Fox - Cunning Keywords: Cunning. The trickster. Stealth. Planning ahead. Mischievousness. Success. Magic. Mystery. Understanding yourself. Insight. Making opportunity. Spellwork and ritual. Wisdom. Active spirituality. Activating the dormant. General Description: The fox was introduced into the Eastern states of Australia in the 1800s to assist in sport hunting. Now it is one of the most widespread of feral animals in the country. There are more red foxes in Australia then there are in the U.K. The red fox is opportunistic and feeds on mammals, reptiles, insects and birds. It will not always eat what it kills. As well as predating upon native wildlife, it also competes with many marsupials, birds and reptiles for habitat. The fox is an additional pest because it predates on livestock, such as young lambs. The fox is mainly active at night and dens in logs / bushes / hollows. Litters average at around four cubs. In Australia, fencing and fox baiting has been attempted in some states to some success. Lessons and Challenges: Fox has powerful energy, as can be seen by its ability to adapt to any situation no matter what the circumstance. From the harsh outback of Australia, to the suburbs and industrial areas of the Northern hemisphere, the fox is a modern success story - and for that reason also a bit of a pest. Fox teaches us the pros and cons of what it is to be truly successful. Whenever we make a 'home' in a new place, fox shows us that there are great losses and gains in finding our niche and our place in life. Success presents many facets, not all joyful and rewarding. Fox teaches us to understand our relationship to success - real or imagined - and then to integrate all the facets of it. Fox brings magic into our lives, and for those who consider themselves pagan or spiritual, it might be time to introduce more ritual and ceremony into your life. This might come in the form of simply meditating more often, or in the form of longer, more ceremonial rituals. If you are not spiritual or religious, consider researching religion, magic and what mysteries people are drawn to understanding, and how a spiritual path may help bring them closer to understanding the greater mysteries of life and the world around us. Fox, in many cultures, has been represented as the trickster. Its playful, cunning and stealthy energy can often slip into our lives to remind us to laugh at ourselves, and to also recognise when we are the butt of a more cosmological joke. Unfortunately these aren't usually present or even wanted, but cosmological jokes teach us a great deal about ourselves. They force us to shine a light upon even those aspects of ourselves that we may find embarrassing, humiliating, or outright 'bad.' Fox teaches us that there is nothing truly 'bad' about who we are as people, and that embarrassment is just another avenue to laughter and healing. An uncomfortable avenue, but an avenue nonetheless! It can be hard path to seek insight, and understanding of ourselves. Fox accompanies us on this path, as fox does not balk at anything that we characteristically balk at. Fox energy can lend great strength if we choose to accept its presence in our lives. With insight, we come to know who we are and what we want out of life, and how transient both of these things can be. When fox energy turns up in our lives, there is an element of mischievousness occurring around us. We may be feeling more playful than usual, or alternatively the world around us may be nudging us into a position where we can use mischievous and a cheeky nature in order to cheer the lives of the people around us. Fox enables activation. Fox energy activates stagnancy, depressed spirituality, and dormant gifts and abilities. This awakening period can be frightening or exhilarating, but no matter what our attitude to it, it brings great opportunity. Fox can help us to make opportunity in our lives, as the energy of fox continuously kicks those aspects of ourselves which are hidden, oppressed, suffocating or lost to our conscious minds. Fox teaches the practical ability of planning ahead. It is time to review your resources, both physically and spiritually, and take stock of what you need to protect and 'save for later' in case of crisis. It might be spiritual techniques and rituals you don't want to forget, or it might be starting up another savings account, 'just in case.' Fox helps you to protect yourself, by looking ahead without weighing yourself down with fears of the future. Fox seems to be one of the primary animal energies, and is so because of the great wisdom it imparts with its teachings. The presence of fox can be upsetting, or calming, it can be joyful, hilarious, or very uncomfortable, but however it feels, it is also profound and can be life-changing if we let it into our life. The Shadow Aspects: The joke's on you! Fox as a shadow aspect let's us know that someone is playing a trick on us, or that - more likely - we are playing a trick on ourselves! We have convinced ourselves of lies or deceptions that will in the end uproot us if we don't let them go. Alternatively we have let others convince us of lies and deceptions and they are starting to damage us and hurt us to the point that fox has reared its head. Fox tells us that jokes are great in moderation, but that too much is flat out dangerous and hurtful. Wake up. It might require some courage on your behalf to face the harsh truths that you have been hiding from. Those who fear or dislike fox might dislike the idea of using manipulation of any form in their own lives, even if the results might be healthful and nourishing to more than just themselves. They may also feel that they are 'cheating' in some way if they use their skills and knowledge to beat someone else to a finish line, such as getting a job or going for a promotion. Fox can be especially helpful in the workplace, but only if we first overcome our dislike or fear of it. Communion: Like all animal helpers, this animal will only appear when right and appropriate, and cannot be forced to visit you, commune with you, or share messages with you. Fox, being a prevalent and adaptable energy, can respond to just about any form of contact that you can think of. However in my own (limited) experience, fox often prefers more formalised rituals. Consider strengthening your ceremonial experience by writing songs, or poems, or chants for fox and then reading them out. Consider having an object physically dedicated to fox. Alternatively you can investigate a new ritual or ceremonial avenue and try something that you've never tried before. It is important with fox, that you make an effort to make contact, no matter what it involves. Be creative, find something that is individual and really fits you and how you would like your relationship with fox to unfold. And remember, be prepared to laugh at yourself and stuff up occasionally, it is fox after all!