.:|:. Dove Love’s .:. Points and Passions .:|:.

By Dove, www.TarotwithLove.com   The Rattlesnake totem came to me the other day — the mention of it in a conversation in front of my desk here at work, and a few days before that a co-worker said my “hollow cake” (MS Paint pic I recently did) looked like a rattlesnake’s tail.  Then I very unusually remembered a dream last night (it’s rare that I remember my dreams these days).  It was about a rattlesnake.  And if all that wasn’t enough, when I first clicked onto WordPress this morning, on the homepage under “hawt posts,” was a blog title that included “Rattler’s Tale.”  Geez, that’s a lot of synchronicity, don’t ya’ think? :) 

I don’t remember all of the dream…  But there was a rattlesnake in a glass box/cage and apparently it was mine, I had brought it to this place.  Then I think I did something to anger the snake and it started to climb out of its box.  It got out.  I was horrified that it was out and was thinking of nothing but getting it back into its box.  I knew I was responsible for it, so I chased it — I was so worried others would be hurt by it.  

The rattlesnake went to the back of the house.  (I realized here that this house was my greatgrandmother’s house, where I lived for quite a while as a kid…because my mother had been institutionalized for a time for a nervous breakdown, after my father divorced her.)  The snake hurried toward the back door.  I was so frightened it would get out there and we’d never find it — and then someone would surely go back there and be harmed by it.  Without thinking of anything but that, I grabbed its tail and pulled it back in (it had just darted out the door and half its body was outside).  Its head wildly flew around right up toward my face, as I expected, and I grabbed and pulled it back before it could strike me.  I was obviously horribly frightened, but I remember thinking I’d get someone to cut/kill it while I held it.  I woke up at that point, heart pounding. 

I was reading this morning how the “rattler” can represent healing.  I’ve been getting a lot of totems lately that seem to be pointing to my healing…creativity, and the transformation that the healing will bring.  It’s interesting that the snake went to the back of the house, the back door… the past.  Supposedly that’s where I’ll find healing.  It just overwhelms me, the thought of “going back.”  I don’t know where to start — so much, um, “stuff” back there.  Maybe I think … I “would surely go back there and be harmed by it.”  I don’t know, but I know I’ve made progress in my healing recently, and that began most significantly when I began to see the patterns spurred from the past, realizing the anger I feel now in relationships is tied to something, so much, in the past …  

The message I received in January about “pain, resurrection, peace” comes to mind.  It seems perhaps that I need to feel the pain of the past so as to “resurrect.”  Resurrection is among the snake totem interpretations.  Hmmm, and this brings to mind the Jesus energy that has been around me recently as well.

Update: Hey, here’s yet another mention of “resurrection,” the “444″ that I’d been getting … I’d forgotten about this one, it was back in February.  I only noticed ’cause so many people were reading it — ain’t synchronicity amazin’ (heh)  :)

I know this was a powerful dream.   The snake is a powerful totem.  I’ve had dreams of snakes in the past (and they were often touching me or I was touching them), even some interesting snake encounters in this reality – and they invariably were followed by major changes in my life… 

Here are some excerpts from some sites I just came upon about the snake and rattlesnake totem.

Peace,
Dove

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Snake Totem

“Although the snake is feared and loathed throughout every culture around the planet where reptiles appear, it is among the most universally respected and sought-after of all animal totems. In ancient Egypt, the snake was regarded as a symbol of both immortality and death, and the pharaoh wore a snake emblem on his head-dress as a mark of royalty and divinity. Apep was the Egyptian and Greek name for the Great Serpent of the Underworld. Ouroboros was the Greek name for the gigantic serpent coiled in the earth’s womb.

Apollo, the Greek god of healing and medicine, was originally invoked and worshipped as a snake. In later times, Aesculapius, and other deity associated with medicine, is said to have assumed serpentine form. His crest remains today as a symbol of the medical profession.

…

To the ancient people of Asia Minor, Ophion was the father of all humankind, the divine, serpent who lived in the Tree of Life in the primal garden.

In ancient Mexico, Ciuacoatl, the Great Mother of men and gods, is represented as a serpent woman. Quetza-coatl, the great culture bearer, is depicted as a winged serpent. Among many African tribes, it is Aido Hwendo, the Rainbow Serpent, that supports the earth.

Father Charlevoit, an early French missionary to the eastern tribes of North America, remarked in his journals that there was no image that the Native American tribes marked upon their faces and other parts of their bodies more than that of the snake. Furthermore, according to the priest’s observations, the Shamans had the secret of charming snakes, of benumbing them, “so that they take them alive, handle them, and put them in their bosom without receiving any hurt.”

The rattlesnake was considered the chief of all serpents; and some tribes believed that in addition to delivering death via the strike of its deadly fangs, the “chief” could transmit diseases with but a glance of its beady eyes.

If a coiled rattlesnake should appear in the path of a warrior, he would freeze in his tracks, speak beseechingly to it, and offer it whatever gifts he had on his person that he hoped might propitiate the angry chief of snakes.

The Medicine Priests who walked unharmed among the rattlesnakes knew that the powerful essence of the Great Mystery moved through them. Those who had received the snake as a totem animal during the vision quest felt especially blessed. The Pueblo, Hopi, and Zuni tribes revered Horned Serpent and Horned Water Serpent as largely benevolent guardian spirits and prized snakes as totem animals and spirit helpers.

Shamans revered the snake for its great wisdom, and many believed that the serpent spoke a secret language of its own that no other animal was permitted to comprehend. According to many tribal legends, in the beginning time, humans and snakes could converse freely Therefore, if one were powerfully attuned on the spirit level, he or she could still communicate with a snake on the telepathic level. If one could achieve this mind linkup, the serpent would reveal secrets of the future and other aspects of arcane knowledge.

The skin of the rattlesnake was used by nearly all Medicine Priests in some aspect of their rituals, and their rattles were often carried in the priests’ sacred pouches.

Those born in the Year of the Snake in the Chinese zodiac are characterized as wise and intense, with a tendency to be vain about their physical beauty. The sign of the Snake in the Native American zodiac (October 23 to November 21) identifies a person who is charismatic, but difficult to comprehend.

…

When you enter the Silence with Snake as your ally, you are certain to go deep within and draw forth ancient wisdom teachings that will immediately be able to change your life for the better.”

Totem Information by Wolfhawk.

Source: www.ravenmoonlight.com

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Adder and Rattlesnake Totems

Generally, Snake represents wisdom, rebirth, initiation and resurrection. Both the Celts and Native Americans believed Snake symbolizes transmutation, the ability to alter appearance, nature, and form, particularly to higher ones.

To the Celts, Adder symbolized transmutation, life’s energy and healing. He signifies getting rid of the old for the better new, reincarnation, wisdom and cunning.

The English believed the skin had magickal properties. It could draw thorns from the body, hung on the chimney attracted luck and hung on the rafters, prevented fires. To see Adder near the front door was a death omen.

Native Americans also believed that snake symbolized transmutation. It is the rattlesnake that appears on the Snake card in The Medicine Cards, Jamie Sams & David Carson, (Bear & Company, 1988)

Snake totem is the power of creation and embodies immortality and psychic energy. He has fire energy which, emotionally, are charisma, power and the intellect; spiritually, connection with Spirit, wisdom, wholeness and understanding. On the physical level, they are vitality and passion.

Source:  http://paganismwicca.suite101.com/article.cfm/snake_pagan_symbol_transmutation

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By Dove, www.TarotwithLove.com  I was tagged, um, last week? … for this meme and it sounded like my cup-o-tea (I love doing the open-the-book thing), so here we go :) 

About mid-week this past week, I had sat down to look up the Cardinal totem in Ted Andrew’s “Animal-Speak,” because I’d been seeing that gorgeous bird quite a bit, but before coming upon it, I remembered about needing to do this meme.  I thought, hey, this would be a cool book to use for it.  So I turned to page 123 in “Animal-Speak.”  Found the 5th sentence and these were the 3 sentences that followed:

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“One was the Strasburg Brotherhood of the Crown, and another was formed by St. Nicholas of Vienna in 1288.  In Germany, specifically, there existed a guild of meistersingers at Nuremburg.  This schooling was to teach the power of sound, music, and voice–physical and spiritual.”

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Right off, I thought it was interesting that it started with “One.” :)  Lotsa synchronicities with it.  Just hours before opening to this passage, one of my co-workers was actually speaking German to me!  Yes, this was exceedingly UNUSUAL, to say the least.  Note, the Universe is invariably speaking to us with unusual things, things that don’t happen to us everyday…  I looked at him, and said, “I didn’t know you spoke German.”  He didn’t respond in English, and just kept speaking in German to me, lol  There was also a German reference in an email I received that day…

Here are some interpretations I found at one dream symbol site (yeah, I don’t distinguish sleep-dream symbolism from this awake-dream we’re experiencing):

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Foreign Language

To hear or speak a foreign language in your dream, indicates a message from your unconscious that you do not yet understand.

Foreigner

To see a foreigner in your dream, represents an aspect of yourself that is unfamiliar or strange to you. You may be neglecting or ignoring some important feelings or talents.

Source:  www.dreammoods.com

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That last statement definitely rings true for me…  It’s also interesting that not long ago I made a comment on a blog where I posted some info about the original Saint Nicholas per a question on that topic (Santa Claus).  Hmm, that page that I just linked that to isn’t the source that I’m referencing, but a statement there intrigues me, …  “Nicholas, why dost thou conceal thyself from me? Thou art my helper” … 

{Update:  I feel compelled to add a bit here…  First, just for clarity, I had posted some info about the original St. Nick from one website onto another’s blog, but the St. Nick site I’m linking to above isn’t that one, it’s one I found just in the moment of my typing that paragraph.  But I especially wanted to point out that I realize that the statement, “Thou art my helper” is not (literally, or in this reality) referencing art, lol  ;)  But that’s what I saw when I first read it, intuition doesn’t have to be “logical” — and very often, it isn’t :) …  But I actually took both messages, that the Universe or “God/dess” is asking me why I am hiding myself, by holding back my creative expressions, AND that he/she sees me as one of his/her “helpers”… ah, and that our true (joyful) creative expressions are part of that — it is a “dance” we do with him/her.}

One of my first posts here was called “Create Change with Your Creations,” and not long ago I noticed how it had been right before I started doing all my MS Paint Pics and the post was spurred from people saying a single phrase to me one day that indicated they couldn’t see me…  It made me wonder if it was the Universe saying that I needed to do something to show myself, maybe my art I thought.  Writing, painting, some even consider the Tarot an art…  I’ve had people suggest I create my own Tarot deck, or write a book, and I’ve always felt I would write a book eventually.  I must say, this blog is the most I’ve ever expressed myself … the writing, the computer painting.  Right before starting this blog (Aug 2007), I was getting a plethora of Aces in the Tarot, a sign of new beginnings, the Aces are “seeds,” reflecting great potential.  I feel it has been a significant part of my healing journey.  I think we have no idea how vital it is to express ourselves, our creativity … but it makes sense, we are like that which created us, creators :)  We harm ourselves in not allowing that creativity to flow.

“Brotherhood of the Crown” –  the crown, the crown chakra, associated with universal love and ONE-ness … 

1288 = 19, the Sun card in the Tarot, a major arcana card that can represent our “god-ness’ or “God.”  19 = 10 = 1

“Master Number 88: The elevation of the personal and the infinite consciousness is facilitated to encompass the actuality of “knowing” and the receipt of meaningful, revealing, and significant revelations (and implementation of same) with respect to ones unlimited and unrestricted capabilitites. The concepts of sensitivity and compassion, with the experiencing of each moment, is reflected in the “eighty-eight” vibration.”  (Source:  http://www.lochsrocks.com/meta.asp?insert=Master)

“Meistersinger” — Master singer.  I love to sing, but not in front of anyone, lol   But I’ve always thought it would be such a joy to be a singer…  I’ve felt I might take voice lessons someday.  An intuitive years ago told me that singing would be healing for me.  And on the rare occasion that I do sing (in private), I can actually see a kind of a glow in my face the next day :)  I should do it more often…  “Make a joyful noise.” :)

And shortly after coming upon this “Animal-Speak” passage, I came upon a blog about the power of sound :)  It’s a great post, giving the mantras for each chakra.  I’ve seen the power in doing thse mantras, but I have gotten out of the practice of doing this.  This is strongly motivating me to get back to it…

Oh, and I almost forgot to mention that this passage was part of the Canary totem, which is synchronous in that I have winged totems, mostly birds, out the wazoo :)  AND, I have often referenced myself as the canary because I am so sensitive to chemicals, even those that others feel are not harmful or whatever — like I can’t be around stuff like fingernail polish remover and such.  I avoid the laundry products aisle at the store like the plague… 

And if all that’s not enough, guess what was on the very next page, page 124.  The Cardinal totem, which is why I picked up this book in the first place, remember? :)  Cool, eh? haha!

Well, I got a lot out of my three sentences.  I’m not really big on doing the tagging thing, but here are the directives for anyone else who would like to play :)

1)  Get a book with at least 123 pages, and go to page 123.
2)  Go to the 5th sentence, post the next 3 sentences.
3)  Have fun with it :)

Peace,
Dove

By Dove, www.TarotwithLove.com  This card, the Tarot’s Moon card, just arrived in my email box … and so incredibly timely.  Tears rolling down my face this morning, feeling very emotional and … well, not so good right now.  I’d just come upon a blog on my blog surfing page, speaking of soulmates and twin souls, twin flames.  Thinking about first connecting with a certain person, and how on point so much of this post is regarding he and I.   I’ve allowed this “relationship” to cause me so much pain, wasted soooo much time on it, and …  And yet I’m getting from this soulmate post that maybe somehow it has taught me good things, strengthened me?  I dunno, maybe.

But the Moon card mode is where I have primarily been through all of it.  Confused…and a lot of emotion, a lot of yanking the heart around, wondering if these feelings are mine or his…  We sensitive ones tend to pick up the emotions of others, and it can be a challenge to distinguish ours from theirs.  I’ve never been able to get clear as to what’s the truth about this connection, about what my real feelings are about it.  Moments of what definitely felt like “love,” but also undeniable hatred.  More often than not, it just seemed like a very unhealthy connection.

I’ve recently discovered how I tend to draw people into my life that give me mixed messages, and it so clearly aligns with my childhood.  Parental figures that seem to love us at times, get us stuff we need, say nice things, maybe tell us they love us…and yet in the next moment are saying and doing harmful things toward us.  I think that contradiction is what really messes with our minds more than the actual abuse…  And we grow and live with that energy of confusion, screwed emotionally (Moon card), and perhaps invariably feeling a love/hate thing in most of our relationships.

One day I was talking on the phone with “soulmate guy,” and I cringed when he said his middle name began with the letter “A.”  Even though things seemed fine between he and I in that moment, I thought, “Oh, shit …”  I just knew in that moment, the name, it was the same as my older brother’s, a brother who had hated me since birth, was jealous of me, terrorized me throughout childhood and even beyond…  Abuse that allowed me to know what it was like to be an abused spouse…I can remember seething with anger in watching, “The Burning Bed.” (A movie about spousal abuse.)  Was this connection about my needing to re-live some of that crap from the past, bring up the hatred still buried within me, from all of that?  Despite having been criminally abused by another family member, I feel the hatred that I felt for my brother has been the most potent, has almost killed me, is the key to all my health issues…it stirs me now, even in this moment.  And “ironically,” I idolized, adored, this brother as a kid, even as he hated me…  More seeds for the love/hate thing.

And yeah, I can see that this soulmate connection had a lot to do with that.  I felt the old hatred coming up when this person was cruel towards me.  Nah, his cruelty was in no way as potent as what I had experienced as a child, but it pushed those old buttons…and to the extent that I considered, well, leaving this world…

I think I held on so tightly to this thing between this guy and I mainly because there was an ocean of metaphysical “signs” and messages as to our, um, spiritual kinship.  I mean, there’s no doubt in my mind that we have this “soulmate” connection, but soulmates aren’t necessarily people we are meant to spend our lives with — we have lots of “soulmates” around us, they come and they go. 

Some of the synchronicities per this connection with this soulmate guy…  When I was living on the West Coast, over 2000 miles from here, the name of the street where I first met him came to me in a song.  A very unusual name for a street, I was stunned when I first saw it on a street sign while I was looking for an apartment here.  About a month before I met him and it continued up to that point, I was drawing the Two of Cups a lot from my Tarot cards.  That’s a strong love card, and/or points to a new, usually romantic, relationship.  About a week before I met him, I had a dream.  I was kissing Bruce Springsteen, heh  That was the dream, I remember feeling amazingly good after awakening from this dream, lovin’ that kiss :)  I thought about how he’s called “the boss.”  I didn’t have a job yet at that point, so I hoped it was symbolic of finding one soon.  Soulmate guy is an Aries (fire sign), which correlates with the Emperor in the Tarot, the Emperor is “the boss.”  This card can often represent an employer (more “boss” stuff:  I met him in a job situation, and he’s the reason I got that job – located on the street per the song).  And if that isn’t enough, shortly after we met, he jokingly (I thought) said he was “the boss.”  (No, he didn’t know about my dream at that point.)  In pulling cards on this relationship, the Tarot often showed him as the Emperor, or the King of Swords (another boss card).  Both cards represent someone who is kind of emotionless — which means, he hides his emotions or keeps them tightly under control.  When I draw the King of Swords on someone, I often ask “What’s under that?” and then I’ll see in the next card more clearly how the person really feels…

This person also has the same main animal totems (Owl, Crow…Hawk) and Life Path number as me (11/2/High Priestess).  He’s very psychic, and we had/have a strong psychic connection…  Once I was feeling a lot of anger towards him (a lot), and we hadn’t spoken in quite a long while, and out of the blue, he emailed me, and spoke of my anger as if he knew I was feeling it right then.  Another time we tried to guess what number the other was thinking of, we both got it right — that amazed me.  He told me almost at the very beginning that he knew our relationship would become a love-hate thing… He told me at a desperate moment in my life that I was going to make it, and I did.   Even so, the way he treated me at that time was inconceivably cruel (”ill-dignified” or reversed King of Swords), especially coming from a lover …

Via my Tarot, I often knew when breakups (many) and other things were about to happen between us.  I invariably know when he’s about to contact me again (even after many months have gone by) — I always start seeing his name, I’ll see it everywhere.  Once it had been about four months, and I’d been getting his name.  One morning I clicked on a blog and it had a sport’s celebrity theme, same first name as this soulmate guy.  Across the top of the page was his first name in giant letters.  It was so large, his name, it kinda stunned me.  I thought, oh-yeah, he’ll be contacting me very soon.  I got an email from him the next morning (after four months of no contact). 

Also the week before I met him, I was standing in line at the grocery store and my eyes were drawn to a caption on a magazine there, it was something “at first sight.”  Because I’d been getting the Two of Cups so much with the Tarot, I felt kind of excited by that, it was another little message, and it further assured me that I was about to meet someone special.

But easily the most potent message was also in that week before our first meeting…  It was one of those magical “tween times” :)  Still daylight but approaching dusk, and it was kinda “dreamy” outside ;)  It seemed from out of nowhere there appeared these two fireflies, right in the center of my upstairs window.  Oh-ma-gawd, it was so beautiful.  It was like they were putting on a show just for me :)  Having their sweet little fiery dance right in the center of my window.  I was mesmerized by it, I so loved it.  I recalled that fireflies are on the Lovers card in my Animal-Wise Tarot.   He  and I were first, um, “together” on the 4th of July … fireworks?  Not so much, lol ;)  But it progressively got a lot more fiery, in more ways than one. 

So ya’ see, a lot of synchronicity with it, so I have to believe there has been some reason for all of this.  And that’s why it has been especially difficult for me to accept that this person isn’t “the one” for me.  At this point, it is abundantly clear that he is not.  And yet I still wonder why there was so much “magic” about it — maybe I just allowed it to be blown into something it wasn’t because of all of that.  There was some joy in it, joy like I’d never known before, and maybe that was why the Universe put such an emphasis on it.  I don’t know.  But I do know that it has been a very unhealthy connection, and it’s clear that’s because both of us need to find that “wholeness” and healing that the soulmate post speaks of before we are ready to truly meet “the one.”  And what I most know is that I deserve so much better than the wicked, abusive energy that I grew up with, and until I completely heal, it’s clear that I’ll keep drawing those with this energy.  If for nothing else, I am grateful for having had this experience so as to come to this realization.

Peace,
Dove

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THE MOON

When we experience such turbulent emotions, it is difficult
to believe that we could ever feel harmony and peace within
ourselves again.

Highly charged feelings cause havoc in our lives, and when
The Moon appears in your readings, you can be sure there are
issues in your life that are causing confusion and mixed
emotions.

When this card appears, it is suggesting you take a step
back and view your situation from a different perspective
and with a calmer logic.

However, The Moon does represent powerful feelings and it
isn’t always easy to gain clarity: we often can’t ‘see the
wood for the trees’.  The path to clarity and understanding
is a challenging one, yet despite the emotional wrenches
you may feel, it is right for you.

For example, if you are in a situation where you need to
let go of a lover or partner for whatever reason, but
emotionally cannot summon up the courage to do so, even
though you know it’s the right thing to do, trust that the
new path you seek is right for you.

Often when a decision is very difficult and causes strong
emotional resistance within us, we allow our weaker nature
to rule. However, in many of these situations it is a brave
heart and clear mind that help us see through the fog of
unruly emotion and step onto our true path.

The Moon not only represents illusion caused by powerful
emotions, but also illusion or trickery created by other
people’s lies or misleading behavior.  Therefore, when The
Moon appears in a reading, it’s a good idea to question
your motives and those of people close to you, and it is
best to refrain from making firm decisions until you know
and feel a sense of certainty about your choices.

The wan light of The Moon does in some way shed light upon
the right path for us, but because we cannot see clearly
in dim light we doubt ourselves and hold back from taking
the steps forward.

The Moon may suggest that your avoidance to take action or
make a tough decision about a certain situation is simply
due to fear of loss. Fear has much to do with The Moon, and
courage is always needed to conquer fear, so take your time
when The Moon appears in your readings and search for your
inner courage. With patience you will find the clarity you
seek.

Source:  www.lotustarot.com

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Update:  The same blog that posted the soulmate post mentioned above just did another post (noticed it right after publishing my post here) that I’m strongly resonating with — an explanation for the tears and the sadness.  Very helpful reading this… 

http://indigolifecenter.wordpress.com/2008/02/24/twelve-signs-of-your-awakening-divinity/

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Dove’s Art    Dove’s Posts At-a-Glance    Dove’s Tarot Website

By Dove, www.TarotwithLove.com  “Hay-aaaay, have you ev-uh tried, reeeally reaching out for the oth-uh siiiide? :)  I may be climbing on rainbows, but baby here goes.   Dreeeeams they’re for those who sleep, liiiiife, it’s for us to keep… “

*soft sigh, and feelin’ all nostalgic* :)

Listenin’ to an old tape I’ve had for about a million years — I’ve loved it since I was 14.  “The Best of Bread”  …  It’s so dreamy ;)  The words so sweet, so bittersweet, to me they seem to be saying more than they’re saying…   

A few more drops in an ocean of synchronicity in my life…  I was just marveling at how this has stuck with me, my love for it, and how the first line of this album asks if we’ve ever really reached out for the “other side” :)  “Rainbows” and “dreams” …  how could this not be something that grabbed and held onto to me, paranormal “dreamer” and Libra that I am :)  

The “Diary” song gets me every time…    I loved when he said “her disconcerting air” …  At 14, I aspired to having such an “air” and rocking a guy’s world with it, heh-heh ;)   But I always cried at the point when he discovered she wasn’t talking about him in her diary, he wasn’t the love she spoke of…

And I get heart butterflies with “If” …  “Then one by one the stars would all go out, then you and I would simply fly away.”  Mmmmm, yummy sweet ;)

Happy Valentine’s Day,
Dove

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“Make it With You”
by Bread

Hey have you ever tried,
Really reaching out for the other side?
I may be climbing on rainbows
But, baby here goes.

Dreams they’re for those who sleep,
Life is for us to keep,
And if youre wondering
What this song is leading to

I want to make it with you
I really think that we can make it girl.

No, you dont know me well,
In evry little thing only time will tell,
If you believe the things that I do.
And well see it through.

Life can be short or long,
Love can be right or wrong,
And if I choose the one
Id like to help me through,

Id like to make it with you
I really think that we can make it girl.

Baby you know that
Dreams theyre for those who sleep,
Life is for us to keep
And if I choose the one
Id like to help me through,

Id like to make it with you
I really think that we can make it girl.
=========================

“Diary”
by Bread

I found her diary underneath a tree.
And started reading about me
The words shes written took me by surpise
Youd never read them in her eyes.
They said that she had found the love she waited for.
Wouldnt you know it, she wouldnt show it.

When she confronted with the writing there,
Simply pretended not to care.
I passed it off as just in keeping with
Her total disconcerting air
And though she tried to hide
The love that she denied,
Wouldnt you know it, she wouldnt show it.

And as I go through my life, I will give to her my wife
All the sweet things that I can find.

I found her diary underneath a tree.
And started reading about me.
The words began stick and tears to flow.
Her meaning now was clear to see.
The love shed waited for was someone else not me
Wouldnt you know it, she wouldnt show it.

And as I go through my life, I will wish for her his wife
All the sweet things that she can find
All the sweet things they can find

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“If”
by Bread

If a picture paints a thousand words,
Then why can’t I paint you?
The words will never show the you Ive come to know.
If a face could launch a thousand ships,
Then where am I to go?
Theres no one home but you,
You’re all thats left me too.
And when my love for life is running dry,
You come and pour yourself on me.

If a man could be two places at one time,
I’d be with you.
Tomorrow and today, beside you all the way.
If the world should stop revolving spinning slowly down to die,
I’d spend the end with you.
And when the world was through,
Then one by one the stars would all go out,
Then you and I would simply fly away

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By Dove, www.TarotwithLove.com  This is for my friend, CV :) … and anyone else who may be drawn to this topic.  

Animal totems are spiritual animal guides.  They bring messages to us via their symbolic presence.  That is, if you synchronously see, and especially continue to see, or hear an animal or the name of an animal, there is a message in that.  The best book, considered a classic, on this topic is called “Animal-Speak” by Ted Andrews.  And here’s a link to a post I did not long ago that touches on this subject, Ramblings on Animal Totems and my Tarot story, “An Owl, a Crow, and a Nudge toward the Tarot”  shares the moment when I became aware of my Owl totem.

They say we each have nine totems, and although I know my nine, I’ve long felt that I have many more.  And the woman who read my aura (see my Tarot story), when she saw “sooo many animals” in my aura, I think that was a reflection of that.  I recall reading how this aligns with shamans.  And I don’t know if I am one, but many things in my life certainly align with that. 

So how did I discover my totems?  It wasn’t that long after I was nudged toward using the Tarot that I had a similar experience with animal totems.  I was guided towards some cards called, “Medicine Cards” that came with a book (by Jamie Sams/David Carson).  The very first time I shuffled these cards, I was very curious as to what card the Universe would most want to show me.  It was the Owl card.  This I already knew was one of my main nine totems, and the same with my Crow totem (see Tarot story).  I mention in my above “ramblings” post how the owl had come to me, and how I mentioned in my Tarot story how I’d had dreams of owls as well, and then when she saw it in my aura, that was the final confirmation I needed on that one.  With the crow, I can’t honestly remember how I knew that one, it was just something I knew.  I had lived in a wonderful wooded area before all of this started, and lotsa crows were there.  I liked them :) … and that’s a good indicator that a certain animal is one of your totems.  There was also this one crow that used to “visit” us there.  The wildest thing, it had one white feather.  We called it “White Feather” :)  But again, I don’t remember the actual point where I knew, I just knew.  And that right there can be the totality of discovering one of your totems.  And then it was especially nice when the aura reader saw the crow on my shoulder :)

I discovered the rest, the other seven main totems, through the Medicine Cards.  In the book, it has a spread that you can do.  Just do it one time, and it will show you your totems.  I might not have embraced this except that I saw one of them during a meditation immediately before drawing this spread.  As I began to meditate in preparation for doing this, I immediately saw the eyes of a wolf, directly in front of my eyes.  I felt sure in that moment that this was one of my totems.  After the meditation, I shuffled the cards and began to to lay them out.  The second card was the wolf :)  Ya’ gotta know, that was a thrill.  I smiled as I drew the rest of the cards.  Most of them were winged ones, which aligned with my owl and crow…and the name the Universe bestowed upon me a few years ago, “Dove.” :)   I even had an intuitive once reference me as an “Earth Angel.”  More wings ;)  And that nudges me toward seeing birds and angels in the same light…

Further synchronicity with the totems I already knew and that I saw in the spread that day is that I’ve seen that my own personality and such align with many of the characertistics of these animals.  It’s come to me that these animals actually recognize us on some level, that we actually have this energy, that it is a part of us, part of our spiritual energy.  This is why we are drawn to them and they are drawn to us.  We’re like their family :)  Cool, eh?

 I have had so many amazing experiences with the crow, it’s definitely a part of my heart.  If there’s a crow around, you can bet my attention will immediately zero in on it.   But birds in general thrill and captivate me.  I think they’re absolutely phenomenal.  Again, if you love a certain animal this much, that’s a very strong indicator that it is one of your totems.  Additionally, if you feel/believe (intuit) that a certain animal is one of your totems, then it very likely is. 

My life and health issues, my personality, my “challenges” are all reflected in these animals.  It’s very beneficial to know one’s totems.  For example, the hummingbird is one of mine.  One day in reading about it in the “Animal-Speak” book, I noted how the hummingbird eats very often, it has to…  It was around that point when I discovered my own blood sugar issues, and per this knowledge of the hummingbird, I began experimenting with eating every few hours.  Doing so was life-changing for me — one of the best health-improving rituals I’ve adopted.  Many of my totems are solitary ones, and this helps me to understand my own strong need for solitude…

Different people discover there totems in different ways.  Besides using the cards, you can simply ask the Universe to show them to you and then wait and watch :)  They might come to you in dreams, on television shows, books, magazines…through other people speaking of certain animals, etc. etc.  Ultimately, trust your intuition in knowing them when they come :)  Then get the book and read about them, you’ll see yourself in them…  The more you’re open to them (respect/honor/enjoy, call upon them), the more you’ll see the “magic” in them, and in this way (among many) that the Universe speaks to us  :)

Peace,
Dove

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Dove’s Art    Dove’s Posts At-a-Glance    Dove’s Tarot Website

By Dove, www.TarotwithLove.com  I always enjoy this exercise — where ya’ share what you’d get if you had a million dollars or, even better, unlimited income.  So here’s my twist on an idea I just saw on another’s blog.  That is, I’m going to list eight things I’d get myself for Christmas if I had unlimited income.  The rule here is ya’ can only buy gifts for you at this time.  I’ll do all the saving of the world stuff another time, lol ;)   

Hmmm, well, I don’t give a flip about the bling-bling, jewelry, mega-dollar clothes and fancy cars… and I still wouldn’t buy a cell phone, or a “Blackberry” — what the hell is that anyway? lol  I don’t get out much, heh  I rarely watch television — and seriously, I don’t know about all the new hi-tech stuff…I just don’t care, it’s so not compelling to me.    I’m very much becoming a minimalist, excessive material items just feel suffocating to me now (former material girl). 

But I’d still love to have unlimited income :)  First and foremost for the freedom of it and second, well, to save the world :)  So let’s see, eight gifts I would buy for me if I had unlimited income…

 1)  I’ve always said that if I won a million dollars the very first thing I’d do is kick back and just breathe :)  A delicious breath of freedom.  I’d then pick up the phone and make reservations at the finest health spa in the country — I’d get all healthed up and pampered for about a month while contemplating how I will save the world, lol ;) 

2)  Next I’d hire the best private tutor to teach me Spanish and French.  Okay, I’ll stop saying “the best,” and just let it be understood that I would hire and buy the best :) 

3)  I’d hire a personal trainer to get me on a fabulous exercise and weight training program.  One of my goals has long been to have a body-builder bod :)  But not the manly kind, I think Rachel McLish (successful female bodybuilder from yesteryear) did it well.  Muscular, yet still very feminine. 

4) I’d purchase a thousand (or more) acres and build a gorgeous rustic home, reasonably sized, very comfortable, lotsa wood and knotty-ness, lol… minimalist design and decor.  Raised deck all around it, where’d I spend most of my time :)  Very secluded, surrounded by lush, dense woods alive with the energy of my sweet Nature. 

5)  I’d buy another place (maybe 10 to 20 miles away) much like the one above, a ranch with horses and other livestock.  A huge organic garden.  And hire bunches of people to tend to it all :)  Why separate from my other place?  Because the other place is just for me, I don’t want strangers living/working in and around my peaceful “paradise” :)  

6)  I’d probably get a black Jeep Wrangler for fun, and also a nice truck :)  No sports car or other la-ti-da car for me.  They nauseate me just a tad, those who drive them are generally dripping with insecurity and feelings of inadequacy.  Hey, if you drive one and you feel genuinely confident, without arrogance (insecurity) and you wouldn’t feel like your penis was removed if it was destroyed, well then okay, lol ;)

7) Okay, I’d probably buy a handful of the best designer jeans, but that’s not about the label (I’d remove them if possible), it’s about the good feeling and look of high-quality clothes.  If I can find it in a lesser brand or a thrift store, I’m on it :)  And then prolly a few other clothes, but not too many.  Seriously, I will start to feel ill if I have to much stuff like that.

8)  Then I’d travel a bit, go to all the metaphysical “hot spots” and other assorted fun places…  And while traveling, I’d, uh, meet my amazing soulmate life-partner to be and, uh, we’d fall blissfully in love… Yeah, that’s the ticket, lol ;)  Then we’d go live at my luscious thousand-acre place.  And, um, live happily ever after.  The end.  LOL! ;)

 Hey, that was fun :)

Peace,
Dove

Synchronicity is always so cool :)  I opened the page just now to my blogroll and the first thing I saw was a beautiful pic of a daisy via a wonderful blog with the most wonderful images from Nature.  It’s also interesting that his title to this post includes “owls,” which is a strong symbol in my life, primarily representing “intuition” or “psychic” ability.   That was the first blog listing, the very next one amazingly also had a mention of daisies :)  So I immediately know there’s a message for me in the daisy.  I scanned the other blog listings, and there too I saw messages that seemed on point for me.  And the daisy is interesting because I just made a post regarding both love and simplicity — before knowing the meaning of this symbol.  Here are some interpretations I found for the symbolic meaning of daisies:

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Daisy - Innocence; loyal love; purity; faith; cheer; simplicity

Source:  http://www.tokenz.com/meaning-of-flowers.html

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Daisy Share your feelings

Source:  http://www.buzzle.com/articles/flower-meanings-symbolic-meanings-of-flowers.html

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I found other sites with these same meanings for the daisy.

I was also intrigued when (still on my blogroll page) I came upon a blog listing that was elaborating on the symbolic meaning of the number three.  On the way to work, a crow cawed at me three times :)  The crow is like my bro’ (heh).  Anyway, I always pay attention when the crow speaks.  So here we have the “three” twice this morning.  Here’s an excerpt from this blog that seems most appropos for me, but several things in this elaboration of the three seem likely messages for me as well:

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“If you are dealing with emotional issues, Three’s are sending you a message to deal with these issues in a creative manner.  Invoke play methods such as journalling, drawing, dancing, singing - any creative outlet in order for you to get some emotional clarity.”

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Yep, that’s what I’ve been working on with my MS Paint pics, but I need to do the journaling as well…  Interesting how it correlates to the “Share your feelings” of the daisy :)

Anyway, I need to pull together more from the other messages I saw…but I primarily wanted to share about the daisy, such a cool synchronicity to pop up at the beginning of the day :) And such a wonderful picture of a daisy. Check it out per the above link. I posted on there how the center of the daisy brought to mind a crop circle pattern.  And, of course — since it popped into my mind — that has meaning too :)

Ahhh, it’s all so intriguing — you skeptical peoples don’t know what you’re missing, lol ;)

Peace,
Dove

By Dove, www.TarotwithLove.com  Here’s one of my recent MS Paint pics…referenced in my Snake Totem post.   I have no idea what the bee-hive looking thing is, but I like it, heh

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“Rising” by Dove, September 2007

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Phoenix Totem…
 
Phoenix, hear my heart’s desire.
Fill me with renewing fire.
Renew my body, mind and soul.
Loving Phoenix, make me whole.

Keeper of the Fire of Creation

Represents death and rebirth.
Transformation and Regeneration.
Protector of all fire.

This totem gives hope in the midst of despair. 
Helps you transform your life into something purer
and brings you closer to spiritual awareness.
Call upon the Phoenix for strength and renewed energy when facing trials of life.

Symbolizes the Sun, dying every night to be reborn with the dawn.
The Chinese believe that the Phoenix has been sent to Earth
to help the development of mankind.  Known as the Feng-Huang.

The Phoenix that I know is a traveler
going through the inky vastness of space;
it can take mortal form when it wants to — during one of my lifetimes as a large red bird.

Source:  http://www.linsdomain.com/totems/pages/phoenix.htm

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Dove’s Art    Dove’s Posts At-a-Glance    Dove’s Tarot Website

I’ve been getting the Snake totem recently…including painting one in a pic with MS Paint a few days ago, which also included what appeared to be a phoenix.  The snake seems to be representing the kundalini.  An interesting depiction, the snake nestles upon the phoenix.  I remember while painting it, I kept getting that a snake wanted to be there.  I resisted putting it there, but then gave into the intuitive nudge.   It’s called “Rising.” 

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Snake:  Symbol of Rebirth, Wisdom, Sexuality, Healing 

The snake has been a source of controversy as to its symbolism for centuries. In some religions it represents the the lower elements (devil), and in others it symbolizes healing and higher transformation.

There is so much written about the snake, that you should study it carefully to find all the lessons that it can teach. Here are some of the lessons you will learn if the snake is your personal totem.

• Rebirth of Power
• Healing and Wisdom
• Secrets of the Underworld
• Creative energy slowly released
• Compassion, clairvoyance, charm
• Death and then rebirth by shedding old ’skin’
• Sexual and creative life force

 Source:  http://www.crystal-cure.com/snake.html

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The Snake

Snakes are fascinating creatures that deserve respect.  Throughout history the snake has had many legends associated with it linking them to creation, fertility and transformation.

In Israel the snake was regarded as the earth mother and played a beneficial role in fertility.  In Egypt the cobra was  known for its ability to expand the upper neck into a disc shape by spreading its ribs which symbolized immortality.  In Christian lore the snake is seen rising from the chalice of St. John wound around a cross sometimes portrayed with a woman’s head to symbolize lust and temptation. In Eastern cultures a snake rising up through the spine represents the kundalini, or life force being awakened.

One of snakes most noticeable characteristics is the regular shedding of its outer skin as it grows. Once the skin is shed, the old inner layer becomes the new outer layer and a new inner layer of skin begins to develop. Crawling out of its old skin is very significant for those with this medicine. It is a metaphor for how we shed old ways and habits as we grow into higher spiritual energy symbolizing the death and rebirth process. It is also associated with astral travel and out of body experiences.

The eyes of a snake are always open protected by immobile transparent scales. Prior to shedding its skin the snakes markings become obscure and the eyes appear opaque or blue.  This gives it a trance like appearance as if it is looking right through you. Learning how to see into the hearts of others is part of what it teaches us. .

Snake has been a symbol of life and sexuality for thousands of years in many cultures. It is a totem of power, renewal and transmutation. Soundless in motion and invisible at rest snakes are unable to produce their own body heat.  They are often seen lying in the hot mid day sun.  The suns warmth coupled with the snakes behavior regulates their body temperature.  Not relying on the energy of food to generate body heat, they can survive on meager diets for extended periods of time. Those with this totem need very little food to energize themselves. They are usually cold and prefer warmer climates.  Their body temperatures are often lower than normal.

Snakes lack eardrums and external ear openings but have small bones in the head that conduct sound.  They are able to hear low frequency sounds and sense vibrations that travel through the earth. This links them to the underworld where secrets are stored.

The snake symbolizes healing on a cellular level. Because their bodies are lightweight and flexible they have speed and agility. When they enter into your world expect swift changes to sweep through your life. These changes signify a death of the old and a birth into untapped power, creativity and wisdom. Snake is a powerful totem to have. Only those with a high degree of spiritual training, be it past or present, will be awarded this totem. It is the guardian of sacred places and the keeper of hidden knowledge.

 Source:  http://www.sayahda.com/cyc4.html

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By Dove, www.TarotwithLove.com  Gawd, it’s a gorgeous day :)  I’m sitting here at work, playing as usual ;) … the front doors are open (which I sit right next to) and the lusciousness of a sunny, 70-degree day and its intoxicatingly light breeze is pouring in…lotsa green trees and blue sky paint the background of my delightful view :) I decided to paint on MS Paint some more this morning.  The amazingly creative spider came through, sprinkled with moons — it’s all representing a plethora of creative energy going on.  It wants to be called “Moon Juice.” heh… I love that :) You can’t see it from this pic, but on her back she has a purple full moon and a couple of crescent ones above that. 

Purple = spirituality.Here she is…

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