Diana Roth has spoken with animals ever since she can remember. In 1997, Diana, a retired chemist for the state of Florida, became the human link to a unique web page maintained entirely by Animal Spirits. "It is important that people know the site has been built by the animals," said Diana. "I open up and they talk; they control everything. This is really their work, not mine. My relationship with them is one of absolute trust and connection.” 

 

    When I first approached Diana about interviewing some animal spirits for this book, she said that while they expressed joy in the project, she was not sure which ones would speak. “This is part of the trust,” she explained, “trust in them to provide the information needed at any given time.” 

         

    “Why do you think the animals chose you?” I asked. 

 

    “They say they chose me because I don’t ask them why they want me to do certain things. The animals were adamant that the site be worldwide and not just have animals from North America. It was not to have a human presence and, most important, the information was to be free to all who asked. The site exists to empower people to walk their paths with Spirit/God.” 

Part One: COYOTE ~

On Dropping the Mask 

The first animal to talk was Yotee, a coyote spirit. As Diana told me, “Many people think of Coyote as a buffoon always chasing his tail, but he has far deeper wisdom than that." And with that simple introduction, Yotee began: 

I try to get people to look at the humor in themselves, not to take themselves so seriously – especially when they are doing "spiritual" work. You can have fun too. The main thing I try to teach people through my humor is that all you have to do is to open up. Trust yourself and you will receive all you need to know from Spirit or God, or whatever name you call the “Big Gal/Guy.”  

 

    There is no set of people that deserve to have knowledge any more than any other set. Knowledge is a gift from the universe and available to all. It is easy to get the knowledge, too: all you have to do is to open up and receive it. But humans are so busy trying to make this hard that they just can't seem to trust themselves enough to do it. 

 

    So, I try and break down this barrier with my antics. Hardly anyone sees this, but I have hope. What I teach is that “everything is sacred, yet nothing is sacred.”   

Are you the spirit of one coyote or Coyote as a species? 

 

    I am one coyote spirit, but I am connected to all coyote spirits like a web. 

Can you speak more about your belief that humor makes it easier for people to open up? 

 

    Humor makes people less uptight and more able to receive things. They aren’t thinking very hard when they are laughing, and the barriers that they put up aren't so strong.   

 

    Everything is connected to everything else, thanks to Grandmother Spider, who wove the web of the universe that way. All energy is connected. We are all vibrational energy and each has unique energy. That is how we recognize each other without eyes -- by vibration. 

 

What is your perspective on the earth changes? 

 

    The earth is always changing. She is part of the web, just like you and me. But she is very big and when she changes, it causes big ripples.  

 

    The earth changes are part of the ebb and flow of all things; they need to be looked at with a sense of wonder instead of fear. When things die, they come back. Souls never die. And everything has a soul – rocks and plants and you and me, so nothing is truly lost. 

 

    This is really not about earth changes but about faith – faith that all happens as it should. Things will be okay. Who lives and who dies isn't important. What is important is the treatment of all life on earth now. 

 

    This has more to do with the soul of each person than humankind as a whole. It would be better for people to watch the cycles that are happening now, how the earth is adjusting herself. It is not a sad thing. It is about lessons and growth of souls. We are approaching new levels. 

 

What about you, Yotee? Did you used to be a physical coyote?  

 

    Yes, I was “real” once and will be again. I am teaching now. I am just a regular coyote...no college or anything.  

 

In human mythology, coyote is often portrayed as a trickster. 

 

    Yes. I trick people into revealing themselves. I also drop masks and teach others how to see through masks.  

 

By tricking people into a situation, they come to find other aspects of themselves? 

 

    Yes. They are forced to drop the mask they were wearing and put on another one. And in that brief time between masks you can get a glimpse of the real person. To do this, you must sit quietly and watch. This requires that the person let go of their ego and trust himself or herself. This is a much deeper thing than the mask. So, I just keep going deeper and deeper into teaching people how to look at themselves. I am sneaky that way.   

 

What is the relationship between the trickster coyote, coyote spirit, and physical coyotes? 

 

    The trickster coyote is a myth about me. As for coyotes being sneaky, we are very smart, for we have learned how to live with you humans, haven’t we? We have watched from the edge and learned your tricks and used them for our betterment. We have continued to spread everywhere.  

 

Is there a special message you’d like included in this book?  

 

    Just that knowledge is free and available for all who learn how to connect to it. There are lessons to be learned in how a person uses that knowledge for the good of all and how people use their personal power in general. Guess that is it. 

 

Thanks for talking, Yotee. 

 

    You are welcome. I enjoyed it too.