In the Native American culture as well as in other such tribal communities, a totem animal is a guide that guides you along your journey in life. These “power animals” gives you messages and strength to assist you in spiritual, physical and mental health. Some are born with a totem. Others go on a vision/spirit quest to discover what their totem animal may be.

Other cultures believe in angels and spirit guides. The Native American culture is clo sely tied to nature. Thus many of their beliefs and practices are engrained in the healthy relationship with nature.

Whatever higher power you believe in, whether a labeled God, Universe, Force or One, these guides are a bridge of communication to help us see deeper truths. They are reminders. They are trusted friends. Their wisdom warns you of possible dangerous situations. Animals are constantly giving us messages. All we need to do is pay more attention.

Your Power Animal

It doesn’t matter if you are in living in New York or Montana, wildlife and animals are found everywhere. We humans are the ones that moved into their lands. And they have adapted.

There is no one animal that is better or “cooler” than others. They simply offer us wisdom and insight into another spiritual perspective. Different animals give us different messages. From bugs to majestic birds, from worms to whales, all animals have truths and wisdom to share.

There is usually one animal that guides you and is with you at all times. They protect you, but only guiding and not interfering. This animal constantly shows up in your life. It constantly reminds us of what we need to be mindful of on a daily basis. They speak messages to us to bring wisdom and clarity.

The Spirit Quest

For those of us who love animals, our higher power will speak to us through them. To discover your animal, you must search. You may go on a spirit quest to meet your animal. Your power animal will show up at a significant moment of your journey. Usually these animals are acting “abnormally,” acting in ways they wouldn’t normally act. Something will vibrate in your spirit and you will feel the acknowledgement that you have just met your totem.

On my own spirit quest, I was on a 5000+ ft cliff, teetering on narrow cliff shelves. I was more afraid than I have ever been in my life. These things typically don’t scare me for I have jumped out of planes and climbed leery faces. I had to face my biggest demon in Fear. It was here when I received the enlightenment of this concept: Fear Versus Love: A Monk’d Perspective

I made it to the top of Angel’s Landing. At the top, my power animal met me. She was a huge raven, circling in tiny circles right above my head. She did so for a while until landing on the only nearby tree to stare at me. A feeling of comfort washed over me. I felt safe upon this cliff while the winds swirled around.

Ever since then ravens and crows follow me when they can… which is a lot. Read the upcoming blog MonkJoe and his Angel for the story.

Get out in nature. Get out of your environment. Go to a new place of where you have no expectations.  If you can go on an epic journey, do so. If all you can afford is a few hours away in nature for a local hike, then do so. Do what is best for your time, finances, and readiness.

Pay attention. Let go of the music headphones and cell phone. Try not to chatter the moments away with other people. Allow yourself to connect to the nature. What do you smell? See? Taste? Hear? Feel?

Listen for sounds. Look up at the wondrous, natural world around you. Take stock of all the wildlife that you find. Take note of the ones that seem to show up at coincidental moments of thought or action upon your journey. Understand and allow yourself to feel the different emotions that arise from within. Trust your gut instinct. When you meet your power animal, you will know. Something will shift. You will feel it.

Let go of what animal seems better than the other. Do not disregard the lady bug on your shoulder to look for the wolf. You shall see that the lady bug perhaps holds the key to your greatness.

If you can “talk” to it and you hear a response, then you have a strong spiritual connection to your animal. If so, they can be called from love to help and guide us.

Though most carry good intentions, these animals are still wild and their space must be respected. Nature is a powerful ally. However in its wild nature, we must respect it and never approach with even any subtle attacking energy.

The Reflective Journey: Vision Quest

Many of us have difficulty getting out in nature. Due to time, work, family, physicality, finances and a whole host of other reasons. I believe there is no reason why we cannot still discover what our animal is by sitting peacefully.

To go within your own spirit and reflect, you will have the ability to meet your power animal on a spiritual realm.

1. Ask yourself what animals you have always been fascinated with. What pictures or figurines do you have of animals in life? What is your favorite animal? What animal in your life keeps showing up as in pictures, conversations, or thoughts?

2. Learn to meditate so that you can clear your mind from internal clutter.  Read the 5 Simple Steps to Meditation  to discover a really easy method to clear your mind. When in this mediation period, you will go on fascinating journeys in your mind’s eye. Know the difference between consciously created images from the subconscious truth. You may allow your subconscious to wander, or give the mind a structured guided meditation to actively search for your power animal. Do this with a clean and sober mind.

3. Just as in the spirit quest, your power animal will come meet you. Your animal will show up in a key moment of your vision quest. Take notice of your emotional reaction. You will feel something internally that will acknowledge that you have just indeed met your power animal.

Connection

Now that you have connected with you’re power animal. Your animal will show up in key times of your life. Listen for its call in the wild. Pay attention when it shows up in pictures and media. Allow yourself to hear whatever messages are meant to be heard. Find the deeper truth.

When these moments arise, clear your mind and energy. Allow whatever messages that are meant to be learned float into your mind. That’s the best way I can explain it for now.

Other animals will come into your life. These moments may not be extremely key ones, or perhaps they signify a new chapter in your life. Trust your spirit to understand their role by how you feel. These other animals are also other totems, but they are meant to only guide you through this leg of your journey. Your main power totem guides you for a lifetime, regardless if we are cognizant of it or not.

Some Totem Animals and their Spiritual Meanings

All animals have their own meanings and guidance. To celebrate my own totem, here is a description of what having a power animal such as the Raven can bring into your life.

This snippet is found on: http://www.sayahda.com/cycle.htm

The Raven

Ravens are known as the “keeper of secrets.” They hold the teachings of mysticism and magic. Ravens are linked to the void, where universal secrets are stored. Their inky black color is the color associated with darkness. The darkness is a place where unconscious fears live. Raven, a master magician, embodies the energy of transformation and shows us how to eliminate our inner demons.

Shamans know the power of an unexpected piercing sound in altering consciousness. Ravens exercise this power, emitting a variety of sounds and can aid us in shifting our consciousness into various dimensional realms. The Raven is known as a shape shifter with magical powers.  Anyone with raven as a totem can expect continual changes and spiritual awakenings throughout their life. They incorporate and mimic calls of other species and can teach us how to understand the language of animals. They have also been known to learn some human words.

Here is a list of power animals and their basic description found on http://www.legendsofamerica.com

Alligator Maternal, revenge oriented, quickness, aggression, and basic survival instincts.
Ant Group minded, determination, patient, active, and industrious
Antelope Active, agile, jumpiness, and willing to sacrifice
Armadillo Safety oriented, grounded, and has boundaries
Bat Rebirth, longevity, secrecy, initiation, good listener, and long life
Bear Industrious, instinctive, healing, power, sovereignty, guardian of the world, watcher, courage, will power, self-preservation, introspection, and great strength.
Bee Organized, industrial, productive, wise, community, celebration, fertility, defensiveness, obsessive nature, and enjoys life \
Boar/Pig A very powerful totem – prosperity, spiritual strength, organized, self-reliant, fearless, life, great strength, abundance, gratitude.
Butterfly Metamorphosis, transformation, balance, grace, ability to accept change
Camel Survival, positive, accomplishments
Cat Guardianship, detachment, sensuality, mystery, magic, and independence
Cheetah Swiftness, insight, focus
Cougar Leadership, loyalty, courage, taking responsibility, foresight Cow Swift, insightful, and focused
Coyote Trickster, intelligence, stealth, wisdom and folly, guile and innocence
Cobra Swift and decisive
Crab Good luck, protection and success
Crane Solitude, justice, longevity, independent, intelligent, and vigilant
Crocodile Ensuring your emotions are displayed accurately/appropriately
Crow Justice, shape shifting, change, creativity, spiritual strength, energy, community sharing, and balance
Deer Compassion, peace, intellectual, gentle, caring, kind, subtlety, gracefulness, femininity, gentleness, innocence, and seller of adventure
Dog Noble, faithful, loyal, teaching, protection, and guidance
Dolphin Kind, salvation, wisdom, happiness, playfulness, prudent, capable of deep emotion, and happy.
Dove Cross-world communication, spirit messenger, peace, gentleness, love
Dragonfly Flighty and carefree, strong imagination, higher aspirations.

Duck Water energy, helper of seers, can clearly see/deal with emotions
Eagle Divine spirit, sacrifice, intelligence, renewal, courage, illumination of spirit, healing, creation, freedom, and risk-taker
Elephant Strength, power, affection, loyalty, royalty, and wisdom
Elk Strength and agility, pride, majestic, independence, purification, strength, and nobility
Falcon New beginnings, adventure, passionate, and leadership.
Fish Graceful, slyness, open-minded, quick to change one’s mind.
Flamingo Heart healing, psychic, people person, flirtatious.
Fox Cunning, agility, quick-witted, diplomacy, wildness, feminine magic of camouflage, shape shifting and invisibility
Frog Water energy, cleansing, rebirth, sensitivity, medicine, hidden beauty, peace, adaptability, poor character judgment and power.
Giraffe Communication, intuition, attaining the unreachable, seeing the future
Goat Surefootedness, stubbornness, independence, diligence, lack of foresight.
Goose Self-demanding, reliable, prudent, rigid, vigilance, parenthood, and productive.
Gorilla Family-oriented, intelligence, strength, environmental protector, keeps peace through aggression.
Grasshopper Good luck, abundance, forward, progressive.
Hawk Messenger, intuition, victory, healing, nobility, recollection, cleansing, visionary power, and guardianship.
Heron/Egret Aggressive, self-determined, self-reliant, multi-tasking, balanced.
Hippopotamus Power, creation, imagination, healing.
Horse Freedom, stamina, mobility, the land, travel, power, and freedom.
Hummingbird Messenger, timelessness, healing, and warrior.
Jaguar Chaos, shape-shifter, aggressiveness, power.
Kangaroo Forward, balance, creative, stamina.
Lion Family, strength, energy, courage, guardian and protector.
Lizard Conservation, vision, self-protection, hidden defenses.
Llama Comforting to others, secure.
Lynx Keeper of secrets, guardian, listener, and guide.
Mole Sensitivity, guidance, searching.
Monkey Ability to change the environment, health, success.
Moose Headstrong, longevity, steadfastness, and wisdom.
Mouse Scrutiny, order, organizer, and an eye for details.
Octopus Intelligence, camouflage, nocturnal.
Opossum Diversion, strategist, and deceiver.
Ostrich Grounded, practical.
Otter Playful, friendly, dynamic, joy, helpfulness, and sharing
Owl Deception, clairvoyance, insight, messenger.
Ox Sacrifice, chastity and self-denial
Panther Protection, hidden emotions, introspection, caution, careful decisions
Parrot Communication, beauty, guide for wisdom, mockery, thinking before speaking
Peacock Immortality, dignity, and self-confidence
Pelican Resilient, unselfish, rising above.
Penguin Self-discipline, grace, self-confidence, spiritual
Porcupine Innocence, companionship, and trust
Prairie Dog Swiftness, industrious, constructive, preparedness
Puma Companion on journeys to other worlds, grace, silent power
Quail Group-work, team play, creator of harmony and group tolerance, protectiveness (especially toward children)
Rabbit Fear, timidity, nervousness, humility, rebirth
Raccoon Curiosity and cleanliness
Ram Stoic, sensitive, persevering, curious, imaginative.
Rat Fertility, stealth, scavenging, intelligence, enjoys luxury
Rhinoceros Wisdom, solitary, insightful, solid.
Roadrunner Mental agility, speed, opportunistic.
Rooster Vanity, likes to be showered with gifts and attention, early riser, settling for nothing less than the best
Salmon Proud, intense, confident, wisdom, inspiration
Scorpion Transforming, strong, inspiring, chaotic,  passionate
Seagull Versatility, loud, easy-going nature, creativity, laziness
Seahorse Confidence and grace
Seal Love, longing, dilemma, active imagination, creativity
Shark Hunter, survival, and adaptability
Skunk Reputation, presence, and strength
Snail Protective, aware, solitary.
Snake Impulsive, shrewdness, rebirth, transformation, initiation, and wisdom
Spider Balance, wisdom, creativity, communication
Squirrel Planner and gatherer
Swan Grace, balance and innocence, soul, love, beauty, of the self
Tiger Strength, valor, power, and energy
Toad inner strength, luck, self-examination
Turkey Generosity, life-giver, and sharer
Turtle Nurturer, shy, and protecting
Weasel Strength, energy, ingenuity and stealth
Whale Wisdom, provider, intelligence, and kindness.
Wolf Loyalty, perseverance, success, intuition, and spirit
Woodpecker Sensitive, protective, and devotion
Zebra Agility and individuality

These following books and sites are great resources for totem animals and their meanings.

Animal-Speak: The Spiritual & Magical Powers of Creatures Great & Small (Paperback) by Ted Andrews

http://www.amazon.com/Animal-Speak-Spiritual-Magical-Powers-Creatures/dp/0875420281/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1269225896&sr=1-1)

Animal-Wise: The Spirit Language and Signs of Nature (Paperback) by Ted Andrews

http://www.amazon.com/Animal-Wise-Spirit-Language-Signs-Nature/dp/1888767340/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1269225896&sr=1-10