Winterfire - News

Animal Wisdom Speaks April - Rook

3/31/2025

April has arrived and this month Animal Wisdom Speaks is dedicated to the Rook, the Sentinel at the Gates who is able to see through any mask and illusion.

Rook teaches us about the importance of working together and building a community and friendships while not losing our unique self and way of being.

Rooks are so-called psychopomps, guides who accompany the souls of the newly deceased and the souls that got lost between the worlds through the veils.

"White Rook", white pastels, Kristin Raphaela Otti (2024, Hotel, Café & Konditorei Hecher, Wolfsberg, Carinthia)

Rook knows that by bringing together different ways of thinking and problem-solving new ways open up in moving past old energies transforming them into healing wisdom.

To get to know more about Rook and her wisdom head to

Animal Wisdom Speaks

Working in Wolfsberg, Austria (05 - 07 March)

3/3/2025

I will be working in Wolfsberg (Carinthia, Austria) again for a few days (05 - 07 March 2025). If you are interested in an individual or group session, send me a message via WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger or E-mail. I am looking forward to meeting and walking together with you for a spell!

I'll be drawing, too, of course, so if you want me to draw your spirit animal, send me a message and we can arrange a meeting.

You will be able to find me drawing in Hotel, Café & Konditorei Hecher. They serve the best Cardinal Slices in Austria. Cardinal Slices are a mixture of sponge cake, meringue that is soft on the inside and crispy on the outside and coffee cream. Now combine that with a fresh cup of steaming hot coffee and you will experience every coffee afficionado’s dream.

"The Clown of the Sea", white pastels, Kristin Raphaela Otti (2025, Hotel Hecher, Wolfsberg, Carinthia)

"White Dreaming Badger", white pastels, Kristin Raphaela Otti (2023)

Ich arbeite vom 05. bis zum 07. März 2025 wieder für ein paar Tage in Wolfsberg in Kärnten. Bei Interesse an einer Einzel- oder Gruppensitzung meldet euch gerne via Messenger, WhatsApp oder E-Mail. Ich freue mich darauf, euch kennenzulernen und gemeinsam ein Stück des Weges zu wandern!

Ich werde natürlich auch zeichnen. Falls also jemand von euch Interesse daran hat, dass ich sein Krafttier male, gebt Bescheid und wir machen uns einen Termin aus.

Ihr könnt mich zeichnenderweise im Hotel, Café & Konditorei Hecher finden. Dort gibt es die besten Kardinalschnitten Österreichs. Kardinalschnitten sind eine Kombination aus Biskuit, Kaffeecreme und Baiser. Kombiniert das mit einer Tasse heißem, schwarzem Kaffee und ihr findet euch im Traum eines jeden Kaffeeliebhabers wieder.

Animal Wisdom Speaks March - Crow

3/1/2025

March has arrived and this month Animal Wisdom Speaks is dedicated to Crow, the Keeper of Sacred Law.

Everything you give out, every deed done, every word spoken, returns to you in one way, shape, form or another, for every deed done and every word spoken is the beginning of a circle and it will return to you at one point on your path, so you are able to understand and learn the lesson, truth and wisdom behind it. The joy you brought, the pain you caused.

Crow is neither light nor dark but dwells in the in-between and listens to all the stories told with open ears. She is a being of the void, the canvas between the stars, where there is no contrast, no shadows or light, no differences or disbalance, but harmony.

"White Crow", white pastels, Kristin Raphaela Otti (2023)

She is the Keeper of Sacred Law, a being of neutrality and balance. Sacred law is non-negotiable. You bear the responsibility for your words and deeds and everything you have put out in the world, every truth and every lie, will return to you. It cannot be put on someone else’s back for them to bear or suffer for you.

To get to know more about Crow and her wisdom head to

Animal Wisdom Speaks

Official Statement regarding the End of the Collaboration with the Green Tent Circle

2/1/2025

Official Statement regarding the Green Tent Circle

As a result of the actions taken by the Green Tent Circle (GTC) after me having asked the GTC to respect my copyright regarding my stories and art, as well as to honour my request not to hand out my Illuminator Series video and to not publish it on any platform, I have ended all collaboration with the GTC.

The Green Tent Circle has since taken down my Illuminator Series webpage (13th Illuminator), all pages linked to Animal Wisdom speaks and the collaboration between the GTC and Animal Wisdom Speaks, my personal blog as well as all pages linked to the three storytelling events I have organised for the GTC.

Note that I have worked for the Green Tent Circle for free for more than a year, organising events, building the homepage together with Leah Myers, working and organising Glad Tidings, bringing in new bloggers and organising their blogs and community pages, as well as organising Illuminator Series 19 "Angaangaq" while working on a project in Germany.

If you take a look at the homepage of the Green Tent Circle now, it will seem as if I had not done the aforementioned. Note that I can prove that I have by communications, archived videos, sound files worked on, screenshots and stories and art submitted.

As a result of the way the Green Tent Circle is handling my request to honour my ideas and my copyright, instead of taking the steps outlined by Leah Myers of the Green Tent Circle in their first reply to me, I distance myself completely from the circle and its founder Ann Smith.

Kristin Raphaela Otti

Official Statement

End of Collaboration with the Green Tent Circle

1/30/2025

As a result of the actions taken by the Green Tent Circle all collaboration with the GTC ends effective immediately.

I am grateful for the time working together and the gift of being allowed to learn from the members of the circle.

I wish the Green Tent Circle all the best in their future endeavours.

Kristin Raphaela Otti

Official Statement

Walking with Kristin

1/29/2025

If Kristin has gifted you a drawing at any point in time and you want to walk with her, feel free to contact her via e-mail, WhatsApp or Facebook messenger.

"Ancestral Bear Family", white pastels, Kristin Raphaela Otti (2024)

Read more on walking with her here

Walking with Kristin

A New Blog - Arsarnerit

1/27/2025

I have started learning Greenlandic more than a year ago. Due to circumstances in my personal life it is taking longer than I am used to when learning a new language. I will talk about as to why on LearnToBloom, an organization and circle I am building at the moment. It aims at helping victims of narcissistic abuse finding their footing in life again, plant roots, grow, blossom and bloom.

There is a new blog on Winterfire, one of my circles. I am blogging in Greenlandic. I am learning Greenlandic by reading and writing. I also speak Swedish and Danish, so learning by reading texts, books and newspaper articles side by side is no problem.

If you want to help me learn Greenlandic, let me know.

Yes, I also learn in the cafés - my offices - I frequent. I do not only draw there, but I also learn Greenlandic and work on articles. It leads to interesting conversations.

Immannguaq kalaallisut oqaluttarpunga. Nammineerlunga kalaallisut ilinniarpunga. Paasipalaarpunga.

Kukkuvunga, utoqqatserpunga. Ilinniassaanga.

Oqaatsit kusanarpoq. Oqaatsit ilinniartaanarpunga, soqutiginarpoq. Naapippugut - arriitsumik oqalulaarit. Paasipalaarpunga. Ilinniassaanga.

Allappunga. Sungiusarpara.

Tuttu. "White Reindeer", white pastels, Kristin Raphaela Otti (2023)

Ich habe vor über einem Jahr begonnen, Grönländisch zu lernen. Es braucht länger, die Sprache zu lernen, als ich es von mir gewohnt bin. Das hat mit Veränderungen und Geschehnissen in meinem Umfeld zu tun. Ich werde darüber auf LearnToBloom schreiben. LearnToBloom ist eine Organisation und ein Kreis, der Opfern von Missbrauch durch Narzissten dabei hilft, wieder Fuß im Leben zu fassen, Wurzeln zu bilden, zu wachsen und aufzublühen.

Es gibt auf Winterfeuer einen neuen Blog. Ich blogge auf Grönländisch, um die Sprache besser zu lernen. Ich schreibe und lese und lerne, indem ich Zeitungsartikel und Bücher nebeneinander liegen habe und beides lese. Ich spreche auch Schwedisch und Dänisch, daher ist das kein Problem.

Falls mir jemand dabei helfen möchte, Grönländisch zu lernen, meldet euch.

Ja, ich lerne auch in den Cafés, in denen ich zeichnenderweise zu finden bin. Es führt zu interessanten Gesprächen.

I started working on LearnToBloom in the early 2000's. Those who are walking with me know the flower ceremonies. This is one of the paintings from back then. Oil pastels. Yes, the paintings and drawings are still around. As are the concepts and teachings.

To read more about me learning Greenlandic and becoming more and more in love with the language go to

To learn more about LearnToBloom go to

On Communication with Winterfire (Winterfeuer)

1/26/2025

Communication with Winterfire

Animal Wisdom Speaks, Winterfire or LearnToBloom will never contact you other than from an official circle e-mail-address.

If anyone contacts you from an e-mail other than that, do not reply.

Kristin Raphaela Otti

"White Eagle", white pastels, Kristin Raphaela Otti (2023)

"White Angler", white pastels, Kristin Raphaela Otti (2024, Hotel Hecher, Wolfsberg, Austria)

Schriftverkehr mit Winterfeuer

Animal Wisdom Speaks, Winterfeuer oder LearnToBloom kontaktieren Geschäftspartner oder Klienten ausschließlich über offizielle E-Mail-Adressen.

Sollte jemand versuchen, über andere E-Mail-Adressen Kontakt aufzunehmen, antwortet nicht.

Kristin Raphaela Otti

More information regarding this can be found here

Knowing the Messenger

Working in Wolfsberg, Austria (07 - 10 January)

1/3/2025

I will be working in Wolfsberg (Carinthia, Austria) again for a few days (07 - 10 January 2025). If you are interested in an individual or group session, send me a message via WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger or E-mail. I am looking forward to meeting and walking together with you for a spell!

I'll be drawing, too, of course, so if you want me to draw your spirit animal, send me a message and we can arrange a meeting.

You will be able to find me drawing in Hotel, Café & Konditorei Hecher. They serve the best Cardinal Slices in Austria. Cardinal Slices are a mixture of sponge cake, meringue that is soft on the inside and crispy on the outside and coffee cream. Now combine that with a fresh cup of steaming hot coffee and you will experience every coffee afficionado’s dream.

"Shadow Swan", black pastels, Kristin Raphaela Otti (2024, Café de L'Europe, Vienna)

“Nanoq Breathing in Deeply”, white pastels, Kristin Raphaela Otti (2024, Hotel Hecher, Wolfsberg, Carinthia)

Ich arbeite vom 07. bis zum 10. Jänner 2025 wieder für ein paar Tage in Wolfsberg in Kärnten. Bei Interesse an einer Einzel- oder Gruppensitzung meldet euch gerne via Messenger, WhatsApp oder E-Mail. Ich freue mich darauf, euch kennenzulernen und gemeinsam ein Stück des Weges zu wandern!

Ich werde natürlich auch zeichnen. Falls also jemand von euch Interesse daran hat, dass ich sein Krafttier male, gebt Bescheid und wir machen uns einen Termin aus.

Ihr könnt mich zeichnenderweise im Hotel, Café & Konditorei Hecher finden. Dort gibt es die besten Kardinalschnitten Österreichs. Kardinalschnitten sind eine Kombination aus Biskuit, Kaffeecreme und Baiser. Kombiniert das mit einer Tasse heißem, schwarzem Kaffee und ihr findet euch im Traum eines jeden Kaffeeliebhabers wieder.

Animal Wisdom Speaks January - Polar Bear

1/2/2025

January has arrived and this month Animal Wisdom Speaks is dedicated to Nanoq the Great Wanderer.

„In the center of your heart, there is an ember, tiny, yet as strong as the winter sun. With every step you take through the desert of ice and frost, it is growing stronger, every breath nourishing the spark that has been lit inside you, a fire growing, a dream rekindled, a heart unstoppable.”

Polar Bear is a gentle mentor and fierce protector who travels through all the realms with unfailing stamina. She teaches us not to be afraid to travel in solitude and silence for a while, to take a rest and to find balance within ourselves.

She is fearless and invites us to leave what we know and are used to behind, to step out of our comfort zone and face our challenges head on.

"Nanoq the Guardian", white pastels, Kristin Raphaela Otti (2024, in ceremony, Wolfsberg, Carinthia)

Nanoq says, “Meet the gaze of the unknown, look into its eyes and walk tall and powerful into new beginnings.”

To get to know more about Nanoq and her wisdom head to

Animal Wisdom Speaks

Author

Kristin Raphaela Otti

I am a shaman and storyteller from Carinthia, Austria, tending the fires of winter in the hearts and walking with those, who wish to embark on a journey deep within.

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