Spirit Animals vs. Totems

Originally Posted by RiversLady

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.

Ahhh yes, I've known Cherokee who will always place a twenty dollar bill face down on the counter to pay for something .

OK, since this thread has gotten off topic, let me bring it back with some humor.

My spirit animal can eat your spirit animal!

Sometimes I feel like the whole concept of spirituality has gotten to be like this. One big competition. It is not. We all leave the flesh sooner or later. Do we argue about this because we are sincerely concerned about other potential spirits or just to look superior in the flesh? Are you really concerned about others sharing in the same afterlife as you?

"My spirit animal can eat your spirit animal!"

Careful, your spirit animal may get a stomach ache

"One big competition" One would suppose, where another could care less about such a competition being secure enough on his or her spiritual path. Then there are those who know not and are subject to be taken in by the words of those who misrepresent spirituality.

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.

Yup. My Father was Tuscarora.

Originally Posted by RiversLady

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.

This is really interesting! I haven't been told that my totem has been seen in its spirit form; only that it certainly makes its presence known. I also know that it is my personal totem, and doesn't have the attachment to anyone else in my family as it does to me.


And such a great way to get back on track Rivers! But along this line I don't believe any particular spirit animal is more or less powerful than another (well, with the exception perhaps of a Dragon vs a Rabbit or something along the lines.)

Certainly some animals have weaknesses and strengths against others and this is reflected in the spirit realm, but would spirits really be so off-balanced?

Originally Posted by RiversLady

OK, since this thread has gotten off topic, let me bring it back with some humor.

My spirit animal can eat your spirit animal!

Sometimes I feel like the whole concept of spirituality has gotten to be like this. One big competition. It is not. We all leave the flesh sooner or later. Do we argue about this because we are sincerely concerned about other potential spirits or just to look superior in the flesh? Are you really concerned about others sharing in the same afterlife as you?

Oh where are my manners, let me extend greetings and say I know some of your people, but it's been awhile since I've been on that part of your river.

Originally Posted by MorningMist

Yup. My Father was Tuscarora.

Well greetings to you MorningMist, it has been a long time since the Tuscarora left what is now Carolina to join the 5 Nations thus making them 6.

Originally Posted by RiversLady

You said your soul was MISSING. Boy, dems some mighty big holes and I can see why. First question - Did you have a spirit animal at the tender age of 9?
If you answered yes, did you talk to it? If the answer was yes, what did it recommend?

first i never said my soul was missing, i asked about a Shaman doing a soul retrieval which is where they go in and help heal parts of your soul that have been damaged. tell me how i was to know i had a spirit animal at 9? i was a child and was not exposed to that environment.

second, you need to have a little more compassion and a lot more tact.

For the longest time I thought one of my spirit helpers/animals was Kingfisher, but he was only a friend who would share the bank with me by the river where we both fished. He would make a decent totem for an angler.

Originally Posted by Tanith

This is really interesting! I haven't been told that my totem has been seen in its spirit form; only that it certainly makes its presence known. I also know that it is my personal totem, and doesn't have the attachment to anyone else in my family as it does to me.


And such a great way to get back on track Rivers! But along this line I don't believe any particular spirit animal is more or less powerful than another (well, with the exception perhaps of a Dragon vs a Rabbit or something along the lines.)

Certainly some animals have weaknesses and strengths against others and this is reflected in the spirit realm, but would spirits really be so off-balanced?

Not off balance, just being what they are. Just as there are fights herein this realm, so there can be fights and disagreements in theirs.
Look at some Japanese myths of spirit foxes. They are considered trouble, but one story told of a group of little foxes studying Tao with an older fox master. Were they trying to learn balance?
Personally, I've always wondered how one would handle it if their spirit animal was a skunk. It's small, but very few will tangle with it.