Frog in the Medicine Wheel

Frog is a symbol of shamanism. It teaches us how to “jump” from one level to another—from materialism to spirituality, and from one teaching to another, and to find the connection between them.

The frog emerges at adulthood from a water environment (world of fluidity) to that of Earth (solidity and security). As a power animal, Frog can help you acclimatize to a new way of life or to just a new viewpoint. Its power is in harmonizing you with any new situation.

Frog also has to do with replenishment, cleansing—the nurturing of the self—with taking care of yourself. So, it can help you to get rid of any negativity and to replenish your mind and spirit.

Water is associated with absorption and diffusement, and Frog can help you to wash away ideas and impressions that might be impeding your development. Frog can help you to take the plunge—to have the courage to set out on a new endeavor and to accept the new way of life that goes with it.

Frog sings the songs that bring the rain and make the road dirt more bearable. Frog medicine is akin to water energy, and the South on the medicine wheel. Frog teaches us to honour our tears, for they cleanse the soul. All water rites belong to Frog, including all initiations by water.

Water prepares and cleanses the body for sacred ceremony. It is the element we understand best in the womb. Frog, like ourselves, is a pollywog in the fetal waters, and only learns to hop after it experiences the world of fluidity.

The transformation into adulthood prepares Frog for its power to call in the waters of the skies: the rain. In knowing the element of water, Frog can sing the song that calls the rain to Earth. When the ponds are dry, Frog calls upon the Thunder Beings to cleanse and replenish the Earth with water. Like Frog, we are asked to know when it is time to refresh, purify, and refill the coffers of the soul.

If Frog hopped into your cards you chose today, its “ribet” may be calling in the cleansing you need. If you were to look at where you are today, would you use any of the following words to describe your condition: tired, overloaded, harried, frustrated, guilty, itchy, nervous, at a loss, empty, or weakened?

If so, take a break and allow yourself to bathe in the waters of Frog medicine. This could mean a long, relaxing bath, disconnecting the phone, yelling “stop,” or taking in deep, cleansing breaths, [or doing Kambo]. The key thought is to find a way to rid yourself of distractions and to replace the mud with clear energy. Then replenish your parched spirit, body, and mind.

An ability of Frog medicine people is to give support energy where it is needed. A Frog medicine person can clean negativity from any environment. Many mediums or clairvoyants who work with cleaning “haunted” houses carry Frog medicine. Many of the world’s seers use water on their hands when tapping into realms of reality due to water’s super-conductive nature.

In Mayan and Aztec shamanistic practices, the shaman places water in his or her mouth and sprays it over the body of a patient to clear away negative energy. This is done while holding the thought of Frog firmly in the mind so that healing may occur and the patient may be replenished with positive energy. Sometimes dried and stuffed Frogs are also used to guard the person’s body during the session.

Frog speaks of new life and harmony through its rain song. The deep tones of the Frog’s “ribet” are said to be a call to the Thunder Beings: thunder, lightning, and rain. The “ribet” is the heartbeat that comes into harmony with Father Sky and calls for replenishment needed.

Call to Frog and find peace in the joy of taking time to give to yourself. A part of this giving is cleansing yourself of any person, place, or thing that does not contribute to your new state of serenity and replenishment.

Source: Sams, Jamie and Carson, David. Medicine Cards (Santa Fe: Bear and Company, 1988).