Spirit Lodge - Totem Animals - Page 77

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Totem Animals

Page 77

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Bear Medicine	Birth Totems	Coyote Medicine	Dragon Ranks	Dragonfly Medicine	Eagle Medicine	Four Animal Helpers	Grey Wolf Medicine	Hawk
Heron Medicine	Horse	Magpie	Raccoon	Salmon Medicine	Spider Medicine	Swan Medicine	Thunder Being Medicine	Totem Loss Disc

HERON MEDICINE
By CinnamonMoon

*Ted Andrews/Animal-Speak:
Keynote: Aggressive self-determination and self-reliance
Cycle of Power: Spring

There are many variations of herons, including bitterns and egrets. storks and cranes should not be
confused with them. Herons are part of a group of birds called "waders." It is a bird of the marshlands and
shallow waters. All waders have similar physical characteristics--long, thin legs, long necks, and sharp
bills. These physical characteristics are important to understand for those who have a heron as a totem.
Legs enable animals and people to move about on the earth. They are symbols of balance, and they
represent an ability to progress and evolve. Also the longer the legs, the deeper the water the heron will
feed in. The deeper life can be explored. The long thin legs of the heron reflect that you don't need great
massive pillars to remain stable, but you must be able to stand on your own. This is especially significant
for those with a totem of the great blue heron, as it is a lone hunter.

When it feeds, it stands in the water, reflecting a connection to the earth--while implying the exploration
of other dimensions on the earth (water element). It is important for anyone with a heron totem to explore
various activities and dimensions of earth life. On the surface, this may seem a form of dabbling, but
those with herons as totems are wonderfully successful at being the traditional "jack of all trades."

This ability enables them to follow their own path. Most people will never be able to live the way heron
people do. It is not a structured way, and does not seem to have a stability and security to it. It is, though,
just a matter of perspective. There is security in heron medicine, for it gives the ability to do a variety of
tasks. If one way doesn't work, then another will. This heron people seem to inherently know.

Heron do not seem to need a lot of people in their life, nor do they feel pressure to "keep up with the
Joneses" or be traditional in their life roles. The only time they gather in colonies is during the breeding
season. They stand out in their uniqueness, and they know how to snatch and take advantage of things and
events the average person would not even bother with.

The great blue heron is considered the king of the marsh, although the short-eared owl has been known to
readjust the heron's viewpoint. It is the tallest of the herons, and when it flies, its head is folded back in a
flat S-shaped loop. This reflects the innate wisdom of being able to maneuver through life and control its
life circumstances. it reflects a need for those with this totem to follow their own innate wisdom and path
of self-determination. You know what is best for you and should follow it, rather than the promptings of
others.

The great blue heron in flight is powerful, and its legs and head are held in a straight line. It uses a slow
stalking stride when hunting. When it spies a fish, it spears its prey with its sharp beak and with quick
speed. Again it reflects an aggressive movement toward opportunities that present themselves.

The green heron is actually more of a slate blue, and it has orange legs which are distinctive. This color
combination reflects an innate balance at living life in its own unique style. It flies silently, and is most
often seen in flight at night and at dusk. Like all herons, it is a marsh bird.

There are distinctive seasonal changes in the color of this bird. The irises of the eyes will turn from
yellowish to bright orange, as will the legs. Meditation on this color will provide a lot of insight as to its
role in your life.

*D.J. Conway/Animal Magick:
The name heron is applied to a large number of small or large wading birds in the family Ardeidae; they
are related to storks and ibises. These birds live in temperate and tropical areas of marshy or salt water
around the world. All herons have a long, slender neck, a long, pointed bill with sharp edges, and long
legs. Their plumage may be colored black, white, brown, gray, blue, chestnut, buff, or combinations of
these. Although the heron is a timid bird, it will defend itself with its sharp beak if cornered.

In mystical symbolism, the heron, stork, and crane represent much the same things. They are all solar and
Water birds that are said to be able to predict the weather. they represent vigilance and are valuable as
destroyers of reptiles.

In Greece, the heron was sacred to Athene and Aphrodite, carrying their messages to humans. In both
China and Japan, the white heron is teamed with the black crow to symbolize solar-lunar powers. Ancient
Egyptians associated the heron with the rising Sun and the return of the resurrected god Osiris. It signified
regeneration of life. In Celtic cultures the heron had many of the attributes of the crane.

Superstitions: It is a general European belief that to shoot a heron is bad luck.
Magickal Attributes: The ability to watch patiently for results. Dignity of movement, methodical
procedure in matters. Gaining dignity and self-confidence for facing personal problems.

*Mary Summer Rain/On Dreams:
Heron defines the beauty of spiritual wisdom.

*Lady Stearn Robinson & Tom Gorbett/The Dreamer's Dictionary:
You can expect some losses, but you will regain them and more if you dreamed of these exotic birds.

Mouse:
Peace…As with all of the Creature Beings of the Earth Mother, the coloring of the Great Blue Heron’s
feathers is significant, as each color carries with it special attributes unique to that Creature. Blue in
nature is connection to Father Sky and also represents Peace and Tranquility. In Esoteric thought, deep
blue is also the color of the sixth chakra which corresponds to the third eye. Hence, insight and psychic
vision are also emphasized here.

Although the Great Blue Heron is by nature a predominantly solitary bird, during mating season, Herons
will gather in clusters to nest and raise young in what are called ~colonies.~ It is quite remarkable to
witness the peace and harmony that abounds in these colonies, and is a testimony to the ability of a highly
independent creature to adapt to ~communal life.~

***Just as the Blue Heron must find within him/herself the ability to live in cooperative peace with other
members of the colony, so does the two-legged beside whom Heron fly enter the Earthwalk with the theme
of Peace. This may either be a natural state of ~Being~ for one with this bird as a Primary Totem, or in
the instance where Great Blue Heron has surfaced as either a Messenger or Lesson Totem, the Lesson
then becomes finding Inner Peace and Tranquility.

If Great Blue Heron is one of the Primary Totems, throughout life much interest will be focused in
establishing and maintaining Peace. Initially however, this quest for harmony may manifest as the Blue
Heron Soul attempting to direct Others to such a state, preliminarily failing to recognize that Peace must
first come from ~Within.~ Consider the following quote by the renowned Sioux Holy Man, Black Elk:
"The first peace, which is the most important, is that which comes within the souls of the people when they realize their
relationship, their oneness with the Universe and all its powers, and when they realize that at the center of the universe dwells
the Great Spirit, and that this center is really everywhere, it is within each of us."

When Blue Heron soul finds that Peace within the ~Self,~ the lesson gained in the journey there will be
shared as a means of guiding ~Others~ to finding that same Peace within. Yet when in peaceful
attunement and harmony with Self, the two-legged beside whom Blue Heron flies will also emit a
powerful and profound tranquil vibration that will affect all around them and inspire the burgeoning soul
to become in balance and harmony with All, a priceless Gift to give indeed!***

Uniqueness
As a member of the Stork family, these large birds are distinctive in appearance in part due to their blue
feathers which can range in color from a dusky slate-grey to a deep blue. Their long legs, which serve
them well as they wade through the shallows of swamps and wetlands, and elongated neck are also
distinguishing characteristics of these splendid birds.

When wading through water in search of prey or standing and observing their surroundings, these birds
are the picture of grace and stateliness, yet when in flight their appearance is a bit gangly as they fly with
their heads supported between their shoulders, rather than stretched out before them as is typical of their
White Crane cousins. Their blue feathers are also a feature that distinguishes them from other members
of the Crane family. These separating characteristics suggest that those beside whom Great Blue Heron
flies will also be individualists who will utilize their own differences to elicit change in the world around them.

***For the two-legged with Blue Heron as a Totem, there will be a desire to establish themselves as a
unique and independent Being, often making these souls the revolutionaries that disrupt the status quo of
society in order to elicit change and evolution. Although this is a trait with many challenges, when
operating from its Highest Vibration, Blue Heron souls teach the rest of us the value and importance of
each individual contribution to the Whole.

When young, the Blue Heron individual will be quite unusual in either appearance or mannerisms in
ways that they may often find themselves ostracized by peer members. In extreme circumstances, even
their own family members will tend to distance themselves, forcing the Blue Heron individual to establish
separate and independent lives at an early age.

The teen-age years which are often met with a sense of awkwardness for any human maturing and
evolving, are particularly painful for the one beside whom Blue Heron flies, as their appearance and/or
behavior will tend to set them apart at a time in their growth when they seek the most to integrate and
~blend-in.~ Often, there will be long limbs, above average height and a uncoordinated gait that may be
the object of ridicule during the angst of their emerging from childhood toward adulthood.

Yet with sufficient maturation (and as these individuals grow into their height and distinguishing
characteristics), these very souls that were once considered "odd looking" suddenly blossom into
stunning adults that may quickly find themselves thrust into the attention and admiration of many suitors.
More than a few fashion models and actors/actresses have Blue Heron predominately placed amongst
their Primary Totems, as the very characteristics that once set them painfully apart, becomes an
attracting force of beauty and grace that pulls others toward them. Even in those instances when there is
not great "physical beauty," there will be a special spark to these individuals that will later draw positive
attention with a great deal of magnetic force.

On a spiritual level, there will also be a phase of awkwardness and groping for identity. Many
revolutionary ideas are first conceptualized by the Blue Heron individual, as they will not be content with
watching society operate in the same mode it has done for generations. As a child this independent
thought will be a great consternation to parents and guardians, yet as the body, mind and soul of Blue
Heron grows and develops, this same ability to think independently may serve them in professions such as
exploration and research, politics and scientific discovery and invention as these souls once more learn
to transform what was once viewed as a ~liability~ into an asset.*** wetlands, and elongated neck are
also distinguishing characteristics of these splendid birds.

When wading through water in search of prey or standing and observing their surroundings, these birds
are the picture of grace and stateliness, yet when in flight their appearance is a bit gangly as they fly with
their heads supported between their shoulders, rather than stretched out before them as is typical of their
White Crane cousins. Their blue feathers are also a feature that distinguishes them from other members
of the Crane family. These separating characteristics suggest that those beside whom Great Blue Heron
flies will also be individualists who will utilize their own differences to elicit change in the world around them.

When young, the Blue Heron individual will be quite unusual in either appearance or mannerisms in
ways that they may often find themselves ostracized by peer members. In extreme circumstances, even
their own family members will tend to distance themselves, forcing the Blue Heron individual to establish
separate and independent lives at an early age.

The teen-age years which are often met with a sense of awkwardness for any human maturing and
evolving, are particularly painful for the one beside whom Blue Heron flies, as their appearance and/or
behavior will tend to set them apart at a time in their growth when they seek the most to integrate and
~blend-in.~ Often, there will be long limbs, above average height and a uncoordinated gait that may be
the object of ridicule during the angst of their emerging from childhood toward adulthood.

Yet with sufficient maturation (and as these individuals grow into their height and distinguishing
characteristics), these very souls that were once considered "odd looking" suddenly blossom into
stunning adults that may quickly find themselves thrust into the attention and admiration of many suitors.
More than a few fashion models and actors/actresses have Blue Heron predominately placed amongst
their Primary Totems, as the very characteristics that once set them painfully apart, becomes an
attracting force of beauty and grace that pulls others toward them. Even in those instances when there is
not great "physical beauty," there will be a special spark to these individuals that will later draw positive
attention with a great deal of magnetic force.

On a spiritual level, there will also be a phase of awkwardness and groping for identity. Many
revolutionary ideas are first conceptualized by the Blue Heron individual, as they will not be content with
watching society operate in the same mode it has done for generations. As a child this independent
thought will be a great consternation to parents and guardians, yet as the body, mind and soul of Blue
Heron grows and develops, this same ability to think independently may serve them in professions such as
exploration and research, politics and scientific discovery and invention as these souls once more learn
to transform what was once viewed as a ~liability~ into an asset.***

Ability to Stand Alone
One of the dominant physical characteristics of the Great Blue Heron are its long, spindly legs. Like all
members of the Stork family, Blue Heron utilizes these elongated limbs to wade through the marshes and
swamplands that constitute their natural environment, in search of the food that swims in the water or
crawls along the spongy banks.

It is not uncommon to see a Great Blue Heron standing with one leg drawn up in a resting position, and
balancing like a seasoned acrobat on the other leg. Herons are often spied dozing while standing thus on
one foot as well (like their White Stork cousins) and as discussed earlier, tend to prefer solitude and their
own company (when not in mating season and living in communal colonies).

***This particular set of keywords indicates a powerful Lesson for those who share this Earthwalk with
Blue Heron Totem, as there will be many experiences in learning to operate independently and to trust
and rely heavily on the ~Self.~ This can be a dual-edged sword however, as much like the Heron must
find the proper equilibrium to balance on one leg, the two-legged beside whom Heron flies must also
learn the delicate balance and counter-balance between independence and cooperative loving and living
with ~Others~

Often times there are likely two distinctive scenarios which contribute to the development of the Blue
Heron individual. The first such set of circumstances is where the human counterpart enters along the
Sacred Hoop of Life as a very peaceful and sensitive person that seeks out the company of Others, yet is
often rejected by the very souls he/she loves and trusts the most. This may establish a fear of rejection,
and often effects their later interactions in adult relationships, as there is often the inherent fear or
expectation that as soon as a bond of love or trust is formed, they will be rejected or betrayed. Until the
Blue Heron individual can heal from these painful episodes, examine the lessons that they have been
present to teach, and integrate the experience to find a better center of balance, they will often either shut
themselves off emotionally to avoid future ~hurts,~ or they may become lost in a repetitive pattern of
choosing partners that will ultimately fulfill their expectations of abandonment.

The second ~grouping~ of Blue Heron individuals are often highly independent (seemingly from the
moment of birth), and tend to prefer the solitude and comfort of their own company over interacting with
family members and friends. There is the sense about these souls that they are capable of handling any
task so long as they are left alone to their own devices to accomplish it. The difficulty surfaces when they
ignore the interactions with their fellow human that is a vital and integral part of our life in flesh. Until
these individuals are fully able to embrace the understanding that we are all here to interconnect with our
fellow two-leggeds and the animals of the Ina Maka (Earth Mother), there will be an underlying
restlessness and general dissatisfaction with life. Their challenge thus becomes learning to find the
harmony between time spent alone, and time spent with their fellow Earth inhabitants.

In both instances, the primary focus is upon gaining enough self-confidence that they are well capable of
relying upon their own highly developed sense of timing and action, and tempering it with embracing
loving relationships that operate within healthy parameters and involve requisite sharing and conurturing
with the respect of individual freedom and independence. Yet when this fine balance is struck,
the end result is a beauty to behold and often leads these souls down the pathway as impartial judges,
counselors and artists who convey through their choice of medium a world in which all live in true
Harmony.***

wolfs_moon.tripod.com/BlueHeronTotem.html

The above mentioned site is no longer maintained, triggers lots of pop-ups, and quickly reaches its
allotted bandwidth. It could well be that it is unavailable for 24 hours.

Dragonfly (web designer):
My ancestors were Romany Gypsies, and their name was Hearn, my grandmother was the last one in our particular line.
Hearn means Heron, and our family crest features a Heron. Back in the 1600's my ancestors were King and Queen of the Gypsies.
The Hearns were a very highly thought of family. (UK)

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