I remember my wife and I engaging in a meaningful conversation recently regarding the balancing act of maintaining authenticity and being respectful and aware of others in social environments.  Perhaps not coincidentally, we traded stories about one another’s encounters with a skunk that lives around the way in our ‘hood.  Poignantly, I woke up with a heartfelt chuckle somewhere in time during the wee hours of the Full Moon cycle last week to the literal smell of a skunk residing in our neck of the woods.  Ah, “Skunk . . . tell me the story, so I will know it well, of how to attract, and how to repel.”

In a natural sense, Skunks are a good reminder for Us to carry a playful and nonchalant air about Our Selves.  Moreover, their medicine helps Us balance being True to Our Selves with behaving respectfully within the diversity of Our social environment.  My encounter with Skunk is a pungent reminder that We are rapidly approaching the Spring Equinox on March 20, 2012, here on Mothership Earth.  During this budding time of year, We Spring forward, “just around the corner to the Light of Day”, as Light and Dark (Yin/Yang, Masculine/Feminine) energies dance equally, if only momentarily.  Although the Spring Equinox is somewhat akin to the Fall Equinox’s energetic alignment–a subtle and yet fragrant scent in the air reminds Us that We are leaving behind Our yinward focus and becoming more outward in Our growth.  In this process, awareness May Spring up from the Underground that stinks to the degree that it May smell like You have been sprayed by a Skunk.  For example, in Our dying Puritanical cultural story in the USA, We have been well-trained to repress and suppress Our True Selves.  Isn’t it obvious to Us that master illusionist behind the Corporate Media’s curtain make a killing by constantly bombarding Us with propaganda?  Do You agree with the voice that says We should augment Our Selves by buying into the cosmetic belief that says We should buy capital that will somehow make Us more complete than We already are naturally?  Skunk is here to remind Us that We need to remember the deep place of self-esteem that says to the Self, “I’m OK and I May stand firmly rooted like a Wise Old Tree in my own personal authority.”  Do You need to fortify your defenses and protect Yourself, so that You can’t be easily intimidated, seduced and/or controlled by others by auctioning off Your power?

Additionally, Skunk medicine’s year-round power cycle potentially helps Us become more aware of Our body language and the signals We give off toward One another.  Specifically, Skunk asks Us to pay attention to respecting Our boundaries of Self and One another.  For example, Native American wisdom reminds Us that, “it can be dangerous to leak sexual energy if you are not looking for a mate.  It puts you in a games condition that may feed your ego, but is not truly how others may feel about you.  Are you in a sense saying, ‘I’m available?’  This can cause hard feelings and issues when it all comes out.  It also leaks out energy that you could have used in a more constructive way for yourself.”  Moreover, We May learn from Skunk’s mystical and magical associations to gain attention without being arrogant and/or irritating–an especially challenging and hard lesson for Yours truly!  Skunk gently encourages Us to get to know Ourselves truly on a deeper soul level.  One way We evoke the process of getting to, “know Thyself”, is through experimenting with Aromatherapy.  The scent of Aromatherapy May assist Us in increasing Our sensuality, vis-a-vis physically, sexually, psychically and spiritually–if only We allow Ourselves to take the time to breathe it in as we Spring forward!

I Hopi You are well,

Ari