Issue #26 The Magic Heron Newsletter – What animal teaches us about abundance and blessings?

Welcome to the 26th issue of The Magic Heron Newsletter, a fortnightly newsletter with a focus on journaling, writing, and learning nature’s wisdom through midlife. 

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Thanks for being here. I appreciate you.

Texas, February 13, 2021

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Hi there !

Are you having “Spring” thoughts yet? We are now midway through February and my thoughts are turning to gardening, being outside in the warmth of the sun, and getting out more. 

In fact, a free video series is starting this week on getting a garden started and I’m looking forward to watching it. The link is below if you are interested. I think I’ll focus on container gardens this year and trellising any plants that can grow up. 

I love growing tomatoes, bell peppers, green beans, and herbs like mint, rosemary, and sage. What do you like to grow? And what are your favorite recipes for your homegrown veggies? 

We are not out of the woods yet for more snow and cold, so I’ll keep dreaming and planning the garden for a few more weeks. I’m a little of both a planner and a “pantser” –seat of my pants gardener. Just throw money at me as I walk into the greenhouse and I’ll come out with way more plants than I have room for!

This week’s Newsletter Spirit Animal is the buffalo/bison. In this time of the year when scarcity has been, through the ages, the most profound, buffalo brings us the wisdom of abundance to come. 

This week’s Newsletter Spirit Animal

Bison/Buffalo Symbolism and Meanings:

In North America, buffalo and bison are the same animal. Technically, it is called the American bison, as “buffalo” refers to the Asian water buffalo and the Cape buffalo in Asia, North Africa, and southern Europe. But we use the two names interchangeably now. 

The bison was a revered symbol for Native Americans, especially tribes of the plains. The bison provided for all of their needs, a complete grocery store in one package. They honored the buffalo by using everything of the animal. 

My encounter with a bison happened on a cold, frosty morning as I was driving out to take care of our animals. A heavy fog had settled over the land and as I drove slowly around the curve of the highway, a shaggy bison appeared out of the fog, lumbering up the trail over a small hill in the pasture. 

Frost glittered on his humped back and steam swirled from his flared nostrils. It seemed all time stopped as he and I locked eyes. I felt an ancient wisdom within him from thousands of years of being on this land. Then, the spell broke and I was driving down the hill and around the curve and he was out of sight. 

When I saw this massive animal, I was transported into a mystical experience, and I have never forgotten it. This massive animal is a symbol of the greater whole, of abundance, and the manifestation of that abundance in the energetic realms. 

Bison/Buffalo Symbolism:

• Provision 
• Gratitude
• Abundance
• Consistency
• Strength
• Stability
• Blessing
• Prosperity

White Buffalo Meaning

In Native American Indian lore, there is a legend of the White Buffalo Calf Woman who appeared to the Lakota. She gave a message to the people of the gravity of being human and how our presence impacts and influences our surroundings, that everything is connected. With this power comes great responsibility. She gave the people the Sacred Pipe so that when they smoked it, the truth of her words would be revealed. 

There is much more to the legend and the prophesy that she brought. You can read more about it here:

Story of the White Buffalo Calf Woman

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Recently Published . . .

New in the Etsy Shop!

I had fun making this new planner, journal, and coloring pages to celebrate Anti-Valentine’s Day. They are available separately or combined in a bundle below. 

1. Anti-Valentine’s Day Planner Journal

2. Anti-Valentine’s Coloring Pages

3. GET BOTH in the Anti-Valentine’s Day Planner & Journal with Anti Valentine’s Day Heart Coloring Pages Bundle

New Books!

1. Blue Humpback Whale

2. Octopus Notebook

3. Seahorse Notebook

4. Stingray Notebook

Blog Posts

1. New on the blog! Freebies and Resources Page – if you are looking for free printables, online courses, or are interested in learning how to start your own printable side hustle, check out the resources on the freebie page. 

Freebies and Paid Printables and Online Courses

2. If you are interested in writing your life story, check this free call with Denis Ledoux. Sign up now, the call is on February 16.

Free Memoir Writing Master Class—Benefits of Working with a Writing Coach and Editor

FREE Gardening Video Series

1. The Joyful Gardener Virtual FREE Event starts tomorrow February 14-21

Register for the event here

Get your free gardening eGuide book here

Interesting links . . .

Here are some interesting links I came across on my ventures through Internet Land this week that I thought you might enjoy

1. 3 Ways To Make Bread When the Power is Out

2. A Story of Earth Medicines

3. DIY IMMUNE STIMULATING ELDERBERRY GUMMIES FOR VALENTINE’S DAY

4. Easy Gardening Idea: Creating Seed Balls

5. How to Help a Bird That Flew into a Window

***I use Mountain Rose Herbs for ordering all the herbs I use. Every order I’ve received has always been fresh and gorgeous. Click here to order the herbs you need for your teas, infusions, spices, and other ingredients for your kitchen:

Mountain Rose Herbs

Journaling Inspiration . . .

1. How to Start a Gratitude Journal You’ll Actually Keep

2. How To Start Writing When You Don’t Know Where To Start

3. Make Journaling Your New Hobby

4. How to Journal: Expressive Journaling

Random Nature Fact . . .

Female tarantulas can survive for two years without water. And some species can live without food as long as they do have water. They have an average life span of 40 years!

Nature Journal Video . . .

1. Do you want to learn how to nature journal? In this video, Marley Peifer gives ten steps to nature journaling that you can use whether you are a beginner or an intermediate nature journaler.

How to Nature Journal in Ten Steps: The Nature Journal Show

2. Are you hesitant about nature journaling? I’m still very much a beginner! There’s a new group starting called the Nature Journal Starter’s Club that will begin on February 14 just for beginners to learn with and hold each other accountable. I’ve joined and can’t wait to get back to it again. Here’s the link to check it out

Nature Journal Starter’s Club 

Nature Journal Prompt . . .

Use the picture above to practice drawing in your nature journal and noticing details about this animal.

Bison/Buffalo facts:

Lifespan: 10-20 years

Scientific name: Bison bison

Weight: 2,200 – 2,500 lbs

Height: 6’2” 

Habitat: grass plains, forest, river valleys

What it eats: grass

What eats it: bear, wolves, human

Did you know? 

When ranchers breed cows to bison, the cross-bred is called a “beefalo” or “zubron”. The bison is the United State’s official national mammal. November 1^stis National Bison Day.

What I’m watching . . .

The last few weeks I’ve been busy with work, so I watch videos of nature sounds to put on in the background. At night, I sleep better listening to rain and thunderstorms. Here are a couple of videos with nature sounds to help you relax whether you are working or trying to sleep. 

1. 10 HOURS Morning Forest Birds Chirping – Summer Day Ambience, Voice of the Cuckoo and Buzzing Bees

2. Gentle Rain Sounds Rolling Thunder Sounds Black Screen Sleep Meditation Relaxing Rainfall

What I’m reading . . .

1. Years ago I started out writing with Natalie Goldberg’s book for inspiration. I’m picking it up to reread again for digging deep into journaling. 

Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within by Natalie Goldberg

2. Oh, and this is cool! I just saw she has a card deck for writing prompts.

Writing Down the Bones Deck: 60 Cards to Free the Writer Within

Quotes I’m pondering . . .

“The one who plants trees, knowing that he will never sit in their shade, has at least started to understand the meaning of life.”

–Rabindranath Tagore

and

“The ground on which we stand is sacred ground. It is the dust and blood of our ancestors.”

–Chief Plenty Coups, Crow Tribe

Questions I’m considering journaling on . . . 

Am I missing opportunities to see abundance around me? Winter was a time of lack, starvation, and death for our ancestors if they were not able to put by enough to last until spring. How do I shift from this mindset during my own winters and recognize what abundance is around me?

Journal Prompt . . . 

What does Valentine’s Day mean for you? Is it a meaningful relationship? Do you celebrate it as Galentine’s Day with your bestie? Do you focus on your love for your pets on this day? Or are you “Anti” Valentine’s Day? There’s no wrong answer, just the one that works for you. Write a journal entry on the meaning for you and how you honor it.

Happy Journaling!

. . . Shanna

P.S. Is there something you like or would rather see in the newsletter? Hit reply and let me know!

I’ll be back on February 27th!

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Links

Shanna Lea Author website
Books on Amazon
Magic Heron Creations Notebooks on Amazon
Magic Heron Creations Etsy Shop

. . . Shanna Lea Author

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