Spirit Guide of the Day is Squirrel! Any situation you are going through now may need a head-on approach. Be completely honest in the way you express your feelings and thoughts. You may need to get ready by ridding yourself of any material possessions you no longer need and by storing supplies for later use such as extra food, clothing, candles, and other useful supplies. Be cautious and vigilant now with a readiness for needing to possibly escape a situation. Don't forget, however, to add in some play and social events to balance out your active pursue of your goals. The Squirrel guide often comes to us when we need to remember to be less serious, but also comes with messages of prudence, balance, and practicality. Be prepared but remember to have balance between preparation and relaxation. You actions determine your future. Squirrel teaches us how to effectively communicate in social settings with a positive presence. In many European countries it is considered unlucky to kill a squirrel. In Norse legend, squirrel is known as a trickster styled mischief-maker. It is said the Squirrel Ratatosk lives among the upper branches of Yggdrasil and wanders between the roots and canopy passing insults from the dragon Nidhogg to the Eagle above. Ratatosk is said to also bring rain and snow with it's movements to and fro. In Celtic culture, the squirrel is a symbol of the Goddess Medb who carried a bird and a squirrel on her shoulders and had her own preference for mischief. People who connect with Squirrel learn more quickly by example or working on something themselves rather than studying from books. These individuals are resourceful, straightforward, honest with a keen sense of when to confront a situation and when to back away. They are sociable creatures that take time to warm up to others. These souls are excellent at organizing, creating, and following through with plans, although they prefer delegating roles to others so that they can move on to other plans and goals quicker.

Squirrels, Sciuridae, are omnivorous mammals that have 200 various species and are related to animals such as Chipmunks, Prairie Dogs, and Marmots. The smallest Squirrel is the African Pygmy squirrel which only grows as long as 5 inches measured from nose tip to tail. On the other hand, there are species of Squirrel such as the Indian Giant Squirrel that grow to up to three feet long. These animals prefer a wooded habitat from city parks to wild forests. They can be found all over the world on every continent except for Australia and Antarctica. While the majority of Squirrels prefer a life in the trees, coming down every so often to forage, there are species such as Ground Squirrels that prefer to dig underground systems of tunnels called burrows to live in. Some Squirrels will use burrows to hibernate in during the winter. Flying Squirrels will use trees holes or the nests of birds as homes. These adapted squirrels will maneuver through forests by leaping from tree to tree and spreading the membrane attached between legs and body in order to glide on the air. These have been known to glide for up to 160 feet. Squirrels, like other rodents, have four front teeth that never stop growing in order to keep them from wearing down from the gnawing they constantly do. They also have padded feet that help to cushion long jumps that can be as far as 20 feet. Eyes placed high on their head give them a wider range of view without being having to turn their heads. Speed is important for these creatures and they have been known to run as fast as 20 mph. A squirrel's diet includes not only nuts, but plants such as seeds, fruit, and fungi as well as small insects, caterpillars, eggs, and even young snakes and small animals. Squirrels will eat approximately one pound of food per week and prepare for the cold months of winter by hiding and storing their food. To ensure they will survive winter, they will hide more food than they will normally find by the end of the season. Squirrels will breed at different rats depending on the species. Some will produce litters every few months while others will only have them as little as twice a year. Baby Squirrels, called Kits or Kittens, are born blind and depend on their mothers for around two or three months. Mothers will give birth to around two to eight kits at a time and will wean them after seven to eight weeks. Mother squirrels will savagely defend their young, squirrels already being territorial creatures that will defend their territory to the death. A group of squirrels is called a Scurry or a Dray and some of Squirrels species are Crepuscular, meaning they are only active at dawn and dusk.