Animal Totems

[Flar's Freyja]

This is just a short list of some animals and their meanings. Keep in mind that their meanings may vary from culture to culture. So I suggest you read some books on shamanism, and animals and their myths in other cultures. Think thoroughly what you are reading. Meet the animal on the astral.

Ant - It is industrious.

Badger - Courage.

Bear - Watcher, guardian of the world, giver of great strength of body, courage and power of will.

Buffalo - Possesses great strength.

Cat - It is a good hunter and very independent.

Coyote - It is a crazy trickster bearing tidings of sacred msichief.

Crow - Justice.

Deer - Compassion

Dog - Loyalty.

Dolphin - Wise and happy, able to explore the great depths of emotions, friend to lovers of the sea.

Dragonfly - It can tell you how to break through illusions and how to gain power through dreams. It teaches higher aspirations. Imagination

Dragon - It is fiery, rich and knows the answers to many riddles.

Eagle - Rising, circling the Sun, his cry thrills the brave and panic the faint-hearted.

Fish - Graceful.

Hawk - All-seeing, soaring on the breast of the wind. Observation.

Horse - Freedom

Hummingbird - Fierce warrior, jewel of the gods, whose feathers bear love magic. Pleasure.

Lion - Emblem of royalty, symbol of the Sun. Courageous guardian protectors.

Lizard - Vision

Lynx - Keeper of secrets.

Mouse - It has an eye for details.

Owl - Wise watcher in the night, fate-seer, riddler, beloved by Athena. Silence.

Panther - A good protective animal.

Puma - Shaman's companion on journeys to the other worlds; spirit of grace and silent power.

Rabbit - Fertility

Raven - trickster, wise in oracles and omens, messenger and watcher for the gods. Mystery.

Snake - Transformation.

Spider - Fate

Stag - Lord of the forest, masculine power of regeneration, giver of bounty, beauty and mystical signs.

Swan - Guide into dreamtime.

Turtle - Shyness

Wolf - Pathfinder for the human spirit; heart of the wildness of the world. Knowledge.

Power Animals (http://www.workingwitch.com/totems/totems2.html)

[Flar's Freyja]

Oooh, I do like this well-done site on working with animal totems:

Shamanism Working With Animal Spirits Core (http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/4076/index1.html)

[Amber Ravenstar]

Shark. Sharks have been manifesting in my dreams and on the astral with me for a few years now. Over the past couple of years the experiences have grown to include astral and dream shapeshifting into one, which is one of the most intense experiences I've had in a long time! It's not always the same type of shark, either. Usually it is a Blue shark, but occasionally I get a Tiger shark and once shifted into a Hammerhead, which was very bizarre indeed until I got used to the different sort of vision.
This isn't a typical animal to find information about from a totemic standpoint. The closest I have come is with information from Hawaiian legends of people who revered sharks. Does anyone know any deities associated with sharks?

[ankhesen Sekhmet]

Tritons, the sons of Poseidon and Amphitrite, were said to have shark skin.

[Skywise]

I discovered one of my totem animals to be the Humpback whale, as it was my first Astral Shapeshifting experience. Talk about perfect combination of Power and Grace.

In a very recent meditation I had a White Stag lead me through a forest to a hidden spring...there I learned something very profound and it changed me.

ALWAYS follow where the stag leads you...as well as the mouse.

[Armitage]

That place has a great list...Though the idea of a virus being some sort of totem chills me.

[tarotbear]

In the Medicine Cards the Whale is the cosmic consciousness- the library of all the knowledge of the Earth due to whale's long lifetimes. :cool:

Butterflies are a symbol of transformation, which is what they represent in tarot terms, too. :shift:

[MoonRaven]

That geocities site you posted has been the only place I've been able to find information about Egrets. A while back I had a very vivid dream about being in a pond that was going to be filled in, and the whole dream revolved around this egret. I knew it wasn't one of my totem animals, but I knew it had to mean something.

[Thistle]

Originally posted by Armitage
That place has a great list...Though the idea of a virus being some sort of totem chills me.

Me too. Probably the totem of hackers and such like.

[Flar's Freyja]

I started thinking about this yesterday when I realized that I've been presented with a lot of horses recently - through my work, I met five beautiful animals yesterday and a World Champion racehorse last week. This is what I found when I looked up their meaning:

"If you have cherished the horse as your totem animal for many years, you
have learned to appreciate your spirit helper's strength and intense desire
to accomplish more things at a time than may seem possible. In addition to
being able to infuse your physical body with energy and endurance, this animal
guide also has the ability to transport you to ever-higher levels of awareness."

Animal Totems (http://www.fortunecity.com/greenfield/ecolodge/197/totem.html)

Well, I'm working two jobs and really stuck as to what to do. I thought that one job could go, at least for a while, but then Flar's car had a stroke, mine has problems, etc. Spiritually and emotionally, I'm feeling dead and it's been a struggle not to become resentful and angry toward my husband and my son because I feel like I'm working for everyone but me. This has also resulted in my overspending to make myself feel better, which isn't helping.

The Indians say that the animal will keep appearing to you until you have worked on your issues. And I think they're right!

I'm comforted by the message that the strength and endurance is available to me.

[Selket]

Snake/Serpent's Wisdom Includes:

Messanger of the Rainbow Serpent
Elusiveness
Manipulates lightning
Transmutation
Exploration of the mysteries of life
Primitive or elemental energy
Protection from religious persecution
Goddess energy
Psychic energy
Creative power
Immortality
Connection to or forms the magic cord by which the shaman travels to the soul world

[Devin]

What about butterflies or dolphins?

Leslie

[Jenne]

Lately I've been so drawn to the dragonfly as well as the swan (well, swan has always been a part of me--from ugly duckling stage on, lol!). Makes sense, since at my latest Tarot reading I was told to pay attention to my dreams, that they have major significance at this time in my life.

The butterfly and the cat have always been my totems...

Here is some info on butterflies for you:

Butterfly spends the first part of its life crawling the earth, before metamorphosis leads it to spin a home for stasis (known as a cocoon). After transforming, Butterfly is reborn as various beautiful colored winged creatures of the air.
This insect is extremely sensitive to the Harmony of Earth, and is the first creature to leave a damaged ecology. Butterfly's graceful dancing-like appearance on flowers reminds us to find the joy in nature and make it a part of our life.
Butterfly enters our life as a messenger for change. If it comes to us hurt or ill, Butterfly asks us to stop keeping our joy at bay. It may take some time being alone with ourselves to listen to Butterfly’s gentle requests that we allow the natural transformation of things in our lives.

taken from this link: http://www.fortunecity.com/greenfield/tigris/567/id49.htm

[LadyOak]

I have 2 Totem Animals The Cougar or Panther and the Owl

[banondraig]

I started thinking about this yesterday when I realized that I've been presented with a lot of horses recently


my living area has been all but overrun with crickets lately. they are EVERYWHERE -- some of them even live in the showers. anyway -- i looked up the grasshopper/cricket and it said:

These two leaping insects are presented here together because
they are very often interchangeable in folk traditions around the world,
Interestingly, although these tiny creatures can become king-sized pests
and destroy entire crops and the livelihood of entire communities, from
ancient Egypt to contemporary China, they represent happiness, good
fortune, and a long life.

If the grasshopper/cricket appeals to you as a totem animal, you probably enjoy singing, dancing, and having a good time. You are open-minded and quite likely completely free of prejudice regarding gender, ethnic groups, or religions.

As a spirit helper, you can rely on your guide to help you lighten up when you grow overly concerned about matters that are not as serious as you believe them to be.

http://www.fortunecity.com/greenfield/ecolodge/197/grasshopper.html
link found earlier on this thread -- thank you, Freyja.


this is especially appropriate as everyone on this camp just wants to go home, already. these people were told they might be home by may. now the higher-ups are saying they will start thinking about getting them home after they've been here (iraq) for a year. that actually works out to a good bit longer than that, given packing-up, travel arrangements, finding replacements, and general dithering and paper-shuffling. as for me, i accepted some while ago that my life would not make sense while i was in the army. at any rate, i'm sure the crickets are asking each other how many of them it takes to make their point!