On the topic of spirit guides, totems and angels...

[Lilu]

The thread on spirit guides has inspired me to ask about this :)

I'm curious to hear other people's thoughts on the similarities and differences between what you consider spirit guides, totems and angels to be.

I personally find them to be very different entities that serve different purposes, though it's easy to confuse one with the other. I have guides, angels AND totems that all have different purposes in my life.

I have animal totems that are like power animals, and they give strength to me with their own special wisdom. My Australian Animal Spirit Guides are Koala and Wombat - and their energies are very much like my own. Yet there are also "animal totems" which are slightly different (in my experience) - and there are usually 9 - for different areas. I haven't discovered my totems in this area yet however I have a few ideas :)

I guess I define them more like this:

Totems - energies and wisdom that you can draw on - occasionally acting as a guide.
Guides - entities there to offer guidance and wisdom to help you along your path, usually in a more direct manner than angels.
Angels - similar to guides, but not of the same energy, and they will often not interfere or intervene in your life unless invited.

Those are my (very very brief) thoughts - which are by no means the one and only truth, I'd be interested in hearing any experiences or thoughts people have had with these different groups. :)

BB
Lilu

[Myst]

IMHO most angels have business on other planes and other jobs, and rarely interfere on this one (ceremonial in me I guess). Totems are animals that can help us learn lessons through them or we can draw on their aspects for certain reasons, or that we share aspects with. Spirit guides are spirits around us who watch or help us, or who we can draw aspects from; they may also appear in the form of a familiar. A familiar is an animal which one shares a unique kinship with (not just a pet) - the person could communicate with the animal or vice versa, and the animal could help in magickal workings.

For instance my totem is the housecat, my fiance's is the cougar. While I'm usually watching or calmly resting when I get angry the claws come right out (like a wet cat), plus I have no problem showing my feelings (like a cat who'll walk on your keyboard when you ignore him). My fiance, meanwhile, values his solitary time, and is very strong and powerful. He's also very clever and patient, he bides his time, but he's brutal when he wants. I'm told I have "cats eyes", meanwhile comparing his face to a picture of a cougar will show striking similaries in facial structure.

[Armitage]

Angels: Servants, messengers and warriors of deities...Not just God/Jehovah/YHVH/etc. but any deity. I also think there are ones that like to help people, and some who keep to themselves.

Totems: An animal or animal spirit one feels a connection with...I have yet to meet mine astrally or in dreams, but I think I know mine from gut feelings and, for a few, odd occurences in my life.

Spirit Guides: Friends and teachers who, usually, happen to be non-corporeal, maybe related as ancestors or by ties from past lives. Not much experience with these.

[Swanspirit]

Armitage........ the concept of the "winged beings" that the christians call angels is actually much older than christianity .... and the function of those beings varies widely from religion to religion.......... and I think the beings themselves are older and their beings or existence larger than anything we can fit into a category or religion........the "Ancient of Ancients" .....
A Totem can be a guardian as well...... and a spirit guide......I have a friend who does some absolutley incredible art work .... he is known world wide and some of his work is in the Vatican..... I met him at a time when i was in need of a guardian....... and his spirit found me ....we are close friends .......and he is one of my mentors check this out.......for concepts .
http://mishibinijima.isys.ca/james.html
Love and Light
Swannie