We can work with Ayahuasca through spirit animals to integrate our ceremony experience, stay guided on our journey, and go deeper in our spiritual practice.
When we are called to work with Ayahuasca, we are invited to connect to nature on a deeper level; one of the ways to know Ayahuasca, nature, and ourselves better is by engaging with the spirit animals that are connected to the plant spirit.A spirit animal is the Divine expression of that animal; it is also the combined spiritual energy of the animal species. The spirit animal represents the attributes of the animal, its environment, and its tendencies; it may also be assigned mystical qualities. This information can be used to garner meaningful impressions and guidance for our journey.
For example, the dolphin spirit animal, which represents all dolphins, speaks of its intelligence, grace, and joyfulness. Dolphins are regarded for their amazing senses: using echolocation to know their surroundings and making clicks and whistles to communicate. These skills reflect a highly sensitive sensory awareness and so if a person was working with the dolphin spirit animal, the message may be to pay attention or nurture one’s sensitive sensory abilities. Being mammals, dolphins must come out of the water for air; they are also experts at diving to the depths of the ocean and so these traits can spiritually speak of the ability to work in the conscious and subconscious realms.
When working with spirit animals, we are provided these insights which can be intuitively interpreted to support our spiritual path.
The spirit animals closely related to Ayahuasca are the jaguar, leopard, frog, lizard, and snake. These particular animals can be found in the Amazon and thus have an intimate relationship with the plants; there is also the Amazon river dolphin and if this wondrous creature makes an appearance on your journey — what a blessing that would be! Nevertheless, Ayahuasca may reveal her messages through other animals; every ceremony, integration process, and spiritual journey is unique.
When spirit animals appear in your ceremony experience, pay close attention to what they look like, the actions they take, the feelings they make you have, the relation to the story you’re experiencing, and if they say anything. This information is valuable to gain a deeper insight into your experience and at helping you understand the significance of your healing; it will also aid in preparing you for the next steps after ceremony. Continuing your personal work after ceremony is key to digesting the experience as well as supporting the healing you received; most would say this is the most important part of the whole spiritual process.
For example, if jaguar spirit appears to you in ceremony, this may be Ayahuasca herself communicating with you and so it is crucial to surrender to her wisdom; this jaguar may also represent another being of high importance and so it would behoove you to give it equal time. Jaguar spirit, in general, is about personal power and your human potential. It appears as a mirror to our actions, a reminder to our self-commitments, and a watcher of our use of power.
The integration period is the time after, as well as the time between ceremonies where you reflect, metabolize, and awaken to the new understandings of your journey which can include but are not limited to: the healing of past trauma, insights on your present, and guidance for your future. Integration may last from a few weeks to several years; there are many lessons to be gleaned from each ceremony.
During the integration period, spirit animals may appear in your field of awareness — in dreams, everyday environment, and social media — to remind you of your ceremonial experience, trigger a knowing, and/or give you a meaningful message about your path. When confronted by the spirit animal, be open to its influence; trust that you can intuit its message and relate to the spirit animal.
For example, if snake spirit appears to you during and/or after ceremony, this may reflect the direction of your life. Snake spirit is about transformation: shedding and moving away from old ways of being. When you encounter snake spirit, surrender to its guidance: it may be telling you to move forward in your path and/or to stay grounded in your truth and power. Snake comes as a potent medicine for change.
Spirit animals are here to help and guide us; see in them their Divine nature and feel closer to your faith when you interact with them. Create an intention to work with spirit animals, carry a totem of your spirit animal, and regularly commune with them to deepen your relationship. When you approach your next ceremony or any action that deals with your healing and spiritual path, call on them to help you create an intention that is for your highest good. As you work with spirit animals, learning from them in ceremony, heeding their guidance during integration, and calling upon them to create a deeper bond to God and nature, find your spiritual journey buoyed: lifted to higher states of connection, understanding, and presence.
In my last ceremony, I was visited by the energy of Ayahuasca and five black jaguars. Before telling you the message I received or the meaning of this visitation, let me reveal that part of my intention in going to ceremony was to ask what it meant to “join the chorus,” a previous message from my guides that I had trouble understanding. Ayahuasca conveyed to me that joining the chorus was about singing my song, i.e. sharing my gift. As others hear my song — and if it resonated with them — then they would join in and together, we would create the chorus, a community.
Before going to ceremony, I thought in order to join the chorus I had to do something special, to go beyond what I was doing and being already to belong; I had resistance to this, but thankfully, it was not that. It was about continuing to share my particular song and perhaps to sing a little louder — get my diaphragm and heart into it if you will — so that others could hear and join in. At the end of this ceremony experience, Ayahuasca showed up as five black jaguars which I gathered as an invitation. After displaying some resistance, she then asked, “I thought you wanted to join the chorus? Let’s go!” I said yes, and so I left that ceremony running into the jungle with the jaguars.
During integration, I decided to glean more meaning from this entire experience and to follow through on its message of singing my song, by creating a 30-day challenge centered around the black jaguar spirit animal.
If a spirit animal or an animal that you believe had significance in your journey has ever appeared to you, what was it and what did you feel it meant? Respond below.
Disclaimer:
This article does not promote or recommend the use of illegal drugs. Ayahuasca is illegal in many countries including the United States. This article does not constitute medical advice. As always, please consult your doctor before taking any medicine.
If you enjoyed this article, you may want to read the book I wrote called, Unification: Bridging Your Ego and Divine Self Consciousness. In it, I describe a way of life shown to me by the Light bodies — angelic beings whom I encountered during meditation with plant medicine. For over a year, I worked with the Light bodies through channeling, meditation, and plant medicine, to give rise to the spiritual path called Unification.
WRITTEN BY
Jeanne Floresca
Healer, minister, and writer of the book, Unification: Bridging Your Ego and Divine Self Consciousness ✨📖✨ http://jeannefloresca.com