We had a resident Pond Turtle for years. Ticky the kids named her. She was always around and kept our snail population in check. The dogs never bothered her and she was happy to let the kids hold her. Every winter she would bury herself beneath an old clubhouse next our majestic Oak (Aidan). When that old clubhouse was torn down years later there was Ticky’s intact shell minus her body. Now that shell is a sacred rattle because of course all turtles are sacred. Mitákuye oyàsin, hozho naashadoo, beannacht. [translation: All are my relatives (Lakota), therefore I will walk in harmony/beauty (Diné), blessed to be blessing (Irish).]

Thank you for sharing this beautiful story of Ticky. It is deeply moving.

I named my acupuncture practice Wise Turtle Acupuncture because of the sacred place turtles hold in so many cultures. In Celtic mythology, the turtle is the gatekeeper to the fairy realms. My logo is “Your Gate to Health.” Turtles symbolize adaptability, longevity, persistence, and so much more. The sections of their shells are similar to the BaGua. And they are simply amazing beings.

Beautiful, Patrick. Thank you for sharing