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Animal Totems and Animal Spirit Medicine

Native Americans have always honored the lessons given to us by the animal spirits. Their knowledge of “Animal Medicine” is something we can learn from and live with for our own greater attunement. This informative article will help you get in touch with your own animal “familiar” and provides excellent resources for further study.

In Native American culture it is recognized that there is beauty in all things, that animals, rocks and trees have their own special lessons to teach us. When we arrive in our physical bodies, we arrive with a blueprint or “life path”, that is in essence, our “assignment” for this life and the soul’s purpose for having incarnated. Walking beside us throughout our lifetime, are our ANIMAL TOTEMS.

Animals, through their behavior patterns and the way that they live, exhibit signs and habits that will relay messages of healing and personal growth to anyone open to receiving their “animal medicine” as the Native Americans called it. There are many ways that animal medicine/totem animals can teach us lessons and guide us upon our pathway. How can you discover your animal totems? How can they help you learn more about yourself and teach you lessons relevant to your day to day life? Below you will find a series of questions that will help you determine one of your animal totems. For this particular discussion, I will focus on your Life Long animal totem. The life long animal totem is exactly that. It is the animal medicine that has come with you into this life and will remain throughout. In answering these questions, you will more than likely find a connection that is undoubtedly not a coincidence. After you answer these questions, please read on for information on what your specific animal totems mean and the lessons that they teach. Keep in mind when answering these questions that your answers can include insects, birds and wild animals.

What animal do you find yourself most attracted to?
When you are out in nature what animal do you always find yourself running into?
What animal do you feel you could sit and watch for hours?
Does art work or jewelry with a certain animal always attract you?
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 animals seem to pop up in your life over and over again like a theme?

Now that you have answered these questions, you should have a pretty good idea of what your animal totem is. Next I will give a brief synopsis of several animals and what their “medicine” and lessons are. Keep in mind that an entire book could be written on each individual animal and their medicine. There are also so many possible animals that I could not possibly list them all here. Consider this a starting ground. From here, you can do further research on your animal and practically and intuitively gain insight into what you can learn from it. If your animal is not listed here, there are numerous books and Internet sources that list full descriptions of many animals; some good ones I have included below for further reference.

Eagle: A sign to reconnect with the element of air. This relates to connecting to the “higher” mind. Freedom. The eagle is often present for those of us who tend to dwell in the past. It gives us the lesson of being able to break free from the shadows of former realities and soar in illumination.

Deer: You are being called to find gentleness of spirit. A call to apply gentleness to all ways of your life. A lesson to not push others to change, but to love them for the way that they are.

Bear: Bear is extremely connected to the dream state. The Bear calls us to calm internal chatter and put focus on the right brain…the intuitive side.

Snake: Teaches us that we are universal beings. Fire, energy, passion and desire are key words here. If the snake is your totem, there is a need within you to transmute some thought, action or idea so that you may achieve wholeness.

Butterfly: Transformation. Gives clarity to the mental process. Thoughts, ideas and decision making are areas that the butterfly guides. High creativity and a guide through creative and spiritual evolution.

Turtle: The turtle is a teacher in the art of grounding. Develop your ideas before you bring them to light. Turtle teaches us to connect with the earth and is a symbol for mother and all things maternal.

Dog: Dog medicine asks you to look at how readily your sense of loyalty is counteracted by your need for approval. The dog relates to interpersonal relationships and loyalty.

Wolf: The wolf is the pathfinder. It encourages you to share your knowledge with others through writing, art, speaking and any other method possible to share knowledge and help others on their path.

Raven: Raven medicine indicates the power of the unknown at work. The Raven encourages you to find the meaning of synchronicity in your life. It is the most mystical of the totems and also relates to healing.

Buffalo: Buffalo medicine is a call to prayer and meditation. Recognize the sacredness of every day life. Recognize the meaning of life and the value of peace.

Owl: Owl calls us to use our silent powers of keen observation. Listen harder and speak more softly. It is the lesson of quiet yet intuitive observation.

Squirrel: The squirrel calls us to prepare for changes and to “lighten the load” in relation to material things as well as emotional attachments such as worry, fear and anxiety.

Horse: Horse medicine relates to remembering where we have been. More specifically, it relates to having been “in someone else shoes”, so it teaches us to maintain compassion and understanding based on our own life experience.

Cats: Cats represent the higher self. Their lesson is one of independence and self exploration. The Cat also represents the duality as well as the unity of male and female in all of us.

Mountain lion: The mountain lion teaches us a lesson of being aware of keeping peace by telling the truth. It revolves around the responsibility in leader ship to be truthful to those whom you are leading (particularly children).

Rabbit: Rabbit medicine comes to people who tend to worry a lot. It teaches us that what we resist will persist. Rabbit encourages us to stop talking about “what if”.

Frog: Frog teaches the lesson of finding serenity within ourselves. Often it is a call to cleanse ourselves of any person, place or thing that is not contributing to our well being.

Dolphin: The dolphin medicne is communication with nature. The lesson here is to be mindful of your own body rhythms and natural rhythms in order to hear what the Creator is trying to tell you. Divine communication.
This is just a sample list. If you have a particular animal you would like to know about, please write to me and I will post a synopsis of that animal here for you.

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