Portraits with Totems Part 2 - The Heron...

Most all my totem animals have come to me in dreams or visions but the Heron is a different story. I claim its energy in my totem club because I had a wonderful experience with one. He taught me about Communication.

A few years ago, my husband and I found a wild Heron in the forest. Its wing was broken and it was trapped on earth.
As we approached, it beat its good wing and showed us its fear. We approached slowly and gently and the beating subsided and he let us check out its injuries. My husband then carried this huge bird to our car and it let me take it on my lap. We drove over an hour to a wildlife vet who would heal him and let him back in the wild.

I just want this to sink in. This huge wild bird sat on my lap the whole time, completely calm. He understood we were helping him and meant no harm.

This language of energy belongs to all Life. It is our one common factor with all our relations. Fear, care, anger, love...all the emotions are common and if we take the time to look, to listen we can actually talk to all of Life. This includes the four elements: earth, air, water and fire. All life responds to our sincere intentions and our emotions express them. All Life speaks in one symphony. We just need to take the time to listen.

All my totem self portraits have my eyes morphed into the creature:

Here's the full image:

...and here's a shot a friend took while I was working on it...