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Reciprocity and Spirit Animals
“If there is one word that can be the guide for your life, it is the word reciprocity.
—Pearl S. Buck, author of The Good Earth
“. . . I think we are called to go beyond cultures of gratitude,
to once again become cultures of reciprocity.”
—Robin Wall Kimmerer, author of Braiding Sweetgrass
Breathe in slowly. Breathe out slowly. While doing so, be aware of the natural exchange between yourself and the plants and trees. You readily receive oxygen that nourishes your cells, and you give back carbon dioxide, which nourishes the cells of plants and trees. What a simple and miraculous demonstration of reciprocity, one where there is a mutual gifting that is rarely acknowledged consciously, yet continues in these cycles of giving and receiving for as long as you’re alive. You embody reciprocity.
Unfortunately, this principle of reciprocity is one that is often ignored, neglected, or simply forgotten. It’s a mindset that gets lost in preoccupation with what we get rather than with what we can give back, especially in exchange for what we receive. Greed, competition, consumerism, and our narcissistic tendencies can all interfere and disrupt honoring this principle of reciprocity. It’s a long-standing cultural mindset that what the earth has to offer is ours for the taking.
Fortunately, we are gradually awakening to the importance of giving back generously to the natural world as well as receiving with gratitude what Earth Mother provides for us freely, continuously, and in so many ways. We’re coming to appreciate the flow of Life’s choreography more deeply and how we are immersed in this energetic field of reciprocities.
There are many other examples of reciprocity, such as an exchange of love between two people, tending a garden, the care we give to our pets who in turn give back their love, or donating time, energy, or money to an organization you believe in. Even when buying goods, we exchange money for those goods.
This principle is not only active in the material world but also in spiritual realities. Expressing your gratitude in thought and through action for the sources of spiritual guidance readily available to you is critically important during these challenging times. These ordinarily non-visible beings provide guidance, protection, and reassurance. In exchange, we return our appreciation through prayers of thanks and acts of kindness, love, and compassion—to all beings.
Some of the most accessible spiritual allies are spirit animals, since they have counterparts in the physical world. When an animal shows up to you in either the physical realm or symbolically in an unusual way and/or repeatedly, that animal is serving to bring you a message. All beings are physical manifestations of Great Spirit and animals can be one of the most accessible expressions of messages from the Divine.
You dream of an Eagle and realize it’s a message to keep perspective on a situation you’re dealing with. A rabbit runs right across your path, and you receive the message that it’s time to be vigilant and make the move you’ve been contemplating. You’re at the beach and you see dolphins frolicking just outside the breaking waves and you’re reminded that it’s time for you to play more.
How about reciprocity with spirit animals? When you receive a message, the first thing to do is offer a prayer of thanks. Thank you, Hummingbird Spirit, for your message to be more flexible and to enjoy the sweetness of life. Thank you, Tortoise Spirit, for reminding me to move a little slower and pull in as needed. Thank you, Fox Spirit, for showing up in my dreams to remind me to beware of deceit in my life.
As you find yourself paying closer attention to these messages from spirit animals, in addition to your prayers of gratitude, you can demonstrate the principle of reciprocity through actions with their physical counterparts. Here are some examples:
· Volunteer with your local Humane Society
· Join in any protests to outlaw cruelty to animals
· Serve as a foster parent to abandoned pets
· Adopt a dog, cat, or other animal that has been rescued
· Donate regularly to a reputable animal rights organization such as the Humane Society
· Become vegetarian as a demonstration of reciprocity
· Simply be kind to any animals you encounter
These are some ways you can actively embrace the principle of reciprocity with animals in the physical realm that simultaneously honors the spirit animals that have come to you offering their guidance. Most indigenous peoples treat this as a given, as did our long-ago ancestors, when humans lived with the land and not on it.
Reciprocity was not just a philosophy, but a way of life.
