As we hold a question in mind, we can begin to pay attention to the animal activity around us. While we stare out a window, we may notice a bird soaring high in the sky, showing us how to look at our situation from a greater distance. If we don’t get an immediate answer, we can remember that the universe has its own perfect timing that doesn’t heed the ticking of the clock. Instead, we can release our question into the universe’s care, and then trust that an animal messenger will carry inspiration our way. In the meantime, we align ourselves with the universe’s rhythm — opening ourselves and shifting our perceptions so that at the perfect time, we will be ready. Then, even weeks later, the sight of a small bird hopping from branch to branch may signal us to use a talent other than our greatest strength and to take small leaps rather than fly over details. A squirrel bounding across an open expanse of grass to stash its latest prize may remind us to check our favorite hiding places for a forgotten treasure. Even if we don’t see actual animals, their representations may hold messages; whether we see them in a shape in the clouds, a picture, or a show on television, their symbolic meaning is the same.
Animals are closer to the rhythms and cycles of nature and have fewer
distractions from it than humans do. That is why they are the perfect
messengers when we are in need of advice. Just by being themselves, they
remind us of the wisdom of the universe and that all answers are
available to us when we reconnect with our source and with those who
know how to be nurtured by it. (Daily OM)
