The gentle Doe, canny Magpie and fierce Wolverine bring their unique magic and talents to the fore. Shamans and spirit practitioners from beginners to advanced use nature magic and animal spirit guides for insight, special qualities or abilities. Nature worship and respect for the environment is a driving force among ancient pagans and neo-pagans alike.
Jump to:
In German mythology and culture, people had no afterlife concept. They believed in a predetermined destiny, which is why pagan Germanic tribes were so fierce on the battlefield. They knew they wouldn't die unless it was their destiny (Ger. Schicksal). However, the dead could rise from the grave as Wiedergänger.
See also:
Germanic tribes lived in the now. Pagan European people had intimate knowledge and understanding of nature and nature lore. Shamanism or work with animal spirit energies goes back to Neanderthal times.
Ancient people knew every animal has qualities, wisdom, and abilities to teach, help or guidance to give to help us live a productive and happy life. Here are the Doe, Magpie and Wolverine.
1. Doe - Faerie, Intuition, Motherhood
The Doe or female deer, partner to the Stag, brings qualities of nurturing, creativity and intuition. Like the Stag she's associated with the Faerie folk. She gives them milk for feeding, drinking or baking. Doe energy opens channels of awareness. This spirit energy can access the depth of the soul and a person's greatest fears and desires.
The Doe is an animal of peace, kindness, generosity and mystic wisdom. She is Yin, moon and night, inward seeking, dreams, hidden knowledge. In native lore Deer Woman is a staunch protector of women, especially pregnant women. She hates men, though, and might try to kill them.
Fortunately for men, not all Does think that way. For men, the Doe is often a lucky spirit animal guide. She brings modesty, gentle virtues, intuition and heightened senses to those who ask.
See also:
Although her eyes appear a soulful brown, they have horizontally slit pupils which enhance night vision, and color vision in daylight. Ultrasonic hearing makes the Doe aware of sounds much higher than those humans can hear.
She represents motherhood, birth or rebirth, and nourishment. This can relate to a child, inner child, project or idea. Her partner the Stag brings blessings of beginnings. Both Stag and Doe embody abundance.
The milk of Does, valued by Faerie folk, abounds with essential minerals including zinc, selenium, calcium, potassium and phosphorous. Nine times as much lactoferrin, a protein important to bone health, occurs in deer milk than cow milk.
People of the Doe spirit have a great depth of soul, with strong intuition, a pacifist nature and gentle personality. They may work in fields of health care, education or the arts. Deer energy is fortunate for creativity and success in painting, music, poetry and other artsy endeavors.
Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords
Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle
Too much Doe energy will make a person nervous, fidgety and jumpy. One could be prone to unreasonable fears or general anxiety. Never take a Doe person for granted. Although the Doe is known for her grace and quiet nature, she has hooves sharp as knives and will kick out if pushed into a corner.
2. Magpie - Trickster, Intelligence, Imitation
The magpie always has something to say. Magpies are corvids (family Corvidae), known for their intelligence and sometimes dark sense of humor. When Magpie is around, it could be a warning to watch our for tricks and traps, and keep one hand on your wallet. It could also signify a stroke of luck coming your way.
Magpies, crows and other corvids have the uncanny ability to mimic sounds, from a door creak to an unpublished musical work by Mozart (a starling in a nearby shop window). Magpies can mimic 35 types of birdsong; human, horse and dog noises. In Australia during wildfires magpies imitated fire sirens. In humans, imitation is a strong learning quality.
See also
People with a Magpie spirit animal are sociable, talkative and love ornaments or jewelry. Magpie people are clever and hard to deceive.
They do well at puzzles and games of intellect. Curious and gifted with an active mind, magpie people love to explore and learn. They may hoard pearls of wisdom or knowledge, or items of personal value.
Keen observers, they notice details others might miss. Life with a Magpie person is busy and not always predictable. Those with a Magpie totem generally take care of their health. They dislike being ill or stuck in bed. Even if they are, curiosity prevails and they might sneak into the closet and rattle the supposedly hidden Christmas presents to guess what's in them.
Magpies are monogamous and occupy the same breeding area for years. In Italy the Magpie is the subject of Rossini's opera "La Gazza Ladra", or The Thieving Magpie, which premiered in 1817 Milan. Magpies love to find, examine or collect diverse objects. Experiments at Exeter University found magpies were curious about all objects, and not especially attracted to shiny ones.
A group of magpies may be called a conventicle, gulp, mischief, tidings or tribe. A tidings is a smaller group than a tribe.
See also:
Magpies wear bright colors in the Old World and East, less so in the Americas where they're black and white. Old and New World magpies are different species. In cultures of East Asia the magpie is considered lucky. It's the official bird of Seoul, Korea. Magpies are common subjects of Eastern art and poetry.
3. Wolverine - Ferocity, Travel, Prosperity
The Wolverine, a creature of the northern boreal forests, has a secretive life and habits scientists are just beginning to understand. Despite its bad smell the Wolverine is not the cranky solitary animal earlier studies seemed to show. While it forages on its own, it spends time with wives and kids too.
A wolverine, especially the male, is always on the go. He travels 15 mi (24 km) a day with ease, scouting his territory and scavenging food. Wolverines rarely hunt. They eat carrion left by predators and are known to follow trails of wolf and lynx in quest of food. They'll either wait until the hunter is finished, or steal the meal. If hunting, the wolverine preys on small mammals.
Wolverines also travel to take care of their families. A Wolverine can have up to three wives in different dens throughout his territory. He proves his stamina and strength by bringing them food. While visiting he plays with the kids. Wolverines are more family-oriented than once was thought. They're hard to keep in captivity due to a high infant mortality rate.
The ferocity of the Wolverine is legendary. This animal makes up in aggression what it lacks in size, which comes in handy when protecting territory, home or meal. Mothers savagely defend the cubs or kits.
This animal's also known as 'skunk bear' due to its rank smell, though to the Wolverine it's sweet perfume. The aroma comes from anal scent glands used for marking territory and sexual signaling.
Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords
Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle
The energy of Wolverine people can be intense. Emotions may be tricky, leading to hostility or misunderstanding. Those with Wolverine totem have a powerful earth rhythm but also depend on their canny minds. They are strategists and travelers who value their freedom. In a relationship a Wolverine person is dedicated but may have trouble settling into a monogamous partnership. Nonetheless Wolverines are considered good providers.
Wolverines were once valued for their hydrophobic fur, which contains oils to repel frost and water. Unfortunately this led to a high level of trapping. Another adapted talent is a special molar which helps the Wolverine tear frozen meat. Wolverine people may have special skills, adaptations, luxurious tastes or really great hair.
See also: