A RattleSnake Rattles Me to My Core: Animal Messenger Awakens Me
We went fly fishing with friends last week. We were at one of our favorite spots on the Rio Grande, not too far from Taos, it was a picture perfect Northern New Mexico day. Supplies in hand we waded through the swift current, to set up a picnic spot on the smooth river rock sand bar. The morning a glorious combination— 70 degrees, blue skies, vibrant puffy white clouds, fishing, coffee drinking and taking in the picturesque mood of this native uninhabited spot.
After a couple of hours, an idea comes to mind to give our friends a memory of the day. Camera in hand I begin to take photos. Focused on my camera, the light and capturing the mood of the scene, I am completely absorbed and unaware of what lay on the cool rocks next to me.
A unfamiliar curious sound
The sound alerted me. I recall the ‘feeling’ that the sound created more than the actual sound, it started with a curiosity. I had never heard a “rattler” before, and it instinctively captured my attention.
First, curious— which then quickly turned into a deep sensation that rippled through me, DANGER. I looked down and to my shock, 3-ft away a Mojave rattlesnake reared up and ready to strike, at me! I can still feel the emotion of seeing its huge flared head and lime green tongue outstretched, directly at me. My instincts took over. I screamed a big scream, stepped back as quickly as possible and moved into stunned mode. Ron and friends ran towards me and we all stood still, un-nerved as we tried to figure out our next move, and its.
Our picnic and chairs only a few feet away from the rattler, we didn’t want it to move into our space. We formed a line between our things and the pit viper and watched— I felt super nervous, no-one knew which way this powerful poisonous snake would travel. Luck was on our side. The rattler decided he didn’t want to know us either, and eventually (minutes that felt like hours) he moved on. He swam back across the river, head held high, so we could see his entire body’s length, probably 3 ft.
One more journey
I spent the rest of our time seated in a camping chair. No more fishing for me, ‘reeling’ in the experience. A very poisonous snake encounter as an out-of-body feeling was too much to process. Then as we made the decision to pack up and head home, there was one more journey to conquer. To travel back from our glorious spot we had to wade back across the river, and through a path of tall bush. Grass and bushes higher than my head. Scared, yet I knew there was no way out, but to go through this stretch to get back to our car.
Arriving safely on the other side of the trail, we happen to meet a paramedic in the parking lot. We share the rattlesnake story and he proceeds to tell us how dangerous this highly venomous pit viper is, and if bitten traveling to the nearest ‘big city’ quickly for the anti-venom is crucial. This information only adds to my PTSD!
Warm bath & a tequila
Arriving home I say to Ron, I need a bath and a tequila. I was too shook up to eat dinner, and went straight to bed. I dream an intensely vivid sexual, sensual kundalini energy moving through my body.
Having an animal messenger experience last week, Neither Here, Nor There— I am surprised to have another one so quickly. I asked one of my dear friends about the meaning of this dangerous snake appearing in my life. She described to me:
“Snakes always represent kundalini energy or animal energy.
You might be afraid of your own intensity. Glad you weren’t bitten.”
I reply, I am working on owning my own power, more.