So How Do Ya’ Know What Your Animal “Totems” Are?
December 16, 2007
By Dove, www.TarotwithLove.com This is for my friend, CV :) … and anyone else who may be drawn to this topic.
Animal totems are spiritual animal guides. They bring messages to us via their symbolic presence. That is, if you synchronously see, and especially continue to see, or hear an animal or the name of an animal, there is a message in that. The best book, considered a classic, on this topic is called “Animal-Speak” by Ted Andrews. And here’s a link to a post I did not long ago that touches on this subject, Ramblings on Animal Totems and my Tarot story, “An Owl, a Crow, and a Nudge toward the Tarot” shares the moment when I became aware of my Owl totem.
They say we each have nine totems, and although I know my nine, I’ve long felt that I have many more. And the woman who read my aura (see my Tarot story), when she saw “sooo many animals” in my aura, I think that was a reflection of that. I recall reading how this aligns with shamans. And I don’t know if I am one, but many things in my life certainly align with that.
So how did I discover my totems? It wasn’t that long after I was nudged toward using the Tarot that I had a similar experience with animal totems. I was guided towards some cards called, “Medicine Cards” that came with a book (by Jamie Sams/David Carson). The very first time I shuffled these cards, I was very curious as to what card the Universe would most want to show me. It was the Owl card. This I already knew was one of my main nine totems, and the same with my Crow totem (see Tarot story). I mention in my above “ramblings” post how the owl had come to me, and how I mentioned in my Tarot story how I’d had dreams of owls as well, and then when she saw it in my aura, that was the final confirmation I needed on that one. With the crow, I can’t honestly remember how I knew that one, it was just something I knew. I had lived in a wonderful wooded area before all of this started, and lotsa crows were there. I liked them :) … and that’s a good indicator that a certain animal is one of your totems. There was also this one crow that used to “visit” us there. The wildest thing, it had one white feather. We called it “White Feather” :) But again, I don’t remember the actual point where I knew, I just knew. And that right there can be the totality of discovering one of your totems. And then it was especially nice when the aura reader saw the crow on my shoulder :)
I discovered the rest, the other seven main totems, through the Medicine Cards. In the book, it has a spread that you can do. Just do it one time, and it will show you your totems. I might not have embraced this except that I saw one of them during a meditation immediately before drawing this spread. As I began to meditate in preparation for doing this, I immediately saw the eyes of a wolf, directly in front of my eyes. I felt sure in that moment that this was one of my totems. After the meditation, I shuffled the cards and began to to lay them out. The second card was the wolf :) Ya’ gotta know, that was a thrill. I smiled as I drew the rest of the cards. Most of them were winged ones, which aligned with my owl and crow…and the name the Universe bestowed upon me a few years ago, “Dove.” :) I even had an intuitive once reference me as an “Earth Angel.” More wings ;) And that nudges me toward seeing birds and angels in the same light…
Further synchronicity with the totems I already knew and that I saw in the spread that day is that I’ve seen that my own personality and such align with many of the characertistics of these animals. It’s come to me that these animals actually recognize us on some level, that we actually have this energy, that it is a part of us, part of our spiritual energy. This is why we are drawn to them and they are drawn to us. We’re like their family :) Cool, eh?
I have had so many amazing experiences with the crow, it’s definitely a part of my heart. If there’s a crow around, you can bet my attention will immediately zero in on it. But birds in general thrill and captivate me. I think they’re absolutely phenomenal. Again, if you love a certain animal this much, that’s a very strong indicator that it is one of your totems. Additionally, if you feel/believe (intuit) that a certain animal is one of your totems, then it very likely is.
My life and health issues, my personality, my “challenges” are all reflected in these animals. It’s very beneficial to know one’s totems. For example, the hummingbird is one of mine. One day in reading about it in the “Animal-Speak” book, I noted how the hummingbird eats very often, it has to… It was around that point when I discovered my own blood sugar issues, and per this knowledge of the hummingbird, I began experimenting with eating every few hours. Doing so was life-changing for me — one of the best health-improving rituals I’ve adopted. Many of my totems are solitary ones, and this helps me to understand my own strong need for solitude…
Different people discover there totems in different ways. Besides using the cards, you can simply ask the Universe to show them to you and then wait and watch :) They might come to you in dreams, on television shows, books, magazines…through other people speaking of certain animals, etc. etc. Ultimately, trust your intuition in knowing them when they come :) Then get the book and read about them, you’ll see yourself in them… The more you’re open to them (respect/honor/enjoy, call upon them), the more you’ll see the “magic” in them, and in this way (among many) that the Universe speaks to us :)
Peace,
Dove
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18 Responses to “So How Do Ya’ Know What Your Animal “Totems” Are?”
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December 16, 2007 at 5:10 pm
Ha! Dove ur are so sweet :)!.. Thank u so much..How interesting that is…Actually by reading ur post some animals came to my mind right away…I am a dog lover so I imagine it would be one of my Totems…A few weeks ago, I have dreamt about roe deers and have dreamt about cats a couple times too…I also like squirrels, I don’t know why but I feel that instinctively I need to feed them and I do..
I should get The ”Medecine Cards” it sounds like a good idea to purchase to get a closer look at the subject..Thanks again, DoveTarot, for ur insights in regards to this :):):)
December 16, 2007 at 6:13 pm
Dove, just came back reading my few Animal Totems at this very intriguing and inspiring website http://www.sayahda.com…From what I have read it makes sense somehow..
December 17, 2007 at 12:13 am
Yay, I’m glad it’s clickin’ for ya’ CV :) Yep, I like that site too, your link isn’t working for me, so I’ll post it again here
http://www.sayahda.com/cyc5.html
December 17, 2007 at 8:37 pm
Part of my discovery of my own Totems included taking a long look back over my life (and my ’stuff’) to see what was naturally a part of my life. Butterfly and Hummingbird have been with me since I was a kid! Then about 4-5 years ago - I began having these really awesome experiences with Crows and Hawks…and 2 Winters ago, while out on a walk in our local mountains, I met a Wolf for the very first time. It was these sorts of things that got me looking into Totems more deeply.
It was so amazing doing the 9 Totem spread that comes with the Medicine Cards :)
December 17, 2007 at 9:11 pm
What’s so cool is the synchonicity :) I often connect with those who have at least one totem in common with me, but often there are many. I tend to draw “the teachers,” the Wolf totem, Hermits, Hierophants and High Priestesses :)
It’s very common for those whom I’m particularly drawn to have the Crow or Raven totem. My last boyfriend was my opposite astrologically, Aries :) But he was the first guy I’d ever felt that “in love” thing with, a very “fiery” relationship… We had in common the Crow/Raven, Wolf, and Owl, maybe others. He also had Hawk, which I tend to draw as well. I’ve met a lot of Eagle people too. Because the Hawk has “messaged me” (ha) so often over the years, I think it is likely a potent totem for me as well.
Ah, butterfly, suh-weet :) I strongly resonate with that beauty too.
Yeah, I love my Medicine Cards :) I’ve said it before, we’re soooo lucky!! lol ;)
December 17, 2007 at 9:21 pm
Very interesting. Thanks for sharing so much about you and your totems.
December 18, 2007 at 6:50 pm
You’re welcome, tobeme Please share some of your totems with us as you feel moved to do so :)
January 15, 2008 at 8:54 am
Hi Dove,
thanks for your inspiration, this is all fascinating to me. I have some European totems - as I am from England, currently living in France: Owl (in childhood), Hare, Wolf and recently Deer.
I was always in a state of anxiety because I could never put my finger on the ONE that was/is my totem - I thought we only had one, and had to choose. But they all keep appearing in my life and all at different times in my life. I am so relieved to find out that I have 9 and maybe more! I can relax with them now and really learn from them.
I am very interested in buying the ‘Animal Speak’ book - over here there is a nice Animal Oracle deck that has native European Animals featured, it is the “Druid Animal Oracle” by Philip and Stephanie Carr-Gomm.
thanx for inspiring me!
x x x
January 15, 2008 at 5:01 pm
Hi Louisa!
Gawd, it’s so amazing that you should mention the Owl…and the anxiety. The anxiety thing is kinda the norm for me, but lately it’s been especially potent, because of a certain life situation I’ve been enduring.
And partly because of it, I haven’t been able to get to bed before 2 AM most nights, for a while now. Was up again last night, it seems like it was about midnight, and all of a sudden I heard what sounded like an owl. I’ve lived here for 3 years now and it’s a rare bird to hear an owl (pun intended, lol). But it wasn’t coming from the back, where the woods are, where it’s very dark.
Nah, it was coming from the parking lot side, which is semi-dark but very brightly lit around my apartment, and it was clearly very close… Every few minutes, I would hear its soft, sweet little hoots.
So I started talking to it ;) Asking it what its message for me was. Then I asked the Tarot while it was hooting, and got an encouraging card. But I was feeling so much fear last night about this “life situation,” that it was difficult to allow myself to take a positive message from the Owl. But I know now that’s why it came, to help alleviate my fears.
The Owl represents “death” (transformation, the end of one thing, the beginning of another). It also represents “magic.”
This morning “magic” happened, it all happened like click-click-click in just a few moments. I turned on the light over my kitchen sink and the light blew out. Damn, I thought. I generally take that (the rare occasion of a light burning out) as a negative message.
But I learned this morning that this isn’t always true — I also learned that I am way too quick to take a negative message. Especially when it comes to a “death” message, which a bulb going out represents. It’s another “transformation” message. For those who think I’m obsessed with messages, lol, I’m really not :) It’s just I KNOW that everything around us is US, it all represents us, our life, our reality. It’s simply a mirror, it simply is… Messages are prolific around us. But there’s no reason to be obsessed about it, we’ll always receive the messages we need, they’ll keep coming until we do ;)
As I whined ;) about the bulb, and remembered the Owl last night, I went to ask the cards again. So what are all these “death” messages about? I drew the same card as last night for the Owl’s message. A positive card, and then more positive cards that were clearly pointing to this “life situation” and its resolution.
Just as I pulled another of these positive cards (a very on point one), the phone rang. Yeah, this morning, right at that moment.
It was like — bulb, thoughts of the owl, pulling cards, climactic phone call…just like that. It was the call I’d hoped for :)
Good transformation, “death/rebirth.” The end of something I’m ready to end, and the beginning of something I’m ready to begin :)
Ya’ see, that Owl, and its message of “death” (same as rebirth) and that death concept isn’t so scary after all. I loooove my Owl baby ;)
It’s early and I’ve already learned so much this morning :) Thanks for your wonderful and very synchronous comment, Louisa!
Peace,
Dove
January 15, 2008 at 9:07 pm
and thanx for your wonderful comment! Every time hear an owl I get shivers down my spine - in fact I got one just reading your comment here. What an amazing morning.
Death is a big thing for me, something I have worked on for a long, long time to get to grips with, only just in the last couple of years have I been able to face it at all.
I don’t hear many owls just at the moment as we live literally ‘under’ a waterfall and the sound of the water blocks out all other night sounds - but I have very ‘big’ dreams about owls quite often, and as a child I can quite firmly say I was obsessed by them.
I always liked to imagine myself as a ‘magical’ child - I was very connected to animals around me when I was young and would spend most of my time sitting up trees. I am sure now that I was called by the magic of the owl.
I saw on a totems page that you suggested to me http://www.linsdomain.com/totems/pages/owl.htm
that the owl signifies paying attention to more than just sounds, “You will hear not what is being said by others, but what is hidden.
You can detect subtleties of voice that others cannot.”
That is SO TRUE for me, and something I have worked on for a long time. Something that means a lot to me at the present time.
I looked at another very important animal in my life - the moth - here: http://www.sayahda.com/cyc3.html and it says basically a very similar thing about sensing the subtleties of life and other people.
I have been taught so much about myself and my ‘path’ by these two animals from you and these web pages!
thank you.
January 16, 2008 at 3:02 am
It’s such a joy to feel and be a part of your renewed excitement about this, Louisa :) So very cool, I love all your sharing about it! I can relate to the trees to, I was a tomboy as a way little one, climbing trees and all that, yep. I even went around saying I was a boy, lol! I now realize that’s because I was sharp enough to recognize how boys got a lot more respect than girls. I think, even then, I wanted the freedom and power they seemed to have :)
Ah, and I so wanted to be like Samantha on Bewitched, lol … and the “I Dream of Jeannie” girl. Interestingly, that seems to be a common denominator among magical-thinking ones. I’ve connected with many like-minded ppl who loved those two programs as kids. I went around trying to make magic by blinking my eyes and twitching my nose, LOL! ;)
Hugs,
Dove
February 11, 2008 at 6:43 pm
I am very interested in learning more about medicine cards. I am graduating this semester as a veterinary technician and will dedicate my life to helping animals. Over the past year i have been visited by hawks. some days i’ll see one, other days i see up to 5… and they are strangely close. I can sense them before i see them, i get a feeling and i will even say something outloud to someone then they are there. i feel as though they are waiting for me or they are there specifically for me. also i noticed Moths over the years. HUGE moths coming to my house to die at either my front or back door…. around these times there has been great changes in my life. So, in my own mind i have attributed them to bearer of change. Thinking back on my life there has always been a theme of animals around situations. My grandfather and i always had rabbits and bunnies that we would see and help if injured. My mother- cardinals. I have always loved medicine, astrology, tarot and animals along with an interest in shamanism.
if you have any insight on my animals i would love to hear about it. I’m a Cancer sun, Pisces moon, taurus asc…. not sure if that has anything to do with anything though?
Love. Lau.
February 11, 2008 at 6:58 pm
Hi Lau
The Moth is very interesting, I’ve never had it as a totem before, but you’re the second person on this thread to have mentioned it to me. Hmmm, so that makes me feel it has a message for me as well. It certainly seems to align with your desire to care for animals, per this interpretation I’ve posted below.
I think you’d love the Medicine cards, and could learn much from the book they come with (as well as “Animal-Speak”). I’ve also been getting the rabbit totem a bit lately. I tend to think of them as fearful, but I know they have positive attributes as well. You can learn a great deal by simply doing google searches for any particular totem. Take the meaning that you feel drawn to.
I’m really impressed with your hawk connection, that’s wonderful. Thanks so much for sharing, Lau, and hope to hear more from you.
Dove
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The Moth
Moths live in all but polar regions. The wings, bodies, and legs of the moth are covered with numerous touch hairs that come off if it is handled. Because of this the moth is highly sensitive to touch. They can feel, smell, taste and determine temperatures with their feathery antennae. The tiny pegs upon them serve as receptors. This gives the moth the ability to perceive everything with clarity. Those with this totem usually have strong psychic and healing abilities. They must be careful not to pick up other peoples problems and carry them around in their own energy field. If this happens confusion and irritability can set in.
The process of metamorphosis is part of the magic the moth holds. The egg stage symbolizes the birth of an idea. The larvae stage indicates the laying of a foundation. The chrysalis stage represents the process of creating, and the winged stage allows it to take flight and explore new territory.
One of the most interesting characteristics of the moth is how it wraps its wings around itself. When resting, they either fold their wings, wrap them around their body, or hold them extended by their sides. This suggests a basic nurturing quality and those with this medicine often find themselves in some sort of care giving role.
The hearing ability of the moth is acute. They are capable of detecting ultra sound because their hearing organs are found on their legs. These enable them to sense vibrations emitted around them. Paying attention to what is being said and what isn’t being said is part of the teachings the moth holds. Observing the body language of others is helpful.
When the moth appears in our life it is asking us to pay attention to issues of sensitivity. Are you overly sensitive or insensitive to those around you? Are you involved in a situation that needs to be reevaluated? Are you honoring the integrity of all concerned?
The transformative qualities of the moth are numerous. It shows us how to develop and refine our psychic gifts. The moth is an optimist and an opportunist. It can teach us how to release unwanted influences and fly into the discovery of our personal joy.
http://www.sayahda.com/cyc3.html
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February 11, 2008 at 7:07 pm
I feel compelled to comment on the aspect of the Moth regarding how it wraps its wings around itself. I love that. What I’m getting is that it’s not just about caring for others, it’s about self-love — and how very important that is. And the self-hugging is something I’ve been thinking about recently. I try to remember to do it often. There’s a part of me that loves it :)
We must love and “hug” ourselves before we can truly do that for others.
Hugs :)
Dove
March 18, 2008 at 2:12 am
thank you so much for your response. since then a lot has changed in my life. like a flip of a switch. i still see my hawks of course but in addition i have been visited by crows as of lately. i am not sure if they represent the sudden change in my life or are warning death (my cat is sick). just today on the way to the animal hospital one flew right in front of my car to perch next to another one. on the way home i pulled off the thruway and 4 crows were in one tree all 90 degrees apart from eachother facing each direction, north south east west. i noticed it because it seemed like it was set up, it was too perfect for animals to be in such a pattern. once i got home i was sitting in my living room and noticed crows playing/fighting in my back yard and were close to my house, 3 of them. I have been betrayed by friends as of lately, people who i thought highly of. once again at nearly every point in my life an animal represents that time… maybe that these crows are just a representation of this time for me. i just want to make sure i’m over looking the message. thanks again for sharing your knowledge. and why are most of my animals that i am visited by have wings?
March 18, 2008 at 5:03 pm
Hi Lau,
I don’t know if my experience applies to others with regard to the crow, but when they get close to me, more often than not, it represents a warning — and it usually happens pretty quickly, sometimes within minutes (other times, it might be longer). It can range from something kinda dangerous (one flew in front of my car like your experience, and within seconds I hit a slick spot and slid into the other lane…luckily no one else was in it) to just an uncomfortable disagreement with someone or something similar.
It’s generally something uncomfortable or troublesome, but I always get through it okay. I like to believe that’s part of their message, that yeah, something not comfortable is coming, but we’re here for ya’ :) I love my crow baby ;) and I try not to cringe when it gets close to me, and know it’ll be okay, but I kinda get prepared for something, without putting too much energy (manifesting) toward the negative.
You mention “pattern” and “4″ — those, with your stuff on your friends, seems to be speaking of patterns you’re creating in your life. A big issue with me and the Universe right now :) So I can relate. We just need to remember that it’s our own energy that creates these “betraying” (and otherwise negative) experiences. We change, and then “they” will change…the experiences, people, etc…not necessarily the people in our lives. But if the people around us don’t change and we do, they leave us…people stay around us only when we have some type/degree of common energy, like attracts like. That doesn’t necessarily mean we are like them, it can also mean we strongly dislike something about them (like the betraying thing) and that strong feeling within us is all the energy that’s needed to draw them to us… This is why it’s essential that we forgive. If we don’t, we keep that hatred in us, and our emotions are powerful things — we draw stuff to us with them…whatever we’re hating or loving…it will come to us. Over and over again (”pattern”), until WE change…
Peace,
Dove
March 19, 2008 at 1:18 am
thank you so much Dove. you have helped me understand these messages in many ways. and you are totally right so far as i sure everything will unfold itself in time. i have stayed positive and i know i need to work on myself to find the balance…. i am just not sure what i need to change quite yet.
thanks again for your help <3
Love. Lau.
June 4, 2008 at 7:25 pm
[...] part of the reading, and then elaborating on the Life Path Number, I wrap it up with a one-card animal totems reading, asking the totem cards what message they have for the person. So at this point in this [...]