The Bold Deer - As I became harmless, animals started responding differently to me. A deer walked toward me in spite of having to dodge rocks that were being thrown by an insensitive person on the hillside. She persisted until only 10 feet away and remained there until I left.

 

The Fanged Boa - One day at a pet store, I overheard the owner describe a boa constrictor from the Amazon jungle as a “real problem.” He was a beautiful green tree boa with long fangs. The employees couldn’t even clean his cage, since he would strike at anything that moved.

 

I grew up in an area of Africa that has 42 species of poisonous snakes so a fear of snakes had been deeply ingrained in me. I was eager to overcome this fear because it prevented me from becoming fully empowered. Consequently, I asked if I could touch the snake. The owner looked at me as though I were insane and told me to proceed at my own risk.

 

I took 15 minutes to calm my pounding heart and eradicate any expectations of failure from my thoughts. I visualized myself gently lifting the snake from his cage, with him responding positively. I spent another 10 minutes recognizing the divinity in all of existence, including this reptile. Finally, with a slow movement (so I wouldn’t be mistaken for a bird, which is prey) I reached for the snake.

 

Sensing no great agitation on his part, I lifted him out of the cage. I felt compelled to carry him to a distant part of the store where the fish were kept. My heart was still; the snake became still; and he seemed to enjoy my touch. I held him for about half an hour, marveling at his exquisite appearance.

 

When I gently placed him back in the cage, we both felt sadness at parting. I explained to the owner that the snake’s agitation was due to the fact that his cage was too close to the birds, which placed him in a constant state of hunting due to the smell of his prey. I suggested that the cage be moved to a different part of the store to soothe his behavior.

 

The Day of the Frogs - While hiking one afternoon, I stopped to rest near a small muddy stream and decided to lie on my stomach and watch the frogs in their habitat. Initially they darted away, then I asked permission to touch them. As I reached out, one frog remained and allowed me to stroke his tiny back. It seemed to put him into a trance.

 

The frog responded similarly, and eventually I reached around and stroked his belly. This went on for about 10 minutes. During this time, I telepathically received information from the frog. It informed me that frogs, through their songs, create a sort of doorway that allows other creatures to experience what it is like to be a frog.

 

Also, the females judge the males by the strength of their songs, particularly the second “syllable” of the croak. Even though frogs generally start their song in unison, soon they begin to stagger the sounds in an attempt to drown out the second part of the others’ croaks, in hopes that the females would hear their croaks. I was amazed that such brinkmanship would exist in the animal kingdom. I thought it was only characteristic of humans!

 

The Ivy - The garden surrounding my house had been tending itself superbly since I had requested that the nature spirit in charge take care of the flowers and plants. That year it was as though the garden had been fertilized and an abundance of flowers bloomed. I asked permission of the nature spirit to cut back the ivy from the top of the chimney as it had become a fire hazard.

 

I indicated where I wanted to cut and waited for an answer. A cigar-shaped diaphanous cloud about 18 inches tall materialized three feet away. I heard permission being granted with the assurance that the ivy would withdraw its life force from the branches that were to be trimmed. As I stood mesmerized, the little cloud moved to my right and then disappeared. (It was a clear day and no trace of smoke or clouds was visible anywhere.)

 

Due to the difficult location, I hired a gardener to prune the ivy. Even though I had given meticulous instructions, he butchered the plant. The nature devas must have rebelled because the next day, the flowers were dead. To my dismay, my magical garden continued to dwindle. I cried with remorse and buried several quartz crystals throughout the garden as a token of my love and appreciation for the work of the devic realm, but to no avail. The nature spirits didn’t return that season.

 

The Blackberry Bush - That autumn I approached a blackberry bush in my back garden and was conscientious about asking permission to cut it back to acceptable proportions. Firstly, I shared my appreciation for its flowers and berries. Then I explained that it was blocking the sun from the other plants and snagging the sweaters of the boys when they mowed the lawn.

 

I explained exactly where I would be pruning. As I listened for the answer from the bush, the following reply came, “In our kingdom we don’t view death the way humans do. I am happy to recycle myself that other plants may grow—to retreat into the group soul and once again be born. This doesn’t damage me. It is lack of honor and respect that damages our kingdom.

 

We are called weeds and denied our place in the sun—our beauty and bounty unappreciated. I thank you for your consideration and appreciation. Humans are a synthesis of many different kingdoms. It is therefore through their appreciation and love, that a species is led to evolve into a more complex range of expression. Their acknowledgment brings healing and accelerated evolution.”

 

I pondered the lesson of the blackberry bush, and it provided insights and wisdom to cope with an occurrence three weeks later when a man and his wife came for a healing. He asked her to wait downstairs while he counseled with me. As I spoke with him upstairs in the healing chamber, I became aware of her growing agitation. By the time we went downstairs she was livid and loudly expressed her irritation.

 

Having just come from a psychic session, I was highly sensitive and receptive and it hit me like a ton of bricks. I tried to console her, offering her a valuable gift that had been in our family, but she refused it. Then I recalled the lesson from the blackberry bush, and my frustration changed to compassion. She didn’t mind being pruned out, but I had practically ignored her since I knew her husband was meant to be the client. Like the blackberry bush, she had become “prickly,” yet she only sought acknowledgment and her place in the sun.

 

The Sand Fleas - I knew from experience that when I asked mosquitoes not to bite me, they couldn’t be dissuaded from what they are programmed to do, namely, to suck the blood of warm-blooded mammals.

 

The beach where I routinely walked was invaded with thousands of fleas. They were so thick that the sand seemed to be in perpetual motion. An enmity began between us. I had to choose to either step on or carefully avoid them yet it was very difficult to miss the darting targets. Nonetheless, the carefree mood of walking at the beach was ruined.

 

I wasn’t sure if this type of flea was bloodsucking or not, but memories of being bitten by fleas on the Cape Town beaches haunted me. I decided to fill my pockets with pebbles, tossing them three feet in front of me at regular intervals as I walked, sending the fleas scattering in all directions to clear the path. However, that took the joy out of the experience since I couldn’t focus on the sunset, read the weather by the behavior of the seagulls, or marvel at the sandpipers streaking like quicksilver across the wet sand.

 

Finally, I decided to make peace with the fleas. I didn’t know how a communication would go due to their perpetual state of agitation, jumping up and down constantly. I knelt in the sand, acknowledging the divinity within these insects and the most amazing thing happened: the sand fleas congregated around me in a full circle (all their heads facing towards me) and all activity ceased.

 

With an open heart and stilled mind, I telepathically communicated my appreciation for their role on earth. I received the information that they didn’t suck blood, but helped dispose of the rotting seaweed. Their increased numbers were due to the increase in seaweed torn loose by the winter storms. I realized I could walk casually, ignoring their presence since they were far too quick and agile to be trampled underfoot.

 

I felt a great peace that stemmed from feeling like part of the whole.

Man carries a heavy burden by believing we are separate from the rest of creation—not realizing the intricate way in which all consciousness is connected.

 

Feathers for Beauty - After months of being overcome by the glory of all life forms around me, I started wondering if I was beautiful too. I decided to take the matter to the Holy Mother, the feminine element of God. Surely She would understand such a question! I waited nearly three days for the answer. At the end of the third day, I was beside myself that it hadn’t come.

 

I decided to start the prayer over and was interrupted by a knock on the front door. When I opened the door, an irritated man, whom I had met once, was shoving an odd looking object at me. “Here are your darn feathers!” he said. “I’ve been traveling to Sedona to give a lecture and for days Spirit has instructed me to turn around and head north and retrieve this object from my locker. Now I’m a day late for the lecture I’m supposed to give.” He looked accusingly at me as though I were personally responsible.

 

“But what is this?” I stammered, totally confused.

 

“When I made these three feathers into this prayer stick, the sacred geometry was revealed to me by the Goddess. I was instructed to prepare it for the highest ideal in female beauty. This is what Spirit has sent me to give you. Now may I please be on my way?” With that, he rushed off.

 

Tears streamed across my cheeks as I held the beautiful prayer stick, made with shells and feathers, in my hand. Surely this was the Mother’s way of telling me to be still and know that I am beautiful too.

 

 Excerpted from Life of Miracles