Practicing Gratitude to Claim Abundance
My Journey with Rabbit
Rabbit came to me some years ago; I'm not entirely sure when I recognized him as an Ally, but I definitely formed a close bond with him in childhood when my family raised rabbits for meat production. My job was to play with the kits while the adults had the hard work. I adore rabbits, and running the long, soft ears of a rabbit through my fingers is one of the most vivid and comforting memories I have.
Some people have Animal Allies that have such a connection with them, that the person exhibits the same behaviors of this animal when it is in the wild. So it is for Rabbit and me. I tend to jump from one project to another rapidly; I have unusually good hearing; I do best on a diet that allows me to graze all day on healthy foods; I'm naturally quiet; and, to my detriment, I tend to be anxious.
This anxiety manifests itself when my Rabbit Medicine is out of balance. Left unchecked, this energy can become a full blown panic attack, with the obsessive practice of thinking of all the things that could go wrong or the people I have let down. I struggle to leave the house and find I only want to be close to home just in case something goes awry. In late October, my Rabbit Medicine was struggling.
I was absent minded in the classroom, finding it hard to focus on one topic. Heart palpitations felt as if they were going to beat out of my chest. I couldn't get enough oxygen, it seemed, and I was constantly taking long, deep breaths to calm myself. My anxiety was through the roof, and really, for no real reason. I just felt anxious and scared.
Besides all that, I still had life happening. I had work to do and the garden to tend, and the rabbits were one reason I was feeling a bit overwhelmed. Our radishes, carrots, parsnips, and arugula were slowly dwindling, seemingly thanks to our furry neighbors. After a highly discouraging morning when David came back in from harvesting for market and announcing yesterday's bounty had suddenly disappeared, I ordered garden netting to protect our little crops.
While working in my garden to install it, one of the largest wild brown rabbits I've ever seen on my property appeared on the edges of the brush. That rabbit was waiting to feast on our arugula, but in him sat Rabbit. After going through two weeks of almost debilitating anxiety, I finally had to "check myself," and I did it because of this guy. I could have chosen to have a full blown tantrum at this rabbit. I could have told David to set out traps so I could make a stew.
Instead, I looked around my garden. There were so many plants left untouched. All of our winter squash, mustards, turnips, and some of the pak choi had been left alone. Rabbit had only taken what he needed, and at this time of year, he didn't have too many nourishing options to choose from. I had abundance, and he had scarcity...until he found my garden. I told Rabbit he could have some of my plants, and I left them uncovered by the netting. I was thankful for what I still had available to him, and I silently asked Rabbit if he would come back into balance with me in return.
Now, I know a lot of farmers out there would be shaking their heads telling me I should have made the stew. But guys, that rabbit (and any of his family hanging around there) ate only what I left for them, and didn't even try to push away the flimsy job of netting I had put up. While offering Rabbit and his kin a sort of peace offering was not the only way of balancing my Rabbit Medicine, for the purpose of this blog post, I'm focusing on it. (Perhaps another future post about Rabbit is in store for us.)
"Because you have expressed gratitude, I will bless you with abundance."
Rabbit Medicine
Typically when folks think about rabbits, they think of fertility and spring time, not the longest day of the year, when our ancestors would have been praying for the warmth of the sun to return and not forsake them. If we were still a people who depended purely on our own abilities, the seasons, and the whims of nature, now would be a time of scarcity and uncertainty. Now would be the time when Rabbit is reduced to nourishing himself with tree bark and conifer needles. But, Rabbit Medicine is strong for me today, and he wants to share a message.
Some who are reading this may know the other side of Rabbit, the side known as Fear-Caller. Eye Walker, one of Rabbit's good friends, was so hurt that she cursed him after he disowned their friendship. This imbalance is the source of Rabbit people's anxiety and pessimistic compulsions. But today, Rabbit added to his story with me, and I want to share it with you. This is Rabbit's story of abundance through gratitude.
Rabbit as an Ally
Whether Rabbit has made himself evident in this physical realm through consistent sightings, or in the dream or spirit realm, know that he is a difficult Ally at times, and it is important to keep this Medicine healthy. One way to reap the benefits of Rabbit's fertility is to be thankful for what you already have, trusting that you will always have what you need.
Folks who may not already be allied with Rabbit, but who struggle with anxiety or being a hypochondriac can greatly benefit from working with him. Channeling this Ally and connecting with him can help us reconnect with fertility and abundance, and move away from scarcity and fear. Try wearing a charm or carrying a totem that you can use like a worry stone to remind you remember the good in your life.
"From that day on, Rabbit taught his family to be grateful for the gifts and the friendship offered to them, and from that day on, Rabbit has been blessed with abundance."
Shift your mindset to the recount the blessings in your life, and the abundance will be hard to miss. Healthy Rabbit Medicine refocuses this terrifying state of insufficiency to the fertilizing and cultivating of something lively and giving. Remeber on this winter solstice, you don't have to live the rest of your life in the longest night; Rabbit runs in moonlight, and can share that space with you, too. And after all, the sun will come out, shining its light on the blessings we already have, as well as bringing new growth with it.
Rabbit travels with me everywhere I go as a necklace charm I found in a consignment shop. He also holds a special place on my altar, and I even have a jackelope bumper sticker on my vehicle. Others may carry a rabbit's foot (I suggest trying to find one harvested from meat rabbits who are helping nourish a family who doesn't want to waste any part of the animal), decorate with rabbit artwork, or even have a pet rabbit to honor Rabbit. However you choose to honor him, Rabbit can be a marvelous Ally for bringing abundance, even in our longest nights.
Visit http://magicalmusings.net/forum/index.php?topic=336.0 for the story of how Rabbit became Fear-Caller.
In harmony and balance,
Casey