“I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station through which God speaks to us every hour, if only we will tune in” – George Washington Caver
I grew up at Londolozi with a deep connection to the wild and its animals. From the time I was young I knew that the Earth was our mother and that the animals that lived around our house were as much a part of our family as the people I lived with.
With childlike enchantment I watched as warthogs gardened vigorously on the front lawn. I made friends with a family of spurfowl that would cluck into view any time we had a tea party in the garden in hopes of being thrown a few cake crumbs.
A Natal spurfowl and its chicks
A large elephant bull would crash through the reed fence in the winter to feast on the garden shrubbery as if he had found a salad bar oasis in the dry bushveld. He made a mess of the garden but it was pure magic to wake up in the night and hear him crunching foliage outside my window.
The Elephant card reminds you to keep your frequency high by having more fun, playing, and being joyful. Whether you are male or female, practice divine feminine qualities within every area of your life to ensure you have a strong and stable foundation for your spiritual life.
Sit quietly and breathe into your third eye, tuning in to the elephant kingdom and Archangel Raphael, the awesome emerald Angel of Healing and Abundance. Then link into Jupiter and its ascended aspect, Jumbay, to call in perfect health and cosmic abundance to bathe your consciousness. Feel this energy permeate your cells and know the universe supports your divine perfection and heart's desire.
Then send out a stream of light to help build the crystalline web of light around our planet.
Open yourself to true abundance
The animals were my wild kin, my family, and as I got older my understanding of their presence and importance in my life changed. Through my own spiritual practice I began to understand the power of the profound presence the animals lived in. I began to see that the animals had so much to teach us… they have always guided me.
In native cultures it is believed that each of us travel with animal spirit guides. This is something we explored in our Animal Wisdom Challenge, if you have not yet done it, sign up for it here. It’s an important idea that at the very least opens us to a less anthropocentric view of the world. As I have run healing retreats at Londolozi, I have seen time and time again how an animal can hold a profound message of healing for a specific person. Animals show us what it means to be completely yourself living in harmony and integrity.
When lion comes to you, he comes with a call to awaken a power within that is your birthright. Not through struggle, forcefulness or contrived effort, but through the simple expression of your true self ignited deep within. When lion roars, he does so not to gain approval, but to boldly claim his place in the world. “I AM here. Lion is now calling you to make such a stand. There is nothing you need to learn or gain from the outside world to be fully who you are. The time is now for you to embrace your unique strengths and allow them to lead you to discover your greatest place within the world. If you feel stuck or less than empowered, bring yourself into the open field or quiet shores where you can be alone. Take time to reconnect with the truth of your inner fire and let yourself roar. Awaken the power lying dormant within. Feel it rise from the earth into your heart and body. You are a great and noble being. Your leadership is now needed to take your pride, team or project to the next level. Do not shy away from your power but allow yourself to breathe deeply and accept that you came here to fully express your gifts in the world. What is your heart calling you to do? Lion is leadership and abundance. Lion is loyalty to the calling of our heart. Speak your truth, embody your strengths. Honor your gifts and the gifts of others within the balance of work and pleasure. Solitude and togetherness. Be the lion you are.
I breathe into my center and awaken my power aligned with my tribe.
I am the full expression of my unique purpose.
Words by Chip Richards, original artwork by Roxy Burrough, Londolozi.
Animals show us what it would be like to be fully present without a mental story of the future or past.
When Eagle soars into your skies she brings with her the gift of freedom born of the courage to see beyond all limits. Eagle comes to awaken the visionary in you. She calls you to the high place of your purest dreaming. She comes to remind you that you did not come here to be tangled or suppressed by life. You did not come here to be weighed down by the details of your day today, but to rise with the breath of your great spirit, to stretch your heart and vision beyond what may have once seemed realistic or appropriate - into the wide-open field of all possibility.
Eagle medicine brings the power to build a bridge between your greatest aspiration and your current reality. Eagle knows there is a time to perch, a time to study from afar, a time to soar above and a time to dive with great focus toward that which you are seeking. As you prepare to embark upon a new life change or creative endeavor, take time first to bring yourself to higher ground. Breathe in the mountain breezes that give birth to lofty visions. With Eagle's view, you will see with great clarity not only the field of infinite possibilities before you, but also what actions are needed to realize your vision. And with this clarity comes the energy and inspiration to claim all that is your dreaming ... and more. Move with Eagle's power and grace, and you will find that great heights can be reached with ease, while maintaining a grounded connection to the earth.
From the mountain top of my being
I see a world of infinite possibility
I open my wings, and let go of limits My Great Spirit lifts me higher.
I bring visions of Heaven back to Earth.
Animals take us to a wordless dimension of consciousness in which a doorway to a deep feeling of oneness naturally opens.
When you receive the Butterfly card you are advised that it is time for profound transformation You are ready to emerge from your cocoon. Do not rush this. You need a phase of relaxation and calm before you spread your wings. Us this period for a life review to help you decide what you want to change and remember that the process is inevitable. You will emerge as a different spiritual person.
See the world through eyes of expectation and do everything with a new joy and lightness.
Stay in harmony and peace. Remember you are a beloved child of the universe and that wondrous possibilities are becoming available to you. You will be protected and supported as you explore the new.
You are an emissary for the angels, carrying angel light in your energy fields. People will see or sense your inner beauty and respond to you with love and happiness.
Be ready to transform with wisdom
I believe that if we go into nature with an intention to receive guidance then answers to some of life’s deepest questions we will come to us through our wild teachers.
When leopard moves into your world, she brings a sense of quiet belief and purity of motion. Patient and deeply sensitive, leopard teaches us the art of agility – balancing stillness and observation with dynamic action, informed by the silent mystery of our own intuition. Leopard asks you to look beyond the surface to the spiritual teachings and gifts in your surroundings and experience. Leopard says it’s okay to walk your own path and to find comfort and serenity in your own company. Seek quiet solitude, and in that solitude, you will regenerate your being and heighten your connection to your own sense of direction. Tread quietly on the path that calls, not to impress others but simply because it feels right to you. Leopard calls you to walk your path with a vision that sees through shadow and darkness to the pure possibility beyond. There are times to be outwardly expressive of your gifts, and there are times to quietly harvest your energy and keenly observe the world around you, so that when you act, you do so with great speed and agility. Take time to get in touch with your own whispered guidance and inner truth. In the mystery of leopard, one moment the way may appear blocked, but in the next quiet breath, the doorway opens where once there was none. Be patient and ever present to the subtle signs of the moment. Smile deeply and be ready to leap when the moment calls. There is magic and mystery all around you.
I am present to the great possibilities around me and within me.
When I move, I move in harmony with the pure magic of life.
Words by Chip Richards, original artwork by Roxy Burrough, Londolozi.
In a leopard we learn about beauty and elegance. In an elephant we see the pace of a reverent life. In a lioness we learn about the ferocity and gentleness of a mother. The animals of the wild reflect our own being-ness back to us and show us the wisdom of life itself. In the creatures of the wild we find ourselves in a deep natural reunion.
“Nature is painting for us, day after day, pictures of infinite beauty” – John Ruski
Wisdom from the animal kingdom by way of an animal oracle card (words kindly borrowed from Chip Richards and Diana Cooper)
Super article – the great joy of the bush is the sense of being part.
Best done without the sound of diesel engines
Bronwyn, I loved all the photos; especially the leopard in the tree🤗
For me, nature, the animals and plants, are about God speaking to everyone and everything if only we take the time to listen. Thank you for your insights Bronwyn.
Wonderful photo Sean!
It’s interesting how peaceful it is to sit quietly in the vehicle so close to an animal, observing small things about it.
Such an amazing childhood. I have visited once but will be back. After my visit I have thought daily about the experience. Thanks for sharing a small part of your life
We just have to stop…
Listen..
Smell..
Hear..
See…
Feel..
Then they ‘talk’
How deep and beautiful Varty thank you! It is much needed in this time of uncertainty, more than ever. What about a Tree Wisdom Challenge too?
A wonderful article
Incredible post Bronwyn! So much natural wisdom in nature, beckoning us to return to our true selves. I adored the Animal Wisdom Challenge and gleaned a great deal from it. Is it possible to revisit it? It is truly brilliant, and like all great wisdom traditions, one can return with new eyes and open senses, gaining new challenges, learnings and insights. Thanks for this amazing post, and please let me know what you think of my request! Blessings!
Looking forward to the 7 day challenge 💕🙏🏻
May I use the picture of the elephant (#4) with my online ELA class? How should I credit the artist if it’s OK? TIA. Hamba Kahle.
What you said in your post today so resonated with me. I am following the Vedic teaching and that exactly what they teach. In a nutshell Ubuntu!
There is nothing in the world that beats nature at it’s best. The bush brings peace and tranquillity and the presence of all the different species of animals and birds, makes it absolutely precious. There is God and all His creation in one place, coming together to learn, watch and appreciate the wonders of God. Good story Bronwyn. You are so privileged to have been brought up at Londolozi, having the animals and birds near you all the time.
Beautifully written Bronwyn. It’s a wonderful reminder to open our senses to the power of animals around us, whether lions and elephants, or cats and dogs.