How to Discover Your Animal Totem

Among people with strong ties to the land and natural world, it is not uncommon for animals to take on great significance. Animals have specific traits and behaviors that often lend themselves to relation of human characteristics. Animals were often adopted as totems for specific tribes, such as the Pacific northwest tribes who revered the orca for strength and wisdom and the plains tribes who revered the bison. How do you find your own animal totem?

Things You'll Need

• Journal
• Reflective pool of water
• Sandalwood incense

Instructions

How to Discover Your Animal Totem

1. Discover your totem animal. You may feel drawn to a specific animal or you may want to follow shamanistic tradition to identify your own animal totem.

2. Meditate for a totem animal. Burn some sandalwood incense while mediating near a reflective pool. Allow yourself to feel the wind and sun on our skin and body. Breathe deeply and calm yourself. Now opening your eyes look into the reflecting pool.

3. See your Totem. Look into the pool and see the face reflected back at you. Watch the form shift to an animal form. This is your animal totem.

4. Question the meaning. Once you have identified your animal form then write down in your journal your initial thoughts about the animal. What do you think it means?

5. Learn the meaning. The animal totem could be any animal and you may have to do some investigation to see what strengths are associated with the animal. Some animal totems are the bear which is symbolic of female receptive energy and internal wisdom; Bison which is attributed to strength, wisdom, and protector energy; Coyote is linked to mischief; Dolphins are considered aware and gentle; Eagle symbolizes male energy and courage; Horse is attributed to speed and freedom; Owls seek hidden truths; and wolves are fierce and loyal but maintain independence.

Tips & Warnings

• Try not to meditate with preconceptions of your animal totem.