Red foxes have recently appeared in my life. The real thing trotted across my back yard at dusk about two weeks ago.
From my shamanic practice, I know that when an animal appears in my life, I need to pay attention. Two other instances nudged me along the way and I have succumbed to the realization that red fox is here to teach me something.
From Ted Andrews’ book, Animal Speak, I supplemented my meager knowledge about the red fox. The red fox is imbued with the feminine magic of camouflage, shapeshifting, and invisibility – an indicator that something in my world is growing and shapeshifting.
One of the great powers that camouflage and blending grant me is the ability to come and go unnoticed, and move silently without revealing my intentions . . . this sounds more mysterious than it really is. The truth is that most people are self-involved and unconscious so anyone can be invisible by making sure you don’t do anything that is going to distract their attention away from themselves. I have often been accused of being invisible, which was fine when I was sitting in my fifth grade classroom and had not read the assignment the night before. It is not so fine walking across a busy intersection. Sometimes in doctors’ offices even after I have obediently signed in and sat down to wait, I have not been seen and had to make a ruckus. The staff have always claimed they did not see me. And, here, all along it has been my fault, not their’s!
There is the little matter of my aura, though. I have to learn to control my aura and adjust its frequency and intensity so that I harmonize more with others. Okay . . . a little more harmony never hurt anyone. This will probably be my greatest challenge because I can’t carry a tune much less harmonize. Oh, wait. Not THAT harmony. Okay, I get it now. Become more like the group who I am with (whether I believe in it or not).
Foxes are most likely to be seen in the “between times” at dawn and dusk – “between times” is where the magical world and our ordinary world intersect. As such, the fox is a guide to enter the Faerie Realm and its presence signals that the Faerie Realm is about to open for me. Last night, I dreamt about a man whom I know in real life. While we have an attraction, our clear and present boundary is that at least one of us is committed to another person. It is a boundary that can be crossed, but that we would not cross (it is called being a responsible grown-up). Interestingly, in my dream the boundary had been removed and it became somehow reasonable and expected that we would pursue a relationship . . . NOT a real relationship in waking life. The man is simply a symbol of what I have always believed to be off-limits. I am curious and fascinated just by the thought that I get to investigate a world I have up until now believed was closed to me. Heck, I am going to be happy to know what that world is!
The fox has some particular physical attributes that serve me well. Its tail is used as a rudder which helps the fox make sharp, abrupt turns giving me the power to navigate sharp turns in my life. Its thick fur makes it look larger than it really is. I can learn to use this energy to make greater impressions in my life. The tail also insulates the fox from the cold as the fox wraps its tail around its body shielding its nose and feet. The fox totem can help me insulate from anything that is cold, including in relationships. I can become warm and cozy in myself.
A fox totem gives me acute hearing so I can hear what is not being said along with the whispers. It has excellent eyesight and can see moving objects at the edges or borders of areas. People with fox totems can develop the ability to see spirit, see the beings of the “between places” and the fairies and elves. I would not mind seeing a few spirits, but am not sure of what my reaction would be if I came across a fairy or an elf . . . even one wearing a red suit and saying “ho ho ho!” Foxes also have a strong sense of smell and are able to discriminate and discern situations indicating to me I should “sniff out each situation” to help me know who to avoid and who to connect with.
Areas where the fox and I already walk common ground: we are both excellent swimmers, have great stamina, are very monogamous, are often solitary, and comfortable with being alone. We are both survivors with great instinct and have learned to avoid potential danger.
Cunning has never been my strong point. In fact, I am so slow as to have realized very late in life that I did not need to disclose every single truth about myself to everyone. The fox has a very cunning hunting technique: it charms its prey. Charming is not a word found anywhere within a thousand pages were I to write my life’s story. This is going to be a tough one. Evidently, the fox performs antics close to the prey it wants – leaping, rolling, and chasing its tail so that it captures the prey’s attention all the while drawing closer and closer. I haven’t leapt in 15 years, ever rolled anywhere, and can’t even find my tail much less chase it. But I need to learn because this is a behavior camouflage technique. Imagine that: behavior camouflage. Now I have to write a whole blog about that. Anyway, once the prey is enamored with the fox’s behavior, the fox pounces and that’s all she wrote. As I develop attunement to the fox, I, too, will learn behavior camouflage and how to capture any prize.
Note how well I have already learned. I sucked you in with my gaily prolific prose and wit making noise about learning something and here you are at the end wondering: why isn’t any of this about me? It’s all about her!
©2011 by Barbara L. Kass
Eternal Presence 