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Kangaroo - Warrior Energy

Keywords:


Warrior energy. Responsibility. Desert wisdom. Endurance. Instinctive movement. Pride. Fertility. Herb wisdom. Urban connection to native wisdom. Pasture, meadows, plains, plateaus. Urban warrior. Family and hierarchy. Co-operation. Tight focus. Giving away thought, embracing intuition. Motherhood. The multi-tasking mother.






General Description:

The kangaroo is a large herbivorous marsupial (with the red kangaroo being the largest in Australia) with powerful hind legs that it uses for locomotion. Their body is around 80% muscle mass. Their long tail is used as a rudder while traveling. Kangaroos often live in 'mobs,' and tend to be social animals with a social hierarchy. They live in a variety of habitats; red kangaroos prefer arid environments, grey kangaroos prefer coastal environments, and combined with other species occupy almost every habitat in Australia.

Most kangaroos are capable of embryonic diapause, an unusual ability to pause the development of embryos when the environment doesn't support the raising of offspring. They communicate through body language (like feet-stamping), touch, coughing, clicking and grunting. Red kangaroos characteristically 'box' one another for females. They are a source of food and fur, and hunting is regulated.

Lessons and Challenges:

Kangaroo brings extraordinarily strong warrior energy for all genders. This warrior energy brings strength, leadership and decisiveness in someone's life, and aids self-empowerment. Kangaroo comes into your life to tell you that even though situations look grim, or support may be sparse, you possess all the qualities to be a warrior and fight for what is necessary in order to nourish you.

Kangaroos teach us about family and hierarchy. It is important to recognise that our role in family is important, and where we sit on the hierarchy is crucial. If we are battling too strongly against it, or resist 'fitting in', kangaroo comes along to give you a sharp smack on the head and tells you that you are a part of your family - whether they are blood or not - and that you must accept your place in the hierarchy, no matter what it is.

We must take responsibility for our actions and their consequences, and this is a lesson that kangaroo can bring into focus. Only in embracing responsibility can we take pride in our ability to live well, and recognise the value not only in our successes, but also in our mistakes.

Kangaroo comes into our life and tells us how to assess obstacles instinctively. Instead of staring at our problems and never dealing with them. Kangaroo gives us the power to notice them and then immediately clear them with a big bounding leap of thought, realisation, or literal movement. It is time for you to give away thought, it is not benefiting you at this time. Trust your instincts, do not over-intellectualise your problems.

In addition to learning how to assess obstacles, kangaroo helps you to look within for resources of endurance that you already possess. All obstacles can be cleared, negotiated or understood with the ability to endure.

Kangaroos have many offspring on the go at once, and are fertile almost all year round, they often lend support to the multi-tasking mother, and the parents who are 'juggling' life and children, give us the energy and know-how when it comes to successfully multi-tasking.

Along with lessons relating to parenting, there are also those relating to fertility; not necessarily that of giving birth to offspring, but that of giving birth to new directions in your life. Kangaroo reminds us that we have resources around us such as family, friends, food, water, shelter, work etc. Chances are, one or two of these sections are letting us down, but we always have more to fall back on. Our life is never as truly bad as we feel it is, it is a fertile ground.

Kangaroo comes into your life to suggest that if you are considering having children, or wanting to bring a big project into your life, it is time to postpone childbirth and other forms of 'birth.' Your project or attempts are not working because now is not the time to bring something new into this world.

The kangaroo brings our life into tight focus. It is important to make sure our energy is grounded and centred at all times, particularly at this time in your life. It is time to concentrate. Meditation, and exercises that require focus are recommended at this time.

Kangaroo, particularly red kangaroo, teaches us desert wisdom, and suggests that at this time, you might want to avoid excess (food, lifestyle etc.) and make your lifestyle more 'sparse.' Make your environment, even if only temporarily, more minimalistic to create a greater sense of focus and simplicity in your life. This is one aspect of desert wisdom that you can implement into your life.

Many kangaroos adapt very well to urban environments, and through kangaroo we can use our urban connections to seek native wisdom, or the wisdom of the land that nurtures and challenges us. Grey kangaroo in particular is the urban warrior who gives us the strength work, live and grow in the city and suburbs. She reminds us that no matter where we live, the connection to the land is with us.

The symbolism of plants and herbs, is relevant when kangaroo energy is around. Kangaroo is an excellent guide for people who are learning herbalism, those who have a strong connection to trees, and those who wish to develop stronger connections to all flora. At this time, it can benefit to look into the right herbs, vitamins and vegetable matter for us. We might even consider introducing more green vegetables into our diet, or researching a particular herb of interest to us.

Pastures, meadows, plains and plateaus feature when kangaroo comes into your life. You might be on a plateau in your spirituality, career or home-life, or you might be drawn to plateaus and plains in real life. Do not see plateaus as a bad thing, and be gentle with yourself if you have hit a point in your life where everything seems 'the same.' Take the time to drive through the rural parts of your country, stop at meadows and ovals, take the time to enjoy places that aren't heavily forested, places with little undergrowth. Enjoy the direct connection to the earth and the feeling of the sun on your back.

The Shadow Aspects:

The shadow energy of kangaroo often finds its way into the lives of people who are scared of slowing down because of what it might reveal about themselves of their lifestyle. Those with very busy lives are often scared of confronting deeper issues that are important, they may hide behind working and socialising, never giving their thoughts a chance to catch up with them. Kangaroo confronts this, and can forge powerful relationships with the people who decide to work with it.

Kangaroo also confronts those who have problems with accepting responsibility. Chances are you do not accept enough responsibility for your actions or your life. Kangaroo lets us know that this choice to give away blame harms ourselves and others, and persistently encourages us to accept responsibility for our choices.

Communion:

Like all animal helpers, this animal will only appear when right and appropriate, and cannot be forced to visit you, commune with you, or share messages with you. Kangaroo is a powerful guide, and while some, like the red kangaroo can be hard to contact; all respond well when approached with respect and self-confidence. Because kangaroo teaches endurance, and the ability to fight a situation out, s/he will stay for as long as needed as a guide and tends to show up for the long haul.

Offerings like water, herbage, desert sands, images of plateaus etc. can add strength to your connection with kangaroo. Scents like sandalwood, eucalyptus, or any scent that reminds you of wide open spaces are appropriate. Kangaroo tends to prefer simple rituals that are conducted with respect and skill. It is better to do a short ritual that you are confident in performing, than a long ritual that you have not mastered. Simple drumming styles, chants and postures that you find easy to maintain are all effective methods to contact this great warrior energy.

Date: 2008-04-02 03:37 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] earthguardian.livejournal.com
this card... really speaks to me day which has been emotional hell for me.

it says, among all your other cards really, that you can't really force an animal/guide to come speak to you.

but i feel like... i really need someone or something right now....
:/

Date: 2008-04-03 12:07 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] moonvoice.livejournal.com
*hugs*
Sometimes it is just a matter of asking the universe, but if you're not used to knowing how to listen, the support will be there and it can be hard to access.

Guides are around everyone, supporting everyone in their own way. It takes practicing techniques like meditation and visualisation to be able to bridge the gap between us.

Date: 2008-04-02 04:07 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] rainsingingwolf.livejournal.com
The coloring turned out a lot like I imagined on this one. He's sturdy and strong. You've brought this one to life.

The print of Jellyfish just came in today. :D I love it so much!

Date: 2008-04-02 04:10 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] moonvoice.livejournal.com
Wow that was fast! It takes a bit longer to come to Australia. I'm glad you like it! Glen really likes it too.

It's weird sometimes, the ones that I like are often radically different from the ones other like. Everyone seems to love glider, but I love kangaroo more... o.o

Date: 2008-04-02 04:16 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] rainsingingwolf.livejournal.com
I just have to figure out where to put it. :D People always talk about wanting to fly away like birds, but when I see jellyfish...that's more like freedom to me.

Glider was cute, but it doesn't speak to me like Kangeroo. Maybe that's because I'm a warrior-type though. :) They are both very good. I wonder if maybe the cooler colors attracted more people to Glider, as well?

Date: 2008-04-02 04:24 am (UTC)

Date: 2008-04-03 12:07 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] moonvoice.livejournal.com
Thank you. :)

Date: 2008-04-02 05:05 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] paleo.livejournal.com
I watched the Australia episode of "Discovery Atlas" which was a lovely show that followed a handful of individuals for a year from various countries to help paint a broader picture of that country. Anyways, the Australia show was following an Aboriginal lady from a rainforest tribe who was going to travel to a desert tribe to perform a dance honoring the rain spirits of her home, something she was a little nervous about because this had never been attempted in a desert area. In showing the desert tribe's side of thing, one man spoke of his connection to Red Kangaroo and even demonstrated a shapeshift which was amazing to witness the aspecting of this totem. Calm, proud, but also strong, alert, and protective.

For some reason, I am so drawn to the fact that you made the Sun black. It works surprisingly well and makes me thing of how in deserts the sun is so bright that you start to see a black spot after image wherever you look.

Date: 2008-04-03 12:15 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] moonvoice.livejournal.com
*nods* I've seen kangaroo shifting up close, and it's probably one of the ones that touches me the most. That, and emu, goanna and the one time I saw willie wagtail. Lol. They all stand out the most for me.

The sun had to be black for kangaroo. While this is a more 'general' kangaroo card, red kangaroo came out strongly as the champion for the energy, and he is so primal to me.

Date: 2008-04-02 06:45 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] zuki-san.livejournal.com
Mm, lovely warm desert colours. Makes me want to lie on a rock in the sun and smile. Makes me think of the foothills, and what it was like outside of town in Boise. It's so green in Maryland, there are trees everywhere. Quite the contrast.

What is it about the warrior herbivores? (That is, the notion of 'prey animals' as warriors used to seem incongruous to me. ...Then again, I'm not sure how many predators the big kangaroos have today, besides Man.)

Thinking about this reminded me of a conversation I had with a friend yesterday, where I brought up that the two or three worst dreams I ever had all had the same base pattern: something bad was going to happen, and I had to keep fighting it, keep delaying, stalling, challenging the situation until I could get out of it, in both cases my waking myself up and getting out of the dream. One dream had a bizarre sort of closure before that point, the other did not. Upon waking, I took pride in my dreaming-self for continuing to fight against a scary and threatening situation, even if I was balked at every turn to escape that house, to call 911. I would have kept trying, and something could have worked eventually.

Thinking about the concept of 'warrior energy' while skimming over this essay brought that to mind.

Date: 2008-04-02 06:51 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] moonvoice.livejournal.com
What is it about the warrior herbivores?

Kangaroos have been responsible for attacking and even killing humans. And aside from the wedgetail eagle (when it predates on their young), they currently have no natural predators, except for us. The thylacine and thylacoleo probably predated on them though.

Plus, the kangaroo used to be carnivorous, in the archaeological record. They have been known to disembowel dogs that have attempted to attack them, and also to flee to waterways and then actively hold down predators that follow them into the water and drown them.

Herbivores are also plant hunters, very naturally.

Interestingly, as well as being known to attack and kill people, they have also been known to save their lives too. And one has received the RSPCA National Animal Valour Award for doing just that.

Date: 2008-04-02 07:42 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] zuki-san.livejournal.com
Thylacoleo came to mind as a past predator, but I'd forgotten about the carnivorous kangaroo. (Then again, some people think that the arrival of humans to Australia helped to cause thylacoleo's extinction. Swapping one predator for another.)

Drowning predators is clever. Kangaroos are more dangerous than an out-of-towner like me might have thought at first. Though I'm not really suprised, given pause for thought.

This is food for thought, especially in the context of perhaps comparing the different warrior energies of different animals. Kangaroo is not Rabbit, their strategies will at times differ. Thank you!

Warrior Predators

Date: 2008-04-02 10:07 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] perzephone.livejournal.com
What is it about the warrior herbivores? (That is, the notion of 'prey animals' as warriors used to seem incongruous to me. ...

The idea of a warrior herbivore makes me think about this moose I saw one time. It attacked and killed a little red sports car and almost took out the driver - when the guy crawled out of the sun roof the moose chased him a short distance & then stood in the road tossing its head like it was saying, "Yeah, you better run!". I've also been assaulted by llamas. Llamas are effective and disgusting warriors - even if they do have girly eyelashes.

Date: 2008-04-02 08:58 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] dethas.livejournal.com
I love it coloured - but I think the messages that you write about come through stronger in the black and white version - it lends it strength and 'sternness' somehow.

Don't get me wrong - it's a *P* work so I love it - but... well, there's gotta be favourites and not so favourites!!

Date: 2008-04-03 12:17 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] moonvoice.livejournal.com
This work isn't meant to be aesthetically pleasing as much as the others anyway, red kangaroo energy in particular is too striking to ever really be pretty I think. I don't expect it to sell many prints, except to those who are really drawn to kangaroo.

Date: 2008-04-02 04:37 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] lupabitch.livejournal.com
The coloration on this one is absolutely phenomenal! I love the shading!

ANd now I have to go and read about kangaroos because you made them sound so interesting.

Date: 2008-04-03 12:18 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] moonvoice.livejournal.com
Kangaroos ARE interesting!
And then you have the nail-tail wallaby, which for reasons completely unknown to scientists, have a horny 'nail' growing out of their tail.

Whee!

Date: 2008-04-03 03:17 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] lupabitch.livejournal.com
Dude. I wonder if that's been covered on [livejournal.com profile] wtf_nature?

Date: 2008-04-02 06:56 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mycala.livejournal.com
Thank you so much for this. Kangaroo is very special to me.

Date: 2008-04-03 12:18 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] moonvoice.livejournal.com
My pleasure.
*hugs*

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