Lets Talk Animals - Guides/Totems/ Familiars ect .

[Lynn]

Hello


Lets talk animals and how we feel they break down into different levels. There is no right and wrong here I feel as we all learn things from so many sources.



Share what you might know, books you like, cards, or other ideas. Personal experiences are also good.





What is the difference between a Spirit Animal and a Totem Animal?

The Spirit animal is the one that will present the life lessons to a person. The Spirit Animal is the one that will show you a path using its own unique animal abilities and talents. They are not there so much to guide as they are there to teach you what you need to learn. They are not one’s that are always with us they can come in and out of our life paths.



Example I can give is one I have with me is a wolf it is not always with me but when I need the extra senses and cunning it has he/she will come in. The wolf has that sense of smell and hearing too it has that aggressive nature to it. It is a strong hunter and protector but is also a social animal in its pack.



What the Spirit Animal does for you is takes your 5 senses you already have and enhances them in the 6th sense level. Gives you that little extra bit of insights that you would not normally have.
Often when you have an animal card reading done, you might well find that the animals that show up in the reading are one’s that have seen in your life path or in your dream journeys.



It is said that you do not choose your Spirit Animal it chooses to come and work with you.



A Totem Animal is one that you can call in either on your own or with a group tribal blessing event. I called mine in with a Native Naming I had done. Mine was the Crow as it is one that has always been with me.



We tend to want powerful animals but we have to remember that every animal has it special talents and place or role in nature. Remember when calling in an animal that you’re picking one for the abilities you really want to have enhanced.



The one that I connect with the most is an Animal Familiar. This for me holds the most connections from the past lives and my present life connection.

The Animal Familiar is it is one that you are closely associated with, there is a more intimate connection with this animal.

Webster’s defines the word “familiar” as closely acquainted; an intimate associate or companion; a spirit often embodied in an animal and held to attend and serve or guard a person.

The Shadow Animal comes to us for the lessons you have not learned. It will show up to you until that change has taken place. This animal most times comes at a point in your life where you’re facing great confusions. It stays in the shadows and will not show full form to you.



The Journey Animal comes to you when you are making a life path journey change. This is the animal that will be there to guide you home if you have lost your path.



I can relate to this on a personal level. On a very nasty stormy day we came to find The Tor (a tower on a hill in England) and climbed to the top of it. With 60MPH winds blowing I was literally frozen in fear about going back down the hill.



There were no sheep in the field when we climbed to the top but there were sheep in the field at the bottom when it was time for me to go down. It was the sheep that helped me down, seeing them there getting larger and larger as I made my way down, got me down safe and sound. It was funny how many of them in the pasture turned to look at me. I felt guided by them.




The Life Animal is one that is said to always be with you and is there on the deeper levels of our spiritual being. This is an animal that can work with other animals and is one that will help to open your abilities. It might well be the one that teaches you the life skills you need.



The Medicine Animal bring in that healing element and that feeling of comfort you need at times of illness. This animal comes to you when you call to them, and will be with you only until your healing path is completed. Here again it is an animal that you can choose for their attributes.



For me a favorite book is Animal Majick by DJ Conway.



Lynn

[Clover]

The fox has always called to me, particularly because my grandmother loved them so much and always tell me stories about them. Unfortunately, pop culture main streamed them a bit with that silly fox song.The essence of the Fox has made it's presence to me in the past few years, which has been the most duration of my awakening growth periods.

So yeah, I buy coffee fox mugs, cupcakes, and anything quirky with Foxes on them

Here is information from Shamanic Journey on what the Fox represents, in summary:

• Fox is amongst the most uniquely skilled and ingenious animals of nature. Being a night creature, fox is often imbued with supernatural powers. Foxes are usually seen at dawn and dusk. This is the time, when the world of magic and our every day realities cross paths.

• As fox is an animal of the between times and places, it can be a guide into the faerie realm. Fox has a long past of magic and cunning associated with it. It can move in and out of circumstance restoring order or causing confusion.They then use their ability to camouflage. When we learn to detach from our surroundings and to use all our senses to be observant, we will also be able to anticipate and create the future

• Those with fox as a spirit guide are frequently smart and witty but must remember to keep their crafty and clever demeanour balanced or it could backfire.

• Fox can also show you that your actions may be too obvious and the need to learn to be more discreet. Fox is a wise, potent, teacher for those who choose to live conscious and deliberate lives

Forum member Lepus has a thread all about Foxes here, I often add photos to the thread because I love it so much.

I also feel a connection to falcons and rabbits/hares. I have always had a great admiration for turtles and tortoises which I have been seeing a great deal lately. My daughter and I picked one up today and set him in a safer place away from the road. I will probably write about them soon ( The tortoises) Reminding me of longevity, patience, balance of the Yin/Yan and protection during this new transitional period

Hello,

This may seem out of topic & controversial, but I'll ask anyway. My question regarding this topic with animals and humans has brought this to my attention after watching a video on transhumanism. What are your thoughts on mixing DNA to access animal properties for humans to be able to have eyes of a hawk, ears of a rabbit, nose of a dog, etc. Will this revolutionize the human race for the greater good or bad? It is my understanding that magick has been able to achieve this - having the human walk in an animal's footsteps gaining insight of how these animals perceive their surroundings using their unique properties. Science has yet to achieve this, unless they have?

Blessed be,
Lepus

[Lynn]

Hello

That is an interesting thought as humans are doing so many things around the idea of mixing things up.

I was watching a TV show last night where aliens had transformed the Earth from what it had been, and the Father and Daughter combination in the film was mixed DNA. My Son pointed out that he wondered how that would work as a human can not mate with an animal and make a baby, yet he pointed out that a horse and mule can to make a donkey. Yet they are different animals.

If we were to be infused with animal DNA there would have to be something I think to shut off the auto immune system to turn off the attack on it. Like with organ transplants. Too I wonder if our human brain would be able to process those senses being higher in power ? Would we have to change something in the brain chemistry ?

This is where the Shamanism practice of Shape Shifting comes in, having successfully done one shift I know that its possible but not something I seek to do again. To become that animal and to feel what its like is awe on some levels and in others so demanding and draining on your own body energy its not worth it.

I do not think its impossible but I do wonder on what it would do is we did go there to the path of "EGO" getting the better of us. Where we would feel or maybe be able to be superior and do things man should not do.

If you look to Ancient Alien Astronaut Theory they feel that the "Gods" did mate with humans. Not sure where I stand on that whole idea.

Lynn

[acorn]

I really know almost nothing about this topic,so I'll be interested to read what others have to relate.

I have always been fascinated with raptors...even as a little boy...

I was working on a big, flat roof in Boston..and there was a juvenile pair of red tail hawks who were constructing a nest on a third story fire escape.
So naturally I brought in my camera and got some incredible pics from the beginning of the nest build...and the subsequent hunting and egg laying also.

The hawk has given me some deep thoughts in regards to my path...so this must be a clue of sorts as to why it is the hawk that keeps popping up in my life...I have seen predation several times....and I find this curious.
I remember seeing a gliding hawk...it was being harassed by about five crows..it can not flap it's wings in a way that will allow it to just outfly the crows...it needs wind currents to gain altitude............

This thought popped into my mind as I watched.....

even though we may soar on the currents of spirituality...we are hounded by the crows of maya

I would hazard a guess that if you have thoughts of spirituality while in the presence of any animal... that might in some way hold some significance.....but I don't know if that is right.

Ironically the other animal is the rabbit...seems crazy...as hawks eat rabbit all the time.

but I have had some amazing encounters with wild rabbits....they seem to be affected by my presence and voice....they make me feel almost motherly...which is odd cuz I'm a dude ....anyway I have never really analyzed this .....I just enjoyed it.....it's all very interesting

Love
acorn

[Lynn]

Hello

When we have a strong connection to an animal often they hold a message for us. You were working on a large flat roof, but it was a roof that means that there are hazards there in falls or trips. So the Hawk might well have given you a clearer sight to make sure you were safe.

When we look at animals we have that seem predictor and prey in nature often there are connections to them in how they survive that place of living.

So when you look at the rabbit they are quick thinking so they many times outwit the hawk that might well see them as a meal. In that one rabbits lifetime they might well miss out on being dinner hundreds of times.

I have a hawk that comes to our front garden after the smaller birds we feed in the Winter and at times he gets one. Out of all the attempts he makes though his success rate is slim. They fly onto the grass in a mass of birds and back out as a mass of birds in this harder to be singled out. I find that when he does get one its a bird that might well be being more greedy in staying a bit longer to feed and runs that extra risk.
HAWK

* Far memory or recalling past lives, and taking advantage of opportunities

* The cry of the Hawk in a meditation is a warning of upcoming situations that will require boldness and decisiveness

* Getting a larger over-view so you can make better decisions


RABBIT or HARE

* Transformation; receiving hidden teachings and intuitive messages.

* Quick thinking when necessary, but don’t push yourself on others

* The appearance of the Rabbit means you have to stop the worry on your future, just take the steps to protect and provide for yourself


Lynn

[acorn]

Hi Lynn...thanks for the info..it's interesting...it's gonna send me exploring

( A little off topic)
I have one that might to be up your ally.....every so often..at least once a month
about 6 to 10 crows fly into the trees in the back yard and make a ruckus ...I always have to go and see if I am not already outside....they don'y stay too long though...but after all these visits, you really get the sense of just how smart they are....they definitely communicate with each other...you can see it...yesterday, they came into the tree again..8 of them....and I swear that one of them was imitating the bark of a dog...haha...it really made me laugh....I must be losing it....ever hear of such a thing?

Love
acorn

[Awakened Queen]

I really love raccoons. They're magical little beings, and they make me smile. I give them offerings of food scraps on a weekly basis. I like how mysterious and mischievous they are.

[ThreeEyedRaven555]

The Raven calls to me strongest .