This week I got a call from my old pet sitter telling me that she heard I was picking up a little bat from her neighbor. I found out later it was a flying squirrel; (how someone could think that a squirrel is a bat I don't know...but hell...I have heard of people thinking that lizards are snakes and possums are cats).
Anyway, I have only triaged a few baby bats in my life. Interesting little characters. Picture above. I am not licenced to do RVS (Rabies Vector Species) although I have had all my shots so I can work with them (racoons, skunks, foxes, bats,etc) at the wildlife center.
More recently I had a wild visitor show up one night at my cabin in the mountains the night before my Medicine Wheel ceremony (Winter Solstice). Of course Native American peoples believe, as do I, that when an animal shows up in your life, it's an indication of something important. Boy was this one right! Some people refer to creatures that appear like this as "power animals", or "animal totems", or just simply "guides". In this case, and considering the circumstances on how the little dude introduced himself to me; (obviously his echolocation* talents were on the blink because he flew into a window INSIDE my house right at my face). But was that really the message for me...hitting my head against the window, etc. READ ON..................Yes even brave me was startled at first, and worried about how the heck I was going to get him out of the house safely (for everyones sake).
I did find out for me that the interaction with my little bat meant more than I could have imagined. Bats holds the power of adaptability. Everything about them, senses, feeding, flight, mating and size is suited to their particular environment. They say when bat appears in your life its message may be to examine your surroundings to discern what bounty is being offered to you, and then alter your patterns so you can receive it. Humm....interesting. Bounty, offerings, ok....I am thinking now.
Then it goes on to say....an out of balance bat will get scrambled and confused and will fly into things. AH ha...there we go. That was my little dude. It asks then, am I crashing into barriers as you try to get what you need and want in life? OMG....YES! Then it says: if so, bat may be trying to tell you to take a moment to get your bearings and determine the relative importance of what you are seeking. OK..I get it. New path, changes with my journey. I am listening and taking note. Then the next part is really cool: When bat flies into your life transformation of the ego self is about to occur. The old familiar patterns and ideas that have been your truth are about to change. That which once worked for you may no longer. The process of transformation represents a death and a rebirth. Bat offers you the wisdom necessary to make the appropriate changes for the birthing of your new identity. Because the bat is a sociable animal it can indicate a need for more sociability or increased opportunity with greater numbers of people. It has great auditory perception and can navigate through the dark easily. Their built in sonar enables them to know what lies beneath the surface. Those with this medicine have uncanny abilities to discern hidden messages both from people and the environment.When bat appears it is asking you to surrender yourself to the process of change. Opportunities unknown to the conscious mind are about to manifest.
Yeah ha.....is that little bad boy right!
About Bats: There are different species of bats, which have widely divergent characteristics. Some are small and others are large. With one or two exceptions, the large bats live on fruits and find their way visually. The small bats feed mostly on insects, catching them on the wing by a process known as echolocation. Studies on bats found that when they are placed in a refrigerator, they will go into an instant state of hibernation and come out unharmed when they are warmed, which is unique for a warm blooded mammal. This indicates that the life force of the bat is strong and is able to regenerate and replenish it when needed
*Echolocation is a process by which an animal produces sounds and listens for the echoes reflected from surfaces and objects in the environment. It is used in bats to navigate.
