As my exercises with Perun – the Slavic God of thunder –  continue. It has been remarkably thundery weather in the region and I have been feeling a lot of … well .. anger.

Tonight as I slowly walked around the Castle here in Brno, I had to stop, sit and bask in the Sun as He lowered himself toward the horizon. His heat bathed me and I started to think again about Perun gathering energy slowly and releasing it suddenly. He had done so the night before and I photographed Him in the skies spitting and snarling with anger. Maybe my anger is a reflection of His anger? Maybe my anger has been slowly building while focusing on Perun and will suddenly discharge somehow?

I have been asking also about Totems. As I walked away from where I had been sat, a beautiful butterfly appeared from nowhere and danced around my head. It landed briefly in me and then disappeared only to reappear a little ways down the path. Again I sat and watched the butterfly dance its fluttering dance several times almost landing on my head. I have never seen a butterfly behave this was before and so I took note.

Apparently, the butterfly represents spiritual rebirth, transformation, creativity, endless potential, vibrant joy, change, ascension, and an ability to experience the wonder of life.

I continued my walk taking in the sheer beauty around me. I stopped at my tree and touched it trying to feel its healing presence and thinking about how Perun had marked this tree by smiting it with Lightning.

I stopped for a while also to look over the city and photograph for the 1000th time the Cathedral on the hill opposite bathed in sunlight. It was at this point I noticed the grayish colored birds swooping and diving between the trees. At first I thought Pigeon but then realized I had never seen Pigeons flying like this and so I looked up these birds – doves! Again, I wondered what a dove might represent?

The dove brings forth a calming presence in times of pain, strife, and difficulties. It signifies love and peace, and it serves as a messenger or a liaison between your thoughts and your reality. The dove meaning resonates with the balance between sky and earth, and thought and matter.

The dove meaning reassures you love and grace will always be in your life. There will always be that promise of something beautiful and meaningful. When doves appear to you in your dreams or in your daily life, it signifies devotion, holiness, and divinity. It’s a wake-up call for you to be in touch with your spirituality and to develop your higher self.

How apt I thought as I walked a little further and watched as a dove dive bombed me just to make sure I understood it was there for me in that moment.

My journey with Perun is almost over I think as I feel anger and an exhaustion, which I do not much like. I feel I must now seek to balance things out with Veles the Slavic God of the underworld that engages in perpetual battle with Perun always ensuring equilibrium and balance. My focus on the Fire and Air of Perun needs a little balancing with the Water and Earth of Veles. Isn’t this, after all, the meaning of the doves?