Animals as Healers

You may be wondering how I came to be sitting cross-legged on the floor in a heart-to-heart embrace with Nessie, the 19 year-old alligator (see pics below).

It was at ReptileFest, a yearly happening put on by the Chicago Herpetological Society.

Eighteen years ago, a very kind man named Richard Bucholz was wandering down a trail somewhere in California. Out of nowhere he spots a little 1 year-old alligator wandering down the path towards him, and the rest is history. It was love at first sight.

She has been with him ever since--raised, handled, cuddled and loved. She has traveled with him to shows constantly over the years, educating the public on her species and generally giving her healing gifts to children and other humankind. And I was very fortunate that they put in an appearance at ReptileFest this year!

Now, if you know something about Shamanism, you will probably know what a Power Animal is. Some people call them Totems, although in veritas one can, and usually does, have several totem animals (east, west, north, south, above, below, within, one who walks at the left and one who walks at the right). All of these totem animals bring their healing medicines to the human with whom they are connected.

As for Power Animals, though, a person tends to be born with just one--a power animal spirit guide who connects us with our own personal power, and is our protector, guide, teacher and friend.

Often somewhere along their paths folks can become disconnected from their Power Animal due to an incident, trauma, illness or what have you--and a shaman is able to travel in non-ordinary reality, find your Power Animal once again, and reunite/reconnect the two of you.

Also, a person can reconnect with their own Power Animal through dreams and/or shamanic journeys, calling back their own personal power and their dear old friend.

As you may have guessed by now, my Power Animal is Alligator! Lost when I was four years old, he started to return to me at age 29--nine years ago. He has been trickling back in slowly ever since, and really came back full steam a couple of years ago when I was undergoing my own shamanic training--when I could really see the big picture--and understand it.

Meeting Nessie, one of the sweetest souls I have ever had the privilege to share space with, and receiving a heart-melting healing from her, has really brought my reunion with my own Alligator full-circle. It's reminded me of how much I love and appreciate him, how I want him always close to me, how much he helps me, and how glad I have him in my life.

Thank you, Nessie--much love to you and to my own Alligator.

And thank you to all Alligators and other animal healers of the world--in ordinary and non-ordinary reality!

(For more information about ReptileFest, go to: http://www.chicagoherp.org/fest/main.htm)