COUGAR/MOUNTAIN LION: Full grown males weigh around 175 pounds. Cougars are very elusive and hard to find in the wild. They will eat a variety of animals, from a mouse to an elk. The mother will stay with her cubs for a year and teach them to hunt by first bringing them a kill, and then bringing her prey back alive so that they can kill it. When her cubs are about a year old, she does what is called "Mock Hunting" she runs after them and tackles them down then gently bites them on the neck.
Mountain lions do not roar; they purr and howl. Their territory is from the Yukon to the edge of South America. They are primarily nocturnal but can be active during the day.
Cougar brings the power of balanced leadership to the people. In the way Cougar teaches her young, in the balance that she has with her environment, and in her quiet power, she shows this gift.
If you find yourself in the role of leading or facilitating a group, Cougar is a special one to seek guidance from.
On the other hand, the opposite is Cougar can be so elusive that one might forget they are present, or assumes they will move out of they way easy. This can lead to conflicts over many things.
Do you prefer being in the background to the extent that you might not be noticed until a conflict arises? If you prefer to keep out of the limelight, Cougar might be trying to tell you that, while this is comfortable, it very well can and often is the wrong path/direction to go, and lead to difficulties.
COYOTE: The range of Coyote is fro Alaska to Costa Rica. They prefer open grassland and thinly wooded brush, but can adapt to most any environment. They eat meat almost exclusively, and will hunt anything fro small rodent to deer or elk. They hunt small prey singly and will work together with others to bring down a larger prey. For a long time, humans have been attempting to shoot, poison and trap Coyote into non-existence. Instead, they are more numerous today because of their adapt ability, they are clever indeed and that is why they found a way to walk its walk despite humanity's encroachment and aggression in todays world of concrete city's and poor use of saving nature to just make room for more houses and more concrete parking lots. He finds a way to keep his medicine.
Coyotes mate for life. They live in underground dens where family units are well protected. They hunt small game with speed, but by pouncing and snapping with their jaws.
Coyote in most Native beliefs is called a trickster. He is also a great one and foolish one. Coyote will mirror the human being in many aspects, one being to manipulate others into doing what is needed to get what they want to have for themselves.
If Coyote has come to you in dream/vision, you are being asked to look at something you have been avoiding. Coyote is our mirror of our inner selves in every way good or bad. He helps us look long and deep into that mirror until we get the true reflection. Then to learn the lessons in order to walk the good sacred road.
Coyote is relentless in turning you to look in that mirror he offers. Call on Coyote as an ally for negotiating a difficult situation. He does show you traps you have fallen in and will help you figure out the answer of getting out of such trap if only asked. Or he will show you of the foolishness you are so capable of, and how you go down paths you need not go down if you would only think things through first.
Coyote is especially a powerful teacher with regards to relationships, because it is when we are in a relationship that we can fool ourselves the most. Coyote is not out there to get us, but to teach us, whether we want to learn or not.
CROW: The common American crow is a vocal, sly bird which feeds on corn, sorghums, peas, insects, and carrion. They, like their close relatives the Jays, will raid human camps/houses for food. Their courtship rituals involve the male feeding the female to gain her acceptance. After mating, he will continue to feed her while she incubates the eggs. Crows have a superior mind for learning things very quickly. They even build false nests in tress to confuse their predators. They travel frequently travel in groups and will make mischief in teams.
They can be seen perching together or in neighboring trees and cawing back and forth. They seem to be deciding on a course of action and who will do what . One of them will explore something new while others watch closely to see what happens and to learn from it.
If Crow has come to you in vision/dreaming or physically, the message might be to come together in council with others to make decisions and learn facts from one another before making an important decision and learn from events. In all of your group interactions you need to honour the decision making processes of the whole, be it your family, at your job, or perhaps as a member of a circle that does ceremony. There needs to be balance and harmony in a group.
On the wing, Crow can sometimes be too arrogant with its loud caw and its clever ways. When you are working with a group of people, do so honestly and with even temperament. It is OK to be forceful and fiery at times, but once a majority vote and decision has been made, accept it as what the majority wants. It may be you are not in agreement, but try to go along and keep harmony as best as you can. It may happen that may be your ideas can be worked in later.
DEER: There are 3 species of Deer in North America: the mule, the white-tailed, the black-tailed. They are solely vegetarians and will prance into gardens for a treat when they can. Only the males called bucks, have antlers, which drop off every year in midwinter. They do grow new antlers from spring to fall, and in the fall the males compete for the right to mate with does. The size of antlers get bigger and bigger the older the buck grows. Deer are extremely sensitive to their surroundings. At the slightest disturbance or wrong smell, their awareness is triggered. With a snap of a twig, they will bound off before you know which way they went. They can run up to 45 miles per hour, and jump 8 feet high.
Deer's medicine gifts to mankind is its gentleness and sensitivity.
Very few people are in tune with life can see Deer and not be moved. Some healing and love medicine are made from Deer. Their hides are used in Native wedding ceremonies to be given as gift to symbolize the showing of love and prosperity and of providing and feeding the spouse as a married mated couple.
If Deer comes to you in vision/dreaming, it may be trying to ask you, "Are you overly sensitive to unforeseen events in your life? If so, learn from this gentle medicine teacher and stay out of the way of trouble. Do not go head first into a situation without keeping your senses and wits about you.
DOLPHIN: Dolphins live in groups of up to 100 individuals. Females give birth to a single young. Several Dolphins surround her to assist with the birth. They will pull the newborn out by its tail and will protect it from harm. Injured and sick Dolphins are cared for by others who will lift them to the surface to breathe. They spend a large portion of their day playing. Interestingly, they will mate all year round, though most give birth in the summer. They eat a large variety of fish. Dolphins like bats, use ultrasonic vibrations to locate prey. In addition to this this ultrasound, they have a variety of clicks, whistles, grunts and body postures which they communicate. Each Dolphin has their own individual whistle that it calls itself, and it uses other Dolphins' personal whistles to call their attention. A young Dolphin will create its own personal whistle, using elements similar to its mother's.
The power of Dolphin is community in balance. They live their lives in joyful harmony with each other and their world. They seemed to have learned the lesson that love is the most important part of life. Some mentally and physically challenged people show improvements in attitude and aptitude after swimming with Dolphins, because they have a purity of being which touches our inner nature. If you want to see that purest of love and happiness that all humans should feel and have, look into the purity that shines forth from the eyes of a down-syndrome child. Or any child who has not been corrupted from their innocence in any way.
Call on Dolphin when you need a guide for connecting with your true self and the spirit of well being.
Dolphins have been known to inexplicably beach themselves, perhaps trying to follow a sick or injured Dolphin to try to aid it, or perhaps they were all sick and trying not to infect any other Dolphins or life beside them.
We never know their reasons but the message is clear.. Dolphins try to communicate love. and to return to the depths of our being/souls the clean waters of balanced emotions. With fair warning when that a soul is unbalanced, it becomes sick and will beach itself on the shores of life and die.
DRAGONFLY: Despite the Dragonfly's large size and intimidating appearance, they pose no threat to people or animals. They are, however, a great threat to other insects. As newly hatched nymphs, Dragonflies live on the bottom of ponds and streams and eat the larvae of insects, including mosquitoes. When transformed into adults, they have amazing flight capabilities: starting, hovering, flying forwards, backwards, up and down. They use their flying skills to track down and catch less mobile insects. Dragonflies have spectacular colours which sparkle with iridescence the sunlight. No bird or insect has the flight maneuverability of the Dragonfly.
The power of Dragonfly brings to the tapestry of life is skill. They are experts at what they do and do it relentlessly.
If Dragonfly aerial talents have been brought it to your notice, you are being told that you either have, or need to refine, certain skills to ensure abundance in your earthly walk. Learn from rigid patterns of Dragonfly and continue to gain knowledge and abilities for the future, even if you are already quite skilled at something.
There is a very old saying that holds true to present day... "You never stop learning, even after death"
