Today’s Animal Spirit Guide

Today we all get to learn something new since I’m going to bet that most of you, when you hear the word “kiwi” think of this…

While those kiwis are pretty sweet (*cymbal crash*…I’ll be here all week folks), we’re actually talking about a different kiwi today because today’s animal spirit guide is…

The Kiwi!

The Kiwi is an adorable little flightless bird from New Zealand (get it, New Zealand…Kiwi…ah, science can be funny!). They grow to be about the size of a chicken and, in a rare event for birds, Kiwi’s actually lay eggs that actually relative to their body size. The Kiwi pictured here is a North Island Brown Kiwi; there are five different species of Kiwi’s and their coloring and plumage differentiates them, all five of which are considered endangered. Kiwi’s are a national symbol in New Zealand and has appeared on stamps over the years as well as coat of arms, crests and various city and town symbols throughout the country.

Contrary to my attempt at humor earlier, the Kiwi is not named after the slang term “kiwi” for New Zealanders, it’s actually the other way around. Solders from New Zealand were referred to as “kiwis” by solders of other countries during WW I. The New Zealand army occupied Sling Camp in Wiltshire, England during the war and in order to mark their territory the solders carved a large Bulford Kiwi in the side of the chalk hill (which is still there today). And thus, other solders came to know the people that resided at the camp as “kiwis” and eventually the term came into use as a common slang reference for New Zealanders.

(the kiwi in the chalk hill over what used to be Sling Camp)

Ok, so there is your history lesson for today! But what message does the Kiwi bring for you?

“Do a walking meditation each day for the next week.”

The Kiwi, being a bird that is unable to take flight, they have to spend their time hunting and surviving from ground level unlike most birds that can get an aerial view while looking for their prey. They have a very keen sense of smell, something very rare in birds, and use that as their hunting tool. The Kiwi can spend hours walking looking for food or searching for a safe place to reside from predators (Kiwi’s are nocturnal so safety during daylight hours are key for them).

Many of us, while we walk and not fly, tend to be more like an Eagle than a Kiwi. We are always looking ten paces ahead and not paying attention to the things that are right around us or in front of us. The energy of the Kiwi reminds you that it’s time to slow down and use your senses to really see what’s going on around you. The best way to work with this energy is to take a walk, a slow and well paced and attentive one, around your own neighborhood or even the area where you work if you can only do this on your lunch hour. If there is a park or area that you can walk barefoot even better! Allow your walk to reconnect you to the earth and the natural surroundings that you may have been ignoring for so long. Use your sense of smell to really feel a connection to the place you are and see if there is anything that pulls you in a certain direction (this might be more likely in a natural place like a park or beach rather than walking down your sidewalk…though if someone is having a BBQ you might be drawn to that and you might make some new friends…you never know).

These walks will help you feel more grounded, more centered and more connected to your place, both the physical place you reside and your place on the planet. Make these walks intentioned. Have something that you want to think about or ponder as you walk but don’t let it stress you. If you’re having a problem that you need a solution to set that thought out in your mind and ask that on your walk the spirit of place helps to guide you to an answer. You might find yourself discovering some really interesting solutions that you never would have gained otherwise!

Other keywords for Kiwi include:
grounded, nocturnal, survival, flexibility, fatherhood, innocence, earthiness, ancient wisdom, inspiration, safety, speed, quickness, detection.