Native American Shamanism Question

[mucgwyrt]

I watched Brother Bear last night (which was SO funny btw!) and it raised a few questions on shamanism for me. My beau said I was being silly, because it was just a disney movie, but hey questions are questions! :)

1) Animal Totems and by extension Power Animals ~
Are our animal totems more to do with qualities we should strive to attain, rather than qualities we already have? Or both?

2) The 'Great Spirit' or whatever it's called ~
What is this? How do Native Americans describe this?
I've been doing some research and it seems to me (who is very uneducated on this topic) to be the Collective Unconscious by any other name - a mix of 'the ancestors' (the same as Race Memory?) who guide the tribes through life, and an archetypal mother earth figure, to again guide the tribes through life and safeguard their crops etc.

Any thoughts, links, whatever would be greatly appreciated :)

[Celticscryer]

Great questions, Macha! And, ignore you beau! :lol: I have found that Disney movies are quite deep and mentally stimulating on many levels!

The answer to both questions will vary depending on which tribe you are researching, from a Native American perspective. In some tribes, totem animals are your assigned guides who teach you and protect you. In some tribes, they represent qualities you posses, and in some they represent qualities you need to develop.

The Great Spirit, in most tribes I have researched, seems to represent the one all powerful diety who created Life.

[Nighthawk]

Yes, what one might call "God" or the creator... In the Native American thread, we are looking to do a loose class on collective/race memory... I ordered a book today that 'hopefully' will work as a reference text...
About totems... here is a pretty good site to visit. http://www.fabrisia.com/totemanimals.htm
Here is a better one http://www.crystalinks.com/totemanimals.html

[mucgwyrt]

Thanks very much for that :)

I would be interested in participating in a class on collective/race memory - let me know when you start :)

As Totem animals are different that spirit animals/guides (?), how would you go about finding them? How could you tell the difference when you met an animal?

[Celticscryer]

As Totem animals are different that spirit animals/guides (?), how would you go about finding them? How could you tell the difference when you met an animal?
It depnds on you belief system, I think. From my own point of view, Spirit Guides are typically human, or humanoid (such as elves or fairies). Some can shape shift into animal forms, as well. (My spirit guide is elven and dragon; he can easily switch between the two)

In my view, animal guides are the same as Totem animals.

[Mòrag Elasaid Ní Dhòmhnaill]

Macha, if you're interested in animal totems (or fetishes as they're also known) you should read Zunia Fetishes by Hal Zina Bennett. Very good book, I highly recommend it to you. You probably won't find it in your typical new-age section of the bookstore. But if you have a local store or something that sells Native goods, then you should be able to find it there. Don't know about a library. Anyhow, the book is very in depth about caring for the physical embodiement (from my experience in the Southwest the Native Americans usually carry a representation of their fetish/totem animal in their medicine bag) of your totem as well as myths related to the fetish and how they help you.

Also, there are several strings throughout MW about totem animals, look at some of them. Good information.

[mucgwyrt]

Macha, if you're interested in animal totems (or fetishes as they're also known) you should read Zunia Fetishes by Hal Zina Bennett. Very good book, I highly recommend it to you. You probably won't find it in your typical new-age section of the bookstore. But if you have a local store or something that sells Native goods, then you should be able to find it there. Don't know about a library. Anyhow, the book is very in depth about caring for the physical embodiement (from my experience in the Southwest the Native Americans usually carry a representation of their fetish/totem animal in their medicine bag) of your totem as well as myths related to the fetish and how they help you.

Also, there are several strings throughout MW about totem animals, look at some of them. Good information.

Thanks, I'll definately look into it :)
A medicine bag (my god, questions leading to questions :lol:) is that like carrying round good luck herbs, or...?

[Mòrag Elasaid Ní Dhòmhnaill]

A medicine bag...hard to explain because the contents are personal and private for each person. Essentially a medicine bag is a small pouch containg various items of value to the individual, and usually also a representation of their fetish. I was given mine when I was thirteen, sort of a coming of age thing, by the medicine man of a local tribe and a dear friend of the family. It was at that same time that my totem animal/fetish was revealed to me - Rabbit.

In mine I have a representation of Rabbit, a bear tooth, a wolf claw (yes they are actually a tooth and claw), and a polished stone. They are included for what they mean to me personally and what they represent.

Rabbit represents the playful trickster and the crazy wisdom. He teaches one how to live by their wits, something very important in this day and age. Another valuable lesson you can gain from Rabbit that the physical form is transitory, and that it is only spirit that animates us.

Bear is associated with healing and transition/change. He also reminds me/us that there are times in our lives when even us humans experience a form of hibernation/depression that is necessary and natural because at these times of minimal interaction with the world we can focus our energy on the inner process necessary to create change in our own lives.

Wolf is associated with insight/teaching. Knowledge he imparts to us usually comes as a flash and may take years to fully comprehend. He also reminds me/us of the strength and importance of family and their value/place in our lives.

The polished stone/sphere is just a reminder to just go with the flow, to let life shape and change me and not resist those changes.

There are a couple of other things that I am also working on including in the bag. Snake and Deer have also become very important to me, and I would like to add reminders of their place in my life to the bag.

Okay, now I'm feeling all weird for sharing something so personal.

[mucgwyrt]

*smile* it's really appreciated, I undertsand what you mean now. I'm not native american and I dont really follow that path, but it strikes me as a good thing to have. Perhaps I'll make one :)

Thanks very much Saoirse Aiyana :hugz:

[DanuMoonrunner]

Here are a few books I have that are helpful in understanding more about the Native American Way.(BTW, I agree with OW on this one, I prefer to be called an Indian).
The Medicine Way, How to live the teachings of the N A Medicine Wheel by Kenneth Meadows
A Treasury of North American Folk Tales by Catherine Peck
And the Tarot that I use The Native American Tarot by Star Spider Woman (Magda Weck Gonzalez)

And I agree with CelticScryer, it depends which tribe you are from, the teachings are as different as Baptists are to Catholics. No 2 religions are exactly alike.

Good luck on your journey.

[skilly-nilly]

Rabbit represents the playful trickster and the crazy wisdom. He teaches one how to live by their wits, something very important in this day and age. Another valuable lesson you can gain from Rabbit that the physical form is transitory, and that it is only spirit that animates us.




Beautiful description of Rabbit's Teachings!

Rabbit is a teacher of mine as well.
:bouncybob , skilly-nilly

[Windigo]

I also prefer to be called Indian, and I prefer culture over tribe. It just sounds less primitive to me I guess. Native seems to be some kind of pity word almost. Anyhoo, sorry it took me so long to get here Macha! And now for your questions, from the top I guess ;)

Totem Animals... Animals come to us because they have a lesson we need to learn a power they are willing to share with a friend.
The Great Spirit: "O Great Spirit/Earth, Sun, Sky and Sea/You are inside and all around me..." Similar to the Christian God, the Great Spirit is who created the earthand put everything on it.
The difference between totems and spirits: The Animal Totem that comes to you offers you power and wisdom if you will learn to communicate with it, with respect, trust, and understanding. Developing a relationship with a live animal totem takes time, practice, patience and could be very dangerous. Having an animal totem does not mean that you are to pet the animal or even be with it physically. Having an animal totem means that you have lessons to learn and a powerful spiritual friend. Each animal has it's own special power and message, for each animal has a powerful spirit and an inherent skill. Animal Spirits choose a person to be a companion to, a friend to, not the other way around. Basically, a totem teaches a lesson, a spirit comforts you.
By the way, just for reference, this is all from a Mohawk point of view, it is likely different in other cultures.
Just for fun, what does everyone have in their medicine bags?

[Mòrag Elasaid Ní Dhòmhnaill]

I also prefer to be called Indian, and I prefer culture over tribe. It just sounds less primitive to me I guess. Native seems to be some kind of pity word almost. Anyhoo, sorry it took me so long to get here Macha! And now for your questions, from the top I guess ;)

Totem Animals... Animals come to us because they have a lesson we need to learn a power they are willing to share with a friend.
The Great Spirit: "O Great Spirit/Earth, Sun, Sky and Sea/You are inside and all around me..." Similar to the Christian God, the Great Spirit is who created the earthand put everything on it.
The difference between totems and spirits: The Animal Totem that comes to you offers you power and wisdom if you will learn to communicate with it, with respect, trust, and understanding. Developing a relationship with a live animal totem takes time, practice, patience and could be very dangerous. Having an animal totem does not mean that you are to pet the animal or even be with it physically. Having an animal totem means that you have lessons to learn and a powerful spiritual friend. Each animal has it's own special power and message, for each animal has a powerful spirit and an inherent skill. Animal Spirits choose a person to be a companion to, a friend to, not the other way around. Basically, a totem teaches a lesson, a spirit comforts you.
By the way, just for reference, this is all from a Mohawk point of view, it is likely different in other cultures.
Just for fun, what does everyone have in their medicine bags?

Windigo that's pretty much how it was taught to me as well. And though I'm Cherokee and Cree, most of my knowledge is actually more akin to the various southwestern tribes/nations. Especially that of the Zuni, Navajo, and Ute as they were what predominate in the are I grew up.

As for preferences of what to be called, I've never been called Indian or Native, but that's probably because even though I've got quite a bit of Cherokee and Cree blood, I look much more like my Scots-Irish and German ancestors. Only by looking at the shape of my eyes can you see my Native blood. However, I would probably prefer to be called by the name of the tribes from which I descend, rather than Indian or Native.

[mucgwyrt]

All of this talk makes me even more curious. I think I'd like very much to look into Indian/NA Shamanism more. I have a great deal of respect for the Indians; they are one of the only (if not the only) culture to live so harmoniously with nature that they left so little behind them, not like in England where we have ruins and castles everywhere. Not that that's a bad thing, but I guess I have a lot of respect for the way the Indians looked after the earth :)

Thanks so very much guys :hugz:

[Nighthawk]

Many, many books have been written... Chif Dan George has beautiful poetry. Black Elk speaks of things to come. Sun Bear has much to offer. I have so many books that would be of interest.... let me know if you want titles..

[Shanti]

A great book for learning all about animal totems, even insects, is:
Animal Speak by Ted Andrews.