I was first introduced to my spirit animal a few months ago during a chakra clearing / oracle card reading via the internet. Boy, did I get more than I signed up for — in a GOOD way! The lovely “shamanista” who worked on me is one of the most connected and gifted people I’ve met, and when she told me that a guide named Julie, a small white mouse with black eyes, had come through and chosen each and every one of my oracle cards.
Actually my first thought was, “What is it with me and little white animals?” See, over a year earlier, another intuitive (one who works with the angelic realm) shared with me that my power animal is a white dove.
But I digress…
After being introduced to Julie the mouse I began to connect with her more and more. I noticed her presence in my day-to-day activities.
But something about our relationship didn’t sit quite right. I wasn’t called to draw on her energy to assist me. I honestly didn’t feel like I really needed or wanted Julie’s help. When my partner came to visit me from Israel I shared this feeling with him. “So get a new one!” he said.
I pondered his words. Hmmm. Get a new one? Suddenly, a wave of knowing came over me that Julie had actually been with me for MOST of my life. (Before that point, I had thought she was a new presence.) She has a sweet, smart, and meticulous energy about her that had served me well, particularly during my many years pursuing my doctoral degree. She helped me get shit done, swiftly and without much fuss. Clever gal.
But I felt like that phase in my life was nearing an end. I didn’t need that detail-oriented, precise energy as much anymore. “Yes,” I thought. “I think it’s time for a change.”
God bless my boyfriend. After opening a sacred space and finding some good drumming music from Youtube, he guided me through a trip into the underworld to retrieve a new animal to accompany on the next phase of my journey.
I had tried shamanic journeying on my own once before. But at the time I was worried about getting stuck underground (am I the only one?) and I stopped in the middle. I convinced myself that I’m just not cut out for this shamanic stuff.
This time, feeling my love’s support and that of the other energies we had called in, I committed to the journey. We went down into the realm where all the different spirit animals reside. Being an animal lover, it was an amazingly beautiful realm to behold.
The first thing my partner told me to do was meet Julie, who would be waiting to greet me, and thank her for her care and service. WOW. She was the sweetest little thing ever. I really was taken aback by her joyful energy. I was touched that this being had been with me for so long, and that she wasn’t offended that I desired to…well, swap her out.
Next, I was to ask Julie to guide me to my new spirit animal. I had no idea what it would be. I looked around this vast space (think the opening of Disney’s The Lion King) and sort of wandered about and waited.
I approached an area of land and there lay this huge blue-black DRAGON. I was super impressed and excited, only a tiny bit hesitant. “Really????” I said.
He wasn’t a talker.
In fact, throughout the entire time I spent with him, including soaring through the skies with him (absolutely exhilarating), the only thing my dragon said to me was, “I will give you strength.”
I also kept getting this overwhelming intuition that he was my ancestor. I kept seeing images of my great-grandfather’s face in the sky. This all made me a bit emotional, because I know next to nothing about my ancestors. My parents, immigrants from Taiwan and Hong Kong, don’t talk much about their family.
When the drumming ended and I emerged from my journey, I felt wonderful and somewhat awestruck. My first shamanic journey, woohoo!
It felt really comforting to know that I had a new ally, one who could better support my current needs.
Strength. Vitality. Motion.
One evening, a few weeks ago, I decided to pursue my hunch that my dragon might be my great-grandfather.
About five years ago my mother had dug up some old photos of him, and we also found a short biography about him recorded in a Chinese encyclopedia of modern Buddhist figures. You see, he had become a Buddhist monk in his later years in Taiwan, and since I studied Buddhism, I thought it would be cool to learn more about him. I had translated that encyclopedia entry into English, all those years ago, and then forgot about it.
That night, I meditated and connected to my dragon.
“What is your name?” I asked.
Suddenly, a thought-form entered my mind. “Huang.”
Huang? I only half-believed that I had really received this information.
But still, I immediately went to my computer and began to search for that encyclopedia entry I had translated five years ago!
Once I found it, my eyes ran over the first few lines. I stopped. A wave of emotions cascaded over me. Enchantment, gratitude, comfort.
The lines read as follows:
“Chinese Buddhist monk. Dharma name Zongjing 宗净, also called Xina 西衲. Named Lühang 律航. Sirname Huang 黄, first name Luchu.”
HUANG!!! It was him! His last name was HUANG. Wow.
My doubt vanished in an instant, but the wonder remains even now.
I have a dragon spirit animal AND ancestor guide all rolled into one!
“Thank you.” That’s all I could think.
I would like to say to anyone reading this, do not doubt yourself.
Everyone can receive information from the spirit realms.
You are powerful.
You have so many beings supporting you.
You CAN receive information from the spirit realms. You don’t need to be specially talented. Or to put it another way, we are ALL specially talented. We are all gifted by God.
You just need to trust yourself, and ask for support.