Cover Art by RR Anderson
Is a “Zombie Coyote”
Tacoma’s Spirit Animal?
BY VOXXY
If you follow the news or have spent any time on social media recently, you have probably seen the stories and pictures of a coyote missing the top portion of its jaw, roaming the streets of Tacoma. There is a lot of local chatter regarding this unfortunate creature, and many questions arise: What happened to it? How has it survived for this long? Should it be caught? And if so, then what? It is clearly not in good health. Reports abound of all the areas around town where it has been sighted, along with pictures and videos, speculation, advice, and theories. It has even been accused of killing a cat, but without a functional jaw and only having some bottom teeth, one might wonder how that is even a possibility? One thing is certain; this animal has captured the minds and hearts of our city.
There’ s no denying it; in the collective consciousness of Tacoma resides this scruffy, sad, emaciated fur baby.
But what does this say energetically and spiritually for Tacoma? You might not ask that question, but I did. I tend to interpret all of life as though it were a dream sign or an image from a Tarot card.
What does it mean on a deeper level? What is this coyote in my awareness saying to me? What is this frequency that we are all resonating with right now, and what does this mean for us? What is the vibrational or energetic message of this story, and how does it relate to me/us?
WHY do I keep seeing a coyote right now?
Many different cultures and spiritual practices over thousand of years, have attributed certain messages, characteristics, and special skills to Animal Guides, Animal Spirits, or Animal Totems. So again, my question is: what does this coyote energy say about Tacoma?
This poor baby looks pretty mangled, hungry, and definitely exudes a sense of horror and sadness. I think it shows how rough and grim things can be for many Tacomans, especially low-income and the unhoused. Life on the streets is not peaceful, it is not healthy, and it is not easily survived. And much like this coyote, we are seeing more and more of this scary, heart-wrenching state of being all around the city, with a multitude of differing opinions on how to address the situation. The underlying energy seems very similar. I see this aspect of our Tacoma coyote’s energy in areas of my personal life as well; I think many of us are feeling really beaten up, stressed out, and as if we are stuck in survival mode. It is a sad and scary world in many ways for a lot of people.
Apologies for the somber tone, but I tend to think that if our outer world is a reflection of our inner world, then it just makes sense to reflect on things in this way.
Is There Any Good News?
A quick Google search of “Coyote Spirit Animal” reveals what this animal’s spirit message truly has to offer Tacoma. The keywords most associated with Coyote are : resilience, cleverness, strength, boldness, curiosity, survival, adaptability, tenacity, and resourcefulness. It also has a reputation for being a bit of a trickster, masterfully cunning, sometimes frightening, and sometimes playful in its approach to life.
I believe there is a lot of magic in Coyote energy that deeply resonates with the true Spirit of Tacoma. And I think that if we take a little time to really think about it from that perspective, and focus on those characteristics of the Coyote, we will begin to see those traits and skills show up more in our own lives and in the lives of others. So many people care about the well-being of this animal and want to help in some way. I have to believe that we feel the same way about our fellow citizens as well.
The coyote may indeed be emerging in our collective consciousness to encourage us to tap into our own ingenuity, determination, and adaptability as we tackle challenges in Tacoma and work toward building a life and a city that fills us with pride. In my opinion, these are some of the potential gifts offered by Coyote’s spirit. Who knows what the future holds for Chupacabra the Tacoma Coyote, but I know that the future of Tacoma is up to all of us! And I, for one, CAN SEE our potential for greatness!