Totem Animals?

...I hope you all don't think I'm strange, or weird, or crazy because of this...


So, I've been looking into totem animals and what they mean. Totem animals are animal spirits that each person has as a companion, no matter what, but everyone must be ready to accept and connect with this special animal spirit.

It's not a religion; no, it's spirtuality. It's a little different. I personally am not religious and do not believe in any religion and so this has come even easier to me, though you can be religious and still connect with your totem. You can connect with yourself, the world around you, you get in touch with your inner self and the life on earth. It's really quite a calming and theraputic cycle.

Totem animals are there to guide you throughout life and be there when you need them. They are helpers, teachers, guides. They are not gods or godesses; they are only a companion, spiritually and mentally. They will appear to you in different ways, depending on the person. You may see signs, such as a feather or fur, or a paw or hoof print, you may hear thier call , you may have a dream or vision of them, but the best way to tap into your animal totem is through meditation. No, no yoga or something like that, but just sitting in a quiet spot, relaxing, just getting in touch with yourself. Thinking quietly to yourself, envisioning yourself in a place where you feel at home, happy. Trust me, native American music, such as flutes and guitar type tracks, really do set the mood.

You can ask your totem to reveal themselves to you; it's their choice. I don't mean to sound all 'oh I know best you must believe this' because I am not preaching, I am teaching. After all, Wolf, my totem, is a teacher and a guide; she helps others find their totems.

So if you don't think that this is something you are comfortable with, by all means, don't try it! I'm not pushing you; just teaching what I know. Because we here are furries, we already feel affinities with certain animals. Any animal can be a totem, even dragons, unicorns, penguins, pigs, dragonflies, cheetahs, owls, snakes, orcas, wolves--there's so many! Any species can be a totem, you just have to find yours.

Today, along with my brother's help with a certain meditation-journey...thing...I was able to catch a glimpse of Amistia, the Wolf that is my Life totem. =) It was really neat and very calming. I suggest you do it in the morning or evening, the calmest points of the day.


Here are some links if you'd like to find out more!

http://www.sayahda.com/cycle.htm <-- has an alphabetical, detailed list and explination for many totems.

http://www.animaltotem.com/find-your-totem.html <-- a very helpful introduction

http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread29340/pg1 <-- a forum topic thread that helped explain things

http://www.blogadr.com/articles/animalspets/cm7719.html <-- more helpful information

http://www.linsdomain.com/totems.htm <-- has a list of links to a page of each animal totem

http://www.spiritualnetwork.net/totems/index.html <-- explains the different types of totems

I replied on FA, so I think that'll be fine.

[Same reply as on FFG]

Okay, so since I saw all this, I've been very intrigued by it. Been to most the sites to get what information I can, so now I think I've come up with my totem animal. I have meditated a few times, but I only even get the aninmal's eyes, but know I know what she is, I can see why.
Main thing that suddenly made me realise was when I was reading through my books, and I just suddenly had an urge to look at a black panther. But my book didn't have them, only leopards. I saw a black leopard next to it, and then I checked through the totem animal notes on panthers and leopards. As I was reading through it, I felt a prescence in my room, and a voice which I believe was her name.

Nara - Black Panther/Leopard
I've looked around through my books on cats, and a few sites, that say that the "black panther" is more just a melanistic leopard. So my totem info is based on the two of them, and I reckon they fit.

"Leopard medicine people have strong intuitive abilities. Learning to trust and respond to their inner instincts is part of their life lesson. They are also highly sensitive and need to pay attention to what they feel and then respond accordingly. "
I do trust instincts more than knowledge most of the time.

"Because leopards kill by biting the back of the neck and do not attack their prey from the front, those with leopard energy often have difficulty confronting conflict head on. Sometimes this can be beneficial and at other times harmful. Learning how to conquer conflict in a balanced way is part of what the leopard teaches."
Yeah, I do find it hard to resolve conflict and tension, though half the time thats a good thing for me.

"Those with this medicine have strong bodies but need to remember to release pent up anger, frustrations and other emotions or physical health issues."
Not so much anger, more frustration, and playing drums or horse riding does release that for me.

"The panther is extremely quiet when hunting or stalking. It knows when to make its presence known and when to become invisible."
Yeah, I do know when to speak my turn and when to stay quiet, especially in tense or awkward moments.

"It represents the life and power of the night. It can show us how to embrace the darkness and awaken the light within it. When you experience the presence of panther one of its most noticeable features is its unblinking stare."
First time I noticed my panther was in the dead of night, and her eyes were glowing. They can hold the gaze pretty long, but the light was useful because I felt very calm around her.

There's my totem/spiritual story. I'm just waiting for a chance to see all of her, not just her eyes.

twilight-- just to warn you, be careful with spirits, if you call upon them wrong, you could be calling a demon. Unless the presence was reassuring, warm, calming and comforting? Becase I've defintally had some bad experinces with those things.

I've had my totems done in the authentic, spiritual way. (my grandpa on my Mom's side is full Native American. Which his ancestors had shared thier totems from generations. And it was me and my sister's turn!) With burning sage, drums, feathers, and in the mountains. I gotta get the list of them, I have 7. But i know for a fact that one of them is a Wolf. I think a hummingbird, too....

Noted. But the presence was calming and comforting in the midst of what I've have recently.

And wow, that sounds awesome. The 7 are ones found in directions aren't they? Like East, West, North, South, above, below, and within? Pretty sure I saw that somewhere . .

ok. You're good. Just be careful in the future, though.

Yup. ^^
So you saw the panther's eyes? Did you get a thought in your head? she might want to tell you something...

Hmm, this was a little strange today. Decided to meditate again, to try and hear any message from her. But instead of seeing a panther face, I saw a snow leopard.

hm, well; you may have Snow Leopard as another of your totems; you have an east, west, north, and south guide.

possibly another spririt. Remember, not just your totem animals visit you, it's any animal that you need guidence or medicine from. Snow Leopard is the Messenger, along with Hawk. It is also Self Reliance.

have you had any problems with yourself lately? You don't nessecarily have to tell me, but take it into consideration; why is Snow Leopard visiting me? And for what reason?

How do you find out which animal is associated with each direction?

Also, how can you discover all of them? Did you have a spiritual journey yourself? Or did your grandfather tell them for you?
What are your 7?

(lol, sorry if this seems a little too inquisitive)