|
Power animals
In the shamanic
belief system every thing is alive and carries with it power and wisdom. Power
Animals are an essential component of shamanic practice. They are the
helping spirits who add to the power of the shaman and protect and help
the shaman in his or her work. They are sometimes called Animal
Guides orTotem Animals (though technically, totems serve a
community as opposed to an individual), and it is generally
believed that every person carries some such spiritual animals with them
at all times otherwise we would not survive childhood.
One of the first
tasks of shamanic initiation is to discover these Power Animals and to
recover lost Power Animals. There is no such thing as a weak or a strong
Power Animal: each carries its own power, whether it is as small as a
mouse or as strong as a lion, and each is unique to the
individual. In fact, Po wer
Animals do not have to be real animals: they are quite commonly seen as
mythical animals such as the unicorn or dragon. Shamanic practice honors and acknowledges the life and
wisdom that exists in all things. Everything is believed to have
something to teach us and animals are thought to have a wealth of wisdom
and protection to offer us.
To an average
Westerner, it might seem strange at first to think that there are animal
spirits who accompany us on our life journey. But consider that even the
Catholic Church still has an affinity to several animal "spirits" and
has retained at least two Animal Totems – the lamb and the fish...
Follow ing is a very
short and woefully inadequate list of Power Animals and their
significations. Remember that the most important aspect of the
Power Animal is its personal relation with an individual human, and
while we can make broad generalisations, their actual powers are unique
to every situation - seek true guidance with all of your guides and
allies and not
from texts written about them!
- Antelope:
action, agility and sacrifice
- Bear:
power, healing
- Boar:
is one of the most
important totem
animals
of the Gaelic Celts; the
South and the
element of Fire; the
life giving power of
the sun
- Buffalo:
sacredness, life,
abundance
- Coyote:
the trickster, devilment
- Crow:
law, shape shifting, change
- Deer:
gentleness, caring and kindness
- Dolphin:
kindness and play energy
- Dragon:
longevity, infinity, wisdom, movement
through space
- Eagle:
divine Spirit and connection to creator
- Elk:
strength and agility
- Fox:
cunning, agility, quick-witted
- Hawk:
messenger, intuition, discernment
- Lion:
power of feminine energy
- Lynx:
keeper of secrets, guardian and guid
 e
- Mountain
lion: courage, leadership and
foresight
- Mouse:
scrutiny, order, organizer
- Owl:
deception, clairvoyance,
insight; also thought of as
the "night eagle"
- Rabbit:
fear, timidity, nervousness, humility
- Raven:
introspection, courage, self-knowledge
- Snake:
shrewdness, rebirth
- Spider:
creatrix, web spinner
- Turtle:
nurturer, protector, mother energy
- Whale:
wisdom, provider
- Wolf:
loyalty, perseverance, success
|
