By Ina Woolcott
Coyote’s medicine includes understanding that all things are sacred and that yet nothing is sacred, teaching us that only when all masks have fallen will we connect with the source, illumination, stealth, intelligence, singing humans into being, childhood trust in truth, teaching us how to raise our young, they bring rain, give one the ability to laugh at one’s own mistakes, placing the North Star, shape-shifting, teaching balance between risk and safety, trickster, devilment, cunning, wisdom, folly.
Amongst some native tribes, coyote is referred to as the trickster and there are many tales about the coyote. They are known as the great one and the foolish one – they don’t consciously try and trick us, rather they reflect back to us our own capacity for being clever and stupidity.
When we are being too serious about life, Coyote may appear to teach us to laugh at ourselves and life’s ironies. Be prepared for your sense of humour to arise in full force in line with what is happening around you and to you. They also remind us that whatever we do to others will be done to us. You get back what you give out…
The Coyote teaches how wisdom and folly go together. In others mistakes we see our own foolishness and can learn from their mistakes.
The coyote’s energy is linked to simplicity and trust, spurring renewed innocence and a childlike wisdom in the world. Coyote’s howl touches your soul, reminding you of your primal connections. People with this power animal adapt easily to new situations. They also usually have close families, especially when children are involved. Coyotes normally mate for life. They reside in the sides of hills or in underground dens where their family is pretty much safe. Coyote people will sometimes go to extremes to protect and nurture family members. Sharp cutting words that hurt another should be avoided. Energy bursts are common if this is your power animal, balanced action is necessary for overall well being. Coyote medicine people often put other peoples needs before their own – remember to give to yourself equally.
Although they prefer open grassland and thinly wooded brush, they are able to adapt to almost any environment. This means that they have been able to survive and flourish, growing in numbers – in spite of humans interference who for a long time have been trying to wipe out coyotes by trapping, shooting or poisoning them. Condors and other birds have instead almost become extinct from eating poisoned meat! When hunting prey, the coyotes don’t use speed, but rather they pounce and snap their jaws.
If coyote enters your life, you must look at something you have been avoiding. They are mirrors for the lessons we must learn so we are able to walk a good sacred road. The mirror will be held up incessantly until we finally get the picture.
Like coyote, we can either work with others to get what we want, or we can dive into a lake to catch a reflection. We can dispel troubles or invite them carelessly.
If you are stuck in a rut, call on coyote as an ally for negotiation. Or be grateful that he showed you a trap that you are caught in, or a way that you are fooling yourself. Powerful teachers when it comes to relationships coyotes are, as it is when we are in a relationship that we often fool ourselves the most. Coyote is not out to get us, but to teach us, whether we are willing students or not.
The coyote has been my spirit animal for about two years now. When it first appeared a coyote would quite regularly cross my path. Then there was one that would sit on the side of a road I took home from work. It didn’t matter if it was dark or light. Anytime of the day it was there waiting for me. I always felt it was there for me. I often asked friends that take the same route if they ever saw it and none of them had! This past September, I had a coyote show up in my yard. It’s den was in my tree line. At first this was startling to be living in such close proximity. However, I grew to appreacite it and enjoyed watching it come out and hunt in our yard or a few times it just sat for awhile at the tree line and watched me through my window. Well, just recently I found my coyote friend dead alongside my house. He was on his path back to his den. I’m curious what death of a coyote means, or death of a spirit animal. I gained a lot of wisdom from this animal. Was it a guardian? Am I in transition? I sort of mourning the loss!
Can you share any insight you have gained on this since you write this about the meaning of the dead coyote please? Thank you very much.
Just think TOYS. Not FEAR. Coyote just loved you that’s all
Im sorry you lost your friend. I think today i discovered that the coyote is my spirit animal. I was so heavy hearted leaving my very sick 90 year old grandpa today not knowing if i would get to see him again when i get a phone call my dad was in a horrible accident. The man that hit him isnt supposed to make it as the impact was so hard. I lost my mind for a few minutes. Two coyotes crossed my path withn an hour. I had never ever seen one before and i lived here a long time. The inly calmness i felt was watching these coyotes.
that feeling of calm you felt is the feeling of receiving the spiritual medicine that the Animal symbolized. Give thanks to Source Indwelling for the blessed succor. I had a similar experience when my son passed. but with a deer appearing just outside I backdoor. A peace and comfort filled I at a time when it was most appreciloved and required. Jah/God is OSM
This Past September, I went out with a guy to celebrate My B-day, we started it off at exactly 12am. during that night we seen two white owls and a few hours later we were driving on a main street and had to slow down cause there where two coyotees strolling in the middle of the street. When We where passing them they stopped and we happen to be so close to them they would’ve been able to jump into the car window! We stared at them just as much as they did to us. I just wanna know what it means for both sightings. Unusual cause we happen to live in a city between L.A & Riverside County. And the guy ended up becoming my boyfriend to this day. Alot has happen but were still together I feel like sometimes there’s some kind of force or vibe thats tryna break us apart. But I know we got a powerful connection. We have alot of things in common same similarities about what we like and I know what we have is meant to be forever. I just wanna know what it means wit all this that i’ve shared with you. Thanks I gladly appreciate a reply back!
Seeing the death or dead body of an animal considered a totem is often the ultimate way for that spirit to get your attention. If you have not accepted the coyote into your life as a power animal then maybe this is a sing l sign to do so now! Step into the energy of the coyote, become the coyote in every way. That is who you are. Drop from your life everything else that is not this, is not you. Do it before another coyote has to die for you.
On January 24th, 2016 my mother passed away. It was so sudden that I’ve been grieving hard some days, and others filled with her presence. February 14th, my husband and I decided to go for a walk in the park. The area we walk is what we call an “off leash park for people’s dogs.” My husband says to me, “What type of dog is that?” as he pointed. I looked, and not six feet from us is a coyote. I said, “that’s a coyote.” I was shocked to see how calm it was as it walked passed us only about six or so feet away. Very peacefully passing, and it stops to look at an upcoming family with a big white husky dog. The family, I could see get excited and are backing up holding their children and the dog back. I look at the coyote, its sensing all of this, leaves down the hill a bit. It sat in the background for a bit and disappeared. It was quite amazing! I wasn’t alarmed nor was my husband.
Today as I was driving the boys to school a very large coyote ran onto the road. I almost hit him, but thankfully he stopped and I did not. He ran back the way he came. I was, of course, shaken because I wold have felt awful if I hit him! I was so grateful he was ok. I am reading about coyote but not sure if the message. Today is a significant day, as my husband and I had our first date on April 8th, 31 years ago. Not sure if there is any connection to that. Thank you for sharing your stories and allowing me to share mine.
I saw a coyote in the road. It had been hit by a car and had passed. I pulled over and laid him/her to rest. A few days later I went back. I know what I have to do now. Thanks to the Coyote and thank you for this site.
I am honored and excited to be a Coyote Queen.
I’m going through a painful breakup and decided to hold a letting go ritual in the woods. On my way home a coyote crosses my path I stop and he stops and looks at me and then runs off. I’ve lived in this area for many years and have heard coyotes but have never seen one. I’m thankful for the coyote medicine I received. One of new beginnings and endings.
I had a similar experience happen to me. I also am in the middle of a separation and it’s been hard. I was driving home and a coyote ran right on the road in front of me and I stopped and he sat and stared at me for a few seconds And then took off. That’s the first night I started looking up about spirit animals. How do you explain this, what do you think??
I recently had a dream of a coyote type animal which was quite vivid, because the coyote was following me around my one bedroom Apt. But here is the thing I kept waking up because it was truly bazaar because every time I fell back asleep I could pick up where I left off. After the third or fourth time I leaned over in the way that you would to talk or confront a dog, and said stop it stop following me. At this time he or she bit me and grabbed ahold of my cheek aggressively I thought I was going to be hurt bad I yelled in agony at this time he or she smirked at me then I was awake? At this time I checked Apt. for the coyote because it was that vivid needless to say I was a little rattled???
I don’t understand the dream was hoping you could help with the significance,
Three years ago on my birthday November 30th, a coyote trotted through our backyard at the same exact moment I happened to stop and look out our kitchen window. I took a picture with my phone as he was making his way into the next yard. I live in Northern NJ and coyotes are not a common animal to spot in our area. I have felt and wondered about the symbolism of this coincidence being on my birthday, in our back yard, at the moment I paused to look out the kitchen window.
I was hi off a green smile face extacy and doing cocaine in my hood and im feeling I’m at my limit so I’m trippin or whatever I turn around and there’s a coyote I thought it was a wolf with a fox tale so I’m like am I’m tripping so I look away then I look back and it was a really there and just seem calm and just passing through but I didn’t sense it coming it was just crazy seeing something like that in the ghetto at about 2 3 in the morning it was raining\sprinkling and just appearing behind me already lookin at me in the middle of
the street
Early in the morning, while camping, a coyote came into our camp site. I looked out of the tent, and there I was, face to face with a coyote. We looked directly into each other’s eyes. I had my little dogs with me, and my female dog suddenly had such a low low growl. The coyote left, without rummaging through our belongings.
I often see a coyote, be it dust on the mirror forming one, or on the bathroom floor tiles.
I am about to get married. And I had a dream that I was standing next to him on our wedding day. I had a coyote wrapped around me like a clothing grab. What does it mean?
I was on the way to find the brick house where Billy the kid was captured near Stinking Springs New Mexico by Pat Garrett. On the highway near the site a coyote darted in front of me as I was driving 60mph. I hit the brakes and barely missed him. Maybe this time Billy got away?
i had a very interesting interaction with a coyote or hybrid coyote wolf because he was huge but the experience has stayed with me for years. it was early early morning and i was actually out to drop off clothes in a donation bin. i had just finished the project of going through all of the saved previous years clothes of my 4 children to see what would be kept and saved anyway… i pull up to the donation bin and see the coyote. He very cooly came from behind the bin and started to saunter up the road away from me… i stuck my head out of my vehicle and said “oooh, aren’t you handsome?” – as if he understood what i said he turned his head and his eye almost sparklers as he made eye contact with me. After a second he casually turned his whole body around and very calmly came to the side of my car by my window, did a little stretch and then sat there next to my car. i was in a minivan and his head came just to the top of my window as he sat there…… we looked at each other, i talked to him about about his night and wha he was looking for. he just looked at me and sat calmly. i felt he was so calm and the vibe between us was so peaceful i believe i could have stuck my hand out the window and pet him but i dared not be he fool who found out! Thinking it very cool i day with him almost 15 minutes….. enjoying being able to look in hood face and eyes and appreciate horse responses to my words…… but he wasn’t moving on……. it was after about 15 minutes i started to shoo him, i even quickly opened my door just a bit to slam it shit and scare him, rocked back and forth before i finally drove off myself…… he never acted scared or threatening…… just calm. i swear he understood me. i’ve always felt it meant something but never have felt i figured it out…..