Thank you, Maskwa

 

 

I was challenged to show, through an art journal page, my gratitude for and to a guardian.  Of course, I knew that I have one.

The bear is my main guardian since an incident back in 1985.  I cannot tell you all the details but something happened that I knew nothing about.  I was told, later, that the bear was the keeper of an ancient bundle that we were involved with. 

It means I can never be around bear claws, bear hides, taxidermized bears, bear rugs, etc.  I cannot wear anything of the bear, as well.  It is too sacred for me to do such.  I am very careful about it, as well. 

A guardian animal is forever, both physical and spiritual.  It is a connection that an animal has chosen to make, not us.  It offers power and wisdom as long as we remember to respect and trust them.  They teach us things.  It will come, seemingly, out of the blue and you have a knowing from where it came.  It can come through a book, an ad, a tv program, any way it can, it will send you a message it wants to convey.  It is a holy thing and you would have a hard time explain it, and most times, should not.  Paying attention, you can figure out when it first revealed itself to you before you knew what it was. 

You have to really develop your intuition (spiritual intuition) so that you can be open for physical or spiritual messages from your guardian.  You can receive clues, signs, warnings both negative and positive.    If you see it in living form, for instance, a real bear that either acts oddly, looks oddly different than most, or something other than the ordinary, you must recognize it as it making sure you know it is your guardian.  We learn how to let it guide us, how to help us make decisions, give us insight, and it is said it will follow you through to your next life.   You can encourage interaction through ceremony, through dreams, through what we might call visions, and we have to know it is with us every breathing moment of our lives and we have access to it as it has access to us. 

Our guardian does not just protect and teach us, even our relations might have an experience with our guardian. When the guardian feels it is necessary. 

They are known to give comfort, to give love, to give compassion and to heal.  It will heal you.  It is very very sacred and until you experience such, through ceremony, or any other way, it is powerful in one’s life. 

In this painting, I offer my gratitude in some small way.

©Carol Desjarlais 12.19.22