On a breezy June evening in my sister’s backyard, just the two of us chatting at the edge of her pool, we were greeted by an unexpected visitor: a beautiful, rich, chocolate brown, playful mink. There was surprise and delight in interaction with this animal. In my metaphysical orientation to life, I feel that my sister and I called this animal to join us and it felt like great medicine for both of us. I did not know what animal it was, at the time, and while my heart was thrilled to see it, my mind struggled to name it.
When nature speaks to me, such as when an animal appears or a particularly striking cloud formation dances across the sky, I always try to receive the meaning and the message. This mink sighting, though, provided a valuable learning experience for me. As soon as I saw this beautiful, playful animal, my mind struggled to label it. I wanted to know the name of the animal so I could look up the meaning of its medicine, the metaphysical gift of its visit. My sister and I searched online for animals it might be, and none were a match. Without the name of the animal, I reverted to asking myself what did this sighting mean, how did it feel to me? I was aware of shutting down, of numbing connection with my inner knowing.
We described the animal to my brother-in-law and he told us that it was a mink, as his friend had seen some in the yard recently. With the name, we looked up the animal online using the google term animal totem mink. We got hits that gave us information of this animal’s meaning on metaphysical levels, its medicine, that was unique to both my sister and to me.
After I learned the name of the animal and looked up its qualities of metaphysical medicine, I put the pieces together and could admit into my consciousness the authenticity of my direct experience when I saw it. My experience was one of joy, of playfulness, of surprise and the feeling was of wealth, beauty and luxury. Seeing this mink definitely felt like a blessing. I also had the experience that our sisterly conversation, our sharing regarding things we were individually working on, brought this sighting forth. It felt distinctly like a joint evoking of help. We each lead very different lives and the sighting of this mink bridged a deeper connection between us, or maybe, it was simply a more conscious connection of our already deep heart connection.
A learning for me in this mink’s visit is how my mind struggles to understand in a rational way while my body senses through a direct, visceral way. My senses are ahead of my mind in registering experience, yet my mind overruled my senses in this mink sighting. Allowing the mind to override sensate experience feels like an inefficient way to live. In 2012, with a new dimension of integrated human/nature, experiential living is key. This time is about referencing inner knowing and not abdicating authority to sources outside of our direct experience.
After eons of looking outside of ourselves for validation of what is right within us, it is going to take practice, a lot of trial an error, to build up reliance on our own inner authority. This little playful mink brought me this message. My mind can relax, my senses can inform. I can trust and go with the magic and play of life. My mind no longer has to preempt my body’s experience of sensate knowing. In addition to this wake-up lesson, this mink also brought me a direct experience of wealth, just by looking at its rich, deep brown coat. I interpret this sighting as nature’s way of telling me that wealth, luxury and abundance abound. No need to worry. There was also an experience of play and this came through the playful expression in the mink’s eyes and its playful body movements. I hear this message as nature’s way of telling me to play more, have more fun and joy in life. These are things I have been wanting in my life and the mink reminds me that they are important things to have.
Mink’s unexpected visit brought an element of surprise and unique messages to both my sister and me. Through human life’s ever present interplay with nature, we have fresh perspectives for ongoing issues. In addition, I am learning how to lead with experience, not with the mind. Rational understanding cannot fully gork a natural world energy exchange; the body can! This little mink brought me an experience of hope, of relaxation regarding money concerns, and an invitation to play. I will keep you posted how this new medicine works for me.
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