Deer spirit medicine and The Beauty Way
A short story on journeying with deer to heal the heart
Big Venus Day (Friday) love to you. I thought it would be fitting on a day that is all about love, beauty, harmony, and more (aka Venus things) to tell you a story about deer, the beauty way, and how deer’s spirit medicine can help heal the heart.
This short story is inspired by an encounter my family and I had with a deer in July—which is something quite usual for us, though this encounter was special.
Deer happen to be my Daughter’s main spirit animal guide, and when I was pregnant with her we saw them a lot in the physical, and they came to me many times during dreams and meditations to guide me, and help me make space within myself to be able to birth her in health, and mother her through a clear heartspace the way she deserves.
I still turn to deer when I need guidance as I walk this sacred path as MAMA, and I seek their council whenever I need heart healing and pure guidance on a quantum level. Deer are multidimensional/inter-dimensional travelers.
With specific intentions and questions at mind, each new moon cycle I pull a guidance spread of Tarot and Oracle cards for my Love and I. Deer happened to be the animal guide I pulled for myself from our Animal Oracle Deck during the last moon cycle. So this was truly a spirit led encounter.
I hope you enjoy this story, it’s about an 8-minute read 🌹🌀✨
The sun sat low, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink as she hiked through the dense forest with her husband and their baby girl. They were on their way to their favorite spot at the river, and the path they walked wound through ancient trees. Their trunks stood strong, thick with stories.
She felt the earth beneath her feet as each step grounded her in a way that only Earth could. She was on the first day of her bleed, and was feeling desperate to unbecome and become once more by the river.
Their baby sat relaxed and curious of her surroundings in her carrier resting on her mama’s back, sweet little hands reaching out to grasp the fleeting sunlight.
He walked ahead leading the way, his gaze fixed on the trail, but her attention was elsewhere. The forest seemed to hum with life, each rustle of leaves and snap of twigs whispering secrets she couldn’t quite catch.
“Did you see that?” he asked. “It was a Doe. She looked at me and turned to walk deeper in the forest. It happened so quickly.”
“Aww no, I didn’t see her” she replied. Hoping that the Doe would reappear further along their path so that they could greet her.
As they rounded a bend, they came to a small clearing, bathed in the sun’s golden light. There, standing as if waiting for them, was a deer. A magnificent buck, his antlers stretching skyward like the branches of the trees around them. The buck stood under an archway of branches that looked like the opening of a magickal portal.
The deer’s eyes locked onto hers, deep and knowing, and in that instant, the world fell away. The forest, the path, even him and their baby—all faded into the background. It was just her and the deer, connected by an unseen thread. Though they stood feet away, she felt her awareness being carried out of her body, instantly standing eye to eye with the deer.
“Do you see me?” The voice wasn’t a sound but a feeling, a vibration that resonated in the marrow of her bones.
She nodded, unable to speak, her heart pounding in her chest.
“You carry a heavy burden, my sister,” the deer continued, his strong gaze never wavering.
“Your heart is weighed down by what it cannot name. But there is a way—a way to heal, to remember, to become the woman you are meant to be. Will you allow me to show you The Beauty Way?”
Tears welled up in her eyes. The deer, this otherworldly creature of the wild, was offering her something sacred, something ancient. Of course she would accept. How could she not?
It had been awhile since she had journeyed with deer, and it was never like this. It was in dreams and sitting in meditation, and it hadn’t happened since she was pregnant with their Daughter. Here she stood, 18 months postpartum, and this buck was speaking to her while she was in full lucidity.
It was then that she remembered her bleed, and how this time opens you up to the unseen and unheard realms. Even though she was awake, she was still in a psychedelic state produced purely by her cyclical feminine nature.
“Yes,” she whispered, her voice trembling.
The deer bowed his head slightly, as if acknowledging her acceptance. Then, without another word, he turned and began to walk deeper into the forest. She followed, leaving her husband and their baby girl behind—though she knew they were safe. This path, this journey, was hers alone.
The trees around her seemed to vibrate with life, their leaves shimmering like emeralds. The air grew thick with the scent of earth and moss, a rich perfume that filled her lungs. As she walked, the deer’s voice filled her mind, guiding her.
“My sister, The Beauty Way is not just a path, but a way of being. It is seeing the world as it truly is—in all its pain and all its glory. It is understanding that your heart, though broken, is not beyond repair. You must embrace the pain, sister. You must allow it to wash over you, to cleanse you, to make you whole. You have done so much already to be able to stand here as you do. I see the Warrior Queen Mother in you, but since the last time we have gathered with you, much pain has entered your heart, and it has not left.”
Her heart cracked open, memories flooding in—the loneliness, the anger towards loved ones, the feelings of being forgotten and abandoned, the deep want to rise above it all but knowing exactly how to. The tears came freely now, streaming down her cheeks as she walked.
“But remember, in that pain, there is beauty,” the deer continued. “In that suffering, there is always a lesson. The Beauty Way teaches you to see the light in the darkest places, to find the strength in your vulnerability. You are a woman, a mother, a creator, a vessel and portal of life and love. Embrace the power in the many titles and roles you wear so proudly and boldly, sister. Let it guide you, let it heal you.”
The path opened up to another clearing, this one bathed in soft, silver light. The deer stopped and turned to face her, his eyes glowing with a gentle warmth.
“This is where you begin,” he said. “The Beauty Way is not a destination, but a journey. In fact, the journey is the destination indeed. It is the way you love, the way you live, the way you give of yourself to the world. You are the keeper of your heart, sister. Heal it, and you will heal all those you touch. And all you touch will be changed by your love.”
All she could do was stand in stillness and take in the wisdom the deer was so kindly bestowing upon her.
He spoke again and said “Love is the vehicle that will move you anywhere you want to go. Anytime, anyplace, any space beyond time. You are a multidimensional traveler, let your heart be as a light as a feather, and let it guide you every which way you are meant to go. May you be as free as a bird.”
With that, the deer bowed once more and faded into the forest, leaving her alone in the clearing. But oh, she didn’t feel alone. She felt whole, complete in a way she hadn’t known was possible.
When her awareness returned to her body and her family beside her, she was stunned how it felt no time had passed, though it seemed she spent hours in the forest with the deer. Her husband looked at her, his eyes full of questions, but he didn’t speak. He simply took her hand and smiled, as if he knew she had found something precious.
As they continued their hike, the forest seemed brighter, the air lighter. She walked with a new sense of purpose, her heart no longer heavy, but full—full of love, full of forgiveness, full of the beauty that had always been there, just waiting to be seen.
And so, she walked The Beauty Way, one step at a time, knowing that she was exactly where she was meant to be.
*The Beauty Way* is a sacred path rooted in Indigenous traditions—particularly among the Navajo (Diné) peoples. It’s a way of living that honors harmony, balance, and interconnectedness with all life. Walking in beauty means cultivating a deep appreciation for the natural world, living with integrity, and seeking balance in thoughts, actions, and relationships. It’s about seeing and creating beauty in every aspect of life, recognizing that beauty is not just physical but also spiritual and emotional, guiding one towards a life of peace and fulfillment.
I absolutely love the way you share this sacred intimate experience with Deer. I felt full body resonance chills, joy, and thankfulness for the meaning you are sharing between dimensions. Thank you 🙏🏼
This is so incredibly beautiful!❤️