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Coyote and Raven: Tricksters

© Andrea Ellis

Lately the trick's been on me. This particular trick was a computer virus that turned out to be a hoax. Of course I found this out after I sent out many emails of warning to friends and collegues. Thank you, by the way to EVERYONE (and there were many) who informed me of that this morning. I do apologize for the snippy response I sent. But I don't apologize for the part I inadvertently played in this computer trick.

I always make an attempt to learn something from these mistakes, or faux pas I seem to make periodically in my life and it happened that this one occurred while I was thinking about writing about the Coyote and the Raven, who are often called 'tricksters" in native cultures. This latest trick would have Coyote and Raven rolling on the ground with laughter. We'll probably never know how many people received this chain letter and did or didn't do something about it.

Yet having sent out this email to pretty much everyone I know has helped me reconnect with pretty much everyone I know. It was in a rather impersonal way, yes. Yet when I clicked on each person's email address I got an image in my head, a memory of that person. I heard their voices say hello, I saw them smile or laugh. I remembered each and every one of my friends and why I care about them. Not such a bad trick after all.

Both the Coyote and the Raven have long standing relationships with humans. Either as nuisances and pests or sacred totem animals. Both are known as tricksters or clowns, yet are respected, even feared for their wisdom.

Coyotes are very common in the city of Vancouver. They live with in the city limits and are the only wild mammals to integrate themselves into human society so completely. Spiritually they are seen to have great wisdom and understanding of all things sacred, yet nothing is sacred, thus creating a paradox. His gifts are double edged and no wish is without consequence. It is said that it was Hosteen Coyote who brought fire to humans, much the same way that Prometheus did with the Greeks. Which became a mixed blessing. Now humans could see in the darkness, but fire was also used as a weapon, and later to create stronger weapons.

In another story Hosteen Coyote showed humans how to use pipes and tobacco and other plants to open our minds to the spirit world. However, they also cloud our mind, and took at where tobacco has gotten us now!

The copyright of the article Coyote and Raven: Tricksters in Shamanic Healing is owned by Andrea Ellis. Permission to republish Coyote and Raven: Tricksters in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.