Why wombat? And is he permanent?

[Wombat Boi]

This may get a bit long-winded so I apologize ahead of time. =/.

Anyway, I feel a very powerful connection to the wombat. I have for the past 3 years. Once I started to study my ideas in a spiritual sense I came to the conclusion that the wombat must be a totem or spirit animal for me. I'm pretty secure in my belief that the wombat holds a lot of significance in my life.

I came across wombat through a very close friend of mine. His name is Matty, and he is about 15 years older than I am, and I met him when I was 14. He IS an older gay man, but there is absolutely nothing threatening about his relationship with me. Quite the contrary as the moment we met he started to become more of a mentor to me, and almost a fatherly, protective figure in my life. He always viciously defended me and continues to to this day, though his manner of doing so is not as upfront as it used to be as he trusts me as I get older to handle my problems myself. I appreciate and value his trust in me but also appreciate the fact that he is always behind my back should anything ever go wrong.

Anyway, he is a native Australian. We were discussing one night how it would be nice for me to have something from him that I could hold and sleep with at night. He decided he'd like to send me a plush toy and I agreed that I'd really like that. He thought a native Australian animal would be preferrable. He went through a list of animals with me, and I gave my approval or disapproval of what I liked, what I thought was cute, etc. One night, though, he told me that he had decided to send me a wombat. I looked up some pictures of them and thought they were alright.

Well, long story short, ever since then I have felt an overwhelming kinship with them that has just grown and grown the more I learn about them.

Matty later told me that he chose the wombat for me because he felt it reflected the traits he saw in me. Wombats are stubborn and determined, innocent - yet also very good at getting themselves into trouble. They are also fast and fierce when they need to be - and brave, all things that he said he saw in me (which made me feel very honored).

I've never seen a wombat in person (or, well 'in wombat', if you will) but I hope to some day, and if I'm lucky perhaps have some kind of physical contact with them. Just the thought of doing so is exciting to me. I can't even express it properly.

I feel as though the wombat was presented to me for a reason and I'm glad I understood that and embraced him in my life. I wonder though whether my kinship to wombat will stay constant my whole life, or whether eventually I will find another spirit animal that I will feel just as strongly for. I hope that wombat will stay with me because I care for him deeply.

For the record, I feel the closest towards common wombat, but I have a very deep emotional connection towards both species of hairy-nosed wombat as well.

What do you guys think?

http://www.wombania.com/wombat-pictures/common-wombat.jpg

[HedwigHarfang]

This may get a bit long-winded so I apologize ahead of time. =/.

Join the club.


Anyway, I feel a very powerful connection to the wombat. I have for the past 3 years. Once I started to study my ideas in a spiritual sense I came to the conclusion that the wombat must be a totem or spirit animal for me. I'm pretty secure in my belief that the wombat holds a lot of significance in my life.

He is your power animal; you are in fact a wombat spirit incarnated in a human body; I'm not expert in telling how many lifetimes you have had as a human being yet but you understand that what you describe is a kind of "vision quest" where you open up to the significance of spirit and other inner awareness. Wombat will always be your primary animal totem and it is a kind of "why? because!" thing; a few lifetimes ago you were one, and you decided to incarnate as a human being because you wanted to explore human life rather than remaining an animal forever. Because of the population explosion many humans - about 3/4 of the entire population of this Earth - are animals in human skin learning spiritual development as human beings. It is called therianthropy in these kinds of circles but I can tell from what you ask that though you have lived about six times as a human being you still have not quite found any other permanent totems; we all end up with three and then begin to take lessons from others once these three have coalesced into an inner and then higher self.


I came across wombat through a very close friend of mine. His name is Matty, and he is about 15 years older than I am, and I met him when I was 14. He IS an older gay man, but there is absolutely nothing threatening about his relationship with me. Quite the contrary as the moment we met he started to become more of a mentor to me, and almost a fatherly, protective figure in my life. He always viciously defended me and continues to to this day, though his manner of doing so is not as upfront as it used to be as he trusts me as I get older to handle my problems myself. I appreciate and value his trust in me but also appreciate the fact that he is always behind my back should anything ever go wrong.

Anyway, he is a native Australian. We were discussing one night how it would be nice for me to have something from him that I could hold and sleep with at night. He decided he'd like to send me a plush toy and I agreed that I'd really like that. He thought a native Australian animal would be preferrable. He went through a list of animals with me, and I gave my approval or disapproval of what I liked, what I thought was cute, etc. One night, though, he told me that he had decided to send me a wombat. I looked up some pictures of them and thought they were alright.

Well, long story short, ever since then I have felt an overwhelming kinship with them that has just grown and grown the more I learn about them.

Matty later told me that he chose the wombat for me because he felt it reflected the traits he saw in me. Wombats are stubborn and determined, innocent - yet also very good at getting themselves into trouble. They are also fast and fierce when they need to be - and brave, all things that he said he saw in me (which made me feel very honored).

I've never seen a wombat in person (or, well 'in wombat', if you will) but I hope to some day, and if I'm lucky perhaps have some kind of physical contact with them. Just the thought of doing so is exciting to me. I can't even express it properly.

I feel as though the wombat was presented to me for a reason and I'm glad I understood that and embraced him in my life. I wonder though whether my kinship to wombat will stay constant my whole life, or whether eventually I will find another spirit animal that I will feel just as strongly for. I hope that wombat will stay with me because I care for him deeply.

For the record, I feel the closest towards common wombat, but I have a very deep emotional connection towards both species of hairy-nosed wombat as well.

What do you guys think?

http://www.wombania.com/wombat-pictures/common-wombat.jpg

This is descriptive of your quest for inner understanding and that you have not found any other animals with which to converse suggests that you have spent this life getting to grips with the wombat inside yo and will then progress next time round to acquiring your second and third totems with which to develop further. Time is not running out for you to acquire these other totems but it is necessary now to accept and thank Wombat for his help and discover other totems which could compliment or balance his understandings. It is now up to you who you look for next but there are probably many better people who could coach you through that stage relevant to the Australasian landscape than can this European!

[Wombat Boi]

Thank you! I really appreciate your explanation and I'll start looking into them more deeply. I can't imagine how I would begin to look for my other animals as the way that I found wombat was so unexpected!

[Bettie]

I've always liked wombats - apart from being painfully cute, they're quite amiable creatures. I've snuggled one before - it was surprisingly heavy, quite solidly built. It had the most beautiful golden fur, and it was quite happy to snuggle in my lap for a while. :)

[Wombat Boi]

We are actually pretty patient critters. There are a lot of people that think we're just harmless fluffy furry teddy bears though and quite conveniently miss our enormous digging claws and think it's okay to tease us and kick us and stuff. Mostly teenagers.

People have been killed by wombats. D:

For some reason though I've never met someone that truly dislikes wombats. Most Australians that live in areas they do I've spoken to have been annoyed by them, yes, but also respect them a great deal.

[1111]

Very cool. Enjoy your totem.

I was just introduced to this creature a few weeks ago and it seems every where I turn now I hear about it.

Law of attraction, I guess.

[aluokaloo]

here are link

http://www.goddessrealm.com/inspiration/animal.html#Australian_Animal_Totems_

http://www.sayahda.com/cyc5.html

http://www.patwilson.com.au/wombats.html


I hpe they help a little. and as far as is wombat permanent? you have to find that out yourself, I'm still unsure if otter is here to stay or not. Best of luck! and remeber you don't have the wombat as a forever totem to care for them, there are tons of animals who aren't my totems that i absolutely adore, like horses, wolves, dolphin, cheetahs and the list goes on. don't worry about being long-winded, I am too. ;)

[HedwigHarfang]

In you, Aluo, I would say Otter is here to stay because you are still acquiring all three permanent totems. If I recall correctly you are an early-life therianthrope wild boar, so Otter is discussing a long term residency permit with you ;). I wondered about the wolf in your sig being resonant with another totem that you were speaking to but Otter is the one you are really interested in long-term acquisition.

Wombat-Boi - my sixth sense suggests that you are not yet open to other totem animals just yet. Do not look consciously, just relax and let them suggest themselves in their own time. Perhaps another visit to a shaman might help - I get the idea that the Walpiri tribe was a major part of your spirit's previous lives - and active, conscious research will hinder you getting in touch deep inside yourself with what you subconsciously need to understand in order to progress.

[Lupabitch]

I would suggest just talking to Wombat (the totem, not an individual wombat). IMO, it's best to just go to the source. You can ask hir how long s/he's planning on staying in your life, and why s/he's there. I also find it helpful and appreciated to "check in" with the totems I work with on a regular basis. If you haven't ever done this sort of meditation before, here's the one I use:

http://therioshamanism.com/2007/09/28/more-about-animal-totems/

Instead of going down with the intent to talk to whatever animal shows up, go down with the intent to talk to Wombat in particular.

[Aidron]

I would suggest just talking to Wombat (the totem, not an individual wombat). IMO, it's best to just go to the source. You can ask hir how long s/he's planning on staying in your life, and why s/he's there. I also find it helpful and appreciated to "check in" with the totems I work with on a regular basis. If you haven't ever done this sort of meditation before, here's the one I use:

http://therioshamanism.com/2007/09/28/more-about-animal-totems/

Instead of going down with the intent to talk to whatever animal shows up, go down with the intent to talk to Wombat in particular.

And on that note, don't be afraid to ask for proof or a sign. We are intelligent creatures possessing both free will and inherently flawed with doubt... though sometimes we fall short on the first half of that. Anything that wishes to be part of our lives will understand that, and if they do not, well... they're idiots. I don't care if they're a god or a totem, they're just plain dumb.

I'm quite skeptical, and I asked for proof at point blank "Give me a sign now if you would." and 5 seconds later I got undeniable proof. I mean, the thing was staring me in the face less than 5 feet away.

Also, I want a wombat now. Though they are not as cute as roly-poly hedgehogs.

[HedwigHarfang]

Aidron - you will have Wombat as one of your nine directions next life ;). In the mean time take care to concentrate on inner development with your current three because I fear - and I dread telling you this - that you are interviewing candidates now for next time round because you may feel that you are not long for this world despite your age.

Drawing a card I get Ace of Swords; you are going to have to take a drastic decision soon that may bring things into perspective. You feel as if you are moving on and Magpie and Wombat are beginning to settle into your directions already even though you have only just formed your "inner self", which next life will be your "higher self". You are reaching an "out point" and whether you take it or not is up to this decision here; but it is good to see that you are spiritually confident that you will progress rather than developing a shadow self. Keep a hold of Wombat; it may indicate you are going to Australia next time and would need a guide for that life that fits the terrain.

Your sign shows you there are many things out there that will convince our sceptical sides that we are spiritual beings, and falling short is not something you have to worry about here (because you are aware and conscious of needing to take care of the basics of life before thinking too much about higher things).

The card that explains this is the Roy de Denier - you will survive this outpoint but you are well guided here and know how to inch your way through it. It's not easy to tell someone that one is approaching, but in your case when one does, the directional totems you will acquire in your next life gather to assist the transition from animal spirit to human spirit. I am not sure of your own religious beliefs but as I am a Jew I will quantify it by saying - I get the feeling God allowed me to explain this to you by bringing me here now in order to explain a bit more to you about your directions.

;) Take care and let the King guide your hand when you wield your Sword. You are steadily on the course that will take you through to a good age, it is just that we all have out-points and though we don't have to take them you will feel some pain or sorrow over the next few months that Magpie and Wombat will help to ease. Then acquiring others will assist the rest of your life this time and prepare you for next.

[Aidron]

Aidron - you will have Wombat as one of your nine directions next life ;). In the mean time take care to concentrate on inner development with your current three because I fear - and I dread telling you this - that you are interviewing candidates now for next time round because you may feel that you are not long for this world despite your age.

Nine directions?

As for dreading to tell me that, no worries. I actually have known for years that I'm already going to live a very long life, and there is a lot of bad crap that is yet to come and that I have been warned of for many, many years. In particular, my 40s are going to be my own personal Apocalypse. So, I'm not sure where you got your information from, but... perhaps it was off a bit. :eyebrow:

Also, I'm not sure whether the rest of the post was directed at me or at Mr. Wombat.

[Evinmeer]

As for dreading to tell me that, no worries. I actually have known for years that I'm already going to live a very long life, and there is a lot of bad crap that is yet to come and that I have been warned of for many, many years. In particular, my 40s are going to be my own personal Apocalypse.

Ai yi, you people! How do you live with yourself under that kind of knowledge? Just accept it? Steel yourself? *shakes head ruefully* Hate to say it, but I don't think I could be so graceful about it. Best of luck to you, though! *lights a candle for you with a sideways glance*

[Aidron]

Ai yi, you people! How do you live with yourself under that kind of knowledge? Just accept it? Steel yourself? *shakes head ruefully* Hate to say it, but I don't think I could be so graceful about it. Best of luck to you, though! *lights a candle for you with a sideways glance*

What's so bad about it? I'm going to live a long life. Lots of people do, nothing special there. I'm going to have some shitty times. Had tons, certainly didn't think I had seen the last of 'em. It's really nothing out of the ordinary.

[Evinmeer]

Question:
What's so bad about it?
Answer:
In particular, my 40s are going to be my own personal Apocalypse.

But perhaps it's just my interpretation of the word 'apocalypse' that makes me cringe?

[Aidron]

Question:
Answer:

But perhaps it's just my interpretation of the word 'apocalypse' that makes me cringe?

[shrugs] Bad stuff happens. Besides, what doesn't kill us makes us stronger. I'm not really worried about it.

[Evinmeer]

[shrugs] Bad stuff happens. Besides, what doesn't kill us makes us stronger. I'm not really worried about it.

Suren, difficulties do present unique opportunities.... meh. I'm just not one for the suspense of it all. Light knows, I love a good challenge; but I'm not terribly fond of waiting for it to come to me.

[Amilee]

Holy....Put the avatar of yourself next to that wombat you posted...I can almost see the wombat poking out!! It`s amazing! I had to flick between the two pictures for like 10 min but i could see it!!! Amazing!

[HedwigHarfang]

Nine directions?

As for dreading to tell me that, no worries. I actually have known for years that I'm already going to live a very long life, and there is a lot of bad crap that is yet to come and that I have been warned of for many, many years. In particular, my 40s are going to be my own personal Apocalypse. So, I'm not sure where you got your information from, but... perhaps it was off a bit. :eyebrow:

Also, I'm not sure whether the rest of the post was directed at me or at Mr. Wombat.

Most of it was directed at you. You intrigue me because I could feel that you are young but you are already gathering those around you for your next life. Thus originally I assumed you weren't destined to make it through your forties BUT on the other hand, the King made me relax a bit.

It's a mixture of detective work (induction, like Sherlock Holmes rather than logical deduction) because as I said, as someone on their ninth animal life with an inner self you are supposed to live long enough to be tested on your resilience to temptation but when the next life's totems gather to pull you through to the other side and onwards and upwards on the spiritual path to having a Higher Self that doesn't interfere in day-to-day problems like your impetuous Inner Self does, it usually means that the person is due to pass over fairly soon. But given that you know that your 40s are going to be a time of trial, then I suspect Magpie, Wombat and the others are gathering to help now rather than leave you without rock-solid guidance from above as well as inside. Adopting the glasses suggested to me that even though you didn't need them you are channelling the magpie guide already to keep yourself steady; knowing how to work with totems even unconsciously suggests to me that you have pulled in extra help to get you through the period you know is going to be somewhat of a struggle. You have a while to go but perhaps you are just getting the help in early.

Amilee - the wombat is unadulterated by any other animal features, hence your surprise at the two pictures matching so much. Physiognomy is not really a subject that I like to use when discussing spirit effect on the human figure (it was used against whole classes in society to suggest that criminality was hereditary and by sterilising people with criminal features crime could be eradicated entirely) but have a look at these two pictures - one of my "friend" David Cameron and one of a writer who lived in the early 19th century, not in fact very far from where Louise's parents live. I believe the two are one and the same spirit in different incarnations, and finding such a clear-cut example is rare.

http://premium1.uploadit.org/lestanley79//MRFoxworth.jpg

http://premium1.uploadit.org/lestanley79//MRMitford.jpg

The squint in the eyes is the most telling, but you can see that there is a definite resemblance between Cameron (top) and his spiritual ancestor Mary Russell Mitford. The spirit is a fox spirit - I'm not sure in fox-therianthropes that there is such direct resemblance between human and animal as there is in that wombat picture but I know Cameron has no other totem and therefore the fox comes out stronger than usual in mixtures such as Aidron.

http://premium1.uploadit.org/lestanley79//foxylickshislips.jpg

[Wombat Boi]

All of my friends always comment on the fact that I look like a wombat. Hehe.

I suppose I am rather short and have a round, wombatish head. :P.

I can't honestly imagine feeling the connection with other creatures that I feel with wombat. I certainly love all animals (I haven't squished a bug in my life. Ever. I always leave them alone or like in the case of the stupid house centipedes that kept crawling all over my bathtub and countertops and stuff while they were renovating my place I'd just stick them outside next to the house. They could come back in if they wanted they just better not be someplace where I might drown'em.) But, my connection with wombat is such a unique feeling. Most of the time when I am doing anything I feel as though I'm seeing things as he does. I'll react to something and get the distinct feeling that it is the wombat in me leading that reaction. The way I deal with stress and danger and stuff. It's very difficult to explain.

Ugh. I hate the fact that most people don't even know what a wombat is. It frustrates me. I seriously have half a mind to move to Australia just so people stop asking me if a wombat has wings. Good lord.

[HedwigHarfang]

It's interesting now you come to mention that you are American and not Australian. Do your parents have wombat totems too? Do they have any connection with Australia at all?

[Wombat Boi]

I don't know my parents totems, but I don't think they would have a wombat totem. They just don't seem to be the sort. I can't explain it, but I think I'd be able to recognize another wombat person. But I know they don't have any connection with Australia that comes to mind. I don't have any family from there or anything. Just friends.

[HedwigHarfang]

That's interesting. It is rare for a person not to share at least one totem with their parents. Louise's parents are two raven-totems bringing up Crowperson, but that is because ravens and crows "count" as the same animal (whereas owls are always specific - so my mother had to have a Snowy Owl totem to raise me, her little Owlperson, because she and my father and sister are all fish spirits - two pikes and a salmon; she wouldn't have had a barn owl or a tawny owl or even a Russian Ural Owl totem) because it goes by appearances rather than genetic make-up. A rook would not be able to raise a crow or vice versa because of the white patch on the bill lending humans with rook spirits or totems fairer hair than the dark crow or raven looks.

There must be an American animal similar to the wombat which is the totem of your parents. Looking at it it may be that the wombat is the Australasian, marsupial version of a groundhog...but I can't read your parents without an understanding of their actual appearance, and even then they may just have secondary totems corresponding to yours. Even the groundhog doesn't look like it resembles a wombat.

[1111]

Very interesting.

1111

[Wombat Boi]

Very few things resemble a wombat, I've found. All I know is I've never met someone that gives a wombat sorta vibe to me. It's really strange.

Something I just thought of though - I wouldn't be at all surprised, knowing what I know about the opossum, if that was a totem of my father's. His personality is reflective of their personalities in a lot of ways - and he's very connected to our native wildlife in this area (eastern Pennsylvania). I know he's fond of opossums.

And, interestingly, they're the only north American marsupial (or, well, perhaps the only non-Australian/New Zealand marsupial in the world?) Do you think that may have any bearing?

[Lupabitch]

Speaking of Wombat as a totem, a dear friend of mine who practices shamanism and is also an incredible artist posted this entry to her blog:

http://moonvoice.livejournal.com/397658.html

She's also the webmistress of http://www.wildspeak.com (http://www.wildspeak.com/), oneof my favorite shamanism sites. Thought her thoughts on Wombat might help.

[Wombat Boi]

Speaking of Wombat as a totem, a dear friend of mine who practices shamanism and is also an incredible artist posted this entry to her blog:

http://moonvoice.livejournal.com/397658.html

She's also the webmistress of http://www.wildspeak.com (http://www.wildspeak.com/), oneof my favorite shamanism sites. Thought her thoughts on Wombat might help.


Thank you so much for that link. It's beautiful.