"Anima"(Latin) means Soul or Breath of Life

Animal totems are animals we tend to have an attraction to, either by a calling toward the animal or the animal appears to us to teach some quality of itself. They emanate the breath of our lives by showing us certain qualities and behaviors that we should emulate somewhere in our livelihood.

We each come into this world accompanied by an animal spirit - a significant indicator of our personal power - that walks with us on our soul journey through space and time. These Spirit Guides are very personal totems since they strongly reflect our inner spiritual nature. One could have several of these totems since they guide us along our path and give us courage and strength in our journey. They may appear at separate times throughout your life or perhaps alternating in appearances, all to teach us lessons we need to learn. This could be viewed as a hierarchy of animal totems: from everyday spirit helpers/reminders to "mother-father" type figures in the spirit realm who guide, watch over and train us throughout our lives.

As with any human relationship, we need to understand the language of the animal partner in order to fully understand it. Listening is approximately 85% of a conversation. In humans, when we listen, actually listen to every word and meaning the person is saying, we come to understand minute details that are important to that person. The same applies likewise within the animal kingdom. Communication and interaction strengthen and empower the union between animal worlds and ourselves.

These Spirit Guides have chosen you and will appear when you are ready to understand. They are also usually wild in nature (not domesticated). The animal spirits may reveal themselves in visions and/or dreams with an unmistakable familiar knowing associated with it. Honor, respect and attentiveness must be given because you are now ready for a new segment in your journey. Over time trust is built and we eventually take on those imbued characteristics and merge with the animal spirits, becoming one with the energy.

Learning of your personal animal totem(s) will give you a greater sense of appreciation of your own connections to all life. In human relationships, it may also help to understand the significance of that person's spirit animal(s) and how it interacts with your animal totem(s). When you acknowledge the other dynamic energies that play a part of the relationship it will help you better understand the dynamics of the relationship as a whole. This understanding can enhance and create a lasting foundation in all that you do. Perhaps listening to relationship totems could teach you something about yourself as well?

By recognizing and acknowledging animal totems as you see them, the energy working in your life will increase. You will start to notice your personal power animal(s) everywhere you go, in books, magazines and postcards, in nature, in dreams and visions. By surrounding yourself with totem_images you connect with the animal and the energy and wisdom it imparts. Your awareness will abound. Here follows a basic guideline to finding your special animal.

• Which animals have always fascinated you, especially in childhood?
• Which animals have you always felt connected to?
• What animals do you see frequently in the wild?
• Which quality of animal best describes your personality?
• Which animals do you have around you in pictures or figurines?

The other type of animal totem is more of a general, all-encompassing one, that we need to be open and be aware of in everyday life. These nature totems also bring spiritual messages by appearing to us in seemingly odd ways. The more we are in tune with our surroundings, the easier it is to receive such messages. The better our inner awareness, the easier it is for this form of communication to take place. The subtleties, nuances and actions of these animals will tell you a lot. Some of these animals may repeat their appearance many times in your life as a 'secondary journey totem'. These animals may not be the Spirit Guide(s) as mentioned above, however, they are there to help you as a specifically chosen property for your current path for that particular moment. Here the line is shadowed a bit by the definitions of Spirit Guide, Secondary Totem, General Totem. Please don't let definitions hinder what you think, feel and intuit about the animals. ALL the animals are there to guide, to teach and to show you what is happening in your world. ALL the animals, including us are connected, there are no "lines" of separation - only separation by levels of awareness.

For a personal power totem or an overall nature one, it is wise to study the habits of the animal in its surroundings, what it eats, where it sleeps, how it moves, including the gestation and life cycle, this will help you recognize what it is telling you to apply to your life.

The above criteria is what I follow when I am asked what certain animals mean in a person's life. For the most part, requests for animal meanings can take up to 2 written pages and usually gives an accurate description of what is going in their lives. I study the surroundings and behaviors and then apply and transpose the animal energies into human terms. Sometimes complex in nature, sometimes relatively easy- as with our spiritual paths. It all depends on the depth of the inquiry. I'd like to note here, you may notice the Dictionaries of Animals I have compiled are short-handed explanations of some core energies of the animal's characteristics vs an extensive write-up. It's important to do your own inquiry into your spirit animals. This page and site gives you the necessary tools to start along that path of disovery. No one can give you the *meaning* of the answers you need.

Now that you have some tools to discover your personal totem animal we shall then look at how we are joined to the rest of the animal kingdom through the common animal totems. All animals are linked by the Great Spirit, including humans. Nature has a way of communicating if we only listen as they are representatives of our unconscious minds. Through the appearance of animals in the everyday environment we can then determine what the underlying situation is in our lives. For instance, the direction we should take in dilemmas, what the best course of action is, and how we should behave in given circumstances. The Great Spirit has linked us all together in order to learn and grow in our own Spirit. He has given us the chance to learn or perhaps relearn the language of the animals.

When you come across an animal that is not normally seen around you. Take notice. If a bird is constantly vocal outside your window, listen and watch. A deer or a rabbit strays into your yard, listen and watch. After a while you will know and understand what the animals are trying to tell you. It is understood that there may be a variety of animals around you everyday. However, it is the subtle awareness, the nuances, which allow you to listen what is being said.

Also, take note of dreams and visions: the same properties apply in this realm as in the dream realm. Often times a Spirit Guide will show you things and teach you in a way you can comprehend for the moment. Be aware of the animals, for there is no separation between the physical and spiritual are one.

Some subtleties of the general animal totems that you need to be aware of are as follows.

• How is the animal moving in relation to yourself?
  (Right, Left, Away, Toward)
• How is it crossing your path: emerging, coming into or leaving your life?
• Notice where the animal is looking, walking, flying, heading etc.
• Which direction is the animal coming from or going to?
  (see Animal Directions)
• Also the number of animals is relevant to the direction.

Number of Animals	Significance and Meaning of the Number
1	Originality, initiating action, pioneering, leading, new beginnings, attaining.
2	Cooperation, adaptability, partnering, mediating, consideration of others
3	Birth, expression, socialization, joy of living, mystical, creativity, verbalization
4	Patience, order, service, steady growth, foundation, struggle against limits
5	Activities, change, visionary, adventure, constructive use of freedom, versatile.
6	Responsibility, service to home and family, nurturing, balance, sympathy
7	Wisdom, truths, understanding, knowledge, awareness, mediating, studious
8	Money, status oriented, power seeking, practical endeavors, high material goals
9	Humanitarian, giving, healing, understanding, selflessness, obligations
Note: Double digits add up to be a single number.

 

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Pages last updated 8.26.08