Animal Wisdom Speaks - Month of the Toucan

Toucans are colourful mentors and guides. Like crows and ravens they are psychopomps travelling between the veils, escorting the souls of the newly departed through the different realms, never judging but simply guiding.

They are usually a chatty bunch, but they know, that the truth may not be found in the words spoken the loudest by others, but that it will always come to light in the end, when Father Karma has the last word. 
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Toucans teach us to give ourselves time, when we are learning and gaining new skills and to use the time in between to play and have fun instead of getting frustrated by the illusion of not making progress.

When the One-and-All saw that the toucans were trustworthy stewards, he gave them a gift. He took a rainbow and formed it into a long beak that holds the warm energy of the sun within.

​They use their beak to regulate their body temperature, thus knowing when to speak words that rekindle the fire within and when to sing a soothing song instead. They are in perfect harmony with their fire, never losing their temper. 
 
Toucans love eating fruit and from experience they know that everything you take in takes time to digest. They use the time in between meals to spend time with other toucans, tag-chasing and calling.

​Only when their food has been fully digested, its scent and flavours memories of a joyous meal or bitterness not to be tasted again, they set out once more, fully enjoying their fresh meal, taking in its taste and flavours to the fullest.

"Humble White Toucan", white pastels, Kristin Raphaela Otti (2024, Carinthia)

​They teach us to give ourselves time, when we are learning and gaining new skills and to use the time in between to play and have fun instead of getting frustrated by the illusion of not making progress and standing still, as growing is done equally while hustling and bustling and resting and breathing.

Toucans feel no need to impress anyone. They aren’t good flyers. They flap forcefully and then glide for a while, knowing that you don’t need to take every step on your way elegantly and in an expert way, but you simply need to take it, trying and giving your best. Be yourself and come out of hiding, take the first step and smile.​

Toucan says, "Show your beautiful colours, you are enough in all you are. You are the gift."

"Chatty White Toucan", white pastels, Kristin Raphaela Otti (2024, Café de L'Europe, Vienna)

"White Toucan", white pastels, Kristin Raphaela Otti (2024, Hotel, Café & Konditorei Hecher, Wolfsberg, Carinthia)