Okay, so as we head into the thick of the holiday season I thought you might like to pick an animal guide to be by your side over the next month or so.
Each morning, ask your animal to guide you through your day and to help you tap into the qualities associated with this animal that will best serve you.
You can imagine your guide with you throughout the day. I imagine my bear animal guide helping me during the Yoga with Weights class I go to, FOR REAL! Lol!
Working with Animal Guides is such a great way to feel supported while having fun.
In this workshop, you will tune into the energy of your spirit animal guide, your desires, and your intuition.
It begins by me leading you on a guided meditation while drumming to help you discover or connect with your animal guide.
Then you can journal about your experience, do a little research around the energy of the animal that showed up, and begin to create your artwork.
If you have any worries about your painting skills, Kristen’s gentle guidance will put them to rest. I have been taking her classes for years and I just love what she draws out of me.
Kristen knows how to nurture you and help you put your self-judgment aside so you can paint from your soul and love your creation.
We first offered this as an in-person class here in Arizona. I have started working with a wolf now too and you can see my painting below. It’s howling at the moon, of course!!!
Also, included in the workshop is my new Working with Animal Guides ebook and printable oracle card deck.
Click below to watch a short intro video to help you get a better idea about this workshop.
Over 5 years ago, I started working with a bear animal guide and I have just adored the connection and appreciate how much this work has helped during times of stress and anxiety.
My friend Kristen is always painting the most amazing animals that I just knew combining our skills and passions would be a perfect fit!
I just adore the fact that we are connected and I hope you to take advantage of this opportunity to paint and play with your animal guide. Feel free to reach out to me, Kerry, with any questions at hello@kerryburki.com.
About 5 years ago, during a guided meditation, a bear showed up. I didn’t think too much of it until the bear showed up again in another meditation a few months later.
Before this, if you had asked me what my “spirit animal” was I would have definitely said, tiger.
So I was unsure about this bear. I did a little research to discover the energy associated with bears.
Bear Animal Guide Characteristics
Hibernation.
Solitude.
Alone time.
Protection.
Mama bear.
Grounded.
Earth energy.
Strength.
Confidence
At this time in my life a lot of change had been going on and I had been struggling a bit. Just reading the words associated with bears soothed me. I knew I needed this energy in my life.
I began taking more alone time and focused on getting grounded on a regular basis. In the beginning, I would imagine myself in a field and bear coming and putting its arms around me. Protecting me.
It felt good to have this strength and confidence surrounding me.
I decided I was going to call it “Bear” instead of a name. I don’t always associate Bear with being male or female. None of that seemed to matter in this instance.
As time went on, I started to bring “Bear” into my daily life. During my life coaching training when we were doing our first sessions with each other I would imagine Bear right behind me putting its large paw on my back.
This gesture reminding me that I was supported. Sometimes I would even lean back into a bit to connect to this energy even more.
Now I imagine Bear supporting me like this on a regular basis.
When I started wearing flower crowns for videos and events, I started to imagine Bear wearing a flower crown too.
When I start worrying, I ask Bear to take my worries away. I again imagine and almost feel the paw on my back. I visualize worries going from me to Bear. I feel lighter and also cared for.
My phone screensaver is a painting of a bear hugging a woman that reminds me of me. I love and appreciate our connection.
Sharing With Others
Everything I just wrote, I used to be nervous to share with others.
Would people think I was crazy?
I have learned who to share more with and who to keep my mouth shut around. I have also learned that I don’t care too much about what others think so that helps a ton. It took me about 40 years to get to this point and honestly I feel like I have Bear to thank a bit for this too.
Doing this work has benefited me tremendously without hurting anyone. I have always enjoyed taking the path less traveled and here I am.
Would my parents worry that I was replacing God with a bear?
I was raised Irish Catholic so the idea of working with an animal guide was more something I had heard about but not experienced. My Bachelor’s Degree is in Religious Studies and I have spent a lot of time studying religion and spirituality. However, I did not feel religious or spiritual for most of my younger life. I felt disconnected. Teaching yoga led me to more spiritual pursuits are not necessarily Catholic and they actually brought me back to using the word God and believing in a higher power. I am grateful for it. I also say Universe and Spirit.
We are all on a journey. I believe animal guides are simply a way for God/Universe/Spirit to connect with us and lend us support. My parents support me as I explore my own spirituality and are happy that over the years I have become closer to the divine instead of further away.
Is any of this real?
This has been a HUGE sticking point for me when it comes to sharing about working with animal guides. I have ultimately learned that what I have experienced is real. I have felt comforted, healed, and connected. I believe it is a combination of my imagination, intention, and energy. The universe is mysterious. I could spend all of my time worrying instead of allowing these experiences to help heal me. I could worry about what others think or help those who feel drawn to me and this work.
Where I am Now
I now insist on taking alone time daily. I even hibernate sometimes from social media and the world. I have a few solid grounding practices that I used daily too. I know how to connect with Earth energy and how to protect my own energy.
I embrace being a mama bear to my family and have increased my strength and confidence a ton over the years.
When Bear first came into my life, I NEEDED the energy. Now I embody the energy.
Bear Painting by my super talented herbalist friend, Kimberly Kling of Joyful Roots!
Ooh! One of my favorite things to do on the Full Moon is to set time aside for ritual.
When you first start working with the moon it is best to keep things simple.
It is so easy to get carried away with life and forget to take a moment to slow down, express gratitude, reflect on your New Moon intention, and/or simply enjoy the present moment.
The Full Moon allows you to take this time.
Here is a simple Full Moon Ritual that you can customize and make your own:
Just Me & the Moon (no supplies needed):
This can be done outside or inside.
Find a place to sit comfortably with a straight spine. If you don’t think you will fall asleep, you can also lie down.
Take at least 3 deep breaths in and out of your nose. Or set a timer and breathe deeply for 1 minute. Then allow the breath to relax.
If the sky is clear, take some time to gaze at the full moon. If not or the moon has not risen yet, simply close your eyes and imagine a full moon above you.
Express thanks for being here right now. Express thanks for anything else you are feeling grateful for.
Close your eyes.
Imagine the light on the moon coming down into the crown of your head. Imagine that silvery, cool energy moving down your face, over your shoulders, arms, chest, back, belly, hips, and down both legs.
As the light moves through your body, imagine tight areas relaxing, dark areas being healed, and blocked areas being opened.
Imagine that the light surrounds your body too. Bask in this light.
You might like to set a timer, play music, or stay as long as you want.
When you are ready, begin to deepen your breath again. Bring your awareness back to your body.
Notice how you feel. If any feelings, ideas, or thoughts came up, then take a moment to jot them down.
Thank yourself for taking this time. Thank the moon for her healing energy.
Know that you can move forward with grace and ease because you took this time for yourself.
How to customize:
You can visualize a specific color coming from the moon or notice if a different one shows up in your visualization. Look up the healing properties of that color.
If you need some physical healing, allow yourself to have the moonlight focus on a particular area. Imagine that is bringing healing energy to that area.
If you need to release a negative habit or memory, imagine the moonlight going into a dark area and shining a healthy light there. Giving you the feeling that you no longer have to hide behind that habit or hide from that memory.
Any of these customizations can be taken deeper.
You might like to ask out loud or in your head to be shown the next steps to take. Trust that by taking this time for yourself tonight that you have raised your vibration to match the healing or opportunities you desire to come to you.
The first part of this is super simple because I believe it is important for you not to get caught up in supplies, astrological signs, a beautiful Instagram shot. While I enjoy these things myself, the whole point of following the moon is to slow down.
When you slow down, your body and mind have a chance to catch up and blend everything together.
So I hope you take the time to sit under the moon and allow her silvery light to connect you with the real you.
I was thrilled to be invited as a presenter at the Craftcation 2018 this last April put on by Nicole Stevenson and Delilah Snell of Dear Handmade Life. This is an extravaganza of crafts, color, fun, and talented and generous people.
The energy of this event is almost indescribable. Also, the effort and vision of its founders blew me away. It was such an impressive event that really brought people together. A lot of the focus was crafting and business but what I picked up on the most was people talking about being around like-minded people, expressing themselves without judgment, and seeing the event as an epic act of self-care.
I was asked to present about Mindfulness for Creatives with my friend Cassie Uhl of Zenned Out Jewelry. We talked about the importance of taking time for yourself and shared a lot of tips similar to what I share on this blog and on social media.
Each day people could sign up for office hours that covered different topics.
I did mini-intuitive business readings and absolutely loved them! Some of the people have continued working with me as clients.
I had my tried and true Medicine Woman deck along with these amazing oils from Joyful Roots. The oils help bring people into the present moment and the cards help people think about and view their situations from a more intuitive place.
I also offered Guided Meditations to attendees on the beach. Wow! These were so amazing. I just loved the energy of the people who came and the sounds of the ocean in the background. To be honest, I felt like I could do this all day long!
One of the highlights was listening to Debbie Stoller talk from Bust Magazine. I am a fan of hers and she left me pondering about what to do with my own Kerry Magazine. It was a project of mine to help show all women as beautiful. It evolved into some pretty interesting issues. You can check it out here: https://www.kerryburki.com/kerry-magazine/.
I love connecting with people I knew from being a presenter at previous conferences like Ami from Flutterbye Prints(above).
I was also on a panel about self-care which is one of my fave topics! I showed up in a bright red dress and a huge flower crown because that is one of the ways I show love for myself, by wearing what makes me feel fabulous. Also, on the panel from left to right is designer, Jeanetta Gonzales, business coach, Alisha Roberston, and Holly Marsh of MarshMueller.
Some takeaways for you would be: getting better at saying no, scheduling downtime, learning to know when you are close to burnout, practicing breathing exercises, decluttering, and taking breaks from social media.
The last evening I was there, I was a part of Wanderings. This is a super fun event where guests and presenters alike are given the opportunity to change their room into a theme for the other attendees to wander in and out of all night. Cassie and I created The Zen Den. We offered DIY essential oil blends, coloring pages, crystal kits and, of course, tarot card reading with me.
I went for 4 hours straight and LOVED the connections, and “aha” moments that happened that evening. I hugged and cried and laughed with people I had just met. When asked how I was able to do this, I told them that I simply created the space for them to feel safe to look within and honestly view the situations they were concerned about. I followed up with everyone about their card a few weeks later to help keep them in the groove of the event.
I made sure I crafted too! Of course, I signed up for the clay moon phase mobile class and a mixed-media macrame wall hanging (above).
If you are a creative business owner or simply someone who loves getting crafty, I encourage you to check out Craftcation. I am very grateful to have been part of it this year.
