4.2.1.5 Rest and Cleansing Moon: Otter (Sun Bear MWEA 22-30)

• Quaking Aspen is plant kingdom totem
• Silver is mineral kingdom totem
• Silver is color
• Butterfly elemental clan
• 4.2.1.5.1 Mineral Kingdom: Silver
  • Considered among most precious because of malleability, luster, beauty and sheen
  • Records of early Incan silver mines, early mines in other civilizations
  • Not considered of great value in North America until arrival of Spaniards
  • Used throughout centuries as measure of wealth
  • Most common mineral in coins, jewelry and tableware in homes of nobles
  • Jewelry and crowns for royalty; chalices for churches
  • Mirrors coated with silver used by rich

• 4.2.1.5.2 Plant Kingdom: Quaking Aspen
  • Grows throughout US and Canada, sea level to timberline
  • Silvery brown bark; leaves dark green with silvery tint
  • Gentle summer breezes blowing through leaves cause sound like tiny bells ringing
    • This trembling or quaking is what gives species its name
  • Flowers of catkin form; fruits are one-celled capsules containing many small seeds
    • Long tufts of silky hair aid wind distribution of seeds
    • Flowers of individual tree of one sex
  • Bud of tree commonly called balm of Gilead
  • Native American herbal uses
    • Leaves, bark, buds traditionally have medicinal properties as tonic, diuretic
    • Tea has often been used as a bitter tonic for liver, digestive disturbances
    • Tea also used as relaxant for hysteria, faintness; also for hayfever
    • Used during spring fast to cleanse body of winter's toxins
    • Tea used externally as tonic and conditioner, and for serious skin conditions as eczema, ulcers, burns
    • Powder scraped from bark used by some tribes as deodorant
      • Scrapings from inner bark used to treat cataracts

• 4.2.1.5.3 Animal Kingdom: Otter
  • Considered by many as one of the most pleasant and playful of wild animals
  • Two types in America: river otter and sea otter
  • Sea otter almost extinct early in 20th century
    • Its beautiful, durable fur sought after; up to $2,000/pelt
    • This friendly animal once would spend quite a bit of time basking on the shore
      • Easy for hunters to come up and club them
    • Now exists only off a small portion of northern California coastline
      • Spends most of time in sea, eating, sleeping, sunning, playing
      • Giving birth and raising its young all in the water
    • Shimmering, lustrous dark brown fur with silver hair, which is dense and fine
    • Mature, have a light-colored face with white whiskers
    • Have webbed feet; as much at home in water as seal
      • Usually chose to live off rocky piece of shoreline with abundant kelp beds
      • There they relax, play and bear their young
    • Range 3-5 feet long, 35-70 pounds; larger than river otters
    • Member of weasel family, though act in considerate way
      • Many feel this is unfair classification for them
  • River otter, like brother in the sea, depends on water for existence
    • Chocolate-brown coat with light gray underparts and throat
    • Found in most large lakes, marshes and rivers of western US
      • Also in many nations worldwide
    • Dens may be enlarged muskrat holes or other holes found in riverbank
      • Both underwater and overland entrance
      • Some make wigwamlike den of reeds or cattails
  • All otters have voracious appetites, fast metabolisms
    • Eat fish, shellfish, insects, ducks and rodents
    • Use rocks to open shellfish dinners, among few animals who mastered use of tools
    • Have wide vocabulary of chirps, squeals, screeches, hiccoughs, chuckles, hisses
      • Some calls carry up to a mile
    • Considered to be most noble, curious and playful of wild animals
    • When not eating, hunting or sunning, most often they are playing
      • Make chutes down riverbank, slide like children do
      • Made of mud in summer and snow in winter
    • Swim in groups, moving like dolphins
      • Play follow-the-leader, pop in and out of water
      • May have started many legends of sea serpents in both ocean and inland lakes
    • Medicine bags of sacred teachers made from otter skin; had very great power
      • Midewiwin, or Grand Medicine Society, of Ojibwa
    • Perhaps such a good example as to restore weasels to good grace in world
    • Warm and active home lives; both parents assist in raising young
      • Young stay with parents longer than most wild young
    • Playful, ardent companions to each other
      • Mate will mourn death of his/her companion for several months

• 4.2.1.5.4 Color: Silver, considered to have many properties
  • Said that a silver cord holds the soul to the body
  • Silver heavens above the gold in some religions
    • Former represents highest vibration of pure spiritual power
    • Latter represents the vibration of love
  • Color associated with Grandmother Moon; moon appears silver in night sky
    • Considered to enhance powers of moon because of this association
    • Powers of perception, intuition, properly flowing emotional energy

• 4.2.1.5.5 Moon: Rest and Cleansing Moon
  • The middle moon of Waboose, of the time of rest and renewal
  • Sun begins to come back from the South
  • Brings time of further rest for earth's children prior to season of growth
  • Having observed and renewed oneself, can cleanse self
    • Physically, mentally, emotionally to prepare for coming times

• 4.2.1.5.6 Elemental Clan: Butterfly
  • Being of the Butterfly clan enhances most of the qualities of Otter folks
  • Dreamy natures influenced by the sometimes flittering air spirits
  • Have to make sure to develop own practicality
    • Or will have too many dreams to deal with, none becoming a reality

Introduction: Page One ~ | ~ Page Two ~ | ~ Page Three ~ | ~ Page Four ~ | ~ Page Five ~ | ~
~ | ~ Sacred Altar ~ | ~ East ~ | ~ South ~ | ~ West ~ | ~ North ~ | ~
Inner Circle: Owl ~ | ~ Cougar ~ | ~ Hawk ~ | ~ Coyote ~ | ~ Wolf ~ | ~ Bear ~ | ~ Raven ~ | ~
Outer Circle: Snow Goose ~ | ~ Otter ~ | ~ Cougar ~ | ~ Hawk ~ | ~ Beaver ~ | ~ Deer ~ | ~
~ | ~ Flicker ~ | ~ Sturgeon ~ | ~ Bear ~ | ~ Raven ~ | ~ Snake ~ | ~ Elk ~ | ~ Blue ~ | ~

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