Below: Frog
This is the animal to look to when you need to get yourself centered again. If you feel like you are getting off track, tapping into the earth energy represented by the Below totem animal with help you get back into the right groove. Getting to know your Below Totem will help you stay grounded, help you stay true to your inner self, and gives you guidance on your true life path.
Frog
Frog, although a small creature, carries a tremendous amount transformative power for those who carry it as Totem. The life-cycle of a frog is emblematic of the transformations we all face in our lives. Frog is conceived and laid as a soft egg in the wet places.Frogs are prolific egg layers and at one time it was not uncommon to see hundreds to thousands of black spots inside semi-milky translucent shells. Children for eons have watch intently as the seeds turned into pollywogs (which are strong in resemblance to the spermatozoa of the human male). Entranced the children would check as often as possible to watch as the body grew and the tail shrank.
It didn’t happen all at once, but over the period of weeks the tiny egg would grow into a frog. First, the tail would become a sharp black accent to the circular dot of the egg in it’s sac. Then that tail would grow, lengthening and thickening. As the tail grew, so would the head and the front of the dot would become more wedge shaped. Then one morning when the children checked the pond, the clumps of eggs were no longer floating on the pond, but in the cool depths polliwogs swam together in groups and clumps, darting in a different direction whenever a shadow passed over them.
As the progress of the polliwogs was checked daily, it was soon to see the transformation continue as the tail began to shrink as the nubs of arms and legs began grow. The head became more defined, forming mouth, eyes and nose. As the legs developed into strong muscular appendages that could propel the animal through either water or air with speed and grace the tail shrank, no longer needed for propulsion.
Not as many children get to enjoy this innocent pleasure that teaches us the positive side of change, transformation and growth. Frog does not walk upon the earth in the numbers he did even a few decades ago. Because of his affinity to the water, frog is delicate and easily affected if his environment is endangered. The serious decline in the number of frogs and the mutations and deformities found in the species are being studied for causes and cures. Although Frogs song is not heard as loudly and as often as it once was, Frog still hops into our lives.
Frog is a creature of water. Frog will even climb the side of a house in the spring to get more of the moisture from the dew and condensation. It can be rather shocking to walk outside and see five or six small frogs (maybe one to two inches in size) stuck to the woodwork of the house. Another reason for Frogs strong symbology of water is that to the water Frog will return.Frog has tremendous regenerative powers. Frogs that have been frozen or locked away inside a geode have been known to regenerate and be fine given the proper conditions to do so. Frog has been known to regrow limbs. Author Michael Crichton used the transmutative properties of Frog to good effect when he used a string of Frog DNA to “patch” that of the dinosaur. This allowed the dinosaurs to change sex and reproduce, foiling the plans of the Jurassic Park owner.
Frog is used in many traditional healing ceremonies. As a denizen of both water and land, Frog is seen as strong energy to cross between worlds. Linked through the water to the moon, Frog is considered to carry power medicine for healing. Healing springs and waters abound even today. In more ancient times they were even more prevalent. The city of Bath, England was built just because of it’s aquatic resources of springs and mineral waters. Water and healing are strongly tied together. If we don’t have enough water within us we are unwell. Those who carry Frog Totem should remember to drink lots of fluid to help to stay healthy. Frog is used in South American healing ceremonies as a guardian and aid in the process.
Many of us are familiar with the Grimm Brothers fairy tale story of the Princess and the Frog. Told in many permutations, the essence of the story is that a Queen is sick. The waters from a special well will heal her. Her three daughters are tasked with obtaining the healing waters for their mother. The eldest pushes her way through, grabs the urn from the physician and strides off. As she comes to the spring that bubbles forth with the healing waters for her mother, she is confronted by a large frog. Imperiously she orders the frog aside demanding to be allowed access to the spring. The frog tells her she will be allowed access to the spring should she just acquiesce to marry him. She refuses and the Frog swells to tremendous size and no matter how she tries she is denied access to the healing waters. Angry and frustrated she returns to the castle with the empty urn.
Thrusting the urn at her middle sibling she stormed out of the Great Hall. The middle sister took the urn, stood, squared her shoulders, and crossed the hall and went out the doors. Following the same path as her sister with a much less determined stride, the middle sister made her way towards the healing spring. As with her sister, within sight of the Spring she is confronted by an overly large frog. Not startling so, but large nonetheless. The startling part was when the Frog asked her if she was willing to pay the toll to get to the healing waters for he was their Guardian. As her eyes crackled with her temper, the second sister demanded to know who Frog was to make such an outrageous demand when she was on an errand of mercy for her poor sick mother. Frog explained that he was the Guardian of the Spring. Unimpressed, the second sister tried to push him to the side with her shoe. Before she could even touch him with her shoe he again swelled to gigantic proportions and thwarted the second sister’s access to the spring’s healing waters. Defeated she returned home.
The youngest Princess, still an innocent child, took the urn. She looked a little incongruous carrying an urn that was nearly one-quarter her size. Determined she tied the belt from her over tunic around the handles of the urn so that she could carry it across her back. She didn’t need the healers telling her how important it was that she succeeds in her quest. Even as she was heading down the path to the sacred well she wondered how she was going to be able to succeed where older, more mature sisters did not.
Like her sisters, she was confronted by Frog. When he made his demand that she be willing to pay a personal toll for access to the waters she asked what the toll was so that she may pay it for she would do anything to save her mother, the Queen. Frog explained that in order to receive the healing waters she must agree to marry him. Without thought she immediately complied and Frog hopped aside allowing her entry to the Spring.
Returning with a full urn with which to heal her mother the young princess was received and acclaimed by all. In the midst of the celebrations, for her mother was instantly healed, the young Princess forgot her promise to Frog. Amid the feasting and toasting and dancing she forgot she had promised to pay Frog for the waters to heal her mother. Frog hopped his way to the Queen’s castle and waited by the gate. It was several days before the young Princess came to the outer gates. As she passed through Frog called her. She went immediately to Frog and asked what it was that he required of her for her mother was truly healed. Frog said he wanted nothing more but the sweetness of one simple kiss. A little shocked at the request the Princess, with great trepidation for there were many people by the gate, bent over and gave the Frog his requested kiss. Although she could hear the people around the gate snickering, since Frog had so graciously allowed her access to the healing waters, even though somewhat uncomfortable about the whole thing she ignored their snickers and jibes. She lifted Frog in her hands and put the depth of the gratitude she felt for her mother’s healing in the kiss. Thanking him again, she gently set him on the ground and explained that she must be on her way to gather plants for the still room. Turning she dashed to the meadow running the list of herbs through her head.
When she returned to the castle a few hours later there was a flurry of activity and excitement. As she passed the gate the guardsmen told her that her mother wanted to see her immediately. Running through the milling throng she hurried up to the castle proper. Dashing into the Solar she was stunned to see her mother in her royal finery sitting by the most handsome young man the Princess had ever seen. Her unfeeling fingers dropped the basket to the floor, the frogberries spilling around her feet. There was something in the eyes of the youth that held her entranced. Where had she seen them before? And then he spoke, his voice a rich contralto that seemed to envelope her in a warm cocoon even though it was to her mother he spoke.
“Your Majesty. You have waited patiently, now hear my tale, short though it is. I was tied to the spring of healing waters by a powerful enchantment. In the shape of the frog I was compelled to guard the Spring. Two of your daughters came to me and refused to pay the toll without even knowing what it was. It was when your youngest came to me that the spell was broken. She gave her word quickly with no hesitation to save you Your Majesty. That is how she was able to bring the healing waters. This morning, as she left the gates she did not hesitate when she saw me, but immediately paid the toll…a simple heart-felt kiss. Running away she didn’t see the magic of her kiss.”Turning to the dumbstruck Princess he knelt before her. Taking her hand in his he asked for her hand in marriage.
This story shows us much about Frog energy. The Frog is tied to the water of the Spring, the Frog transforms to a Prince, the willing “sacrifice” from the Princess allowed the Frog to become his true self. The Queen and her three daughters are a direct correlation to the Goddess and feminine energy.Today Frog still speaks of the elemental states of being: of water and earth; of moving between the two. Frog’s energy is healing from the waters. Frog’s energy is dynamic because it calls you to proper action. Frog energy also speaks of letting go of that which no longer serves you. As he grows to adulthood the polliwog no longer needs his tail. Frog energy talks of willing sacrifice for the greater good. Frog reminds us that rewards can come in ways we don’t expect. Frog spends much time in the realms of water. Water is a great conductor of sound. Frog energy can send its messages through sound very easily.
Accept the transformational energy of Frog. There’s nothing wrong with being good at helping others. However, like Frog, know when to deny access to the spring of your inner being. Frog is believed to be able to call the rains with it’s signature “rib-bet” croaking. Frog energy is cleansing, allow Frog’s energy to wash through your life. Accept the transformations that bring you back to who you really are.
