Animals of Spirit, Power and Totem

Animals of Spirit, Power and Totem have been a part of every major religion for centuries. The Greeks spoke to spirits and gods through oracles. The Ancient Native Americans imitated animals in dance and ceremonial rituals to establish links to the spirit world. The earliest recorded traditions teach that each person comes into life existence with one or more animal guides from the spirit world. It is also believed that the person and their “life-long” spirit totem animals share a spiritual, energetic connection in which the animals serves as an ally, guide, teacher, protector, and a source of power throughout the person’s life.

“If you talk to the animals, they will talk with you and you will know each other. If you do not talk to them, you will not know them, and what you do not know you will fear. What one fears, one destroys.” ~ Chief Dan George

Native American folklore also teaches that over the course of a person’s life, one may have nine spirit totem animals that represent their personal medicine, emulate their talents, and to also provide a source of inspiration for improving one’s self and life patterns. It is believed that seven of the spirit totem animals guide and teach during specific periods of the life journey, while the remaining two walk on the right and left sides of a person and provide influences all through one’s life. A spirit animal is referred to by many different terms, such as, “spirit guide”, “power”, or “totem” animal. Traditionally the totem power animal spirit would first come to an individual through a dream, vision quest or pilgrimage to a sacred place of power, meditation, or through an encounter with it in the physical world in which its presence and relationship availability is communicated.

Traditionally the totem power animal spirit would first come to an individual through a dream, vision quest or pilgrimage to a sacred place of power, meditation, or through an encounter with it in the physical world in which its presence and relationship availability is communicated.

The spirit totem animal offers its power, teaching, medicine, protection, wisdom and unique gifts to help a person learn and grow within one’s life. The totem spirit animal has the ability to enrich a person’s life and to empower them with its power. It serves as an intermediary between the spirit world and the physical world and helps one to realize, evolve and fulfill the full spectrum of their divine life purpose.

In opening the doorway to a spirit totem animal, it is essential for the animal to have a sacred home within the consciousness and life of the person to whom it is connected, and for the animal’s being to be honored on a regular basis through prayer, song, tobacco or corn meal offering and other practices which enable the relationship to prosper. It is also important to invite the totem spirit in to your body, mind and spirit so it can teach you what it has to offer in the way of wisdom and guidance from the physical and spirit world.