Tag: Power animal

CALLING YOUR POWER ANIMAL

CALLING YOUR POWER ANIMAL

There are different names for this exercise in different cultures. It is a way
for a person to get in touch with their animal aspects through dance. Keep in
mind that a Guardian Spirit can appear in animal or human form.

Undertake this exercise in a quiet, half darkened room which is free from
furniture that can hamper your movements. It is helpful if you have the use of
one or two rattles, but these are not necessary.

There are two parts to this exercise, 1- The Starting Dance, and 2- Dancing your
animal. In both dances, you loudly shake a rattle in each hand and dance in time
to the rattle. In all dancing, you keep your eyes half closed. This allows you
to cut down on the light and at the same time enables you to know where you are
in the room.

The Starting Dance
Standing still and erect, face east and shake one rattle very rapidly four
times. This is the signal that you are starting, ending or making an important
transition in serious shamanistic work. Think of the rising Sun and the power it
brings to all living things.

Still standing in place, start shaking one rattle at a steady pace of about 50
beats per second. Do this for about half a minute in each cardinal direction
while thinking of the element or power animals of that direction. For example,
you can think of an Eagle in the East, a Lion in the South, a Serpent or Dolphin
in the West, and a Bull in the North. Move clockwise.

Return to the East and shake the rattle above your head at the same rate for
about half a minute. Think of the sun, moon, starts and the entire universe
above. Now shake the rattle towards the ground and think of the earth, our home
and the gifts she gives to us.

Still facing the East, begin shaking both rattles at the same rate and dancing
along with the beat as if you were jogging in place. In this starting dance, you
are giving proof of your sincerity to the power animals wherever they may be, by
making a sacrifice to them of your own energy in the form of dance. Dancing is a
form of praying and evoking the sympathy of the Guardian Spirit.

Stop dancing and stand still. Shake one rattle four times to signal that you are
about to make an important transition.

Start shaking your tattles loudly, but in a slow tempo of about 60 beats per
minute. Start dancing around the room in time to the rattle. Move slowly and in
a free form. Try to pick up the feeling of some kind of mammal, bird, fish,
reptile or a combination of these. Once you feel the sense of something,
concentrate on it and slowly move your body in accordance with the creature. Be
open to the experience and emotion of the creature.

Don’t hesitate to make noises or cries. By keeping your eyes half closed, you
might be able to see the non-ordinary environment in which the animal is living.
You may even be able to see the animal. Do this for about 5 minutes. Without
pausing, shift to a higher state of rattle shaking and movement. Do this for
about 4 minutes. Another shift to a still faster pace of rattle and body
movements. Do this for about 4 minutes.

Stop dancing and mentally welcome the animal into your body. To do this, shake
the rattle four times and draw it and the animal towards your solar plexes.

Face the East and shake the rattle four times, while standing still. This is the
signal that your work has ended.

Once you have successfully gained your power animal, make it content enough to
say with you. This is done through exercising your animal through dancing and
singing songs of the animal.

Guardian animals usually only stay with a person for a few years, and then
depart. So in the course of a life long shamanistic practice, a person will have
a number of animals.

DO YOU KNOW YOUR ANIMAL TOTEMS?

DO YOU KNOW YOUR ANIMAL TOTEMS?                                             

The following is from Animal Speak by Ted Andrews                           
                                                                            

Begin the process of discovering your animal totems by examining the animals you
have been most interested in & the times of your life that interest was piqued.
Use the following questions to help determine which animals are probably totems
to you in your life.                            
                                                                            
1. Which animal or bird has always fascinated you? (We are drawn to that which
most resonates with us. Those animals which fascinate us have something to teach
us.)                                                     
                                                                            
2. When you visit the zoo, which animal do you wish to visit the most or first?
(esp. children)                                                      
                                                                             
3. What animal(s) do you see most frequently when you are out in nature? Have
you had encounters with animals in the wild? (The animals we encounter, in their
city environments or in the wild, have significance for us. We can learn from
them, even if only about survival within that environment.)                                                               
                                                                            
4. Of all the animals in the world, which are you most interested in now?  (Our
interests in animals change. Yes, we usually have one or two that are lifetime,
power animals, but others become prominent when there is something importance or
specific to teach us.)                              
                                                                            
5. What animal most frightens you? (That which we fear the most is often
something we must learn to come to terms with. When we do that, it then becomes
a power. Some shamans believe that fears will take the shape of  animals, and
only when we confront them without fear do their powers/medicine work for us
instead of against us. Such an animal become a shadow totem.)                                                              
                                                                            
6. Have you ever been bitten or attacked by an animal? (Historically, if a
shaman survived an attack, it was believed that the animal was the shaman’s
spirit totem and the attack was the totem’s way of testing the shaman’s ability
to handle the power.)                                               
                                                                            
7. Do you have dreams with animals in them or are there animal dreams you have
never forgotten? (This is especially important if the dreams are recurring or if
at least the animal image in the dream is a recurring one. Children often dream
of animals, & attention should be given to these animals. They will often
reflect specific spirit totems of the child.)

 

How to Discover Your Guide:

How to Discover Your Guide:

One way of starting to discover your animal guides by examining the animals you
have been most interested in and the times of your life that interest was
piqued. Also examine the animals that have appeared in your dreams or in your
everyday life, especially the ones that have appeared over and over and at odd
times. The following questions can help you determine which animals might be
guides in your life. Has a specific creature or specific creatures, be it
animal, bird, reptile, Amphibian, insect or mythological beast, always
fascinated you? We are drawn to that which most resonates with us. Those
animals, which fascinate us or the ones that we fear the most, have something to
teach us. Animal guides are not always those that we have the most similarities
with. Often they are in our lives to help us learn what we are lacking. When you
visit the zoo, which animal do you wish to visit first? This is especially true
with children and this question is easy for them to answer since they are often
more receptive than teens or adults. What animal or animals do you see most
frequently when you are out in nature? The animals we encounter in their city or
wild environments have significance for us. We can learn from them about
survival within their environment and often much more. Of all the creatures,
which are you most interested in now? Our interests in animals change. Yes, we
usually have one or two that are lifetime power animals, but others become
prominent in our lives when there is something of importance to learn from them.
Do any animals frighten you? That which we fear is often something we must learn
to come to terms with. When we do that, the fears then become power. Some
Shamans believe that fears will take the shape of animals, and only when we
confront them without fear do their powers/medicine work for us instead of
against us. Such an animal then becomes a shadow totem. Have you ever been
attacked or badly wounded by an animal? Historically, if a Shaman survived
an attack, it was believed that the animal was the Shaman’s spirit totem and the
attack was the totem’s way of testing the Shaman’s ability to understand and
handle its power. Do you have dreams with animals in them or are there animal
dreams you have never forgotten? This is especially important if the dreams are
recurring or if a specific animal image keeps popping up in your dreams.
Children often dream of animals and attention should be given to these animals.
They will often reflect specific animal guides of the child or areas of weakness
where the parents can help in their child’s growth.

How Do I Meet My Animal Guide?

How Do I Meet My Animal Guide?

Patience, patience, patience… Animal guides are not owned by anyone, even if
some might be called pets. It is their choice whether or not to make themselves
known to you at any particular time. You may ask nicely, but you can never force
a meeting. Most often your guide will reveal itself in its own time. Just
because they do not appear the first time you try to contact them doesn’t mean
you should give up. Keep trying every so often and when they feel the time is
right they will show themselves. There are three ways you can meet your power
animal or discover which animal medicine is right for you. First, you could just
wait until the guide decides that it is time for it to show itself. Second, you
could write and perform a ritual to call and ask for the assistance of the
animal that would best assist you in your present magical workings or be of help
in resolving a conflict in your life or simply ask that a guide make itself
known to you. Finally you could opt for the method of entering a meditative
state (for example ashamanic trance, astral travel or lucid dreaming) and meet
the animal in the spirit world. When the ritual technique is used, you will most
likely see the animal in its natural form or it may appear in your life through
seeming coincidences sometime after the ritual. There may be a synchronistic
conversation where the topic is of the animal, or you find a book about the
animal, images of it keep popping up, etc. When you catch that first glimpse of
that particular medicine, you will know it in your heart. If you meet the animal
in the meditative astral state, converse with it and ask its help. Anything is
possible in the astral, so ask questions and get to know your new partner. If
you have seen the animal after a ritual, plan sometime to go into the meditative
state to cement your relationship, get to know the animal and the wisdom it
represents. It is important to remember that in many cases, we are chosen and
not the one making the choices when it comes to the alliance with an animal
spirit. We may wish to seek the wisdom of a particular guide but others will
show up instead. Remember to be receptive to any or all who appear because they
all have important lessons or wisdom to impart. It is also possible that before
we can progress to our next level of understanding, we must first resolve or
overcome some underlying issues that we may not be fully aware of or are denying
within ourselves. Once you have met and began your relationship with an animal
spirit, what do you do with it? Power animals are great advice givers, often
representing aspects of our higher selves that we haven’t been paying close
enough attention to. In a meditative state you can ask for their assistance on
problems that have been nagging at you. At times, it is also necessary to seek
the assistance of more than one power animal at the same time to maintain
balance, as is the case between Badger and Deer.