Animal Wisdom Speaks - Month of the Cassowary
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April has arrived and this month Animal Wisdom Speaks is dedicated to the Cassowary, a fierce protector and mentor that honors the individuality of their mentees, knowing that everyone carries their own unique gifts within and is walking their own individual path, teaching us that there is not just one way – but many.
The greatest teachers and mentors on my path were - and are - the ones who would challenge me time and time again, coax me out of my comfort zone, let me look into the hungry eyes of the limiting thoughts I had had about myself, watch me teach my own mind about its infinite potential and wait for me on the other side of the all-devouring stream I had never thought of being able to cross. Those were the teachers that were fine with me finding my own way and not follow the path they had walked on, who would fuel the spark of creation within me and not belittle me for being different and try to extinguish my flame. Cassowaries are a keystone species, meaning that they have a disproportionately large effect on the habitats they share with other species. They teach you to never underestimate yourself, your role or importance in a cause, a group or an environment. Without the keystone, the arch or bridge collapses. Trust in yourself and your abilities. Every single one of them used patience and love as their teaching tools, they were strict, but never unfair, and what they had experienced in their own lives, was passed on as healing wisdom and never used to open up or inflame the same wound in the student they had been entrusted with. The Cassowary is such mentor and teacher. While the female cassowary leaves after having laid the eggs, the male cassowary stays to protect the clutch and the chicks. He lets them explore and discover their territory for themselves, never reprimanding them, but furthering their individuality, observing and watching over them. They will bring the chicks back into their nest, albeit, if some form of danger arises that the chick is not yet prepared for and protect them fiercely, if the need should arise. Cassowaries prefer minding their own business and are adapt to disappearing before anyone knew they were there, but if they are provoked, they will defend themselves and their chicks without mercy. They are apex predators capable of inflicting serious injuries due to their strong legs and three-toed feet. Each of their inner toes has a four to five inch claw. The cassowary is a great mentor and companion who helps you see the strength you carry within and helps you find and develop your trust in your ability to defend and protect yourself. |
"White Cassowary", white pastels, Kristin Raphaela Otti (2024, Cafe Eiles & Café de L'Europe, Vienna)
They have adapted to their surroundings. They are flightless, their quills have mutated and are curving around their bodies, having become a protective armor allowing them to face any obstacle head on and move right through vines, barbs, sharp-edged leaves and thorns without getting hurt or cut. They teach us that sometimes the way through is facing whatever lies before us head-on and realizing later that we had been bulletproof all along. Cassowaries are a keystone species, meaning that they have a disproportionately large effect on the habitats they share with other species. They may be solitary birds and prefer staying hidden, but if they were to vanish, the ecosystem would collapse and change dramatically. They consume more than seventy different seeds of fruits that are too big for other birds to eat and are key in seed dispersal. Their short gut retention time even allows them to consume fruit that contains toxins or poison. The cassowary teaches you to never underestimate yourself, your role or importance in a cause, a group or an environment. Without the keystone, the arch or bridge collapses. Trust in yourself and your abilities. Kristin Raphaela Otti |
"A Single White Crayon", a single white crayon, Kristin Raphaela Otti (2026, Hotel, Café & Konditorei Hecher, Wolfsberg, Carinthia)
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"Individuality", black pastels and crayons, Kristin Raphaela Otti (2026, Hotel, Café & Konditorei Hecher, Wolfsberg, Carinthia)
"Shadow Cassowary", black pastels, Kristin Raphaela Otti (2026, Hotel, Café & Konditorei Hecher, Wolfsberg, Carinthia)
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