compassion flowed forth from my heart as I put the squirrel in the bag. In the next moment I was given a simple way to turn this experience into light.
THE MESSAGE
I heard the Voice again.
"Insert honor into the experience." It said.
A thought flowed in my mind, "I'll bury this little squirrel in my fairy garden."
And that's exactly what I did. I drove back to my house. First, I made a cross out of sticks. I then created a sacred space in the fairy garden and gently placed the squirrel in the ground. On a piece of paper I wrote the Ho'oponopono Prayer:
I'm sorry. Please forgive me. I love you. Thank you.
Then I got back in my car and drove to the store up the street. I purchased a single red rose.
I placed the prayer and the rose on top of the sacred spot where I buried the squirrel.
That night I had a dream...
THE DREAM
The squirrel whose life I accidentally ended came to me in a dream. The squirrel met me at the bottom of a gigantic tree, just like the one in my backyard as a child but way, way bigger. It was like the Tree of Life! Once I was aware of the squirrel's presence it began climbing the tree. He then ran up the top of the tree and stood on one of its huge branches.
He stated, "Thank you for honoring my purpose for being."
He exclaimed! "Look at where I live now! Isn't it magnificent?!"
I woke up from the dream with a new understanding. I understand the importance of inserting honor into every experience with people (this includes myself), all creatures big and small, and nature. I also understood that "the body" is just a vessel, container, or shield if you will, but that our magnificent essence, our light, never dies. It just changes form.
Whenever we insert honor into any experience we shall always take out the pain.
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SQUIRRELS AND PEACE
I have found that squirrels love the energy of peace just as much as I do. At the Squirrel Yoga class by the pool at my home yesterday the attendees were acting a bit "squirrely" at first but only until I got in the present moment, centered, and still. Choosing to be still allows me to create a sacred space by connecting with the divine in me. I then emanate the energy of peace from my entire being. It's amazing how I can connect with nature, animals and any human being when I "return" to my true nature - peace and love. When I connect in with the peace within me the squirrels immediately begin to connect in with the peaceful energy I am emanating. I know the moment this occurs because they start coming closer and closer to the feeling I am extending to everything around me. Many times I close my eyes and just listen which allows me to began to tune into all the sounds of nature. I hear the birds chirping, the bamboo moving in the wind, and I can also hear my little squirrel friends crunching on sunflower seeds just a foot or two away from me and that is the best sound ever. |
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WILL WORK FOR PEANUTS
A squirrel friend has a snack while keeping me company as I paint rocks out in the clubhouse by the pond. |
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A COURSE IN MIRACLES
My little squirrel friend says a prayer over his food while we relax together on the lounge chair on a warm summer's day. |
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AN OWL GRACES ME WITH THE ENERGY OF WISDOM ON SUMMER SOLSTICE 2019
Early one morning in June I stepped outside to fill the bird feeders when I discovered an owl perched in the tree right above me. I went back into the house to get my phone to so I could take a picture of this beautiful creature. I also had a thought flow in to get my yoga mat and sit beneath the tree. So that's what I did. For the next hour the owl and I sat looking at one another. Wow! What a blessing these creature teachers are for us. The owl was demonstrating for me such power, stillness, grace, and patience. |
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A RACCOON FRIEND POSES FOR THE CAMERA
One day I was sitting outside and heard a rustling sound behind me. I thought it was one of my squirrel buddies, instead I encountered this cute raccoon who was passing through. It looks like he's posing for the picture. I love animals and nature. What a blessing to share this place I call home with these lovely creatures. |
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THE FOX DEN BY OUR FRONT DOOR
My husband and I are blessed to live in a very sacred space that we call home. We are just the custodians or caretakers if you will, in the true sense we don't own it, and it doesn't own us. We share in a relationship of love with it and each day it brings for a new gift for our heart to experience. The first time we drove down the driveway with a realtor, to look at the property, we were captivated. The enormous oak tree greeted us with its powerful energy as we pulled up in front of the house. After experiencing the energy of being on this property for just an hour we looked no further, and wrote a purchase agreement that very night. About 6 months after moving in I discovered a fox den, just 45 feet from our front door! This beautiful fox graces us with his presence as he goes in and out of his den. |
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AN ARMADILLO PASSES THROUGH
Early one morning in March 2020 I was guided to sit outside by the great tree stump we have in our back yard. I unrolled my yoga mat and sat in the early morning stillness listening to the birds awaken and begin to sing their songs to embrace the new day. As I sat with my legs crossed listening to the birds I began to hear a rustling in the underbrush off to my left, as the creature making the sound came closer I began to hear a "clickity-clack, clickity-clack, clickity-clack as its feet made contact with the pool decking made of brick. And then the coolest thing happened! The armadillo walked right in front of me! It was an armadillo, so focused on his mission of finding breakfast that he or she didn't even know I was there. And then, just like that off he or she went with its little head to the ground on a mission looking for grubs and other insects. |
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LOUNGING WITH A SQUIRREL FRIEND
One day was relaxing in one of the two lounge chairs we have by the pool. I was enjoying listening to the sounds of the birds and nature all around me while reading my A Course In Miracles book. A short time later, one of my squirrel friends hopped up on the lounge chair next to me. We enjoyed each others company while we relaxed together. |
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OUR RESIDENT ALLIGATOR NAMED NOAH
My husband and I live in Florida on a 3-acre slice of heaven on the outskirts of a beach town. We have many sacred beings that allow us to share this space with them - fox, racoons, birds, squirrels, gopher tortoise, snakes and even an alligator. Our alligator friend resides in the pond at the back of our property. He is free to roam wherever he pleases but has claimed our pond as his home. We honor and respect him and speak to him. And in return he gifts us with his amazing beauty, stillness, and the wisdom he carries within his being. He eats the fish that live in the pond and we all live in peace together. My vision of heaven on earth realized. |
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DINING WITH A TREE FROG
One summer evening a couple years ago a friend and I were dining at an outdoor restaurant. We were spending time catching up with one another when a tree frog jumped up on an empty chair at our table. It was fabulous! My friend and I laughed and welcomed our new dinner guest. Our tree frog friend sat quietly as if he or she was listening to our conversation. He remained until we finished our meal. As we got up to leave so did he or was it a she! |
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