Lessons from my Totem ...

I was raised in a household where you were never to lie, you didn't gossip, and "if you CAN'T say anything nice about someone, don't say it at all!!!!" These are values I've carried through my life, taught to my children and have expected from other people ...

I won't say it was or is a mistake, but I've learned that there are far too many people out there who have never been taught that lesson and who think nothing of bad mouthing, calling down and gossiping about others ...

Over the last few weeks my conversations online and over coffee and in other settings with friends have time and time again returned to a place where I've heard story after story of how devastating and hurtful idle gossip, bad mouthing and calling down others can be ... I've heard of talented people feel utterly rejected by their "friends" because their artistic creations have been ignored or belittled by those closest to them ... I've heard young parents struggling in life be called down by untrue accusations of affairs and lascivious behaviour by their neighbours and so-called friends ... I've heard how lives are profoundly and negatively affected by the utter nonsense that is passed around the community as "truth" with no consideration of what is the ACTUAL truth, or the effect of such drivel ...

I could go on and on and on ... for some reason people feel comfortable sharing these experiences with me ... perhaps it is because I have, over the last three years been the victim of such malicious attacks by people around me ... but I also think there is a different explanation ...

This fall I mused whether my totem was shifting with the repeated appearance of Turkey Vultures in my field of vision ... I did some reading and study and found repeatedly that when the Vulture chooses you as a member of its Totem realm - YOU KNOW !!!

The Totem of the Vulture brings with it many interesting gifts and understandings ... but one that I have struggled with was the ability to sense or even see the aura that surrounds people ... like the vulture finding carrion for its next meal ... the Vulture Totem guides us to those who are in need of care, kindness, support and even love ... and we can "see" what lies within ...

To the artist feeling rejection I can "see" the jealousy of others ... to the parent struggling against vicious and hurtful gossip I can "see" the jealous fear that drives others to tear him/her down ... to those who have maliciously tried to tear me down I "see" their fear and have only pity for them ...

I have struggled with this until yesterday when I opened a wonderful letter from a newly re-discovered cousin who has recently gotten in touch with me ... she wrote me the following:

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... how demoralizing that is for you and your family. How does one defend against gossip? I just finished reading an article in yesterday's Toronto Star that said, "... gossip is more powerful than truth ..." and that "people believe what they hear through the grapevine even if they have evidence to the contrary." Now granted, this was a University survey done over only a couple of studies that involved a limited amount of participants. But it is a disturbing trend, nonetheless

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I was raised to refrain from gossiping and to disregard or avoid the gossip of others. It has always been my belief that your family and friends know you better than to believe such nonsense, and who cared about the others? But of course, what others think really does matter doesn't it? ... as you say Truth becomes irrelevant ... All you can do is keep your chin up and your shoulders back ... otherwise they win.

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As I read those words and last night spent time in prayer and reflection with them, I realized that the pull of my totem is to justice and harmony and balance ... the calling of my totem is to keep my chin up, and my shoulders back and to hold fast to the truth and only the truth.

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The whisper of the Vulture is to hold to truth and let it one day set us ALL free ... Gossip will blow away like dust in the wind, and the deeply rooted truth will remain and prevail and prosper ... such are the teachings of the Old Vulture ...

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May it be so !!