Saturday, April 9, 2011

animal medicine card





Crow (Law): There is a medicine story that tells of Crow’s fascination with her own shadow. She kept looking at it, scratching it, pecking at it, until her shadow woke up and became alive. Then Crow’s shadow ate her. Crow is Dead Crow now.

Dead Crow is the Left-Handed Guardian. If you look deeply into Crow’s eye, you will have found the gateway to the supernatural. Crow knows the unknowable mysteries of creation and is the keeper of all sacred law.

Since Crow is the keeper of sacred law, Crow can bend the laws of the physical universe and “shape shift.” This ability is rare and unique. Few adepts exist in today’s world, and fewer still have mastered Crow’s art of shape shifting. This art includes doubling, or being in two places at once time consciously; taking on another physical form, and becoming the “fly on the wall” to observe what is happening far away.

The Europeans that came to Turtle Island were named the “boat people” by Slow Turtle. Even with the knowledge of alchemy possessed by certain boat people, none had ever seen the powerful shape shifting of shamans who utilized Crow medicine. Many boat people were frightened by what appeared to be animals coming into their camps or dwellings to discern their medicine. Crow medicine people are masters of illusion.

All sacred texts are under the protection of Crow. Creator’s Book of Laws or Book of Seals is bound in Crow feathers. Crow feathers tell of spirit made flesh. Crow is also the protector of the “ogallah” or ancient records.

The Sacred Law Belts, or Wampum Belts, beaded by native women long before the boat people or Europeans came to this continent, contain knowledge of the Great Spirit’s laws, and are kept in the Black Lodges, the lodges of women. The law which states that “all things are born of women” is signified by Crow.

Children are taught to behave according to the rules of a particular culture. Most orthodox religious systems create a mandate concerning acceptable behavior within the context of worldly affairs. Do this and so, and you will go to heaven. Do thus and so, and you will go to hell. Different formulas for salvation are demanded by each “true faith.”

Human law is not the same as Sacred Law. More so than any other medicine, Crow sees that the physical world and even the spiritual world, as humanity interprets them, are an illusion. There are billions of worlds. There are an infinitude of creatures. Great Spirit is within all. If an individual obeys Crow’s perfect laws as given by the Creator, then at death he or she dies a Good Medicine death — going on to the next incarnation with a clear memory of his or her past.

Crow is an omen of change. Crow lives in the void and has no sense of time. The Ancient Chiefs tell us that Crow sees simultaneously the three fates – past, present, and future. Crow merges light and darkness, seeing both inner and outer reality.

If Crow medicine appears in your card spread, you must pause and reflect on how you see the laws of the Great Spirit in relation to the laws of humanity. Crow medicine signifies a firsthand knowledge of a higher order of right and wrong than indicated by the laws created in human culture. With Crow medicine, you speak in a powerful voice when addressing issues that for you seem out of harmony, out of balance, out of whack, or unjust.

Remember that Crow looks at the world with first one eye, then the other – cross-eyed. In the Mayan culture, cross-eyeds had the privilege and duty of looking into the future. You must put aside your fear of being a voice in the wilderness and “caw” the shots as you see them.

As you learn to allow your personal integrity to be your guide, your sense of feeling alone will vanish. Your personal will can then emerge so that you will stand in your truth. The prime path of true Crow people says to be mindful of your opinions and actions. Be willing to walk your talk, speak your truth, know your life’s mission, and balance past, present, and future in the now. Shape shift that old reality and become your future self. Allow the bending of physical laws to aid in creating the shape-shifted world of peace.

Medicine Cards: The Discovery of Power Through the Ways of Animals 

Source: Medicine Cards: The Discovery of Power Through the Ways of Animals by Jamie Sams & David Carson, illustrated by Angela C. Werneke.

18 comments:

  1. The crow has always been my family sign. I loved reading the information on the crow in this article. We are of Native Amereican Indian descent, but it has not played any real part in our lives. Yet it is interesting to read how this actually applies to my family..(of mostly females). Thanks for the information. I was trying to do research on the crow and was getting nothing but negative and disheartening info.

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  2. thank you, i have had 2 magpies, which are part of the crow family chattering to me early morning.i am 63years old and it is the first ever time they have spoken to me.i take on board your helpful comments and send blessings to you.
    yours in sisterhood,
    vicky kingsley.

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  3. I had been teased by my mentor about having crow medicine when I made my tobacco pouchin the fall of 3015. Creator has gifted me a crow two weeks ago. It came just after my mother's passage. I am new to the Sacred Red Road on which I currently travel and yet it is as if I have been doing this walk always. Find this information is very valuable.

    Mitákuye Oyás'iŋ
    Jacqueline Lucero

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  6. I had been teased by my mentor about having crow medicine when I made my tobacco pouch in the fall of 2015. Creator has gifted me a crow two weeks ago. It came just after my mother's passage. I am new to the Sacred Red Road on which I currently travel and yet it is as if I have been doing this walk always. Find this information is very valuable.

    Mitákuye Oyás'iŋ
    Jacqueline Lucero

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  7. I had been teased by my mentor about having crow medicine when I made my tobacco pouch in the fall of 2015. Creator has gifted me a crow two weeks ago. It came just after my mother's passage. I am new to the Sacred Red Road on which I currently travel and yet it is as if I have been doing this walk always. Find this information is very valuable.

    Mitákuye Oyás'iŋ
    Jacqueline Lucero

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  8. I have a crow following me at work for 2 days I see it every time I go out. Was Leary but not so much now

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  9. While in recovery - 11 years ago - the Crow card was given to me. I did not give it much weight of consideration at the time; I was working on getting clean.
    Fast forward to a few years later where I started feeding the crows all my leftover bits, with the reasoning of “why should food go into the bin?”
    I am honoured that I met two generations of Crows and watched a Crow funeral. (strange, but true!)
    I continue to feed the Crows and now my husband saves his food bits too.
    He, too, has realized the importance of this meaningful creature.

    Thank you for the Crow Medicine Card explanation.

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  10. Thanks for all the great stories. My dear friend gave me a deck of these cards when my 2 daughters were little, and I would soon be divorcing their dad... powerful time. The cards gave me so much support & clarity. I resonate with EVERYTHING about this magical entity! Truly a powerful tool to come back to our selves, our source. :-*

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  11. The shell of a crow egg was outside my back door anyone know what it means ?

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  12. Crow came to visit me this morning! It was so intentional I could not ignore the crow. Thanks for having this info here. I've used the medicine cards for years.

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  13. Jamie Samms Medicine Cards are among the very best of any and all of the greatest Oracles I have used to glean meaning from Nature's Omens and vital messages. These have in turn deepened my connection and understanding of Nature, Great Spirit and the Mystery.

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  14. As part Native American, I've always been attuned to my spiritual side...even though my specialty is Physics. I was very good at Tarot readings, but stopped for 'personal' reasons. My partner brought out her Medicine deck tonight...I pulled the Crow as my Significator. Guess I'm still connected...because that means a LOT as my card.

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  15. Great story on the highest level.I was sitting in my balcony having coffe reading the sports page than suddenly two crows came landed on top of the cable post one looking left one to the right than I’m like oh no something bad is going to happen every time I had a visit someone close to got sick or something than I tried to communicate with them than one started talking to me than I suddenly thought to myself whoa what is this all about than it hit me the crow told me a death is coming in your family but it’s going to be ok I felt the good energy sense of wordiness’s and the same time positive vibe of like it’s going to be fine then they Flew away the day went by with my mind all over the place slept it of the next morning everything was fine following day I get a call by my mom saying your uncle was found unconscious by your cusin in the restroom my cusin is only 12years old and called the emergency line he had a stroke I mean the timing of it all that happened my cusin just got of school he went into his room to play video games my uncle gets sick not being alone my cusin got to see where his dad is and found him on the ground anyhow they took my uncle to te hospital there doing everything they can next thing I hear his in a coma his whole face is swollen eyes couldn’t recognize him if the nerse didn’t tell us ya this is him he was just in a very bad shape we all couldn’t believe our eyes my uncle my moms brother everyone started crying I said it’s going to be ok his going to pull through crow and I connected on a spiritual level of energy i cannot explain but I understood everything he told me anyhow now few hours go by no progress day goes by still no updates 4th day the doctor came to talk to the family us saying I’m sorry but you guys say your good byes doesn’t seem like his going to make it through everyone is crying don’t want to believe it we’re like no we want to give more time his going to come out of that coma everyone in the family has been praying for does past 4days my cusin told us he prayed with his teacher and classmates to god please god don’t let my dad die please let him come back to me his all I have.mom had passed away 3 to 4 year’s barely few hours later doctor came in told us forget about pulling the plug his going to pull through it looks like not even a week later he was out of the hospital 3months has gone by he has fully recovered I am a part of the good energy crow pack thank you for listening to my story.

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  16. The connections…. The web is much larger than I could have EVER imagined…

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  17. I have had these card for years and I love them, every now and then something very revealing with an animal comes to my attention. I love how I can find the signs of the universe. I see signs all the time with numbers, license plates, etc. Today while driving I saw a license plate that said Swooped. Shortly after I saw a murder of crows (why they call it that..) flying directly above my car low and one swooped down right in front of me! Tonight while reading the card I was struck by the synchronicity of having seen the swooped license plate, and then how the crow swooped down in front of my car. I definitely am going to take their message to heart. Tonight outside, I saw a rabbit and a raccoon as well lol. I always see wild life but it was if the animals were looking right at me. I love our Mother Earth and all her Inhabitants.

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  18. I personally witnessed the death of a crow in the park the other day when I was doing some deep work, somatic healing and movement. The crow stayed in the tree until the end of the session when she hung on by one claw hanging upside down like a bat before eventually falling to the ground. I felt a deep significance but am still processing.

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