You can think of your Animal Totems as imaginary guides on your life journey. You might also think of them as Power Animals because each one imparts a special energy, or power, to your life.
By observing how each animal lived, found mates, located food and protected itself, Native Americans were able to define the animal's particular strengths and weaknesses. For example, bears hibernated during the winter, so it was said that they possessed the magic of dreams. They were also formidable foes, so Bear Energy was also about physical power and strength. It's fascinating to note that different cultures (not just Native Americans) came up with similar interpretations for all individual animals.
Native Americans as well as other cultures used Shamans to help them connect with the Earth around them, and with the power of the animals. Using dreams and visions, these Shamen would connect with the "manitou" of the animals. The manitou of an animal is its primal spiritual energy- wolfness, deerness, foxness...etc.
It was believed that every human being had a particular manitou (or several) which they were especially attuned to. These were their personal animal totems.
They discovered their totems through vision quests, although sometimes the totem made themselves known in other ways. For example, if you were attacked by a wild animal, it was believed that that particular animal totem had chosen you itself.
Each animal that exists has several qualities, both physical and spiritual. The qualities in your personal Animal Totems are qualities that you might connect with, feel a deep affinity towards, or simply need more of in your life.
Here are some brief descriptions of the qualities of a few animals. Read them carefully. One of them just might be one of your Animal Totems.
Your Animal Totems instruct and protect you throughout your life's journey. When you discover an animal that speaks strongly to you, an animal you feel you must draw more deeply into your life, try surrounding yourself with images of this animal. This will let the animal know it is welcome in your space.
Finding Your Animal Totems
One way to "meet" one of your Animal Totems is to do a guided visualization. Create Sacred Space by using music, a candle, incense, or a smudge stick. Sit quietly and very slowly scan your body, paying particular attention to each of the seven chakras. Then choose one chakra to return to and focus your attention there. Ask the animal who resides there to make its nature known to you. Wait. Listen. Watch.
Remember to be patient. Don't give up. You might not "see" anything the first time you do this.
Sometimes your Animal Totem is nearby, just out of your sight, watching you to see if you're serious about connecting with it. Continue to do this guided visualization until one of your animals makes itself known to you.
During your meditation, when you do "meet" one of your Animal Totems, look it in the eye and remember to greet it with affection and curiosity. Ask it how it's feeling today. Ask it its name.
Remember that this encounter is totally in your imagination; therefore it is in your control. There is nothing to fear. At some point, move from your body into the body of the animal. Look at yourself from the eyes of this sacred animal and notice what you see. After a while, return to your own body and continue your conversation with it.
Ask your Animal Guide the following questions, so that you can learn more about its meaning for you and its place on your journey:
You might be pleasantly or unpleasantly surprised by an animal that makes itself known to you. Try to accept the animal who wants to be with you rather than forcing a different one to be there.
Trust the process
It is generally believed that an Animal Totem chooses you, and not vice versa. The animals you love just might be your totems but then again, they might not! The animals which come to you when you are open and accepting are the ones you need to work with. They will have the strengths and weaknesses that you already posses, and they will have lessons for you to learn.
A few years ago, I was continually seeing skunks in our front yard, even in broad daylight. This is highly unusual skunk behavior, I assure you! A few times I also glimpsed a white skunk with a black stripe!
Later, I learned that skunks are really about self-respect, self-esteem, and inner protection through intuition. And I was seeing them at a season of my life when I felt completely powerless and unprotected regarding some difficult family situations which directly affected my self-respect and self-esteem.
Coincidence? I think not! I haven't seen them brazenly walk across my front yard since that summer several years ago. I believe that Skunk had a message for me that year, and I believe that if I need him again, he will be there.
Honoring Your Animal Totems
Here are some other powerful ways to connect with your animal's energy, invite it into your life, and honor it:
Anne Marie Bennett is a freelance writer and self-taught artist who enjoys playing with mixed-media collage, and all forms of color and words. She has a BS degree in Education from Southern Connecticut State University and has taught children, teens and adults throughout the East Coast. She is a breast cancer survivor and feels closest to her own soul when she is writing, creating art, teaching, and sharing the gift of SoulCollage? with others. She lives in Beverly with her husband Jeff and two highly cherished (and spoiled) feline companions named Sasha and Scooter. Please visit her website http://www.kaleidosoul.com for more information on animal totems, and to learn how to make SoulCollage cards to honor your animal totems.
residential cleaning services Lincolnshire ...What's the difference? How are we supposed to tell the... Read More
When God first unveils a business or ministry vision that... Read More
The question, "Is God Dead?", first entered my consciousness when... Read More
Did we just overlook the amount of love that God... Read More
Some may ask why in a disaster some people are... Read More
There is an old tradition song called, The Lighthouse and... Read More
Don't be confused that a saint is a religious leader... Read More
We are apart of all that is, our consciousness spring... Read More
Spiritual stuff is a hard sell Roy and one of... Read More
It seems to me that our moment to moment relationship... Read More
I heard recently on a Christian radio station somebody talking... Read More
We are living in highly challenged times. Our mass consciousness... Read More
What is the purpose of guilt?Well, let's look at it.Some... Read More
The time we spend on earth is very short when... Read More
Carl Jung, 20th century psycho analyst and dream researcher, said:... Read More
Matthew 2:16-18Herod Kills the Children16 Then Herod, when he saw... Read More
As I sit here and ponder my existence my heart... Read More
Prayer from a child's simple bedtime prayer, to the prayers... Read More
Many of us are on an inward or outward path-to... Read More
The Orisha are the Messengers of Oludumare, the God/dess of... Read More
When we find spirituality, or it finds us, the experience... Read More
Be filled with the Spirit.? always giving thanks to God... Read More
1. Life is a precious gift given to us by... Read More
Animal spirit totems can be viewed in different ways according... Read More
Do you realize you are creating your future by the... Read More
same day cleaning service Lake Forest ...As I sat down today to write this article, I... Read More
Carl Jung, 20th century psycho analyst and dream researcher, said:... Read More
Listen to the sound of silence. Enjoy the peace and... Read More
"Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure,... Read More
An Introduction to MatthewSETTINGHave you ever been promised something wonderful,... Read More
Military personnel at a U.S. prison in Guantanamo, Bay, Cuba... Read More
The more that "little me" allows surrender the more is... Read More
I cringed lower into the seat of my grey metal... Read More
In looking back at my process over the years I... Read More
A while back the Lord had given me this message... Read More
Are you facing some challenges in your life right now?... Read More
Attachment... Bondage... Moha... state as we may but the meaning... Read More
In the movie "Forest Gump" we see Forest succeed in... Read More
Good morning Roy, good morning JosethWhat about me, were do... Read More
I would like to tell you the story of a... Read More
The normal Aquarian preoccupation with rational science is clearly seen... Read More
Among some of us who deem ourselves spiritual, the use... Read More
Self-actualization comes down to three basic premises: this is who... Read More
Each of us has far more potential to serve the... Read More
"Ask and it shall be given" is a phrase we... Read More
There was this TV commercial a couple of years back... Read More
"What does it profit a man to have gained the... Read More
As Christian's we are often very independent. We try to... Read More
To understand the nature of esoteric and occult secrets it... Read More
Before we dwell on the subject of Self Realization we... Read More
Spirituality |