Coyote Studies, month 1

Coyote Studies, month 1 For 2023 my little esoteric group decided to take on studies that we aren't very familiar with. This turned into a somewhat shared investigation into the native god Coyote, who's mythological and literal impact is often noticed here in the American Southwest. We wanted to study both the myth and the actual animal, though for me it's been heavily focused on the former so far. I'm probably jumping the gun a bit on this post, but it's been a bit too quite on my end, been too distracted by exoteric things. One thing that first jumped out was how similar some native ideas surrounding the gods are to Platonism. For example, all coyotes are thought to from the fur of Coyote, they are all manifestations of him and partake in his form. This was much more immediately on the nose for me than Aquino's comparisons of the Egyptian Gods to forms. I'm not saying I reject the latter, just that with Coyote it was immediately obvious to see this relationship. Coyote also seems to be eternal, he was always around in the myths I've read so far. He was also always called Coyote, though he sought to change his name. In one tale Coyote despises his name (which seemingly defined his nature), for people know he is a trickster type and react accordingly. However, when he tries to pick a new name, he learns that because of his nature he is given ruleship over new tribes, tasked with protecting the new species against monsters of the primordial earth as it becomes populated with man. In this sense he is almost a Chaoskampf hero, though I don't think the two concepts necessarily correlate exactly. It also interested me that he often is associated with flint knives, something that has also often came up in my studies of Egypt. Indeed he often uses it to slay monsters. Coyote was blessed with 2 unique and special kinds of magic. The first is shape-shifting, being able to turn himself into any form he wants. My ghost-story loving mind can't help but draw a connection between this and our local skin walker myths. It seems to have also included simply summoning things though, for instance in several stories Coyote uses this magic to create trees he climbs into, buying him time while his enemy chops them down. I also adore that during these times of thought Coyote smoke his pipe, I love that. The myths I've so far read are very specific in that this magic belongs only to Coyote. It is called "squas-tenk" as opposed to "shoo'-mesh", which was the magic of other beings and seemed to refer to all medicine, the only exception being Coyote's power. In this sense he was very much differentiated and separated from the other gods, like a certain good boy most of my other writings have centered on. His other power was the ability to call out to other gods and have them use their shoo'-mesh to revive him from death, essentially making Coyote immortal, or able to "escape the day of his death" as a certain God in the Pyramid Texts was also able to. Coyote is often central to myths surrounding the creation of the world and mankind, he is somewhat of a creator god but that description is not a perfect fit. Despite being a trickster he was known to be wise wanderer, and often associated with black magic and witchcraft. Yet the evil produced by Coyote was necessarily part of existence. Travelers seem to have been associated with him, whom he helped protect. Not only do all coyotes come from him, but sometimes he was the predecessor of all wolves and foxes as well, Fox alternatively being Coyote's twin. Finally, completely from the view of synchronicity and occultism rather than etymology, the name of Coyote is given as "Sin-ka-lip'". From a purely esoteric, non-linear perspective I can't help but see the words "sin" and "ka", the former being the going against of Monotheism, and the latter being a critical part of the Egyptian soul. As far as practical, present day matters, coyotes are absolutely fascinating in that they continue to spread despite humans effectively waging war against them for generations. In fact they are now reported across the majority of the states, even in New York. They are very isolationist except from their own kind, and where you can see one coyote you can generally assume more are around. They have proven to be extremely adaptable, even "wising up" to trapping and hunting methods to survive. Their behavior is described as "highly individualistic and situation dependent." To me, these only deepen the connections between the Coyote as a symbol, God, or archetype, and the Stellar Tradition/WLHP. Main sources this month: Coyote Stories by Mourning Dove Coyote America by Dan Flores Coyote in Navajo Religion and Mythology by Guy Cooper Bad Dogs by Robert Schmidt and Robert Timm