Guide Animals or Totem Animals

Dear readers,

Today we will talk about a very famous but controversial concept, spirit animals. 

Guide animals, or Totem Animals, Power or Medicine Animals, are symbols used since ancient times to get in touch with specific qualities, powers or medicines associated with animals with which relationships of profound affinity are established.

Animal Powers or Medicines provide strength and power and understanding to live and walk the Earth in perfect harmony with the universe, or to learn its lesson or message at a particular time in our lives.

Animals exhibit good behavior patterns that they want to pass on to anyone who is in a position to observe and perceive them.
Each animal has a spirit of power which can be that of the animal itself but also that of another spirit that uses the features of a specific animal.
During our life we ​​can have more power animals by our side, some will be able to follow us for most of our lives, others even only for moments of inner difficulty. According to Native American beliefs we have 9 totem animals, one for each direction (East, South, West, North, Above, Below and Inside) plus two other animals that walk alongside us and which are the most important and connected to our being and which are those who have accompanied you since you were little connected to the masculine and feminine side of the person. When you find an animal that speaks strongly to your sensations and emotions, or that strikes you deeply, you have to fill the environment in which you live with images of those animals, to make the animal understand that it is welcome in your space.

It should be remembered that it is the animal that chooses who to come into contact with, unfortunately we cannot be the ones to choose, letting ourselves be guided by the ego or by superficial evaluations, the result would be very frustrating, the right attitude is therefore to keep open and wait for the contact with our pet.

Finally, it should be remembered that several people can have the same totem. There are things in common in working with totems but also differences from individual to individual. The archetype and spirit that is reflected in the wolf for example will manifest itself in a unique way for each individual, because it is also unique.

How to find your totem animal

How do you get in touch with your guide animal?
It takes time and practice.
here are three methods of different difficulty.

The quest for vision:
it's about leaving your daily life environment, spending at least 24 isolated hours alone and free from distractions praying to the spirits to reveal our spirit guide in the form of an animal. The animal will be able to physically manifest itself therefore to every animal you meet you must pray and ask if it is him!

Dreams:
It is a simple method to meet the guide animal and ask it to reveal itself in a dream). Try assiduously for several nights asking your guide animal to manifest itself and make you clearly understand if he is your guardian. If it appears the next morning you will wake up with the knowledge that you have established contact with your spirit.

The Shamanic Journey:

It requires a lot of concentration and control.
It would be advisable to use a drum or a rattle to be played repeatedly and with a constant rhythm.

Darken the room, light a candle, burn incense with aromatic herbs, sit back and relax, start playing with an unceasing and regular rhythm ... hypnotic. Keep your eyes closed or slightly open as you gaze at the candle. Allow the various animals to come into your consciousness by letting them appear and disappear in a stream of images.

After a while it will seem as if an animal is more present or persistent in catching your attention, may be lingering for a long time or returning frequently. It will seem to you that that animal is present in the room. This could mean that he is your spirit animal: ask him and see how he responds.

How to find your Totem animal?

The technique for meeting the animal auxiliary is actually very simple. Make yourself comfortable in a straight-back chair or lie down.
Close your eyes and engage in the relaxation exercise, continuing it until your body and mind are rested and at peace.
At this point visualize in front of you a cave or a similar opening in the earth, which can also be the hollow trunk of a tree, a hole, a well. Give this image time to become sharp and stable, then proceed towards it and finally step inside it.

Don't try to see yourself from the outside, as if you were observing a character in a film, but instead try to really be, intent on walking and feeling your surroundings.

Once inside the cave, a guide will meet you, who can take one of many forms. Male or female, it can be perceived simply as a bright, mobile light, or in the guise of an old man with a gray beard or even an animal. If the guide takes the form of an animal, you can rest assured that it is not your animal helper, but a companion who will lead you into the inner realm.
In the depths of the cave or opening, there is a tunnel that reaches into the bowels of the earth.

The guide will then take you inside the gallery. As you ride it, you may get a feeling of rapid acceleration. Don't walk away: it's perfectly natural and normal.

At the end you will exit with your guide into an interior landscape. At this point allow yourself time to acclimatise and look around. What kind of landscape is it?
Are there trees, mountains, rivers, lakes? What time of day is it? Is it cold or hot? Is the wind blowing or is the air still? When you feel "at home" enough, it's time to go exploring.

The guide will await your return. Your aim is to look for an animal (or more than one) in this landscape. Take note of everyone you see, and don't underestimate them if they're tiny and seem insignificant. Many would prefer a magnificent wolf, bear, or lion as their animal helper, perhaps not realizing that one of the most powerful animals in the Native American tradition is the humble mouse!

In classic shamanism, you should see your animal helper from three different angles, but you can also trust your instincts to locate the appropriate animal for you.
Obviously, you will have to avoid all the animals that show you bared fangs: they will not act as auxiliaries, but will hinder your path. Once you see an animal that seems to have an affinity with you, be ready to welcome whatever teaching it may want to give you.
If he hasn't approached you yet, wait to see if he does.

What happens at this point, it's not for me to tell you.. your animal helper can interact with you in a thousand different ways. When you feel the experience is over, simply bid farewell to your pet and exit the gallery with your guide.

As you bid farewell to your guide at the mouth of the cave, create a picture of your room and gently join your body there. Breathe deeply for a while longer, move your arms and legs, open your eyes.
As soon as you have fully "awakened" in your normal environment, it is advisable to take precise notes, describing each vision or symbolic object offered to you by your pet.