Porcupine

The following passage is from the Medicine Cards…

“The Porcupine has many special qualities, and a very powerful medicine: the power of faith and trust. The power of faith contains within it the power to move mountains. The power of trust in life involves trusting that the great spirit has a divine plan.  Your task is to find the pathway that is most beneficial for you and that uses you greatest talents to further the plan. Trust can open doorways to creation of space. The space thus created allows others to open their hearts to you and to share their gifts of love, joy, and companionship.

If you were to observe Porcupine, you would immediately notice its quills. These quills are only used when trust has been broken between Porcupine and another creature. Much like Otter, Porcupine is a gentle, loving creature, and nonaggressive. When fear is not present, it is possible to feed a Porcupine by hand and never be stuck by its quills.

Through understanding the basic nature of this animal, you may come to understand your own need for trust and faith, and for becoming like a child again. In today’s society, this is a needed reminder to honor the wonder of life and the appreciation of each new day as an adventure of discovery…

…In choosing the Porcupine card, you have given yourself a gentle reminder not to get caught in the chaos of the adult world where fear, greed, and suffering are commonplace. The medicine in this card is that of relief from seriousness and severity. Open your heart to those things that gave you joy as a child. Remember the preciousness of fantasy and imagination, and the making of some game or toy from nothing but scraps. Honor the playfulness of spirit that lets everyone win.”

~ Porcupine Medicine (Medicine Cards by Jamie Sams & David Carson)

This reminder is forgotten all too often by most, including myself.. It shines light on the interesting paradox of seeking a livelihood through sharing this art.  Balancing is something that can only really be mastered in relation to a sense of childlike wonder and play.  There is also a significant spiritual aspect to the practice that seems to contrast the money element. I’ve begun to notice that mixing money with my passion has a tendency to want to strip the “play” out of the equation.  I’m finding it is important to observe this relationship.

Bottom line is I NEEDED to read this this morning.  It was a swift kick in the ass to make me focus on one of the more important elements for any artist; faith and trust in doing what I love, regardless of money… not getting too caught up in the hype of media attention. It’s nice for the art form but I’m still learning to not let it contaminate my creative approach. This post is an Ode to being a kid. to being absolutely enchanted by the simplest of things. Do what you love. I wouldn’t be here writing about this topic without years of embracing my own inner child, learning to follow my heart, and experiencing fruitful results.