Developing my Spirit Family

Shamans work with a host of spirits – physical ancestors, shamanic ancestors, spirits of animals, plants, land, and others – that become like a family to them. Which type of spirits become the most called on or worked with depends on the shamanic tradition and personal practice of each shaman. In some traditions, spirit animals can be one of the strongest helpers to a shaman, while in others the shaman must develop a strong working relationship with their shamanic lineage above all others.

Sometimes a spirit entity will connect with a shaman without any previous contact and offer to become part of that shaman’s working spirit family. This happened to me at the end of November of 2022. I was already working with several spirit entities as a witch, but the spirit that was getting my attention was new to me.

From my journal:

11/30/22, first quarter waxing moon.
I have been visited twice by Samirah (one of our previous pet rats who passed last year) in my dreams this past week, and when I was in the garden center yesterday a sweet, small metal rat statue all but jumped out at me. It reminded me so much of Samirah that I had to bring it home and see what was going on.

Curious about having rats so present in my consciousness, I journeyed to see if I could find out why. I asked Anubis to accompany me, and I traveled from my little wooded glade into and through a cave. I found myself in the familiar boreal meadow where I started my past life recall.  It was night and my grandfather was there by a fire.

I started to feel slightly ill and he told me to stay grounded and to breathe through the earth. The feeling intensified. It felt like my stomach was sinking and my head expanding simultaneously, which was uncomfortable. He had me lay down with my head on his legs, and did something to me – blew on my face, I think. After a few seconds, I felt my heart center open up and the sinking feeling in my stomach dissipated, but the opening feeling spread to my head and crown chakra. My grandfather told me to fly, and I felt wings extend from the back of my heart center, which was almost a relief – the sensation of feeling ill left and I got comfortable traveling away from my body. This was a little weird because that wasn’t really my body, but I think it enabled a different type of travel from my physical body as well – it felt more distant.

I traveled by air and realized I didn’t feel as much like a bird as I did my “Ka” the way ancient Egyptians saw the soul – a human head with a sort of bird body. Harpy like. Might have been Anubis’ influence.

I eventually found myself on a dirt road in an older century – somewhere in Europe, possibly England. I saw a rat in the road and came close to greet him. He looked different than Samirah – more like a wild rat, larger with coarser fur. He made his way up onto my right shoulder and spoke in my ear (Samirah was on my left side in my dreams – our left side is our feminine side, energetically, and the right is our masculine). I asked if I was to work with him in my shamanic work and he said I could. When I asked about his medicine, he reminded me that his children live closely with humans and that what affects us affects them. Poor water, air, and nourishment harm them just as it does us. They want us healthy so they can be healthy again, which is why he wants to work with me.

Samirah appeared in my dreams as a messenger from Rat Spirit. I came to understand that one aspect of Rat Medicine is traveling and bringing messages – Rat is willing to help me reach the medicine of other allies. Rats also offer swift, nimble travel and the ability to not be seen.

He was very sweet and even groomed my hand and ear before leaving. I was sad when he was gone – his energy was bright and caring. He offered me two small spots of light from Alex and Samirah when I asked about them – they felt like love and gratitude.

Coyotes, spiders, rats – all are animals some would consider pests or worse. An interesting set of animal spirit allies to work with. I’m not fussed – I love them and am honored to work with each of them and to welcome the spirit of Rat into my family.

If you’d like to learn more about the shamanic path I’m following, you can find my story under the blog category of ‘My Shamanic Path‘.

Header image by Joshua J Cotten on Unsplash