Illustration by Sue Sell, Periwinkle Design

After seeing the Ylvis video, I didn’t quite know how I felt about it.

At first, as a Shamanic Practitioner I took offense, not because of the video, heck, I’ve stood in the woods at Shamanic events walking the woods like Snowy Owl, walking like her, sounding like her, and yes, she even has a name, because we’re close like that.

So when I saw this video, I saw it as a making fun of we shamans; then, when I looked at it again, past the silliness that most view it as being and entertaining in an absurd kind of way, I began to see its brilliance.

We shamans journey to our Power Animals, to the Lower World, or maybe as some would view it, to our subconscious, seeking the answers and healing that lies deep within us. As the old adage says, “The answers are always within,” and with all our drums, rattles, as dancing as one with our power animals, we dance our Power Animal dance, much like the men in this video, in our trance, communing with our animals, we become them and they become us—and we view the world from of the eyes of our animals.

Shamanism is an ancient spiritual practice, one of the oldest in mankind. Indigenous and Native cultures still honor the depth of power and healing that is found through convening with one’s power animal.

I’ll never forget the time Red Tail Hawk came to me in a dream, flew directly in front of me and mid-flight plucked a feather from its tail, handing it to me before flying away. It was only a few months later after that dream that more Red Tail Hawk energy came to me, and if one were to read about Red Tail Hawk and its connection to yoga, to Kundalini, one could see why I was so elated by the gift of that dream.

Shakti, the coiled serpent lying at the base of the spine waits for awakening so she may rise to meet with Shiva, the male energy, at the third eye, so that both, the male and the female energy combine as one, and through their combining of energy they become one, with no separation between the male or female energy, but rather only unity.

When I first viewed this video of a man communing with his fox, power animal, as I see it, I thought it was beautiful, but I also laughing at the silliness of it.

I wear my owl hat, I call out to Red Tail Hawk, deer bones grace my altar and I look for signs everyday from Mother Nature, through her animals and look for answers through the flights of butterflies.

I also look up the deeper meaning of the animals when they cross my path.

When my step-daughter Annie left for Prague after having lived with us for six months, we dropped her off at the airport, heavy hearted by her leaving, already missing her energy. When we pulled into our apartment complex later that day,  I saw a fox for the first time since living here.

I immediately went home and looked up what does a fox say? Not the video—because I didn’t know of it then—but the Shamanic meaning of fox, “adaptability, learning, quick and clear thinking, clear vision in the dark.”

So, what does a fox say?

I don’t know…but the Shaman in me says, Aooooooooo, why of course, that’s what a fox says, (but I really love the dignity-ding part too).

 

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Ed: Bryonie Wise