The Power of Animal Allies

“Take a walk with me into the woods… The path wanders amongst the towering evergreens as they sway gently in the breeze. Through the forest canopy, the bright sunbeams reach the earth. There is great energy and magick to be found within this place. You can feel it as it dances across your skin. You listen closely, not just with your ears, but your heart and soul as well. You know that the animals here have messages to deliver and magick to share. The birds are singing to you, their melody soft and sweet. The squirrels chatter as they roam the branches in search of pine nuts for their winter stash. They tell you that hard work will be rewarded but also to take time for rest. You take a moment to acknowledge them before continuing on. The journey along the earthen path opens into a great meadow where wildflowers dance and the bees gather for their pollen. Their buzzing is a reminder that you must take time from the busy life to smell the flowers. The sunlight suddenly hits the far edge of the meadow, and as if he was being

called to you, a great stag steps out of the trees. His antlers are majestic, a conduit for messages from the world of Spirit and a connection to the Divine. He has a message for you. He takes a step closer and dips his head in acknowledgment of you and as he does, that message comes through, loud and clear, giving you the answers you were seeking when you set out upon the path. You thank him for his assistance but before you part ways, he lets you know where you will find shed antlers for your altar and how to use them in your magick…”

If the above passage seems familiar to you, that's because it's the prologue to my Animal Magic book. All of my books are special labors of love for me but for Animal Magic, I was able to use many of the animal guide invocations that have been coming to me for years. I am blessed with a deep connection to our Mother Earth and through that, a unique connection to the animals. As I write this, I have 26 animal allies, a small pride of lions with three females and a male and a Dragon guide. I lovingly call them my Herd. Some of them such as my wolf, snake and raven have been with me my entire life. Others came to deliver a message and then decided to stay. I joke with my fellow coven sisters that I've had to enlarge the area when I create sacred space or cast a circle as it often gets extremely crowded if all of my animal guides decide to show up at once, which they definitely have before. They range in size from my little teal dragonfly to my

massive grandmother Orca. They all work together for and with me whether it’s in ritual, for protection, or guidance. 

In my Shamanic practice, we will often lead guided spiritual journeys into the Lower World to assist people with finding their animal guide or simply to receive messages that need to come through from the animal kingdom. I have had people overlook the small creatures, hoping to have something “more profound” appear to them. While the jaguar does hold great magick, so does the ant. According to Entomology Today, ants can withstand pressure up to 5,000 times

their own body weight and carry as much as 20 times their body weight, far surpassing the mighty jaguar, and giving us a lesson in never underestimating ourselves and what we are capable of. 

So why work with animal guides and allies? Animals are extremely connected to the spiritual world and will often act as a go-between, delivering important messages to us from the Universe, deities, Spirit, our ancestors, and even our past-life selves. Animal guides work much the same way that an ancestor, angel, or any other type of spirit guide would. They share wisdom and knowledge with us and can help guide us through situations, challenges, emotions, and life itself, as well as bring us warnings when necessary. They bring teachings and lessons that might be difficult to learn from another source. They can help to show us who we are and remind us of our inner power and strength. The animals will lend magick and energy when needed and can assist us in growing as a witch and/or Shaman. And, they can be fierce protectors as well. They will stand in circle with you to guard your magickal space as well as your energy and spirit. 

In my Shamanic practice, we learn about animal medicine. This is best explained as an animal ally working at its highest vibrational level to channel and facilitate deep healing. Working with animals and their medicine can help us heal in ways we may not have been aware that we needed or that were even possible. This might mean releasing blockages, correcting spiritual imbalances, recovery from past and current life traumas, and even aiding with physical ailments. 

But how does one begin to work with animal guides and allies? You can begin by simply being open to it. No, every interaction with an animal is not a guide or a message. It may be that you are just crossing paths. However, if the same white butterfly keeps coming back to you, then you should pay attention. If an encounter with an animal seems significant, ask them if they have a message for you. Open yourself to the world of animal spirits by being present in that moment and solely focused on that interaction. Sometimes the message comes through loud and clear but other times, it can be vague or fuzzy, especially if you are new to working with animals in this way. Don’t get discouraged and be patient. If the message is just not coming through, you can take to the internet and look up the symbolism of the animal. You may find that they vary from site to site but the important thing is to take away what resonates with you at that time. Take a look at your life and see what fits.

The following is a ritual to open the crown chakra to assist you with being open to animal messages. This was taken directly from my Animal Magic book.

If you are having issues hearing the messages or finding it difficult to receive them in general, try this simple spell to facilitate openness. The crown chakra sits just above the top of your head. This is our connection to the Universe, Spirit, our higher selves, and the Divine. When it is open and freely flowing, it becomes easier to receive messages.

Spell to Open Crown Chakra to Facilitate Receiving Animal Messages

You will need:

• A purple candle as the color purple aligns with the crown chakra. 

• A carrier oil of your choice to dress the candle 

• Dried mugwort and clary sage

• A timer (it is acceptable to set a timer on your phone)

• Notebook or journal

Spell Working:

1. Go into your sacred space.

2. As part of the working, you must first dress your candle by rubbing it with the carrier oil of your choice and then rolling it in the dried herbs.

3. Place the candle on your altar.

4. Cast a circle.

5. Light the candle and intone the following three times:

Messages coming to me

Help me so that I can see

Delivered by animals that appear

Help me so that I can hear

From the Divine, Universe and Spirit

Help me so that I am open to it.

As I will, so mote it be (after the third time.)

6. Set a timer for nine minutes.

7. Soften your gaze or, if you feel comfortable, close your eyes and clear your mind.

8. When the timer is done, write down any messages that may have come through in your notebook or journal.

9. Let the candle burn out completely.

10. Open the circle.

Working within the world of animal guides, allies, and messengers can be a life changing experience. It connects you to Spirit and Mother Earth in a whole new way. And remember, don’t overlook the moth when you were hoping for the bison to appear. All of the animals have something to teach us, as well as their own sacred magick and medicine.

If you are interested in working closely with animal guides and allies, look for my Animal Magic book. It can be found at many book retailers including Barnes and Noble online as well as Amazon under my name Rieka Moonsong. You can also learn about the magick of felines, including the big cats in my Cat Magick book, owls in my Owl Magick book, as well as our animal allies of the ocean in Sea Magick.