What's Your Totem Animal?

How can I tell which Animals are my Totems?

Many times a person will feel drawn to one animal or another without being able to explain why, they just like the Animal's energy. This could indicate a possible totem connection. Another clue is to watch and see which Animal's consistently appear in a person's life. This can occur through seeing frequent representations of the Animal such as receiving cards or letters with the same animal pictured over and over, turning on the telly and seeing nature shows featuring the same animal, seeing stories in the papers about the animal, or even in some instances, having the animal show up in person in your neighborhood! Dreams will often feature a person's Totem animal when the person is ready as well as bringing in new totems. Shamans and some clairvoyants are also able to determine what a person's Totems are either through "seeing" the Animal near the person or journeying Shamanically to contact the person's Totems.

(extracted from morningstar.netfirms.com)

Once you know your totem animal, post it here and I will see what medicine your animal carries.

My main (within) totem animal is the Dove.

Dove Medicine:

Feminine, Peace, Maternity, Prophecy

The dove is the embodiment of maternal instinct.
She is connected to Mother Earth
and her creative energies.

Her mournful call speaks to our deepest self and
stirs our emotions.

The voice of the dove is a rain song and brings us hope of a new beginning.

The dove is the totem of "Between Times" and shows us the time of the thinning
of the veils between the physical and the spiritual world.

Listen for her call with your soul.

Hawk Medicine

Power, Magic, Messenger

Hawk is the messenger, the protector and
the visionaries of the Air.
It holds the key to higher levels of consciousness.
This totem awakens vision and
inspires a creative life purpose.


A Hawk totem is filled with responsibility
because Hawk people seek the overall view.
They are aware of omens and spirit messages.

A Red-Tailed Hawk Totem is special.
It has direct ties to the Kundalini, the seat of primal life force.
It is associated with the base chakra .
If you have this Totem, you be aware of and work toward fulfilling your soul's purpose.
It reflects a greater intensity of energy within your life:
physical, emotional, mental and spiritual forces will all be strong within you.
The Red-Tail Hawk is a permanent totem -- it will always be with you.

It is associated with the number "14" with the Tarot card Temperance.
This card represents the teaching of higher expressions of psychic ability and vision.

Interesting BeTheMiracle! I also have the dove!! They line up on the wires over my garage, they perch in the tree outside my dining room window and feed off my lawn. I hear their cooing many times a day. Even once when I was in the Doctor's office, one tried to fly in through the window.

When I feel lost, an owl comes my way. I do believe these animals send us messages of hope and guidance. We just need to pay attention as to their presence.

Thank you for your post!

Loey

I have several but my main totem animal is the fox. I have always known.

Cool, Loey! I have a dove right now that has built a nest in my wilow tree. She actually came and asked permission first! lol, I have a well-mannered dove! This is what Owl says:


OWL

Magic, Omens, Wisdom

The owl is the symbol of
the feminine, the moon and the night.
The owl is the bird of magic and darkness,
of prophecy and wisdom.

The owl is associated with Athena.

An owl totem gives you the power
to extract secrets.
Meditate on the owl and things will be revealed.
Listen to its voice inside of you.


You will hear not what is being said by others, but what is hidden.
You can detect subtleties of voice that others cannot.
People cannot deceive a person who has an owl totem.

Owl people can see into the darkness of others souls.
Most owl people are clairvoyant because of this ability.
It can be very scary at times.
Learn to trust your instincts about people.
Let your owl totem guide you.


Snowy Owl:
Conserve your energy until the time is right; be observant of your surroundings.
Has the power of prophecy.

Barn Owl:
This totem reflects the ability to the heart and the mind.
It can connect you to spirits and the houses that they haunt.
Mediums and “ghost hunters” often have this totem.
This totem can give you very strong clairvoyant abilities.

Barred or Spotted Owl:
People with totem can appear threatening on the outside,
but are actually very benign.
This Owl can teach us how to use your voice to great effect.

Screech Owl:
Very courageous and ferocious, this Owl teaches you how to be a fierce individual
with an ability to cooperate with others.

Short-Eared Owl:
This Owl gives you the ability to show up at the right place –
to take advantage of opportunity.
The Owl represents a blend of fire and air; they stir a passion for life
and fire the inspiration.
They awaken the imagination.

Great Horned Owl:
This Owl is a fierce protector.
It is the lunar opposite of the Red-Tailed Hawk (who represents the Sun).
Gives the ability to adapt to constant changing environments.
The harbinger of Spring.
Does not have a good sense of smell and may impart this trait to its totem people.

And Sake! Your Fox totem is a very cool totem to have. After this I will post something I found about the 9 different totem animals that guide us through our lives...


FOX

Stealthy messenger of the gods,
Cunning and wise, reliable friend,
Guide my steps through this maze of deception
And see this problem to its end.


Magic, Shapeshifting, Invisibility

Fox are seen as totems throughout the world:
the Chinese believed they could take human form,
in Egypt the fox brought favor from the gods,
there was a fox god in Peru,
foxes help the dead get to the next life in Persia,
Cherokees, Hopi other American Indian tribes
believed in its healing power;
the Apache credited the fox with giving man fire.

Since the fox lives "between times" --
on the edge of land, visible as dusk and dawn, and can guide the way to the Faerie Realm.

A fox can teach you to control your aura so that you can be more in harmony
with others and the world.

If you have a fox totem, learning to be invisible is very important in your life.
Imagine yourself blending in with your surroundings, becoming part of the background.
Be very still and quiet.
Through practice you can be unnoticed even at a party or in a crowd.

I have an acquaintance who used this power to evade several muggers;
he stood there in plain sight next to a building ,
and blended himself into the wall;
they did not see him and left without harming him. It can be done!

A fox totem also teaches good eating habits;
the fox eats small amounts frequently which medicine is now telling us is better for our health.
But fox people already knew this.

The fox is a wonderful totem to have.

The Nine Totems

Each person has nine animal essences or totems that walk through life with them, teaching and guiding them and in some cases, protecting them.

These animals are found in 7 directions around your spirit:
East, South, West, North, Above, Below and Within.

The last two animals are walking beside you at all times;
your Right Side (male) and your Left Side (feminine).

While sometimes the live animal is with you, often times
they are not -- your totems are animal essences or spirits --
and do not need to be the live animal.

The East totem guides you through spiritual challenges. It guards your path to illumination.

The South totem protects the child within and reminds you when to be humble and when to trust. It also helps heal your inner child.

The West totem leads on your path to personal truths and inner answers. It shows you the path to your goals.

The North totem gives wise counsel and when to speak and when to listen. It also reminds you to be grateful for each blessing each day.

The Above totem is the guardian of the Dreamtime and gives you access to other realms and dimensions.

The Below totem shows you how to stay on your life path and how to stay grounded to Mother Earth.

The Within totem in the protector of your sacred space.
It teaches you how to find your life's joy. This is a reflection of your inner self and often your power animal.

The Right totem protects your Male side and it is your Father protector. This animal carries your courage and warrior spirit.
If your Within totem is not your power animal, then this totem is.

The Left totem protects your Female side and teaches you how to nurture yourself and about relationships and mothering.

Special Helpers and Protectors

There are also animal totems which appear when you need them
and stay for only the time necessary. These are helper totems.
These totems have certain characteristics that you need at that time in your life or when you are ready for the lesson that they can teach you.

They flow in and out of your life as they are needed.
You can also have protector totems that stay with you
for either a short period of time or for many lifetimes,
depending on the challenges that you will need to face in this lifetime.

These totems protect you from harm from negative influences and entities.

Love this thread! :D


When I was first given my spiritual name "Wasayo" ("Skyrider" in English) by a Hopi chief in 1992, the gift was borne to me on the wings of a White Eagle... with a great Brown Eagle behind him. This was how Chief Andy "rode", and his Father (the Brown Eagle) came behind to love and support him... in this, and any life.


As I've said before (here and there), "Wasayo" means *She who talks with the Star Nations*. In this life (Rainbow Child), I am part Shawnee.


My Native American Medicine totem animal is *Crow*, Keeper of the Records. In February of 2007, *Hawk* was added... and now Crow flies on Hawk.


As my husband Magi and I have discussed with Melissa (BeTheMiracle)... we both have *Owl Medicine* (clairvoyance and clairaudience) as well (as does she)... since all three of us are nightly seeing *Hawk shapeshifting into Owl*.


Something's up... and it's Joyous.

Mine is the Raccoon. I know that is odd, but I have 17 that come every single night to eat by my back porch. Years ago they would show up in my yard by the droves. My dog even brought two home after a flood. They were tiny and their eyes were not even open yet. I had to nurse them on bottles, and took them to the vet for shots. I released them after about six months, and they continued to come around the house for the next several years and even brought their babies for us to meet.

The Raccoon


Keynote: Dexterity and Disguise
Cycle of Power: Spring and Summer—Nocturnal


Raccoons are fascinating animals. They are distantly related to the bear, and thus it should be studied as well by anyone with this totem. The name raccoon is believed by some to come from the Algonquin Indian word "arckunem," meaning "hand scratcher." The paws are very dexterous. Raccoons can be expert at opening lids, latches, doorknobs, and such. It would not be surprising to find that individuals who are thieves and burglars have raccoon medicine, even though it is not being used positively.

Raccoons are fascinated by water, which increases the sensitivity of the raccoon’s hands, and they can feel their food better. The raccoon will eat almost anything available. It will capture small prey, but it usually eats mostly vegetables and fruit. This is something that those with this totem should also keep in mind.

One of the most striking features of the raccoon is the mask that it wears. Although some associate this with thievery, it actually gives the raccoon a very powerful mystical symbolism. The use of masks to achieve altered states and for other healing and ritual purposes has been a part of every society. Mask making is an ancient art employed all over the world for ceremony, celebration, and in magical practices. Just as there is with the raccoon, with masks there is ambiguity and equivocation. When we wear a mask we are no longer whom we thought. We make ourselves one with some other force. We create a doorway in the mind and in the physical world a threshold that we can cross to new dimensions and new beingness.

This is the magic of raccoon. It is an expert at disguise and secrecy. It knows how to wear masks for a variety of purposes. It can teach you how to mask and disguise and transform yourself. Each must develop the relationship with the raccoon in their own unique way, but raccoon medicine can teach you how to become dexterous in the masks you wear. It can show you how to wear a healing mask or show you the face you shall become. The raccoon holds the knowledge of how to change our faces. Raccoon holds the knowledge of transformation through masks and disguise. This knowledge can be applied to religious and ritual practices or within normal everyday life. Do you need to present a different face to people for greater success? Are you hiding your true self? Are others hiding their true self? Raccoon can help you find the answers.

If a raccoon has shown up, you may see its influence for an extended time. If you are trying to make changes or endeavoring to hide changes you are making from others until you are in a better position, plan on using about a 20-week cycle. You will find it more effective. For longer and greater life transformations and such, when raccoon shows up you may want to make longer plans.

Ok, question here: does one find out what their totem animal is by their birthdate? I can not recall the site I visited, but I believe I answered everything there and the wolf was my totem animal. Gosh, I may even saved the papers, I'll have to search for them.

Well I figured sharing my totems was as good of an introduction to the board as any :-) It's nice to see people Acknowledging the temporary totems that come into your life. I have talked about that with other people and they look at me like I’m crazy. But I have this Raven that only comes when needed and usually for clearing, like I always smudge with a Raven wing. Then every time I make myself a drum it always ends up with butterflies painted on it, so I guess drumming must be part of how I transform energies. My ex-husband and I had a Crow for a marriage totem that was always there when we did spiritual work together and was gone as soon as we divorced. I love watching to see what animal comes at various times in my life, because it gives me insight into how I should be handling what’s going on in my life at that point.

left - owl
right - cougar
east - bear
south - turtle
west - buffalo
north - whale
above - hawk
below - horse
within - eagle

owl
wolf
dove
raven
turtle
deer

Welcome, Engtovo! We are blessed to have you here....This is for you...(and you too, PM, since you share some of the same totems....)


COUGAR, MOUNTAIN LION

Muscles rippling, free on the mountains,
Great cat of cunning, hunting and seeking,
Teach me quietness and stealth of purpose.
Show me the secrets of quiet magic.

Leadership

This is a very powerful, but very difficult totem.
Cougar medicine is the lesson of the use of power,
how to be an effective, fair leader and not abuse power.

This totem’s gift is how to balance power, intention, strength and grace.
It is the balance of body, mind and spirit.
The first responsibility of leadership is truth.
Remember: Responsibility is no more than the ability to respond to any situation.
Cougar can teach you how to bring out your power
and fill your heart with it that will enable you to take charge of your life.
You can use Cougar power to defend yourself or to attack.

BEAR

Deep in slumber, dreams unending,
Wise old bear, patient, strong,
Send me dreams of transformation.
Grant me intuition along
With introspection of my life,
Inner listening, no more strife.

Caution, Healing, Leadership

The power of the Bear totem
is the power of introspection.
The answers to all our questions
lie within us.
Each of us has the capacity to quiet the mind,
enter the silence and know.

Just as the bear hibernates during the winter,
people with a Bear totem will be quieter
during the winter months. But they
must awaken in the spring and seek
whatever opportunities are around them.

When you have a Bear totem,
you are being guided to a leadership role.
You must be fearless in defending your beliefs.

The Bear also encourages you to exercise
your abilities as a natural healer.

Bears are associated with trees which are natural antennas, linking the heavens and the Earth.
Bear also has links to the seven color rays of the Universal Light
as well as Lunar ties, linking the subconscious and the unconscious mind.
It is associated with the Goddess Artemis.


TURTLE

Mother Earth

Turtle is the oldest symbol for the Earth.
It is the personification of goddess energy
and the eternal Earth itself.

If you have a Turtle totem,
you must be mindful of returning to the Earth what she has given you.
Honor the creative source within you.
Use water and earth energies to create a harmonious flow in your life.
Ask the Earth for assistance and her riches will pour forth.

If a Turtle totem shows up in your life,
slow down the pace of your life.
Bigger, stronger, faster are not always the best ways to reach your goals.

Turtle is fine teacher of the art of grounding.
When you learn to ground yourself to Earth's power and strength,
you place focus on your thoughts and actions
and use the Earth's limitless energies rather than your own to accomplish your will.

Turtle is the keeper of doors
and one of the ways into the Faerie Realm.

BUFFALO

Rumbling like thunder o'er the prairie,
Great herds of abundance, sharing with man,
I need your knowledge to meet life's challenges,
To survive and move on with my plans.

Buffalo: Prayer and Abundance

Those who have a Buffalo totem must walk a sacred path, honoring every walk of life.
You will achieve nothing without the aid of the Great Spirit
and you must be humble enough to ask for assistance and then be grateful for those gifts.

A Buffalo totem will seek to help you establish a deep connection to Mother Earth
and it will ask you to help the endangered species of our planet.
He will bring you strength of character and an independent spirit.

It is the totem of abundance.
Do not push or force, but follow the easiest path.
Buffalo medicine is knowing that abundance is present
when all relations are honored as sacred and when gratitude is expressed to every part of creation.
Buffalo medicine is prayer, gratitude and praise.
Praying for the needs of all creatures, for harmony and
give praise for the gifts you have already received.


WHALE

Creation, Power of Song, Inner Depths

A Whale totem teaches you to go deep within yourself
to awaken your inner creativity.
But they also teach us not to become lost in
our creative imagination,
but to live in the real world.

When a Whale totem shows up in your life, examine your own use of creativity.
Apply your own creative intuition to formulas -- this is what imbues them with power and magic.

Creativity for the sake of creativity is not what the Whale teaches.
It awakens great depth of creative inspiration, but you must add your own color and light
to your outer life to make it wonderful.

The sound of the Whale teaches us how to create with song.

The whale, along with the dolphin, are the other sentient beings of our planet.
They too are self-aware and have souls.
Accordingly to the Michael Teachings, they are on their fourth cycle,
while most of mankind is on its eleventh or twelfth cycle.

HORSE

Pounding hooves, tossing mane,
Take me swiftly on my life's journey.
Loyal friend, carry me to a place of safety.
Lift me over the obstacles of my path.

Travel, Power, Freedom

Horses are symbols of freedom.
This totem brings new journeys.
It will teach you to ride in new directions and discover your own freedom and power.
Guide to overcoming obstacles.

The Horse is the symbol of Wind.

Horse people are usually friendly and adventurous.

If a horse has shown up in your life, you must ask yourself:
"Am I feeling constricted? Do you need to move on or allow others to move on?"

Horse will teach you how to ride into new directions to awaken
and discover your own freedom and power.


EAGLE

Spirit, Healing, Creation

The eagle is symbol of the zenith.
A great reminder of your own ability to soar
to great heights.

Eagles are messengers from heaven
and are the embodiment of the spirit of the sun.

Those with an Eagle totem need to have
an involvement with creation;
a willingness to experience extremes;
a willingness to use your ability
even if it means getting "scorched" a little as you
fly high; a willingness to seek out your true emotions.

A demanding totem, but one that offers so much reward at the end of the journey.

Its four-toed feet remind you to stay grounded even went soaring high;
Its talons remind you to grasp the things of the earth;
Its sharp beak shows you when to speak, how much, and how strongly.

This totem will show you opportunities and how to ride the winds to your benefit. Eagle people can live in the realm of the spirit yet still remain connected and balanced within the realm of the Earth.

You must become much more than you ever dreamed possible.


RAVEN

Magic, Healing, Creation

If a raven totem has come into our life,
magic is at play.
Raven activates the energy of magic
and links it to our will and intention.

With this totem, we can make great changes
in our life;
the ability to take the unformed thought
and make it reality.

The raven shows us how to go into the dark
of our inner self and bring out the light of our true self;
resolving inner conflicts which have long been buried.
This is the deepest power of healing we can possess.


DEER

Woodland dreams of intuition come with the graceful deer.
I greet you, brothers of the forest.
Your gift of magic will brighten my life.
Transformation will come to me.
Like you, I stand listening to the drum beat of life,
Poised to follow my guiding spirits.

Gentleness and Innocence

Deer teaches us to use the power of gentleness
to touch the hearts and minds of
wounded beings who are in our lives.

Don't push towards change in others,
rather gently nudge them in right direction
with the love that comes from a Deer totem.

When a Deer totem shows up in your life,
a new innocence and freshness in about to be awakened.
There is going to be a gentle lure of new adventures.
There will be an opportunity to express the gentle love
that will open new doors for you.

And for LittleFire and PM....Wolf Medicine:


WOLF

The mournful cries rise in the night.
We are seeking!
Wolves' song greets the Moon so bright.
We are brace and wise!
Sleek, muscles bodies beneath the Moon.
We help turn the wheel of death and rebirth!
By our magic we a send a boon
Of true dreaming!

Intuition, Learning, Spirit

This totem brings faithfulness, inner strength
and intuition when he enters our lives.
But he also brings learning to live with one's self.
The wolf teaches us to learn about our inner self
and to find our inner power and strength.
But to achieve this, we must take risks
and face our deepest fears.
A wolf totem demands sincerity.

This totem demands a lot of us
but gives us much in return;
a spirit helper that is always there to help
and gives us extraordinary powers of endurance.
He reminds us to listen to our inner thoughts
and trust our insights.

They remind us not to waste resources and
to learn how to avoid trouble and confrontations.
People with Wolf totems have the capacity to make quick and firm emotional attachments.
Trust your insights about these attachments. Wolf will guide you.
Take control of your life with Wolf’s help and do so with harmony and discipline.

More of my totem animals:

Snakes

Hawks (two pair of red tails have been nesting in my back yard for two summers)

Now I have an eagle. It has made a nest in on top of the transformer on a tall pole on my property. It is incredible to watch, but all my cardinals have disappeared.

I´ve never had a clear totem animal. Several animals, and sometimes kinds of animals, have been importnant to me, I think I´ve had guides in those shapes. But totems, no such luck.

Tautog, welcome to the nest! Make yourself comfy, pull up a feather and let's talk animals. lol

I find it fascinating that your guides come in shapes! What shapes do your guides come in? They could be trying to tell you something.

Are there any animals you are ultra-interested in, like if there was a nature show on TV, what kind of animal would make you stop and watch?

If you have knick-knacks in your home, are there any that carry a common animal theme? Do items continually come to you that feature the same animal?

I'm just curious...and again, welcome! Glad to have you!
Melissa