What are Animal Spirit Guardian Totems

When it comes to our Spiritual Path, I believe that it branches out like a tree. Learning different ways on a Spiritual Path can only benefit us in the long run. Often many religions and cultures will not share their knowledge of some of their beliefs. But still, I have always believed that whatever we were supposed to learn, The Divine will make sure a teacher is sent.

It wasn’t until I was in my late twenties did I begin to learn about what Animal Spiritual Totems were. I have acknowledged before hand and was aware of some animals that I was drawn too, but when I found my first “Physical” teacher, it was like a flood gate opened and I began to learn all kinds of things from many people, animals and nature herself.

The journey of working with Animal Guides is never-ending. It changes all of the time and often several different animal guides will manifest to us to teach us certain things about our current situations.

By some beliefs each of us are given a Spiritual Helper from our birth. I took a class one time that taught us that we are given a certain animal from the time we are first conceived. I have always known throughout my life that because of my personal “gifts” I have had to have a guide because of some of the things I know. An Animal Spiritual Totems is almost exactly like the traditional Guardian Angels we are taught that we have with us. The only difference is acknowledging the Animal Spirit Totems and its medicine-which is taught a lot in the Native American Traditions

Protectors:

My grandmother always taught me that I have guardian angels all around me. I believe that because I know my grandmother would never lie to me first off, second because I have had personal experiences with angels so I know for a fact they exist.

Our Animal Totems are also our protectors.  They teach us how to protect ourselves on a more spiritual level and they teach us their medicine to incorporate into our lives to suit our current situations.  As an example:  There is a fine line between the spiritual world and this realm for me.  Often Hawk will give me messages that I am suppose to give to other people.  Sometimes when I need more healing or someone I knows needs more healing, Bear will come to me and lead me to different things I can do to help. It takes a lot of trust in yourself and your heart because fear will try to settle in making you think your have lost your mind.

I have always known there was so much more to life than a closed box.  There is a whole world filled with many different beliefs, cultures, and ways of life.  Some may not feel right to some people whereas it will feel right to another person.  It is okay! Often in life, many of the same conversations are spoken, there are just different words being used. 

I have been pretty blessed along my path with people always willing to share traditions with me.  I have learned a lot about Animal Totems from books but also by attending different classes that have been offered in my area.  Many of the women in these groups were considered Shamans and they taught a lot just by having general conversations with you.

When you attend a class teaching you how to find your Animal Totems, it will be a whole day and/or weekend class.  It is very intense and very rewarding.  Do not ever be fooled, even the tiniest ant can be an Animal Spirit Totem.  There was a lady in our group who made several comments about having an ant always showing up on her path.  She was very disappointed and felt she just was not doing something right, than one of the class teachers explained that even the ant is a great totem that teaches you about community and working as a group.

Here is a tiny blurb about how Ted Andrews describes what ants can teach you in his book Animal Speaks-

"Ant can teach you how to harness your own power to design and recreate your life and its circumstances from the ground up.  Ant can show you how to work with others for the good of everyone, regardless of circumstances."

Many years ago, I took a six week course called "Good Medicine". It was a class teaching us different techniques to incorporate into our lives that many Native Americans used to live in balance with our Earth mother. In one lesson we were taught that we are all born with an animal medicine and as we grow, more helpers come to us. Here is a list of the birthdates, the animal and meaning.

Date Teacher Gift

Mar 21-Apr 20 Sheep Being

Apr 21-May 21 Buffalo Resources

May 22-Jun 21 Tree Thought, Communication

Jun 22-Jul 22 Crayfish Feelings

Jul 23-Aug 23 Panther Love, Will to accomplish

Aug 24-Sep 22 Corn Service, Analysis

Sep 23-Oct 23 Fox and Mouse Balance

Oct 24-Nov 22 Eagle and Bug Desire

Nov 23-Dec 21 Horse and Archer Aspiration

Dec 22-Jan 20 Deer Use and Conservation

Jan 21-Feb 18 Coyote and Rabbit Experiential Knowledge

Feb 19-Mar 20 Fish Faith

There are many wonderful books that can help you with your own journey to finding your animal spirit totem. Animal Speaks By: Ted Andrews and Animal Totems By: Steven Farmer are two great authors.