(Or Early Chanter Gets the Moose)*

By Janet Howard

The sound of splintering trees roused me from my pre-dawn mantra on the front porch. Twigs snapping from across the street. Was a tree falling down? It was my morning sadhana in downtown Amherst, MA and the July sun was just starting to peek through the trees.

I was chanting Sat Siri Siri Akal, eyes closed and focused up and in. I slowly opened my eyes, and witnessed a moose making its way onto Beston Street from the tree—right there on our quiet, in-town, dead-end street. It felt dreamy and I took a moment to register. I jumped up with iPhone in hand to get a picture as it trotted through my neighbor’s yard, dog barking from her house. The sounds of twigs breaking as my compass.

It was my first moose sighting ever, anywhere. I’ve always wanted to see one. The moose found me, on my porch, 5:20 am, chanting with birds—a five minute walk from coffee shops and restaurants. It found me when I wasn’t looking. It was a present and I was giddy. A moose on Beston Street.

I turned to my Spirit Animal oracle cards (by Jamie Sams and David Carson). I tuned in and sat myself on the back stoop with feet on the earth. Was the moose a gift for me? If it was, I should draw the moose card. I spread the cards in front of me, flipped a card without a thought, and there it was. Moose. I held my face in my hands, taking it in. The gift of moose medicine.

According to Jamie Sams and David Carson, moose is a powerful animal and the message is a pat on the back. “If you have chosen the moose card, you have reason to feel good about something you have accomplished in your journey. This may be a habit you have broken, a completion of some sort, an insight on a goal, or a new sense of self that you have fought hard to earn. It is a time of feeling harmonious pride and of recognizing those that have aided you in the process. One good exercise in moose medicine is to write down things that you can love about yourself and your progress in life. Then apply these same things to friends, family, coworkers and life. Don’t forget to share the findings with others. They need the encouragement as much as you do.”

What do I love about myself and my progress in life? Okay Moose. I’ll do it. Please join me and get out a piece of paper. What do you love about yourself and the progress you have made on your journey? I love:

• The healing home that I have created that holds those who enter it.
• Colors and wearing whatever I want.
• Braids.
• Connection with nature.
• My cats Nico, Rascal and Kit Kat, and my dog Jack, and how our relationships have evolved.
• Willingness to go deep and look at the tough stuff with humble, honest, brave eyes.
• My discipline.
• Writing, pondering, dreaming.
• A new normal of accepting the way things are. Going with the flow. Not forcing things to happen.
• Learning what wellness and self-care are.
• ü That a bad day or a bad moment is just that—a moment.
• My dreams.
• Adventures that I create.
• Volunteering.
• My relationship with my kids.
• Accepting that even though I think I don’t know what I’m doing or what is happening or why I’m doing things I’m doing, that I do know. And starting to get it that I know what I’m doing. That’s called trust. I love that I’m starting to trust myself. There. Said it.

Moose Medicine shows me that when I work to heal myself, I’m better equipped to heal others. And when I create a healing space for myself and my family, others feel it. The Air BnB-ers feel it. They describe the peaceful, relaxed energy of the house; greenery; snuggly cats; and they appreciate windows opened on a summer night letting the outside in and the inside out.

Travelers come together at Rosehip26 and one of us has something important to share with another—about healing, mourning, creating a business, traveling or a passion. We share books, insights, life experiences, adventures, and often, a love for cats! I’ve had over 300 guests from all over the world. Every person for a reason.

Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo. I bow to the teachers all around me. Thank you to all my teachers: SiriNam, Haleya and Thom, Wendy, family, coworkers, neighbors and friends. Thank you Mother Earth. Thank you Moose.

*Second Title credit goes to Shirley Griffin, my neighbor. I love that I can have two titles if I want.

Image by Spirit Animal Oracle Cards by Jamie Sams and David Carson 

Kundalini Yoga transformed Janet Howard’s life (Deg Ajeet Kaur), helping her through big life changes with an increased sense of calm, emotional healing, self-acceptance and trust in the flow of life. She started to recognize a part of herself that was deep within. Quiet. Loving. Forgiven. Forgiving. Her daily sadhana is her gift to herself and the calm consistency in a chaotic, ever-changing world. Wherever she is, her kundalini sadhana is with her. Yes, she gets thrown off balance regularly, but each morning, she gets back to her center, strong, relaxed and at peace.

With an over 25 year career in health care environmental stewardship (www.practicegreenhealth.org), Janet’s passion lies in healing the planet, feeling love, respect and appreciation for all living things and connecting with the energy in nature. On the side, Janet established Rosehip26 for Air BNB and Reiki Integrative Touch offering. Janet received her Level One Instructor Certification in May 2018 and teaches a weekly class at Ananda Yoga in western Massachusetts.