Spirit Animals vs. Totems

[WhiteWarrior]

Hm. Good post, RiversLady. I have been told what my totem animal is. And what my Cherokee name is, which I somehow feel more reluctuant about sharing than the name given to me by my spirit guide. The spirit who told me what my totem animal was, wrinkled his nose when I asked about my power animal as that concept was dubious according to him - but he indicated an animal even so. But I have no such thing as a spirit animal. I do however know someone who has an animal spirit guide. Are these two the same thing?

Originally Posted by Tanith

I know what you mean; one of my guides is adorably small but surprisingly deadly in its physical form.


But another question. What if your totem is blatantly obvious to those around you? In more sophisticated terms, what if you are connected so strongly with your totem that your friends and family recognize this, whether you tell them so or not?


I tend to have no problems revealing my totem because anyone who has known me knows what my totem is. It has been a co-existance since I was too little to really know what totems and spirit animals were. Obviously I wouldn't go up to complete strangers and say, "Hello! My totem is such and such!" But as I said people who know me tend to discover my totem quite easily.

It is the same with one of my more powerful guides. I recognize only one totem but many spirit guides. Everyone around me knows what this particular guide is, even those who don't believe in this kind of spirituality recognize a sort of relationship between myself and this animal.

I have heard about this. One guy had a fox spirit attached to him. But it was a family revenant that protected the whole family and always stuck to the male heir. This wasn't Native American either. What made it really unusual was that sometimes the spirit fox was visible to others! And the gentleman in question had a foxy look to him when he smiled.

Originally Posted by WhiteWarrior

Hm. Good post, RiversLady. I have been told what my totem animal is. And what my Cherokee name is, which I somehow feel more reluctuant about sharing than the name given to me by my spirit guide. The spirit who told me what my totem animal was, wrinkled his nose when I asked about my power animal as that concept was dubious according to him - but he indicated an animal even so. But I have no such thing as a spirit animal. I do however know someone who has an animal spirit guide. Are these two the same thing?

No, you don't have to have a spirit animal. I think everyone has some sort of guide though. My family always said guardian angel, as that concept fit with their religion. Some guardians can be ancestors of yours who for some reason have a stake in how you get on in this life. I know of friends and lovers from a past life watching over their loved one.
People who adopt the Native American religious system and who want to find a spirit animal are usually looking for the one they can most empathize with. Sometimes, they get one they weren't looking for. You can't decline if you ask for one.
Just curious and not asking what it is, but how did you get a Cherokee name?

"Sometimes, they get one they weren't looking for"

Sometimes they want a particular one so much for whatever reason they choose it instead of it choosing them.

As far as totems are concerned we must surely know there was a reason a tribe, clan or individual has such totems. Then we get into tribal or clan origins. All totems don't necessarily have to be animals.

[WhiteWarrior]

Originally Posted by RiversLady

No, you don't have to have a spirit animal. I think everyone has some sort of guide though. My family always said guardian angel, as that concept fit with their religion. Some guardians can be ancestors of yours who for some reason have a stake in how you get on in this life. I know of friends and lovers from a past life watching over their loved one.
People who adopt the Native American religious system and who want to find a spirit animal are usually looking for the one they can most empathize with. Sometimes, they get one they weren't looking for. You can't decline if you ask for one.
Just curious and not asking what it is, but how did you get a Cherokee name?

I have not adopted the Native American / Indian American religious system; it feels wrong to do so as I have never been of that blood. But there are elements of it that resonate with me. For one instance, I have dealings with White Buffalo Woman.

The story of me receiving a Cherokee name is s strange one. Last year a close friend of mine with a part of her documented heritage being Cherokee, visited the nearest related reservation for reasons of her own. She enjoyed a meeting with the elders who seemed quite interested, and in passing also told them about me. They asked to see a picture of me, and then wanted to see an item I had touched. She showed them a blade I had given her not long before. At which point they said to her they looked at my essence and knew who I was. Someone who had helped the tribe in past lives. And for that reason they decided to gift me with a name, which I treasure. I hope one day to have the funds to visit them and honor the tribe to the best of my ability. As yet, I have not even been in the US. I have spoken with the chief once though when he called my friend while she was chatting with me on the computer.

Originally Posted by WhiteWarrior

I have not adopted the Native American / Indian American religious system; it feels wrong to do so as I have never been of that blood. But there are elements of it that resonate with me. For one instance, I have dealings with White Buffalo Woman.

The story of me receiving a Cherokee name is s strange one. Last year a close friend of mine with a part of her documented heritage being Cherokee, visited the nearest related reservation for reasons of her own. She enjoyed a meeting with the elders who seemed quite interested, and in passing also told them about me. They asked to see a picture of me, and then wanted to see an item I had touched. She showed them a blade I had given her not long before. At which point they said to her they looked at my essence and knew who I was. Someone who had helped the tribe in past lives. And for that reason they decided to gift me with a name, which I treasure. I hope one day to have the funds to visit them and honor the tribe to the best of my ability. As yet, I have not even been in the US. I have spoken with the chief once though when he called my friend while she was chatting with me on the computer.

Not to sidetrack, but of course you know the Cherokee were not so much a tribe, but rather a nation of Iroquoian tribes that broke off the main Iroquoian drift northwards and settled in the southern Appalachians. The Iroquoian Tuscarora and Nottoway who lived/live in Virginia and North Carolina were also part of this division and very much kin to their Cherokee neighbors.

[WhiteWarrior]

Originally Posted by Wisa'ka

Not to sidetrack, but of course you know the Cherokee were not so much a tribe, but rather a nation of Iroquoian tribes that broke off the main Iroquoian drift northwards and settled in the southern Appalachians. The Iroquoian Tuscarora and Nottoway who lived/live in Virginia and North Carolina were also part of this division and very much kin to their Cherokee neighbors.

Yes, I am aware of that much. I did read up on the Cherokee for a little while and learned of the multiple tribes, the Trail of Tears and the evolution of their writing language among many things. It is a strong story they have to tell and I am glad to know the tribes are doing better now than at any time since the arrival in force of Europeans.

Originally Posted by WhiteWarrior

Yes, I am aware of that much. I did read up on the Cherokee for a little while and learned of the multiple tribes, the Trail of Tears and the evolution of their writing language among many things. It is a strong story they have to tell and I am glad to know the tribes are doing better now than at any time since the arrival in force of Europeans.

A Trail of Tears brought about by a man extremely infected with evil spirits, Andrew Jackson. He not only exiled the Cherokee, but many other eastern tribes as well. The bad part of this history is that the Cherokee aided Jackson during the war of 1812 against factions of their former good neighbors, the Creek tribe at Horseshoe Bend only to be rewarded by Jackson some years later in his Indian removal policy.

Some Cherokee went into hiding up in the mountains and became the Eastern or Qualla Band.

Originally Posted by WhiteWarrior

I have not adopted the Native American / Indian American religious system; it feels wrong to do so as I have never been of that blood. But there are elements of it that resonate with me. For one instance, I have dealings with White Buffalo Woman.

The story of me receiving a Cherokee name is s strange one. Last year a close friend of mine with a part of her documented heritage being Cherokee, visited the nearest related reservation for reasons of her own. She enjoyed a meeting with the elders who seemed quite interested, and in passing also told them about me. They asked to see a picture of me, and then wanted to see an item I had touched. She showed them a blade I had given her not long before. At which point they said to her they looked at my essence and knew who I was. Someone who had helped the tribe in past lives. And for that reason they decided to gift me with a name, which I treasure. I hope one day to have the funds to visit them and honor the tribe to the best of my ability. As yet, I have not even been in the US. I have spoken with the chief once though when he called my friend while she was chatting with me on the computer.

Excellent. I had the impression that a "dream Indian" had given you the name. No, what you just said is legit. I shouldn't be surprised because I have a strong connection for anything Scottish. Something of me was there in a different time.

Originally Posted by Wisa'ka

A Trail of Tears brought about by a man extremely infected with evil spirits, Andrew Jackson. He not only exiled the Cherokee, but many other eastern tribes as well. The bad part of this history is that the Cherokee aided Jackson during the war of 1812 against factions of their former good neighbors, the Creek tribe at Horseshoe Bend only to be rewarded by Jackson some years later in his Indian removal policy.

Some Cherokee went into hiding up in the mountains and became the Eastern or Qualla Band.

I'm sure I don't have to tell you this, but there are some banks that don't have many 20 dollar bills because some of the people refuse to carry anything with Andrew Jackson on it. When they go to cash their paychecks they will accept anything but a $20.