Introduction to Totem Animals
Many of you will have seen totem poles, but do you know what they represent? The totem pole represents the totem animals. What is a totem animal? We all have our own individual totem animals.
Every animal has a powerful spirit. This spirit may be its own or that of a being who uses the animal image to communicate messages of the world to humans. Every animal has its own talents. A study of its talents will reveal the kind of medicine, magic, and power it can help you to develop within your own life. {every animal has its speciality}
Life long power animals are usually wild not domesticated, animals.
The animal chooses the person, not the other way around. Many believe that they can just choose an animal and start communicating with it. Usually ego gets in the way at these times. The individual chooses the animal he or she believes to be most glamorous and powerful, rather than what is harmonious to the individual. The results are ineffective and often frustrating. No animal is worse than any other. Every animal's medicine is unique. You will find the greatest success in the animal that comes to you.
We can find out what animal totem we have in many ways:
1)Meditation (ask to be shown your totem)
2)Your spiritual native teacher.
3) Look around you...what animal/bird/insect are you attracted to or what is attracted to you?
4) You may find you have many pictures, ornaments etc of a particular animal/bird/insect.5) Using medicine cards.
Every animal has a powerful spirit. This spirit may be its own or that of a being who uses the animal image to communicate messages of the world to humans. Every animal has its own talents. A study of its talents will reveal the kind of medicine, magic, and power it can help you to develop within your own life. {every animal has its speciality}
Life long power animals are usually wild not domesticated, animals.
The animal chooses the person, not the other way around. Many believe that they can just choose an animal and start communicating with it. Usually ego gets in the way at these times. The individual chooses the animal he or she believes to be most glamorous and powerful, rather than what is harmonious to the individual. The results are ineffective and often frustrating. No animal is worse than any other. Every animal's medicine is unique. You will find the greatest success in the animal that comes to you.
We can find out what animal totem we have in many ways:
1)Meditation (ask to be shown your totem)
2)Your spiritual native teacher.
3) Look around you...what animal/bird/insect are you attracted to or what is attracted to you?
4) You may find you have many pictures, ornaments etc of a particular animal/bird/insect.5) Using medicine cards.
Developing A Relationship With Your Totem Animal
You must develop a relationship with your totem. To communicate with them demands respect. You must learn their point of view. Animals won't just warm up to you immediately. They must learn to trust you and your limitations, and you must learn to trust them and their limiations. This takes time, patience and practice.
You must honor your totem for its medicine to be effective in your life. The more you honor them-the more significance you give them within your life-the more powerful and effective they become. {your imagination is the real link to your totem}
Once you learn to work with the medicine of your power animal, it then becomes a doorway to connecting with others of the animal relm. You are not limited to just one totem. Each can teach or add something to your life that that others can't. Working with your power animal will help teach you how to align with others. Through your power animal, you learn to align with and shapeshift to the energies of other animals and beings.
Although there are one or even several totems that are the strongest in you rlife and remian with you through most of it, others do play a role. You may have a totem for a day. You may have a totem that assists you through a particularly rough period in your life.You are likely yo have different totems for different areas of your life. There's no limit to the totems you can work with. The key though is to connect strongly and fully with at least one. This expands the consciousness and opens the bridge to others more easily.
You must honor your totem for its medicine to be effective in your life. The more you honor them-the more significance you give them within your life-the more powerful and effective they become. {your imagination is the real link to your totem}
Once you learn to work with the medicine of your power animal, it then becomes a doorway to connecting with others of the animal relm. You are not limited to just one totem. Each can teach or add something to your life that that others can't. Working with your power animal will help teach you how to align with others. Through your power animal, you learn to align with and shapeshift to the energies of other animals and beings.
Although there are one or even several totems that are the strongest in you rlife and remian with you through most of it, others do play a role. You may have a totem for a day. You may have a totem that assists you through a particularly rough period in your life.You are likely yo have different totems for different areas of your life. There's no limit to the totems you can work with. The key though is to connect strongly and fully with at least one. This expands the consciousness and opens the bridge to others more easily.
Discovering Your Animal Totems / Guides
Discovering Your Animal Totems / Guides
Answer these questions to help you discover the Animal Totems in your life. For Journey and Message Animal Totems you will have to often ask yourself the same questions. Remember that you may not currently have a Journey or Message totem. And finding out your Life animal totem is not always easy. When answering these questions you may have more than one answer per question, just don't start listing out all animals - only the ones that are really important to you. Follow your instincts when answering the question - when in doubt, don't.
Life Long Animal Totems
When you were a child, what animal did you collect or obsess over that you are still attracted to today?
Of all animals if you could have any animal as a pet or companion what would it be?
When going to the zoo, which animal do you spend the most time with or are drawn to?
If you could be any animal what animal would it be?
What animal is in your dreams that you have had since childhood?
What animal are you afraid of that you have no idea why you are afraid of it?
Of all animals what animals are you most attracted to?
When you are out in nature, do you often seem to run into the same animal?
What animal have you bumped into over and over throughout your life?
What animal have you watched for hours?
Does art work or jewelry with a certain animal always attract you?
You Life Long Animal Totem will be the animal that you answered at least three times out of the eleven questions. The more time the same animal is listed in your answered the more important and stronger it is in your life.
Journey Animal Totems
What animal have you started to see occasionally that you never saw before?
What new animal are you attracted to?
Are you dreaming of an animal lately?
Are you thinking about an animal lately?
In the past two weeks what animals have you seen or dreamt of several times?
If you have a Journey Animal Totem you will have answered at least two of the questions with the same animal. Blessings on your new path.
Message Animal Totems
What animal surprised or startled you today?
What animal that you don't usually see, have you seen a couple of times today?
What animal entranced you today?
If you only answered one question then this is a message you should consider. If you answered the same animal to two question then this animal is your Message Totem with a very important message. Heed it's word quickly for the message is for now and today.
Shadow Animal Totems
What animal attacks have you been in?
What scary or traumatic animal situations have you been in?
Does seeing a certain animal bring up feelings of fear?
What animal do you run from?
What animals do you have reoccurring nightmares about?
Does just watching TV with that animal appearing scare you?
Answering two questions with the same animal means you have a Shadow Totem you must address. Remember that the Shadow Totem will continually test you and work against you for you are it's prey. You must embrace the lesson of the animal totem and conquer your fear, accept the power of the Shadow totem, and bring it into the light as your spiritual totem.
There are as many animal totems, or spirit guides, as there are animals. Meditate with the intention of meeting your animal spirit guide, and it will come to you. It is eagerly waiting to meet you, teach you, and help you with your life. Don't worry if you don't have any success right away, it will come if you continue to search. Once you have a familiar, you can summon them for a spell or ritual whenever you need their energy or help.
Answer these questions to help you discover the Animal Totems in your life. For Journey and Message Animal Totems you will have to often ask yourself the same questions. Remember that you may not currently have a Journey or Message totem. And finding out your Life animal totem is not always easy. When answering these questions you may have more than one answer per question, just don't start listing out all animals - only the ones that are really important to you. Follow your instincts when answering the question - when in doubt, don't.
Life Long Animal Totems
When you were a child, what animal did you collect or obsess over that you are still attracted to today?
Of all animals if you could have any animal as a pet or companion what would it be?
When going to the zoo, which animal do you spend the most time with or are drawn to?
If you could be any animal what animal would it be?
What animal is in your dreams that you have had since childhood?
What animal are you afraid of that you have no idea why you are afraid of it?
Of all animals what animals are you most attracted to?
When you are out in nature, do you often seem to run into the same animal?
What animal have you bumped into over and over throughout your life?
What animal have you watched for hours?
Does art work or jewelry with a certain animal always attract you?
You Life Long Animal Totem will be the animal that you answered at least three times out of the eleven questions. The more time the same animal is listed in your answered the more important and stronger it is in your life.
Journey Animal Totems
What animal have you started to see occasionally that you never saw before?
What new animal are you attracted to?
Are you dreaming of an animal lately?
Are you thinking about an animal lately?
In the past two weeks what animals have you seen or dreamt of several times?
If you have a Journey Animal Totem you will have answered at least two of the questions with the same animal. Blessings on your new path.
Message Animal Totems
What animal surprised or startled you today?
What animal that you don't usually see, have you seen a couple of times today?
What animal entranced you today?
If you only answered one question then this is a message you should consider. If you answered the same animal to two question then this animal is your Message Totem with a very important message. Heed it's word quickly for the message is for now and today.
Shadow Animal Totems
What animal attacks have you been in?
What scary or traumatic animal situations have you been in?
Does seeing a certain animal bring up feelings of fear?
What animal do you run from?
What animals do you have reoccurring nightmares about?
Does just watching TV with that animal appearing scare you?
Answering two questions with the same animal means you have a Shadow Totem you must address. Remember that the Shadow Totem will continually test you and work against you for you are it's prey. You must embrace the lesson of the animal totem and conquer your fear, accept the power of the Shadow totem, and bring it into the light as your spiritual totem.
There are as many animal totems, or spirit guides, as there are animals. Meditate with the intention of meeting your animal spirit guide, and it will come to you. It is eagerly waiting to meet you, teach you, and help you with your life. Don't worry if you don't have any success right away, it will come if you continue to search. Once you have a familiar, you can summon them for a spell or ritual whenever you need their energy or help.
A Meditation for a Familiar
The first thing to concentrate on during the meditation is the relaxing of the body. Begin with the toes and feet. Mentally tell the muscles to relax. Slowly move up through the body relaxing the muscles as you go.
Don't strain at this. Take as long as necessary. Spend more time working on the muscles of the shoulders, neck, and jaw as these are the ones we tense almost constantly.
When you are relaxed, surround yourself with a white light. Breathe it in; wrap it around you. Now visualize a well before you; you can also imagine a pond or a river, if you like. Mentally take allthe problems, including people, that are bothering you and drop them into the well. If the problems or people won't stay in the well, visualize a lid with a stout lock to keep them inside. Doing this symbolizes to your subconcious mind that these need to be taken care of. You don't want to go into a meditation carrying negative feelings with you.
Visualize scenery around you. This can be forests, jungles, deserts, whatever, but picture a place without buildings or other humans. You may be surprised to find yourself a place you didn't have in mind at all.
Accept whatever scenery is shown and begin a leisurely walk around. Be observant for any creatures that appear.
If a creature approaches you, try to communicate with it. Watch what it does and how it responds to you. Since this is the astral plane, it is possible to communicate with and creature you see. Communication is commonly by telepathic conversations in the mind. You may be told that this creature will be one of your astral familiars or that it has come to make you aware you have need of some of its traits.You may find yourself communicating with several astral beings before you are ready to return to this plane of existence.
When you have wandered through this landscape, and perhaps through others, and observed several astral creatures who show an interest in you, thank them and begin to pull yourself back into your physical body.
Once you have chosen a familiar (and that familiar has chosen you), you can place pictures or statues of that animal on your alter. This will help your subconcious keep a contact point open between you and your familiar.
Don't strain at this. Take as long as necessary. Spend more time working on the muscles of the shoulders, neck, and jaw as these are the ones we tense almost constantly.
When you are relaxed, surround yourself with a white light. Breathe it in; wrap it around you. Now visualize a well before you; you can also imagine a pond or a river, if you like. Mentally take allthe problems, including people, that are bothering you and drop them into the well. If the problems or people won't stay in the well, visualize a lid with a stout lock to keep them inside. Doing this symbolizes to your subconcious mind that these need to be taken care of. You don't want to go into a meditation carrying negative feelings with you.
Visualize scenery around you. This can be forests, jungles, deserts, whatever, but picture a place without buildings or other humans. You may be surprised to find yourself a place you didn't have in mind at all.
Accept whatever scenery is shown and begin a leisurely walk around. Be observant for any creatures that appear.
If a creature approaches you, try to communicate with it. Watch what it does and how it responds to you. Since this is the astral plane, it is possible to communicate with and creature you see. Communication is commonly by telepathic conversations in the mind. You may be told that this creature will be one of your astral familiars or that it has come to make you aware you have need of some of its traits.You may find yourself communicating with several astral beings before you are ready to return to this plane of existence.
When you have wandered through this landscape, and perhaps through others, and observed several astral creatures who show an interest in you, thank them and begin to pull yourself back into your physical body.
Once you have chosen a familiar (and that familiar has chosen you), you can place pictures or statues of that animal on your alter. This will help your subconcious keep a contact point open between you and your familiar.
Animal Symbology
Animals have meant different things to different people and cultures all through time. When we talk about the meanings of an animal or its symbolism it is this body of knowledge that we are talking about. However no definition will ever be truly comprehensive. For instance if you asked ten people to picture a "ball" in thier mind you would get at least ten different images, from a beach ball to a baseball, from a medicine ball to a cotton ball. This is just an example of how diverse something as simple as a "ball" can be as seen by different people. It is our personal experiences that mold how we see animals just as it does how we see everything else. A person who was bitten by a dog as a child may see them as viscious beasts while someone else might see them as man's best friend.
When it comes right down to it it is what you believe an animal symbolizes that matters most. Sit down and meditate about the animal. Think about when, where and why it is appearing in your life. Look for a common thread. Learn about the animal from books, online or just go out there and experience it in its own environment if possible.
With that in mind this list was created to help you on your search for animal symbolisms. It was drawn from many sources including my own experience. To name a few, Animal magick by D.J. Conway, Medicine Cards by Jamie Sams and David Carson, Animal Spirits Knowledge Cards, and many wonderful individuals that have donated thier personal experiences to this project, as well as countless other books, hikes, animal companions and animal spirits. Many of the entries have contradictions in them. This is because different cultures and time periods have ascribed vastly different meanings to the same creatures. It is for this reason that what the animal symbolizes to you is what should be most important to you over anything that you read.
Each section contains the animals, insects and birds that are most commonly associated with that area, although some are cross-listed if they clearly fit more than one area.
When it comes right down to it it is what you believe an animal symbolizes that matters most. Sit down and meditate about the animal. Think about when, where and why it is appearing in your life. Look for a common thread. Learn about the animal from books, online or just go out there and experience it in its own environment if possible.
With that in mind this list was created to help you on your search for animal symbolisms. It was drawn from many sources including my own experience. To name a few, Animal magick by D.J. Conway, Medicine Cards by Jamie Sams and David Carson, Animal Spirits Knowledge Cards, and many wonderful individuals that have donated thier personal experiences to this project, as well as countless other books, hikes, animal companions and animal spirits. Many of the entries have contradictions in them. This is because different cultures and time periods have ascribed vastly different meanings to the same creatures. It is for this reason that what the animal symbolizes to you is what should be most important to you over anything that you read.
Each section contains the animals, insects and birds that are most commonly associated with that area, although some are cross-listed if they clearly fit more than one area.
