We are almost done with the animal spirit cards in the earth element from The Wild Unknown Animal Spirit deck. If you go back and start from the beginning of this blog series, you will see how the animals have been building in consciousness, starting with the Bear awakening from hibernation as card 1.
Now at spot 11, we have the Deer- the female counterpart to the elk. Looking at the numerology with this card, 11 speaks to divine wisdom and intuition. This number elevates an understanding of oneness with the cosmos, a bridging between the divine and the real world, elevating both.
From the Numerology.com website it says, “The number 11 is at one with the universe. It is open to vast spiritual concepts and the presence of a greater power. It is a channel for truth and answers to reach us and help us on our way. This Master Number’s vision is crystal clear and it sees with a breadth that others cannot. It is creative and magnetic, a beacon of wisdom and hope for others to follow.”
I can see why this animal was chosen for this numerical position within this element. Deer have this quiet and serene, but deeply moving power towards a higher connection and a greater truth. I may be biased based on where I live, but these animals are so special.
Click here to read the full article about this number from the website.
Nurturing and Softening with the Deer
The Deer emits this energy of soft power. There is an ability to make those who have hardened their hearts let down the wall with this animal. The Deer calls you into a space of true connection where this joining brings you to the precipice of your higher self, at one with the wisdom of love.
The Deer is the embodiment of the life-giving force of Nature. She is a juxtaposition of the soft and hard forces that co-exist within all cycles. The Deer says that devotion, tenderness, compassion, and experiential wisdom are the keys to cultivating a life that is aligned with our inner truth and peace.
The Deer is the card of love in action. When this card comes forward, you are invited to drop down the ego with its many barriers and come into a space of calm presence and radiating love. Being around these animals consistently has given my life a depth that has helped me find a way to connect to divinity. When these animals are present, and they give you that stare with their beautiful brown eyes, it feels like they are seeing through you, into your heart. It feels like all that you are in this moment is being witnessed, and no matter how hard your ego tries to succeed and be big, the Deer, with her gift of tenderness, sees the fragility of self, along with the possibility of your spirit. She sees with honesty and invites you to do the same.
To compare this to a popular movie scene, I think of the scene in The Fellowship of the Ring, when the fellowship goes to Galadriel in her beautiful forest of Lothlorien. She sees into the hearts and minds of the whole company, testing their wills and desires, but she also encourages and nurtures their grief from the loss of Gandalf, instilling hope that this impossible task is possible. She sees into the soul of Boromir, and what she finds is sadness, shame, guilt, and disappointment. The Ring has taken over his mind, and his father has told Boromir to bring the Ring to Gondor. Boromir is proud of his kingdom and wants to serve the people, which is not aligned with his father’s wishes, who wants the Ring for its obvious power. Boromir knows his thoughts and desires are wrong. He knows that even if his intentions to serve the people are noble, the Ring will never obey. He is gripped internally with these shadows.
Boromir, a strong and capable soldier, is brought to tears by the witness from Galadriel. Having her look into his heart and see the raw truth of himself, even though his truth proves he is actually a good person and a worthy eventual King, is more than he can bear. That is the same energy as the Deer, and in many ways is like Galadriel.
Her power is obvious but subtle. The Deer has the capacity to move across, through, and with the mountain. She brings life and nurtures it with a tenderness that reminds us of what it means to be alive, present, and moved by affection and intimacy. Her inner peace invites you to find your own, creating the space for your safety and security to do so.
Guidance from the guidebook
Some key references from the guidebook
Keywords / phrases: Loving, Intuitive, Graceful, The Mother
When in balance: receptive, compassionate, nurturing
When out of balance: concerned, protective
To bring into balance: nature, children
Following the guidance from the guidebook, working with the Deer is about moving with grace, compassion, love, and tenderness. This may seem easy, but the truth is, these themes that make up the higher forces of life are hard to hold at times. When we have been wronged in some way, or if we are different from someone else, but can still find room in our hearts for care and consideration, that is truly the force of love. That is the radical way the world changes.
When we can remove the pains, the anger, and the walls we have built to protect ourselves and find vulnerability, we see the wisdom of oneness. We find that higher universal truth of connection. We find the ability to surrender to the Divine, anchor into our heart’s truth, and find hope among the greatest shadows of life.
When the Deer comes forward for you, in this card, in life, in your dreams, or in any other beautiful deck or way, let your heart be seen for all it is. Let it be softened and moved towards great power, change, and cosmic connection.
If I can give one more movie reference for you to ponder….in the story of Harry Potter, his mother Lily is deceased, yet her patronus was mentioned to take the form of a doe, and his father’s the form of a Stag (same as Harry’s). The shape of the patronus in Harry Potter is said to speak to the experiences and personality of the wizard or witch. Lily Potter gave her life defending Harry from Voldemort. Her love knows no bounds. She loves him even in death, and it is this love that protects Harry on many occasions- again a testament to the force and power of love. Lily is always with Harry, nurturing his growth and resolve. She lovingly reminds him in his hardest moments why she did what she did, and gives the strength to Harry to do what he must do to share that great and powerful love.
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Ashlie McDiarmid
Hello there! I hope you liked this blog post. As a tarot and oracle reader, my goal with my blogs is to offer you content, resources, and access to the tools that have transformed my life.
I believe that your own intuition is the deepest form of knowing, but here in my little corner of the internet, I share insights based in intuition and instinct. I share my love for nature, witchcraft, and the wild spirit.
- If your spirit is at home in wild places
- If you feel the need to claim your autonomy as ritual
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