Parting the Mists

We don’t see many Cranes in my area; we do have Great Blue Herons, and both birds are patient and seem to exude wisdom. In the Crane card, don’t miss the full moon and the carved cave entrance in the background. Crane is telling us to seek deeper meaning and to be patient with it.

Hope everyone has a good Wednesday,

Thistle

CRANE – Secret knowledge, patience, longevity

MEANING: Crane brings the qualities of patience and perseverance. The crane will stand for hours peering into the water until the time is right for it to dart at its prey. Combined with the ability to be patient, the Crane conveys the capacity to be focused and to be able to concentrate without distraction. It brings an ability to guide others into the Underworld, to help them with their transition at the time of dying, or with their journeying in the inner realms. As well as conveying an ability to work in the Underworld, the crane symbolizes arcane science, or Secret Knowledge, which in the Druid tradition is represented by the Ogham script – the tree language of Druidry. In its widest sense, learning this language involves learning to read the “Book of Nature.”

The Crane is also able to join it colleagues to fly in formation or to dance together. You may need to learn the right balance between being alone and working with others. Spending too much time alone can create feelings of isolation and separation. Conversely, having no time to oneself can be an avoidance of self-knowledge and the uncomfortable feelings of loneliness. Spend a while looking at tour life to see whether you give yourself enough time having both of these experiences. The shadow side of the Crane is manifested as harshness, meanness and a nagging, complaining disposition. If you find these qualities showing sometimes in your behavior, see if you can experience the deeper aspects of the Crane, in which it becomes an animal of the Goddess-as-crone or wise woman. Ask yourself to what extant you are denying the wise woman who has a knowledge of death and the Underworld in yourself, and to what extent your negative behavior may be a reflection of this denial.

THE CARD: The card shows a crane fishing in a pool. Its legs are crossed to show the Ogham letter Muinn, and it gazes into the water, patiently waiting for sight of a fish. Behind the pool is a cave entrance to the Underworld, and in the evening sky the full moon is rising. In the foreground grow bitter vetch and bloody crane’s bill.

The Druid Animal Oracle by authors Philip and Stephanie Carr-Gomm and artist Will Worthington

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With everything going on in the world, it is important to remember not to lose yourself to the bad things we are inundated with daily. Remember to take time for family and friends and what gives you joy – and for what keeps your soul in a healthy place. Anger can be a tool, but don’t live there. The little Blackbird may not look like much, but it only takes some self-awareness and effort to keep yourself in a good headspace and heart space.

Blessings and have a good weekend,

Thistle

Blackbird – Enchantment, The Gateway, The Inner Call

The card shows a blackbird sitting on a rowan tree. It is twilight and the first stars are just appearing in the sky. In the background, we can see the entrance to an enchanted cave. Blackbird is the bird of both the gateway and the forge. 

Meaning: Blackbird (Druid Dhubh) calls to us from the gateway between two worlds, urging us to follow a spiritual path or to become more self-aware. He calls to us in the twilight, showing us the path to Otherworldly secrets, pointing out eh ways in which we can discover more about our hidden motivations and potential. There are times in life when it is important to concentrate on the outer world and your responsibilities in that world, but there are also times when you must attend to the haunting sone of your soul that calls you to a study of spiritual truths, and to an exploration of the inner world through dreams and myths. In heeding Druid Dhubh’s song, you will discover healing and new depths in your soul.

This card may also be here to remind you that the blackbird is the smith’s bird, and his song may be calling you to work in the forge of your own heart – to create a life of passion and purpose. All four elements are used in metal-working, and to create a healthy and balanced life we must work with the power of the four elements, integrating and developing our minds and hearts, our instinct and our intuition. Just standing at the gateway between two worlds, without truly working in either, is a denial of our own power and responsibility.

The Druid Animal Oracle by Philip and Stephanie Carr-Gomm, art by Will Worthington

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