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Do you ever think about what your totem animals are?

Someone once told me that you could tell what your totem animal was if you had a dream and turned into that animal. Well, I've never had a dream like that, but for some reason I've felt connections to various animals over the course of my life.

I think my main totem animal is the Squirrel. I used to pretend that I was a squirrel all the time when I was a child, and I have always just 'felt' a connection to them. I think it also kind of explains my personality! but I feel connections to other animals too, such as spiders, cats, bees, crows, and others. The squirrel seems to be the strongest connection though.

I found a website (make of it what you will - I thought it was helpful as a starting point, though a little fruity sometimes XD ) that lists many animals and their significance. I was wondering what other people think on the subject; if you have symbolic animals in your life and how you recognised them; how you make use of the knowledge etc ...

Website: http://www.linsdomain.com/totems.htm


(I hope I haven't posted this in the wrong spot ... sweatdrop )

Thanks. blaugh

Just out of curiosity, how did you figure it out? For years I was frustrated because I was waiting for a dream to tell me (because someone said that was how I would find out), and it just never happened. Then I randomly stumbled on this website, just the other day, as I was doing some other random research, and it started to make sense.

I do not have a name for mine. That's a neat idea though.

This topic interested me, because totem animals originate from Native Americans, and I happen to be part native American. xd There are nine animal totems for every person. I only found out one (or two... I think I might've found two but I'm only sure of one of them...) The one I'm not sure about is supposedly my birth totem... The cougar. The one I'm absolutely sure of is the wolf. It takes a long time figuring out your totem animals. Some people never know all of them. 3nodding

I printed out a few pages about animal totems, and how to come across one. If you want, I can post it here, but it'll take awhile. I think you'll be interested in it, because I sure am. xD I don't remember the site I got it from, but if I remember correctly, the name of it is on the last page... hmm... *takes it out*

Hey The white tiger may not be your totem animal, Just your spiritual guide, Though it could be both. You have to have seen your totem as you and as a part of you and not seperate, well at least that is one way though i get the feeling that the white tiger is your spirit guide. Sometimes spirit guides change shapes as you grow and change so there is a good chance she will not remain a white tiger. It may be both your totem and your guide, your guide well guides you, your totem is something that is more likely not to interfere while your spirit guide will.

The owl is one i know is at least one of my totems, the other would be some kind of large cat, I haven't Identified which big cat yet.

The only dream I've ever had about an animal was on my 10th birthday... I came home from a museum or something, and fell asleep. In my dream, I was in one of those nightgowns people wore in the 1800s, in the middle of a forest at night. I looked back, and a wolf was running towards me. I started running, thinking it was chasing me, and then I jumped in a river. It jumped in after me and then I woke up.
eek
Don't know if that counts as anything, but ever since that dream, I've had a very strong connection to wolves.

If you're not blessed with the second sight like Extravagantly Yours, there are ways to find your animal. Yes, animals that you really adore 'can' be your spirit animal, but you can also attract those spirits to you just because you like to collect stuffed animals of them and place statues of them all over the place. (Often lots of images of something can attract it's spirit version, it's one of the reasons I have troubles with mischevious 'good folk' in my home. >.> )

The best way is to get somebody to do a vision/dream quest for you. I've actually found quite a few people's spirit animals, colours and spirit names in the past. (And discovered things about them in my dream travels that made their jaws drop when I told them what I experienced. Even the skeptics.)
Before I'm asked, I can't just start doing this for people willy nilly, it's very draining, and once I commit myself to a spirit journey for somebody I make sure to do it. @.@

You can also find your own spirit animals. The first time I did a spirit journey (using instruction from friends) it was successful. Your totem always comes to you when you first show up, if you call for it.

What amazed me is that most people actually have three spirit animals, not just one. When I first found my totems I thought that I had done something wrong or wasn't doing the journey correctly due to having three. It was about a year later when I bought a book on celtic shamanism that I realised that most shamans have three spirit helpers. Even when I went to train with the Ojibway shamans I discovered that it is the same there as well (really important people here, they've actually travelled the world doing teachings because they're so talented).


The three spirit helpers are...

Your teacher: This animal can change, and does when you need a new life lesson. It comes to you usually because there is something about it that you need to listen to or learn.

Your personality: A spirit for your personality, who you are. This too 'can' change, but only if your personality somehow gets a major revision. It rarely changes with adults since we tend to develop who we are in life by the time we're in our mid 20s.

Your clan/tribe: I'm not quite sure how this one works, but there is a spirit that somehow represents either how you are supposed to walk through life/the role you are assigned... or your heritage tribe/clan. The Ojibway say that your clan animal says your purpose in life, bear is a healer, turtle/fish is a teacher, bird is a messenger, etc.

If people are interested, I do know how to do spirit journies and can give you instructions on how to do it yourself. It could very much be the same thing that Extravagantly Yours knows about and wishes to share.

I have actually tested my spirit journies before in a few, subtle ways. Such as I've asked animal spirits that I've encountered to visit somebody in their dreams, and without telling the person about it (until I ask a few days later if they dreamt of ________ ) that animal nearly always shows up in their dreams. I have also encountered the raven spirit that my mother-in-law sends to watch over me, and asked her about it later on. (The first time she looked amazed that I saw it, but then smirked and said that she did send one.)
BTW, I frequently surprise her with how much I've learned about such things. She started learning native shamanism (walking the red road) about 4 or 5 years ago.

And.. I babbled on again. You guys will learn that about me quickly. That my messages are either very long, or very short. O.o