The Blessings of the Buffalo

I was lucky enough to have my son home for a few days recently. It was brief… but when you haven’t seen your kid in over a year, every moment is a huge blessing.

Military parent life sucks sometimes when you love them so much.

While he was home, we took a field trip to a local park that is also a buffalo sanctuary.

We parked on the side of the road and watched as the bison got up and started to move away from us.

We piled back in the car and drove another ¼ mile down the road and parked again.

My son got out again, but everyone else stayed in the car as it was cold and windy. I heard a voice tell me to get out and go to the fence.

I walked to where my son was standing. It was the only moment of time in what felt like years, where it was just he and I. It was so special to me that it was just he and I who shared this sacred moment together.

I noticed that there were Lakota colors tied to the tree to my left and an old one, faded by the sunlight, tied onto the fence in front of me. As I looked up, a buffalo broke from the heard and came straight towards us.

My son and I stood there as it walked towards us, then it stopped and stood there grazing.

Then he raised his head and looked directly at me. I saw its soul in those deep brown eyes. It may have been one of the most sacred things I have ever felt. Then it moved its head away as if to motion for me to walk with it. And I did just that (and my son was quick on his feet to grab a picture!). It turned and positioned its body to face me directly, once again looking into my eyes.

It’s hard to express the magnitude of such things sometimes, but I can tell you I felt something stir deeply within.

I know it meant something, so I reached out to a friend who is a Lakota Medicine Man. I appreciate how he tolerates my child like inquisitiveness.

He explained they do not usually do this. If they do, it is a sign of recognition and respect. The eye contact can sometimes be a way to which Buffalo transmits knowledge, via telepathy.

Buffalo is a symbol of abundance. It isn’t about wealth, but about the abundance of life itself. I see this as a reminder that we should be grateful for every breath we take and that we should recognize the sacredness of life, no matter what is unfolding.

In many indigenous cultures, Buffalo isn’t an animal, but rather, it is a brother. It is an ancestor of the Spirit realm. Oftentimes it is believed to be a direct message from The Great Spirit, or a message from White Buffalo Calf Woman, signaling a need for prayer, respect, and to honor and balance all of life. If you look around, I am sure you agree with this message.

How many of you make an effort to connect with The Great Spirit? Many indigenous elders believe if you do not pray or connect every day, you end up working for the evil one and don’t even know it. Sadly, I witness this every single day (as do you).

But I also see the beautiful, because my eyes are open to see it.

Buffalo reminds us that we do not have to struggle to survive.

Buffalo brings us blessings (if our eyes are open).

Buffalo is also a protector, especially of the young ones. (I found this pertinent as my son is in the military, and he shared this experience with me).

Buffalo encourages us to trust in our inner strength rather than just struggling through life.

It asks us to use our hearts more often and behold the beauty of this place we call Earth.

It asks us to walk with humility and to be generous.

*(And if you are like me and Google everything, it also states that the buffalo brings the message that the sacred has never left and that an encounter such as this is a reminder of the enduring connection between the Lakota nation and their ancestors, and the Lakota have always held a special place in my heart without fully knowing or understanding why.)

So, how are you walking upon the land?

Are you responsible for yourself and how you live?

Are you acting as a steward to humanity, the creatures and of the Earth?

Do you seek higher wisdom or are you still stuck in the mundane of the material realm and trying to numb the shit out of yourself?

Do you seek to find fault in every little thing?

Buffalo is abundance. It is protection. It is grace.

Honor what you have in your life.

Live a life of respect and honor.

Walk slowly, but with purpose (and don’t take any shit).

Look for the beauty, instead of the headlines.

Believe in your inner strength and resilience.

With Love,

Rebecca Costello, psychic medium

Dancing Elk Shamanic Healing