Animals come to us because they have a lesson we need to learn a power they are willing to share with a friend. They seek to give us a gift of understanding, universal love, energy, and knowledge (ULEK). In general, animals remind us that we are part of the earth; that each creature has a place; that each creature has a skill of it's own; that we have instincts given to us from Mother, wisdom born to us that we must awaken. The Animal Totem that comes to you offers you power and wisdom if you will learn to communicate with it, with respect, trust, and understanding. Developing a relationship with a live animal totem takes time, practice, patience and could be very dangerous. Having an animal totem does not mean that you are to pet the animal or even be with it physically. Having an animal totem means that you have lessons to learn and a powerful spiritual friend. Each animal has it's own special power and message, for each animal has a powerful spirit and an inherent skill. Animal Spirits choose a person to be a companion to, a friend to, not the other way around. You can not think, 'gee a bear is cute or powerful and I like what it represents so the Bear will be my Animal Totem'. No, the animal will choose you and make itself known to you. You will only need to pay attention to discover what your totems are. After you define the types of animal totems you can go to a questionnaire to learn what animals are your totems.

Mistakenly people often think of animals as non-spiritual, uncultured, and less intelligent than humans. Some people do not even think animals have Spirit. Not so - an animal is close to Spirit, is Spirit because they have never been taught differently. They know the truth of ULEK for they are ULEK. Animals are wondrous happy creatures - think of these things to remind you.... Could you, for your whole life without tools or weapons, even survive in the wild? Could you weave a bird's nest or spider's web? Could you catch a fish with your hands? Would you know how to migrate without a compass? Or even when it was time to migrate? Can you carry things ten times your own body weight? Do you know what you can and can't eat in the wild? Can you go through life happy like animals do? Can you experience the moment like an animal does? Could you get along with five to twenty other beings for your entire life and remain in the herd? Could you for hours simply resting and in contemplate (meditate perhaps, perhaps talk directly with Spirit)? Do you take hours a day to just be with your family and to simply play and hug like most mammals?

Types of Animal Totems When discovering totems you must first understand if the totem is a Life Totem, A Journey Totem, Shadow Totem, or a Message Totem. All totems are powerful but the meaning that the totem brings will vary on your action depending on what type of totem has come to you. Your Life Long Animal Totem works with you throughout your entire life or until such time that you no longer need that animal totem. It is always there when you need it's powers. Always reminding you of your power and connectivity. You may have only one or a few Life totems. They may become your Life totem at any time. But the primary Life Totem will be our focus at this time. The messages that your Life Totem brings are a hard reminder from Mother. Your Life Totem is always there for you and generally reflects your inner spiritual nature. Many call your Life Long animal totem your Spirit totem. For example if your Life Totem was a Penguin you would be a person who should be very spiritual since the penguin moves better in water (the symbol of the astral plane - which is were we go when we dream) than it does on land. Being able to leap out of the water (up to six feet) represents the ability of out of body experiences. It is also important to understand which type of penguin is your animal totem since some have additional characteristics that are important to consider, like most penguins life in tropical conditions not arctic ones. A Journey Animal Totem reflects a period of time. Not just a day but weeks, months, or maybe year s- the time it takes you to walk the path that the Animal Totem is reminding or guiding you on. During this journey you will find that this animal is always showing up in your life or that several animal totems will appear in your life all to guide you on the path. When you find one, two or three animals all of a sudden making an appearance and their nature all has the same basis then you have found the basis of your path. The difference between the Journey Animal Totem and the Message Animal Totem is a period of time. A Message animal Totem will bring itself to you quickly and impartially where a Journey Animal Totem will slip in and out of your life over the course of a period. Looking into the cycle of the animal also can give insight to the length of the journey. A Message Animal Totem usually is bringing you a self growth, spiritual message, or a cautionary warning. It is often a wake up call or slap in the face. It will usually be a very unusual experience making it very powerful at that time and very impartial. A Message Totem is a brief period of time, a day, a week, and occasionally as much as a couple of months but can be immediate for just a few hours. Sometimes a Message totem is not bringing you a message but causing a delay in your life. This delay, such as when you are trying to leave to go somewhere, is often in assistance for you; to be sure you are not in a place at a certain time so that you avoid an ac

accident or can catch a phone call or meet someone you are supposed to run into.

Discover your Animal Totems Answer these questions to help you discover the Animal Totems in your life. For Journey and Message Animal Totems you will have to often ask yourself the same questions. Remember that you may not currently have a Journey or Message totem. And finding out your Life animal totem is not always easy. When answering these questions you may have more than one answer per question, just don't start listing out all animals - only the ones that are really important to you. Follow your instincts when answering the question - when in doubt, don't. Life Long Animal Totems When you were a child, what animal did you collect or obsess over that you are still attracted to today? Of all animals if you could have any animal as a pet or companion what would it be? When going to the zoo, which animal do you spend the most time with or are drawn to? If you could be any animal what animal would it be? What animal is in your dreams that you have had since childhood? What animal are you afraid of that you have no idea why you are afraid of it? Of all animals what animals are you most attracted to? When you are out in nature, do you often seem to run into the same animal? What animal have you b*mped into over and over throughout your life? What animal have you watched for hours? Does art work or jewelry with a certain animal always attract you? You Life Long Animal Totem will be the animal that you answered at least three times out of the eleven questions. The more times the same animal is listed in your answers the more important and stronger it is in your life. The one that appeared most is your current Animal Spirit totem.

Journey Animal Totems What animal have you started to see occasionally that you never saw before? What new animal are you attracted to? Are you dreaming of an animal lately? Are you thinking about an animal lately? In the past two weeks what animals have you seen or dreamt of several times? If you have a Journey Animal Totem you will have answered at least three of the questions with the same animal. Blessings on your new path.

Message Animal Totems What animal surprised or startled you today? What animal that you don't usually see, have you seen a couple of times today? What animal entranced you today? If you answered the same animal to two question then this animal is your Message Totem with a very important message. Heed it's word quickly for the message is for now and today. If you only answered one question then this is a message you should still consider.

Shadow Animal Totems What animal attacks have you been in? What scary or traumatic animal situations have you been in? Does seeing a certain animal bring up feelings of fear? What animal do you run from? What animals do you have reoccurring nightmares about? Does just watching TV with that animal appearing scare you? Answering two questions with the same animal means you have a Shadow Totem you must address. Remember that the Shadow Totem will continually test you and work against you for you are it's prey. You must embrace the lesson of the animal totem and conquer your fear, accept the power of the Shadow totem, and bring it into the light as your spiritual totem.

This is just a short list of some animals and their meanings. Keep in mind that their meanings may vary from culture to culture. So I suggest you read some books on shamanism, and animals and their myths in other cultures. Think thoroughly what you are reading. Meet the animal on the astral. Ant - It is industrious. Badger - Courage. Bear - Watcher, guardian of the world, giver of great strength of body, courage and power of will. Buffalo - Possesses great strength. Cat - It is a good hunter and very independent. Coyote - It is a crazy trickster bearing tidings of sacred msichief. Crow - Justice. Deer - Compassion Dog - Loyalty. Dolphin - Wise and happy, able to explore the great depths of emotions, friend to lovers of the sea. Dragonfly - It can tell you how to break through illusions and how to gain power through dreams. It teaches higher aspirations. Imagination Dragon - It is fiery, rich and knows the answers to many riddles. Eagle - Rising, circling the Sun, his cry thrills the brave and

panic the faint-hearted. Fish - Graceful. Hawk - All-seeing, soaring on the breast of the wind. Observation. Horse - Freedom Hummingbird - Fierce warrior, jewel of the gods, whose feathers bear love magic. Pleasure. Lion - Emblem of royalty, symbol of the Sun. Courageous guardian protectors. Lizard - Vision Lynx - Keeper of secrets. Mouse - It has an eye for details. Owl - Wise watcher in the night, fate-seer, riddler, beloved by Athena. Silence. Panther - A good protective animal. Puma - Shaman's companion on journeys to the other worlds; spirit of grace and silent power. Rabbit - Fertility Raven - trickster, wise in oracles and omens, messenger and watcher for the gods. Mystery. Snake - Transformation. Spider - Fate Stag - Lord of the forest, masculine power of regeneration, giver of bounty, beauty and mystical signs. Swan - Guide into dreamtime. Turtle - Shyness Wolf - Pathfinder for the human spirit; heart of the wildness of the world. Knowledge.