Kestrel the Druid

This week brought a lot of raccoons into the picture. Every day on the way to work, I saw young raccoons. One or two of them were crossing the road in front of me. My instincts told me that they were trying to tell me something. Their age was important to the message. Unfortunately, there is not a lot of information available. It is unclear how a juvenile animal’s message can differ from that of an adult of the same species. Still, after looking a little longer, I found one source which led to an answer.

What is the general meaning of seeing a raccoon. Often times their facial markings are symbolic of wearing masks. And of hiding your identity. It can also symbolize surprises in your future. One sight explained it as serendipity bringing about positive changes. I felt drawn to this interpretation for many reasons. Mostly the perfect timing of the sighting. They stepped onto the road at the perfect time to be in my headlight beams. And with plenty of time for me to stop.

Raccoons can live on their own at about 20 weeks of age. My source explains that this can mean a 20-week cycle for changes to come about. This is especially true if you are making these changes and trying to hide them until the right moment. These guys were clearly newly on their own, so they were probably right at about that twenty-week age. It also probably indicated that I was at the beginning of that cycle. Being new in the spiritual world, their young age, probably also indicated my being newly in this world.

Some of you are probably asking “How do I know that these animals were speaking to me?” I often ask that myself. Living in a very rural setting, I cross a lot of wildlife. And not all of them are giving me a message. In this case, it was the frequency of the sighting. How often does anyone see a young raccoon? Let alone 2 at the same time? For 4 days in a row? The other way I know that they were trying to convey a message, is how they looked at me. Every time we crossed paths, they looked straight into my eyes, much like when talking to someone. Most animals do not look straight at you, but more around you. And finally, there is a knowing. You just know when the animal is important. And what about that animal is important. You may not know what they are saying, but you know they are saying something. At that time, I often will make note of what is important, species, age, frequency. Later I will meditate on those important aspects and try to tease out the message. Online resources and books will often help me decipher their language.