Connecting to Your Animal Totem
Animal Totems and Their Meanings
By Christina Nelson
Connecting with your Animal Totem can provide deep spiritual insight and guidance in your life. When I am concerned with some aspect of my life, I call upon my Animal Totems to guide me and send spiritual messages.
It is best to search for the wisdom of your Animal Totem when you are ready for deep spiritual guidance. You can use the list below to understand the relevance of the animal totem (or animal totems) you encounter.
5 Tips for Connecting with Your Animal Totem
1. Ask a question
In order for your animal totem to be drawn to you, you need to ask for guidance and wisdom on a specific topic. For example: If you want a spiritual message about your career, then ask a very clear question, such as, “Show me the way to the perfect career that suits me”.
2. Go on with your day
Once you have asked a clear question, let it go! This sounds easy, but probably the most challenging with today’s society that wants everything now. The best thing for you to do is to go about your day and let your animal come to you. You’ll be amazed and surprised when your animal shows up.
3. Notice it when it comes
When your Animal Totem shows up you need to be aware. Sometimes an animal will come in a most obvious way, like a Skunk running across the street in front of you. But sometimes they show up in ways that are not so obvious and we need to be aware and recognize them when they are around us. Here are some examples of how your Animal Totem could show up: -Receiving a magazine in the mail with a picture of an eagle on it, pay attention, the Eagle may be trying to give you a message. -Hearing the sound of a animal without actually seeing it, this is another way your Animal Totem may show up. -In every day communication, someone may start talking about Turtles, pay attention, the Turtle may be trying to give you a message. -Pay attention to your dreams – your totem can reveal themselves to you and provide guidance.
4. Understand the messages
When an animal appears, here are a few questions you can ask yourself to understand the spiritual message that is being offered. The way you translate these questions will give you insight into how your Animal Totem is speaking with you. -How did the animal look to you? -How would you translate the personality of this animal to yourself? -Where does this animal reside? How do you feel about where the animal resides? -What behavioral traits did this animal possess? -How does this animal make you feel? -What do you feel this animal is trying to convey to you?
5. Thankfulness
It is very important that you show gratitude to your Animal Totem. When an Animal Totem appears it is a spiritual gift from the heavens, embrace the message and thank the animal for its gifts!
The Characteristics of Animal Totems
Use the following list to understand the significance of the animal totem (or animal totems) you encounter.
Editor’s Note: Citation for this list of animal totems is: Loudoun County Public Schools
Alligator Maternal, revenge oriented, quickness, aggression, and basic survival instincts.
Ant Group minded, determination, patient, active, and industrious
Anteater Lethargy, curiosity, nosiness.
Antelope Active, agile, jumpiness, and willing to sacrifice
Armadillo Safety oriented, grounded, and has boundaries
Badger Courage, aggressive, healer, having problems relating to others, and energy conduit
Bat Rebirth, longevity, secrecy, initiation, good listener, and long life
Bear Industrious, instinctive, healing, power, sovereignty, guardian of the world, watcher, courage, will power, self-preservation, introspection, and great strength.
Beaver Determined, strong-willed, builder, overseer, and protector
Bee Organized, industrial, productive, wise, community, celebration, fertility, defensiveness, obsessive nature, and enjoys life
Boar/Pig A very powerful totem – prosperity, spiritual strength, organized, self-reliant, fearless.
Buffalo Sacredness, life, great strength, abundance, gratitude.
Bull Insight into the past, fertility, rushing into things without proper preparation.
Butterfly Metamorphosis, transformation, balance, grace, ability to accept change
Camel Survival, positive, accomplishments
Caribou Traveler, mobility, preference to be nomadic, adaptability to adversity
Cat Guardianship, detachment, sensuality, mystery, magic, and independence
Cheetah Swiftness, insight, focus
Cougar Leadership, loyalty, courage, taking responsibility, foresight
Cow Swift, insightful, and focused
Coyote Trickster, intelligence, stealth, wisdom and folley, guile and innocence
Cobra Swift and decisive
Crab Good luck, protection and success
Crane Solitude, justice, longevity, independent, intelligent, and vigilant
Crocodile Ensuring your emotions are displayed accurately/appropriately
Crow Justice, shape shifting, change, creativity, spiritual strength, energy, community sharing, and balance
Deer Compassion, peace, intellectual, gentle, caring, kind, subtlety, gracefulness, femininity, gentleness, innocence, and seller of adventure
Dog Noble, faithful, loyal, teaching, protection, and guidance
Dolphin Kind, salvation, wisdom, happiness, playfulness, prudent, capable of deep emotion, and happy.
Dove Cross-world communication, spirit messenger, peace, gentleness, love
Dragon Longevity, richness, prosperity, infinity, wisdom, power, and fiery
Dragonfly Flighty and carefree, strong imagination, higher aspirations.
Duck Water energy, helper of seers, can clearly see/deal with emotions
Eagle Divine spirit, sacrifice, connection to creator, intelligence, renewal, courage, illumination of spirit, healing, creation, freedom, and risk-taker
Elephant Strength, power, affection, loyalty, royalty, and wisdom
Elk Strength and agility, pride, majestic, independence, purification, strength, and nobility
Falcon New beginnings, adventure, passionate, and leadership.
Fish Graceful, slyness, open-minded, quick to change one’s mind.
Flamingo Heart healing, psychic, people person, flirtatious.
Fox Cunning, agility, quick-witted, diplomacy, wildness, feminine magic of camouflage, shapeshifting and invisibility
Frog Water energy, cleansing, rebirth, sensitivity, medicine, hidden beauty, peace, adaptability, poor character judgment and power.
Gazelle Aggressive
Giraffe Communication, intuition, attaining the unreachable, seeing the future
Goat Surefootedness, stubbornness, independence, diligence, lack of foresight.
Goose Self-demanding, reliable, prudent, rigid, vigilance, parenthood, and productive.
Gorilla Family-oriented, intelligence, strength, environmental protector, keeps peace through aggression.
Grasshopper Good luck, abundance, forward, progressive.
Grouse Personal power, enlightenment.
Hawk Messenger, intuition, victory, healing, nobility, recollection, cleansing, visionary power, and guardianship.
Heron/Egret Aggressive, self-determined, self-reliant, multi-tasking, balanced.
Hippopotamus Power, creation, imagination, healing.
Horse Freedom, stamina, mobility, the land, travel, power, and freedom.
Hummingbird Messenger, timelessness, healing, and warrior.
Jaguar Chaos, shape-shifter, aggressiveness, power.
Kangaroo Forward, balance, creative, stamina.
Lion Family, strength, energy, courage, guardian and protector.
Lizard Conservation, vision, self-protection, hidden defenses.
Llama Comforting to others, secure.
Lynx Keeper of secrets, guardian, listener, and guide.
Mole Sensitivity, guidance, searching.
Monkey Ability to change the environment, health, success.
Moose Headstrong, longevity, steadfastness, and wisdom.
Mouse Scrutiny, order, organizer, and an eye for details.
Octopus Intelligence, camouflage, nocturnal.
Opossum Diversion, strategist, and deceiver.
Ostrich Grounded, practical.
Otter Playful, friendly, dynamic, joy, helpfulness, and sharing
Owl Deception, clairvoyance, insight, messenger.
Ox Sacrifice, chastity and self-denial
Panther Protection, hidden emotions, introspection, caution, careful decisions
Parrot Communication, beauty, guide for wisdom, mockery, thinking before speaking
Peacock Immortality, dignity, and self-confidence
Pelican Resilient, unselfish, rising above.
Penguin Self-discipline, grace, self-confidence, spiritual
Porcupine Innocence, companionship, and trust
Prairie Dog Swiftness, industrious, constructive, preparedness
Puma Companion on journeys to other worlds, grace, silent power
Quail Group-work, team play, creator of harmony and group tolerance, protectiveness (especially toward children)
Rabbit Fear, timidity, nervousness, humility, rebirth,
Raccoon Curiosity and cleanliness
Ram Stoic, sensitive, persevering, curious, imaginative.
Rat Fertility, stealth, scavenging, intelligence, enjoys luxury
Raven Introspection, courage, self-knowledge, magic
Rhinoceros Wisdom, solitary, insightful, solid.
Roadrunner Mental agility, speed, opportunistic.
Rooster Vanity, likes to be showered with gifts and attention, early riser, settling for nothing less than the best
Salmon Proud, intense, confident, wisdom, inspiration
Scorpion Transforming, strong, inspiring, chaotic, passionate
Seagull Versatility, loud, easy-going nature, creativity, laziness
Seahorse Confidence and grace
Seal Love, longing, dilemma, active imagination, creativity
Shark Hunter, survival, and adaptability
Skunk Reputation, presence, and strength
Snail Protective, aware, solitary.
Snake Impulsive, shrewdness, rebirth, transformation, initiation, and wisdom
Spider Balance, wisdom, creativity, communication
Squirrel Planner and gatherer
Stag Lord of the forest, masculine power of regeneration, signs.
Swan Grace, balance and innocence, soul, love, beauty, of the self
Tiger Strength, valor, power, and energy
Toad inner strength, luck, self-examination
Turkey Generosity, life-giver, and sharer
Turtle Nurturer, shy, and protecting
Unicorn Purity, innocence, dreamer, personal power, gentle
Weasel Strength, energy, ingenuity and stealth
Whale Wisdom, provider, intelligence, and kindness.
Wolf Loyalty, perseverance, success, intuition, and spirit
Woodpecker Sensitive, protective, and devotion
Zebra Agility and individuality
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