The Meaning of Deer
Deer graze the open land around my home in India, and, in America, browse the farm’s no-hunting field, standing on hind legs for pears, gracing my day as they pass through to the state park.
In the early nineties, Stephen held toning groups at my home, teaching a healing use of the voice. As I participated, the first images of animals appeared in my inner vision at two of the seven body points, called chakras, where he directed our voices. Deer appeared at the heart.
I felt amazed. Then I realized meanings were being given to me; so searching for information, I discovered that deer in American Indian animal signs* means gentleness in facing and resolving situations.
The relationship between the buck and the doe held meanings for people behavior, so as Stephen directed his voice at a person’s heart chakra, I understood the interpretation and offered my view as an observation.
What I gained was a new approach and new practice for solving my life situations. Gradually, the symbolic meaning of deer became more important than the animal’s graceful, intelligent attraction, and I thought of them as inspiration rather than wild life.
In the mid-nineties, within the first week of Stephen’s passing, my younger daughter, driving on a Wisconsin country road, hit and killed a deer. She was an excellent driver, but more importantly had lived at home with Stephen, so they were close. From the first news, I understood that the meaning had to do with his soul’s passage—the willingness of deer to accompany him for his gentleness as a healer and as my presence on his journey into the light.
My realization is, "There is a visible bond between animals and humankind of symbolic meaning that we may live by."
*The Medicine Cards, Jamie Sams and David Carson