AAOD: Fox and Lyrebird Energy

[moonvoice]

Lyrebird - Listen

Keywords:

Listening to the true meaning of others. Listening to spirit. Creating a unique song. Letting the voices of others move through you. Channelling. Keeping your sacred spaces clean. Freeing yourself of clutter. Releasing your true voice. Introversion. Truth.





General Description:

The lyrebird is an endemic ground-dwelling Australian bird that is so-named because the male's tail forms the shape of a 'lyre.' This tail is displayed during courtship, which is often accompanied by a unique, complex song that features complex mimicry. The male will perform his dance, display and song on a courtship mound, at which point an enticed female will mate with him and then go away to build her own nest and raise her offspring.

The lyrebird has the most complex or sophisticated syrinx (voice box) of any songbird. During their long, complex courting songs they voluntarily imitate humans, machinery (car engines, alarms, camera shutters), other animals (kookaburras, dogs barking, magpie calls and so on), musical instruments and explosions. The female lyrebird is also adept at mimicry. Lyrebirds are intensely shy, so they are often only 'found' via their unique calls. Lyrebirds live in forests and consume arthropods and seeds. The lyrebird is ancient, and has been found in the fossil record at 15 million years ago. It is immortalised on the Australian 10c coin.

Lessons and Challenges:

Lyrebird teaches us to listen not only to what other people say, but to what might be the true meaning behind their words and actions. The lyrebird itself might sing a car alarm, which often indicates warning, but when the lyrebird sings it, it is a call for love and attention. It is a call to other lyrebirds, and a form of bonding. Likewise, lyrebird encourages you to listen to not what people are saying on the surface, but to what their words might communicate at a real and emotional level. Aggression may indicate a desire for love, and false flattery may indicate a hidden ugliness. Lyrebird gives us this power to see the truth in what a person is saying, no matter how they are saying it. Lyrebird is a very powerful energy for seeing through lies and facades down to the truth of the matter.

Lyrebird teaches us how to listen to the spirit. This often involves finding quiet places, or becoming introverted so that we might quieten our external surroundings and hear what is beneath all of that. The rustle of leaves in a tree, the sound of rain falling, all of these gentle sounds are the spirit, which always has a message for us if we shut out the 'noise' and invite the spirit into our lives.

Lyrebird's 'true song' is a mish mash of the songs and sounds of the world around it, improvised and often creatively changed to become its own music. Likewise, when we speak, our words and our accent, our ideas and our thoughts area mish mash of those in the external world. Lyrebird encourages us to make this external influence our own, to change it into something that is only a reflection of our personality, but into something that we can then sing and speak outwards again to others. Lyrebird reminds us that one of the reasons we are unique is because we can choose to create something new from the old. It is time to create our own unique song, if we do not have one, and it is time to strengthen it, if we do.

Lyrebird is an excellent animal energy for assisting, triggering or strengthening the ability to channel. Lyrebird lets other voices move through us, if we allow it. This might come through in the ability of mimicry, or in the spirit world, it may come through in the form of other spirits and people, and even animal energies wishing to communicate through our own voice. Try 'speaking' out loud, what your spirit helpers and animal energy guides are saying to you. Even try recording it, so you can play it back to yourself later. Sometimes a greater wisdom is found when we speak what we are being taught from the spirit, and lyrebird suggests it is time to do this in our lives.

There is a strong aspect of truth to lyrebird's energy. Lyrebird teaches us how to release our true voice, or the voice which - though ever changing - communicates who we really are, and what we really feel at any one time. If you encourage lyrebird energy into your life, it will herald a time when you will come to find it easier to say what you really 'mean' to other people, and where they will be better able to understand that. Lyrebird energy is excellent for shy people, because it is gentle, and helps you to say what you mean without having to compromise your own shy nature.

Lyrebird reminds us to keep our sacred spaces clean, and also to get rid of clutter! Lyrebird tells us that a cluttered altar, shrine, dressing table etc. doesn't help spirits to communicate clear messages to us. Likewise, lyrebird encourages us to stop hoarding, and to start throwing out things we no longer need. A clean and clear space encourages a better flow of energy, and a more profound sense of silence in our own living spaces. Take this further, if you like, and start 'cleaning' up your mental spaces too. If you are lacking discipline at this time in your life, lyrebird - a very clean animal - will help you to find it.

The Shadow Aspects:

When the shadow energy of lyrebird comes into your life, it suggests that you are having problems letting your 'true voice' out. You may be so disconnected from your real feelings that you may have no idea if you even have a true voice (you do, don't worry). You may resent, fear or even hate your true voice because of insecurity. Lyrebird asks you to confront any issues you may have with your true voice and to set it free despite your fears.

Lyrebird also confronts issues you may have with 'listening.' We might not want to listen to others because we feel we ourselves are never 'heard.' Alternatively we might listen too much and resent the time we never take for ourselves. Learning how to create a positive relationship with the act of listening will enable your life to become more rewarding.

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. Vocal forms of communication, via instruments or our own voice, are all very successful ways to commune and encourage the energy of lyrebird into our lives. Consider evoking the energy through mimicry, what animals can you copy? What accents are you good at?

You can also consider evocation by clearing a 'sacred space' (even if only temporary) in your home, and keep it clean. Perhaps post up a picture or drawing of lyrebird to encourage the energy into this space. Lyrebird is drawn, in my own experience, to clean spaces that it can call its own. Lyrebird has a beguiling and often secretive character, it is also often a very gentle energy, and can be excellent guides for those people who are shy and have problems communicating with others.



NOTE: This 'general information' in this file is written focusing primarily on fox as a feral animal in Australia.

Fox - Cunning

Keywords:

Cunning. The trickster. Stealth. Planning ahead. Mischievousness. Success. Magic. Mystery. Understanding yourself. Insight. Making opportunity. Spellwork and ritual. Wisdom. Active spirituality. Activating the dormant.





General Description:

The fox was introduced into the Eastern states of Australia in the 1800s to assist in sport hunting. Now it is one of the most widespread of feral animals in the country. There are more red foxes in Australia then there are in the U.K. The red fox is opportunistic and feeds on mammals, reptiles, insects and birds. It will not always eat what it kills. As well as predating upon native wildlife, it also competes with many marsupials, birds and reptiles for habitat. The fox is an additional pest because it predates on livestock, such as young lambs. The fox is mainly active at night and dens in logs / bushes / hollows. Litters average at around four cubs. In Australia, fencing and fox baiting has been attempted in some states to some success.

Lessons and Challenges:

Fox has powerful energy, as can be seen by its ability to adapt to any situation no matter what the circumstance. From the harsh outback of Australia, to the suburbs and industrial areas of the Northern hemisphere, the fox is a modern success story - and for that reason also a bit of a pest. Fox teaches us the pros and cons of what it is to be truly successful. Whenever we make a 'home' in a new place, fox shows us that there are great losses and gains in finding our niche and our place in life. Success presents many facets, not all joyful and rewarding. Fox teaches us to understand our relationship to success - real or imagined - and then to integrate all the facets of it.

Fox brings magic into our lives, and for those who consider themselves pagan or spiritual, it might be time to introduce more ritual and ceremony into your life. This might come in the form of simply meditating more often, or in the form of longer, more ceremonial rituals. If you are not spiritual or religious, consider researching religion, magic and what mysteries people are drawn to understanding, and how a spiritual path may help bring them closer to understanding the greater mysteries of life and the world around us.

Fox, in many cultures, has been represented as the trickster. Its playful, cunning and stealthy energy can often slip into our lives to remind us to laugh at ourselves, and to also recognise when we are the butt of a more cosmological joke. Unfortunately these aren't usually present or even wanted, but cosmological jokes teach us a great deal about ourselves. They force us to shine a light upon even those aspects of ourselves that we may find embarrassing, humiliating, or outright 'bad.' Fox teaches us that there is nothing truly 'bad' about who we are as people, and that embarrassment is just another avenue to laughter and healing. An uncomfortable avenue, but an avenue nonetheless!

It can be hard path to seek insight, and understanding of ourselves. Fox accompanies us on this path, as fox does not balk at anything that we characteristically balk at. Fox energy can lend great strength if we choose to accept its presence in our lives. With insight, we come to know who we are and what we want out of life, and how transient both of these things can be.

When fox energy turns up in our lives, there is an element of mischievousness occurring around us. We may be feeling more playful than usual, or alternatively the world around us may be nudging us into a position where we can use mischievous and a cheeky nature in order to cheer the lives of the people around us.

Fox enables activation. Fox energy activates stagnancy, depressed spirituality, and dormant gifts and abilities. This awakening period can be frightening or exhilarating, but no matter what our attitude to it, it brings great opportunity. Fox can help us to make opportunity in our lives, as the energy of fox continuously kicks those aspects of ourselves which are hidden, oppressed, suffocating or lost to our conscious minds.

Fox teaches the practical ability of planning ahead. It is time to review your resources, both physically and spiritually, and take stock of what you need to protect and 'save for later' in case of crisis. It might be spiritual techniques and rituals you don't want to forget, or it might be starting up another savings account, 'just in case.' Fox helps you to protect yourself, by looking ahead without weighing yourself down with fears of the future.

Fox seems to be one of the primary animal energies, and is so because of the great wisdom it imparts with its teachings. The presence of fox can be upsetting, or calming, it can be joyful, hilarious, or very uncomfortable, but however it feels, it is also profound and can be life-changing if we let it into our life.

The Shadow Aspects:

The joke's on you! Fox as a shadow aspect let's us know that someone is playing a trick on us, or that - more likely - we are playing a trick on ourselves! We have convinced ourselves of lies or deceptions that will in the end uproot us if we don't let them go. Alternatively we have let others convince us of lies and deceptions and they are starting to damage us and hurt us to the point that fox has reared its head. Fox tells us that jokes are great in moderation, but that too much is flat out dangerous and hurtful. Wake up. It might require some courage on your behalf to face the harsh truths that you have been hiding from.

Those who fear or dislike fox might dislike the idea of using manipulation of any form in their own lives, even if the results might be healthful and nourishing to more than just themselves. They may also feel that they are 'cheating' in some way if they use their skills and knowledge to beat someone else to a finish line, such as getting a job or going for a promotion. Fox can be especially helpful in the workplace, but only if we first overcome our dislike or fear of it.

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. Fox, being a prevalent and adaptable energy, can respond to just about any form of contact that you can think of. However in my own (limited) experience, fox often prefers more formalised rituals. Consider strengthening your ceremonial experience by writing songs, or poems, or chants for fox and then reading them out. Consider having an object physically dedicated to fox. Alternatively you can investigate a new ritual or ceremonial avenue and try something that you've never tried before. It is important with fox, that you make an effort to make contact, no matter what it involves. Be creative, find something that is individual and really fits you and how you would like your relationship with fox to unfold. And remember, be prepared to laugh at yourself and stuff up occasionally, it is fox after all!


x-posted to the_animist and totem_animals

Comments

[halyn.livejournal.com]

This makes me realize how little I've comparitively done with my native plants and animals.

I guess I can add it to the list of things I'll do someday. When I have free time. And maybe lots of money. And a pony.

[ayellowbirds.livejournal.com]

Some wonderful footage demonstrating the lyrebird's mimicry: http://www.devilducky.com/media/46386/

Most people i know who've encountered foxes have faced them as a malevolent force, a killer of pets and farm animals that doesn't even take the smallest bit as food. I myself experience them as something of a phantasmal creature, only glimpsed in flight.

[hakuzo.livejournal.com]

Thank you. This confirms a lot that I have intuited from Fox.

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

I'm glad to hear that. *hugs*

[greensh.livejournal.com]

My "shamanic" name is Sun Fox. I'll save your posted info for later reference!