Types of Animal Totems

Totem animals are sacred spiritual guides who will instruct and protect you when you need them most. They have skills and abilities that can help to deepen your understanding of yourself and your own inner strength. However, most people do not realize that there are different types of totem animals, and that each has something unique to contribute. In general, there are four types of animal guides:

• Life totem;
• Message totem;
• Journey totem; and
• Shadow totem.

The Life Animal Totem and Its Significance

 

A life totem is the animal that follows your throughout your life, in a spiritual sense. This animal’s primary purpose is to protect a child, guide an adolescent, and wait for instruction from an adult. Its purpose will change as you grow and expand, but usually, your life totem will not change as you mature.

 

There is an exception to this, however. Emotional trauma that alters your very nature can sometimes cause a shift in life totems. For example, a child who loses a parent will sometimes change life totems. A parent who loses a child will almost always receive a new totem. Divorce is another common trigger.

 

This is not to say that these events will cause your life totem to change. But it could, so if you know who your life totem is, and you do experience emotional trauma, you would be wise to search within yourself to determine if your life totem is still the same.

 

The Significance of the Journey Totem Animal

 

Not everyone has a journey totem all of the time. This is because everyone undergoes different journeys at different times, and the purpose of the journey totem is to guide you through these journeys. For example, if you are recently divorced, the panther may become your journey totem animal until you are through this difficult time, and then it will fade away until it is needed again.

 

The purpose of the journey totem is to aid and assist you in completing your task. If you listen to your journey totem, you will find that you receive advice that can help you, but only if you heed it. If a journey totem is ignored completely, it may abandon you before your journey is complete, so make sure you respect and honor your journey totem.

 

The Immediacy of the Message Animal Guide

 

If you receive a surprise message from an animal spirit that does not usually visit you, then you have just received a message from your message totem. Message totems are very short-term, and usually only stay long enough to deliver their messages.

 

Some people experience these types of ‘visitations’ every day, others much less frequently. If you do receive a message from an unexpected totem, then you should heed it immediately, for the message is probably important to the present, not the future. These messages are usually received at the tail end of a dream, or sometimes immediately upon waking.

 

The Importance of the Shadow Totem Animal

 

The shadow totem is perhaps the totem that has the most impact on an ongoing basis. This is the totem that hunts and stalks you throughout life, trying to bring you down as a hunter would its prey. If you hide from or ignore this totem, it will continue to haunt you, looking for an opportunity to strike. The shadow totem can describe fears and anxieties, and is often an animal that truly frightens you.

 

If you wish to be free of it, you must discover the identity of your shadow totem. Confront what this totem represents, face your fears, and accept this totem as a part of you. If you can do this, then the shadow totem becomes a friend and companion, instead of a threat.

 

Each of these totems has a lesson to teach. And each of them is important in its own way. These totems should not be ignored, but should be sought out for their guidance and their wisdom. If you can find your animal totems, you can access their ancient knowledge.

Shamanism and Wicca

Shamanism is the oldest religion, according to most modern anthropologists. In its pure form, it is the precursor of all Pagan religions (including Wicca) and is the root of most of the neo-Pagan movements found in society today. Shamans, both male and female, held the power in their cultures, because they had the knowledge, and they used it. Knowledge was power, just as it is in the modern world.

Early Shamanic Practices

The earliest Shamans gained their knowledge, their power, through altered states of consciousness, brought on through many different tools. These included fasts, trances, meditation, pain, and even hallucinogenic substances. The specific method used was generally controlled by what the end goal of the shaman was, and the geographical location of the shaman. Through these 'altered states,’ all magickal and spiritual knowledge was obtained. This knowledge was gained through communication with spirits, animals, and even deities. Only some of this knowledge was shared with the general populace, while the rest was reserved for the Shamans themselves.

As time went on, Shamans developed new tools to obtain 'altered states' of consciousness. The introduction of such things as music, dance, and chanting was the very beginning of ritual magick, the practice of which continues today.

In fact, the most effective of magickal rites, even in modern times, are often a combination of the natural and the artificial. Flickering firelight, steady music, darkness, and chanting are still usually more than enough to bring about an 'altered state' and allow modern pagans to access vast amounts of natural energy, the same natural energies once used by the ancient shamans. Ritual is not only found in pagan religions, but in all religions throughout the world. One has only to attend a Catholic service to see that ritual is alive and well in even the most organized or religions.

The very first Shamanic ritual practices gave rise to all 'magickal religions’, including Wicca. It follows, then, that Wicca is a Shamanic religion, despite the fact that it is considered by most to be a ‘new religion’. Though modern Wicca has, for the most part, abandoned the use of pain and hallucinogens, the use of ritual magick allows the same results: a spiritual connection with the divine.

Reincarnation in Wicca and Shamanism

As with most pagan traditions, Wicca embraces the idea of reincarnation, much as the ancient shamans did. It is important to note that, in general, Wicca teaches that we are reborn into another human body, unlike some Eastern philosophies, which hold that we can be reborn into many different forms. There are some exceptions to this rule of Wicca, but they are few and far between. Ancient shamanistic cultures also differ in their view of reincarnation.

Wicca, like ancient shamanism, holds firm to the idea that reincarnation should not be a subject of 'belief.' Rather, through tools such as meditation and past-life regression, reincarnation should be studied until it can be accepted as more than belief, but as an undisputed fact.

For the most part, Wiccans do not believe in destiny or fate. Instead, Wiccans take responsibility for their actions, or lack thereof. In addition, Wiccans take responsibility for their reactions to those things done to them, but certainly not for the actions of others.

Many of the basic beliefs in Wicca come from shamanism, including reincarnation and the use of ritual magick. Though no direct line between ancient shamanistic practices and modern Wicca exists, the striking similarities cannot be denied. While it would be inaccurate to say that Wicca is a truly ancient religion, it is easy to see how it could be said that Wicca, as a modern religion, does indeed include the basic elements of Shamanistic practice.

How to Find Your Animal Totem

Animal totems have existed in many cultures throughout the world. Recent years have seen a renewed interest in totems and their meaning, and their popularity only continues to increase. Today, many people are searching out their totem animals in the hope of deepening their understanding of self.

What is a Totem Animal?

In essence, animal totems are symbolic objects that are generally used to get in touch with certain qualities that you may already possess, but are hidden. These qualities are found within the particular totem animal, and often, you will feel a specific affinity for the animal totem, but this is not always the case.

It is possible to have several animal totems at different points in your life, as there are several types of totems. Totem animals will come into your life when you need them, and then be replaced when their assistance is no longer required. The direction your life takes will determine which totem animals you attract. These ‘animal guides’ will instruct and protect you, and will guide you back to your natural state of being. That is, they will help you to find the person you were meant to be. However, before they can do this, you must know who your totem animal is.

How Can I Discover My Animal Guide?

Some people know instinctively which animal is their totem without any guidance. Most people do not. If you fall into the latter category, there are several questions you can ask yourself to determine which animal might be your guide at this moment. Remember that your animal guide can change, so revisit these questions whenever you feel the need to.

• Which animal do you feel most resonates with you? In other words, which animal are you most drawn to?
• When you go to your local zoo, which animal do you always insist on seeing?
• Is there an animal that you frequently see in your life with no logical reason? For example, do you see a squirrel every time you turn around?
• If you could only research a single animal, which animal would you choose to research?
• Is there any animal that you find particularly frightening or intriguing?
• When you dream, does the same animal seem to present itself?

Search Yourself For Clues to Your Animal Totem

The answers to these questions may not yield any particular results. For some people, the answers will lead them to believe that they have several totem animals. For example, it is possible that you feel attracted to cats, want to see the monkeys at the zoo, see many squirrels around your house, love to research bears, and are terrified of spiders. Maybe you are also intrigued by horses, and see tigers in your dreams.

It is unlikely that all of these will be your totems all at the same time (though it is possible that they will all eventually have their parts to play). In this case, you’ll want to do some additional searching to find your totem animal. There are some exercises you can do to help you discover your animal guide, but you must never try to force an animal guide to come. They will sense this and avoid you.

This exercise takes patience, but it does eventually work for most people. Start by considering your answers to the pervious questions. Make a list of the animals on that list, and add any animal that has played a significant role in your life at any point. Look around your personal space and see if you have pictures or carvings of specific animals around you.

Start an animal journal. In this journal, record any animal that shows up in your life more than once. Your pet cat doesn’t count, because the cat will obviously be in your life. See if a stray cat sits outside your door frequently. Perhaps ravens gather outside your window. Maybe that hawk just will not get out of your dreams. Add these animals to your list.

Sit quietly and meditate upon your list. Ask that your true totem animal be revealed to you. If you feel the need, use incense, candles, or any other tools you feel comfortable with. Take your time and commit yourself to finding your totem animal.

Be patient when attempting to connect to your animal guide. There are many different types of totems out there, so it may take a while for your own totem to make itself known. Repeat your meditation over and over again until you are successful.

When you do eventually find your animal totem, make sure you honor the animal in question. Fill your space with pictures, paintings, of sculptures of your animal. Perhaps wear a pendant representing your totem. You might even want to have the animal itself in your home, assuming that your totem isn’t something exotic. Your animal totem should be respected as a friend, teacher, and guide.