Indian woman with cougar
Animals of Spirit, Power and Totem have been a part of every major religion for centuries. The Greeks spoke to spirits and gods through oracles. The Ancient Native Americans imitated animals in dance and ceremonial rituals to estalblish links to the spirit world. The earliest recorded traditions teach that each person comes into life existence with one or more animal guides from the spirit world. It is also believed that the person and their “life-long” spirit totem animals share a spiritual, energetic connection in which the animals serves as an ally, guide, teacher, protector, and a source of power throughout the person’s life.
“If you talk to the animals, they will talk with you and you will know each other. If you do not talk to them, you will not know them, and what you do not know you will fear. What one fears, one destroys.” ~ Chief Dan George
Native American folklore also teaches that over the course of a person’s life, one may have nine spirit totem animals that represent their personal medicine, emulate their talents, and to also provide a source of inspiration for improving one’s self and life patterns. It is believed that seven of the spirit totem animals guide and teach during specific periods of the life journey, while the remaining two walk on the right and left sides of a person and provide influences all through one’s life. A spirit animal is referred to by many different terms, such as, “spirit guide”, “power”, or “totem” animal. Traditionally the totem power animal spirit would first come to an individual through a dream, vision quest or pilgrimage to a sacred place of power, meditation, or through an encounter with it in the physical world in which its presence and relationship availability is communicated.
Traditionally the totem power animal spirit would first come to an individual through a dream, vision quest or pilgrimage to a sacred place of power, meditation, or through an encounter with it in the physical world in which its presence and relationship availability is communicated.
The spirit totem animal offers its power, teaching, medicine, protection, wisdom and unique gifts to help a person learn and grow within one’s life. The totem spirit animal has the ability to enrich a person’s life and to empower them with its power. It serves as an intermediary between the spirit world and the physical world and helps one to realize, evolve and fulfil the full spectrum of their divine life purpose.
In opening the doorway to a spirit totem animal, it is essential for the animal to have a sacred home within the consciousness and life of the person to whom it is connected, and for the animal’s being to be honoured on a regular basis through prayer, song, tobacco or corn meal offering and other practices which enable the relationship to prosper. It is also important to invite the totem spirit in to your body, mind and spirit so it can teach you what it has to offer in the way of wisdom and guidance from the physical and spirit world.
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Spirit totem animals appear in a person’s life to teach attributes, powers or lessons, and for achieving a specific purpose. The following is a list of the different types of spirit totem animals that one may encounter within their life:
Life-Long Animal Spirit Totem is an animal from the spirit world that we are connected to from birth. This animal will be with us throughout our life. It will guide us and teach us it’s powers and serve as an intermediary between the physical and spirit world.
Journey Animal Spirit Totem is an animal that guides you for a period of days or even years. It will be with you until completion of the lesson or path it is guiding you on.
Message Animal Spirit Totem is an animal that appears to teach a lesson, a specific growth attribute or give a warning. These types of animals are usually an encounter that leaves a powerful impression or significance with a person.
Shadow Animal Spirit Totem is an animal that represents the inner self and fears that must be overcome or lessons to be learned in order to evolve spiritually. This animal has great power and will put us through life-lesson tests in order to gain wisdom and growth. This totem animal changes throughout your life in accordance with the level of evolvement being attained with its presence.
The following is a partial listing from the animal, bird, fish, insect, mammal and reptile kingdom; and a brief description of the many attributes, lessons and power they bring into our lives:
| Alligator: Integration, Initiation Anaconda: Foresight Ant: Patience Antelope: Action Armadillo: Boundaries Badger: Aggressive Bat: Rebirth Bear: Introspection Beaver: Building, Goals Bee: Working together Beetle: Regeneration, Resurrection Blackbird: Energy, Understanding, New Blue Heron: Self-reflection, Self-reliance Blue Jay: Creative controversy Bobcat: Silence, Secrets Boar: Confrontation Buffalo: Abundance Bull: Fertility Butterfly: Transformation Camel: Use of resources Canary: Power of song and voice Cardinal: Renewed vitality Caribou: Physical fitness Cat: Magic, Mystery, Tactile senses Centipede: Coordinated efforts Chameleon: Mastering change Cheetah: Precision Chipmunk: Respect Cobra: Enlightenment Cow: Contentment Coyote: Trickster Cricket: Luck, Sound Crow: Divine law Deer: Gentleness Dinosaur: Ancient wisdom Dog: Loyalty Dolphin: Life energy, Power of breath Dove: Inner peace Dragon: Conscious awareness Dragonfly: Illusions Duck: Free will Eagle: Spiritual connection, Enlightenment Elephant: Obstacle remover Elk: Stamina Emu: Reason Falcon: Questioning Ferret: Solving mysteries Finch: Desire Firefly: Sharing self Flamingo: Open-heartedness Fox: Camouflage Giraffe: New horizons Goat: New endeavors, Blessings Goose: Elder wisdom Grasshopper: Leap forward Hawk: Messenger Hen: Nurturing Horse: Power Hummingbird: Joy Hyena: Laughter Jackal: Cleverness Jaguar: Personal integrity Jellyfish: Intent Kangaroo: Guardianship Kestrel: Proper values Koala: Thoughtfulness Ladybug: Unexpected gifts, Surprises |
Lark: Freedom from worry Leopard: Power of choice Lion: Pride Lizard: Dreaming Mockingbird: Soul Purpose, Counseling Mole: Retrieval Mongoose: Courage Monkey: Family Issues Moose: Self Esteem Moth: Out-of-body exploration Mountain Lion: Leadership Mouse: Scrutiny, detail oriented Mule: Allowance Newt: Miracles Octopus: Versatility Opossum: Strategy Oriole: Social Behavior Ostrich: Grounded, Astute Otter: Playfulness Owl: Wisdom, Discernment Ox: Sacredness Panther: Embracing unknown, Power Parakeet: Hospitality Parrot: Developing skill Peacock: Visualization Pegasus: Immortality Pelican: Hidden resources Penguin: Unity, Astral projection Pig: Intellect Porcupine: Innocence, Trust Praying Mantis: Positive focus Quail: Reservation Rabbit: Listening, Fear, Fertility Raccoon: Protection, Dexterity Ram: Breakthroughs Raven: Magic Rhinoceros: Forcefulness Roadrunner: Mental alertness Robin: Parenting Rooster: Ambition Salamander: Fire power and medicine Sea Horse: Androgyny Sea Lion: Intuition, Imagination Shark: Warning, Signs Sheep: Congeniality Shrimp: Recognition Skunk: Reputation Snail: Taking it easy Snake: Transmutation Spider: Creativity, Dream-Weaver Squirrel: Gatherer, Planner Starfish: Hope, Inspiration Stork: Growth Swan: Gracefulness Tiger: Unexpected lessons, Passion Turkey: Harvest, Shared blessings Turtle: Earth Mother, Fertility Unicorn: Unconditional love Vulture: Purification, Releasing Weasel: Stealth Whale: Destiny Wolf: Teacher, Pathfinder Wolverine: Fearlessness Woodchuck: Decisions Woodpecker: Protection Yak: Healing stillness or numbness Zebra: Non-judgmental behaviour |
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Pamela Nine
This article has been reproduced here with full permission of the author, Pamela Nine PhD. Her website is: Pamela Nine, Ph. D
Pamela is internationally known as a “Messenger of Spirit” and highly acclaimed Psychic, Medium, Counselor and Spiritual Teacher. She is also a Certified Reiki Master and Ordained Minister with a Doctorate Degree in Religion. She has been in the wellness profession for more than twenty years, and is the Owner of Nine Wellness Centre, located in Knoxville, TN. She specializes in Intuitive, Grief and Spiritual Counseling, Reiki Natural Energy Healing and Educational Programs.
Article source: Animals: Spirit, Power & Totem
Please comment on your own experiences in divining or meeting your animal totem or spirit guide.
{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi Timberwolf,
I would like to thank you for including my article on your wonderful website! I am very pleased to know that there are people in the world like you….who care enough to provide inspirational and informative topics to educate those who are in search of avenues to learn. Keep up the good work!
With love and blessings to you….always,
Pamela Nine, Ph.D.
Email: pamelanine@msn.com
Website: http://www.ninewellnesscentre.com
Excellent blog – very informative!
Many thanks
Hi…….I need to know more about the newt.
Last night on a chilly damp UK night, I shone my torch right outside my back door and there were four newts just looking at me ! knowing a bit about amphibians, this shocked me as it was cold and at night !
It struck me that they had a powerful message to tell me, but as yet I have not fathomed it out.
Can you help ?
Hi Chris. I’m sorry it has taken this long to respond to your comment, however I wanted to do the proper research. I have located a number of references to “newts” as an animal spirit. Mostly, though, the references deal with other amphibians such as frogs and salamanders. The upshot is that there is both a light and a dark side to the appearance of a “newt”. On the darker side of the animal spirit is: posturing defence, poisonous reaction…living between the waking and dreaming state. On the lighter side, the one which I always take being a positive person, is: Anyone with an amphibian as a totem has access to ancient truths. Change or metamorphosis is taking place or soon to take place whenever an amphibian totem shows up. If a frog or toad appears it may very well be time to leap into a new life path.
Hope this helps. Please let me know how things have progressed for you.
With the “darker” side, the newt is definitely reminding me to continue to do my psychic protection as I let my guard down once recently and payed the price with someone draining my energy.
The “lighter side” is a boost to me as I am at a career crossroads really not knowing what to do and how to progress and it look likes the newts were telling me to take a chance on making that leap down a new road. Interestingly as well, a few months ago I had a psychic reading which mentioned ancient truths, which puzzled me, but now this is mentioned again ! So, I will pay attention to “old ways” and see where I am drawn.
Thanks for your help Timberwolf !
Hi, I’m new to your sight. Maybe you can help me. I find myself looking for information to help me with explaining my experience. I guess the technical term would be a “vision”. [In the vision, I found myself at the edge of thick wooded area, and off to my right, from behind a large bush a very large black cat appeared [a black panther]. An stood before me. I didn’t feel like I was in danger. But we did made eye contact for a moment. And it was like she was staring into my very soul. She then turn and dissappeared into the wood. As I watch I got the impression I was in the presence of “power and beauty”. Can you provide me with some insight as why this happened. Tally
Hi Tally. It would seem to me that you have met your spirit guide for this portion of your journey on this turn of the wheel. The following is an excerpt from Spirit Walk Ministry regarding the black panther and its meaning.
I hope this helps you understand your vision.
Timberwolf
Hello, Thankyou for your kind reponse. Very interesting. Get well soon. Tally
Ps. As for our Lady Panther. She seem to slip in and out of my thoughts more and more as of late. As if to say “I’m here”. Part of me is longing to follow her.
Thank you Timberwolf for your link to our animal spirit guide site at “Spirit Walk Ministry”, which is a Shamanic Studies Ministry out of Massachusetts on the internet since 2007.
I would like however to correct you on your listing us as “Spirit Walk Ministries”, which is an evangelical Christian Ministry recently established in Texas and is no way a part of or affiliated with Spirit Walk Ministry.
John – thank you for your comment and correction. I am very sorry to have mixed you up with the other establishment. I have corrected the error. Please accept my apologies.
Timberwolf
Hello Timberwolf,
I have 3 life spirit animals an anaconda, unicorn, and a phoenix. I found a place where I could find spirit stones for all my spirit animals but a phoenix. I have been searching for months trying to find any phoenix spirit stones, but I still can’t find any.. Do you know any places that may have what I’m looking for?
Hi Katie and welcome to Timberwolf HQ
I have tried doing some research for you in relation to spirit stones and phoenix. I am sorry to say that I only come up with games like warhammer and some other games. Perhaps one of my readers may have some information that will assist in your search.
Does anyone have any information that may assist Katie in locating a spirit stone for her totem spirit guide – the phoenix?
Thank you
Timberwolf
sunstone, ruby or garnet.
Namaste April
Thank you so much for assisting Katie with the spirit stone question. It is wonderful to see such community spirit at work here on Timberwolf HQ.
Please check out our new Forum as well. It needs the support of readers like you to contribute your knowledge and wisdom to help foster even greater community spirit.
Thank you
Timberwolf