I’ve spent the last two months immersed in the rhythms of Nature, preparing content for July’s Sacred Rhythms: A Year of Nature’s Wisdom—and as a result, I’ve become more attuned to the life unfolding in my backyard, affectionately known as The Wild Reiki Spa.

The yard and fountain are inundated with flocks of many bird species. The adults are more focused on foraging, but they do take time to bathe and drink at the fountain. The teenagers seem to do a little foraging and a lot of horsing around by the water and hanging out with their peers of the same age. It’s like little mini gangs of each species at the pool, but unlike ours, they mostly get along with others that don’t look exactly like them, so long as boundaries are respected.

As my awareness deepens, it feels as though the birds are becoming more aware of me, too. There’s a sense of being seen and accepted. One Robin even disappeared under the lounge chair I was resting on, searching for a snack as if I were just another piece of the landscape.

And then—something extraordinary. While I was reading outside, a flutter of wings and a young Junco landed on the cushion beside me, right under the arm holding my book. Cocking his head, one bright black eye met mine, curious and bold. I quietly greeted him, and off he flew—to the hedge—while the rest of his “gang” took off in the other direction. I couldn’t help but wonder if it had been a dare: “Who can get closest to the human?” I smiled, and I thanked him for his courage. It was a fleeting, magical moment of beauty that I will always treasure.

A major section of July’s Sacred Rhythms features Mama Raccoon. Each year, for the last four, she has brought her newest kits to the Wild Reiki Spa, introducing them to the fountain like a mother bringing her children to a favorite playground. While they splash and explore, she forages—always alert, always working to sustain them. With multiple kits, her days are filled with effort.

Creating this retrospective made me deeply aware of how hard her life is. She bears the scars of survival—half an ear, blindness in one eye. In spring, she often looks battered and worn. I don’t know if it’s age, loss of kits to illness or predation, or some other reason, but last year she had only one kit—Fuzzy Buddy. Still, I hope she’ll return again this summer. Whatever comes, I am grateful for the joyful, trusting moments we’ve shared. Her presence has been a powerful reminder of strength, tenderness, and the unspoken agreements we form with the wild.

These connections—the quiet, sacred rhythm of life shared with birds and raccoons alike—are part of what I’ve poured into July’s Sacred Rhythms. I hope you’ll join me in this unfolding journey. (You can learn more below.)

Lastly, I want to acknowledge that writing has been challenging lately. Client needs, creative demands, and a major ceremony have left me with little time or energy, and grief recently added its weight. I had to say goodbye to a client who had become both a friend and an inspiration. In her honor, I wrote my latest post Medicine Buddha Blessings—an offering from the heart.

Enjoy the beauty of the season,
Rose De Dan, Night Sky and Tamerlan, fosters Noctua and Sadiya

P.S. Last call for Reiki Level 1. Class has already started, but you can easily catch up with the replay. Registration deadline is July 2.

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Let the Trees Guide You

This month in Sacred Rhythms, we journey into the living wisdom of the Trees—those quiet Elders who shape the world around us in unseen ways. You’ll be invited to meet a Tree neighbor in a special shamanic experience.

A personal true tale brings a feathered surprise, while July’s puzzle takes you deep into an old-growth forest, where the roots may remind you of myth, and the light may hold a spirit’s gaze.

July also brings a burst of joy: a wildlife video retrospective of Mama Raccoon and her babies from 2021 to 2024. There’s play, growth, and plenty of mischief, some of it from adult raccoons (discovered spying on cats).

The month rounds out with a curated playlist of music to lift your heart, inspiring quotes to stir your soul, book recommendations (both old favorites and new), and wild companions waiting to connect.

🌿 Whether you’re just discovering Sacred Rhythms or have been journeying along with us, July is a beautiful time. Begin where you are—the forest will welcome you.

Click here to register or learn more.

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Want to learn how to connect more deeply with animals, restore balance to your life, increase intuitive skills, and help heal the Earth? Take a look at my live Reiki and shamanic virtual classes and digital workshops.

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A WILD WAY TO HEAL
Rose De Dan, Wild Reiki and Shamanic Healing LLC is an animal communicator, Reiki Master Teacher, shamanic energy healer, and author of Tails of a Healer: Animals, Reiki and Shamanism and Out of the Darkness and Other Animal Tails. Her classes, sessions, and ceremonial work are inspired by wild and domestic animals who have issued a call to action for personal and global healing.