Animal Totems

Eagle - Owl

Eagle Medicine:
Spirit, Divine

Because of his high flight, Eagle has been seen as a symbol of divinity
among many cultures. To the Greeks he symbolized Zeus, father of wind and
lightning; while the Native Americans see him as connection to Great Spirit.
Eagle teaches us that we have the ability to soar to great heights if only
we will find the courage to do so.
Once we dare to reach, we find that the upcurrents and thermals of the
Universe will support us. Through Eagle we learn that the joy and freedom
we gain through reaching for the Sun is worth the fear of singed feathers.
From his great height, Eagle's view of what is possible becomes broader,
his horizons more limitless.
Eagle people are may often seem apart from the crowd, where thier perspective
can give them a better view of the big picture.
Their broader perception gives them an inherent understanding of what must
be done, and that in nature, the greatest mercy is often a swift kill.
The feathers of the Eagle are said to hold great cleansing and healing power.
Legend also tells that the Eagle would undergo a Phoenix-like rejuvenation by
flying close to the Sun and burning away its feathers, then bathing in clear
water and be reborn.
Eagle medicine teaches us to work towards releasing past hurts by embracing
our inner core self. With the Sun at our heart, and by being willing to accept
our emotions and heal. For those working Eagle there is a need for
purification; willingness to embrace the creative Child Self at our core;
and courage to let the processes of growth move through our lives.
Though a creature of the air, Eagle has strong associations in all elemental
realms. He soars toward the sun (Fire) and yet purifies in a lake, according
to legend (Water) Bald Eagle lives near water & dines on fish, and eats of the
creatures of Earth.
The strength of his legs, far stronger than most birds, also speak of a need
for grounding and Earth association. Through this, we understand that the
journey to our Higher Self is an alchemical process wherein the greatest
growth will occur when there is balance in all dimensions.

Elk Medicine:
Stamina, Strength, Nobility

Elk is power, strength, stamina and nobility.
If you have elk medicine, you have learned to look at the
long view of things, and "hit your stride" so that you can maintain
your energy and determination until a project is completed.
Things that take a long time to complete properly do not discourage you.
You don't give up easily. Also, you work well in groups and are not one
to "hog" the credit for a thing well done.
Elk teaches lessons in mutual cooperation for the good of the whole.
One of the wonderful traits of elk people is that they are comfortable
with their own sex, and work well with their own sex.
Elk people belong to women's/men's groups and do not suffer the intense
competition found in some people when they are with their own sex.
Women are able to work well with other women without gossip and jealousy
and pettiness, and men work well with other men without the need to flex
their macho muscles, or be top dog, or be the one in control.
However, it is important for elk people to mingle and communicate with
the opposite sex; not for sexual interaction, but for the sharing of energy
from another viewpoint. This is necessary to maintain balance in the emotional
and mental outlook.
If you are an elk person, you probably spend a lot of time just
"being a friend" to others. You are warm, comfortable and understanding.

Fox Medicine:
Camouflage, Cleverness, The Fae

There are 21 species of fox around the world, and this little creature has
had an impact on every culture there is.
The fox is so much a part of our everyday speech that we don't even think
about it: "sly as a fox"; a "foxy person"; you "clever fox", and on and on.
Since the fox lives "between times" on the edge of land, visible as
dusk and dawn, and can guide the way to the Faerie Realm.
If you have a fondness for fairies, elves, gnomes, the "little people" and
sprites, fox is working on you. Its keen eyesight also has the ability to
see movement and objects on the very edges of the field of vision.
Those with active fox medicine can often see Spirit, and the beings
"between worlds". If this is an ability that you'd like to develop, practice
at twilight and call upon fox energy to help you.
With fox's super-sensitive hearing, you may also be able to hear Spirit.
Use fox medicine to become a master of camouflage. How?
Practice entering a room or gathering quietly, melt into the surroundings,
and see how long you can go unnoticed. This will let you get the lay of the
land, size up the situation, determine where you fit in to your best
advantage; all very quietly without anyone knowing what you're doing.
Practice calming your energy fields and your vibrations, and pulling them
closer to you, so that your presence is not announced by the sheer force of
your being.

Frog Medicine:
Fertility, Creativity

Frog's song calls down the cleansing power of the rain.
Frog is a reminder of the sacred power of tears to tranform and cleanse
away sorrow. Frogs will die if away from moisture for too long, and thus
Frog reminds us to refresh ourselves, and allow joy to moisten our lives
and our hearts.
If you are feeling "muddied" by the world, take a moment to
dream, to laugh and cry and renew yourself.
Frog also reminds us to cleanse our bodies, our environments and our auric
fields. People with Frog energy should learn and utilize methods of psychic
cleansing.
Frog is able to work equally well in the realms of Earth/Air (conscious)
and in Water (unconscious.), taking in the unconsicious almost by osmosis.
Frog people are often artists, mystics, psychics and healers.
They are often empathic, excellent at reading others and in knowing how to
help them heal.
Care must be taken however, not to become swamped by taking in the emotions
of others. Frog reminds us to cleanse our bodies, our environments and our
auric fields.
People with Frog energy should learn and utilize methods of psychic cleansing
so that they do not become bogged down. It is imperative to learn how to
recognize when people, situations and circumstances are draining energy,
and to cleanse them out of your aura so that you may sing freely.
A tadpole's shape mirrors that of the spermazoa.
Frogs are often seen as a symbol of fertility and creativity.
Frog people should nourish their creative side.
Frog people may go through many metamorphoses during their lives, and may
change careers several times.
Balance will come through respecting these changes and learning to go with
the flow.

Grouse Medicine:
Sacred Spiral, Dance

Grouse once flocked in abundance throughout North America, but now, even on
the plains where these birds were so plentiful, there is an absence of them.
Many Plains Indian tribes dance the Grouse Dance to honor these birds.
The movement of the dance follows a spiral, which is the ancient symbol of
birth and rebirth, the ribbed tunnel of eternal return.
The Sacred Spiral is also one of the oldest known symbols for personal power.
When you think of Grouse medicine, visualize a whirlpool or even a tornado,
for the Sacred Spiral will take you to the center.
The spiral is a metaphor for personal vision and enlightenment.
Many initiates on Vision Quests paint spirals on their bodies and
believe that the Great Mystery will favor them with visions of power
and purpose because of this symbol.
The whirling dervishes of certain Sufi orders are masters of the spiral dance
and can transcend to higher states of awareness through the repetition of
this sacred movement.
It is said that dervishes can travel to the center of the spiral and return
with any magical power they choose.
In the dervish state, one enters the Great Silence and has direct
communication with the Creator.
By spinning clockwise or counter-clockwise, the dervish draws or repulses
specific energies.
Sufi dancing is a system which connects one with the Divine Source through
ritual treatment of motion.
Analyze the way you move through your world.
How do you picture yourself in the act of "locomotion?"
What kind of reaction do you create with the energy you
send into the universe?
What words would you use to describe the way you move through both the
material and spiritual worlds?
In the final analysis, is your movement compatible with your greatest
desires and goals?
Many spiritual disciplines ask that you cease all external movement in
order to recognize the inner life.
Grouse medicine, however, is an invitation to the dance.
Grouse celebrates the Divine Source through its sacred spiral dance, and
offers this dance to you as a gift.
You can spend a lifetime learning Grouse' lesson on how to harmonize your
dance with Mother Earth's cycles, and how to offer the dance as a creation
of selfless beauty.

Hawk Medicine:
Messenger, Healing, Vision

Brother Hawk is the messenger. Just as the eagle carries our messages to
the Great Spirit, the hawk is the messenger who delivers thoughts and
information to us.
If you carry hawk medicine, you are also charged with sharing those
messages with others.
You must help your fellow humans to free their spirits, and feed their
creative urges.
Another gift of hawk medicine is incredible vision; both with your physical
eyes and with your spirit eyes.
Only the owl has keener vision and insights than the hawk.
Being able to see clearly into surroundings and situations gives you a
distinct advantage in being able to live your life to its fullest.
Hawk can solve a problem by flying above the situation.
He removes himself from it, observing it only as a passive viewer.
This allows Hawk to see the big picture.
Hawk's broad vision allows you to see the past, present, and future
all laid out before you.
Once you are aware of the opportunities in front of you, Hawk will help
you to wisely choose your moves to make the best of your potential.

Horse Medicine:
Power, Travel, Journeying

Horses are symbols of freedom. This totem brings new journeys.
It will teach you to ride in new directions and discover your own freedom
and power.
The Horse is the symbol of Wind.
The horse shows up in almost every mythological writing, folklore,
and reality.
There is the mighty winged Pegasus; the 8-legged horse of the Norse god Odin;
the stallions of the Hindu sun god; the stallions of Apollo,
and on and on.
Many legends speak of the horse as being clairvoyant and able to perceive
humans with magical powers. No single animal has given man the physical
freedom of movement as the horse.

Hummingbird Medicine:
Joy, Inner Beauty

Hummingbird lives on nectar and searches for the sweetness of life.
It's purpose is to pollinate the flowers of the world,
and there are over 300 species of this amazing little creature
going about this work.
Its long "nose" lets it bypass the often tough and bitter outer
layer to find the hidden treasurers underneath.
Hummingbird people have a talent for finding the good in people,
and are not put off by a gruff or abrupt exterior for they know that,
if they can only get beyond that tough outside layer,
they'll find goodness and beauty inside.

Lizard Medicine:
Keeper of the Dreamtime

Lizard medicine is the shadow side of reality
where your dreams are reviewed
before you manifest them physically.
If you have a Lizard totem, listen to our own intuition
above anyone else's.
Pay attention to your dreams for they show us
what we do not perceive when awake.
Dreams are shadows showing your fears and hopes.
Make a dream log and record your dreams.
Look for your symbolic and reoccurring dreams and study them carefully.
Lizard can also teach you to become more detached in life.
Sometimes it is necessary to separate yourself from others
to accomplish what is necessary.
Lizard helps you awaken the ability for objective detachment.
It can show you how to break from the past.

Lynx Medicine:
Knower of Secrets

It is said that if you want to find out a secret, ask Lynx medicine.
Unfortunately, it is difficult to get the silent Lynx to speak.
To be confronted by the powerful medicine of Lynx signifies that you
do not know something about yourself or others.
Lynx is the keeper of the secrets of lost magical systems
and occult knowledge.
Lynx has the ability to move through time and space and to go into
the Great Silence for unravelling any mystery.
Lynx is not the guardian of secrets, but the knower of secrets.
The problem lies in getting Lynx to instruct you.
He or she would rather be off chasing a bird or kicking sand in
your face than running circles around you.
Lynx medicine is a very specific type of clairvoyance.
If this medicine is strong to you, you will get mental pictures
concerning other people and the exact things they have hidden,
either from themselves or others.
You will see their fears, their lies, and their self-deceptions.
You will also know where they have hidden the treasure, if there is any.
You never speak of these revelations- you simply know.
Brother or Sister Lynx can teach you of your personal power
and of things you have forgotten about yourself.
Lynx can lead you to lost treasures, and connect you to forgotten
brotherhoods or sisterhoods.
Some medicine people believe that the Sphinx of ancient Egypt was
not a Lion but a Lynx.
This Lynx does not say much.
With an enigmatic smile, the great cat watches over the sands of forever.

Moose Medicine:
Self-Esteem

Moose medicine teaches us the value of self-esteem,
and of rewarding ourselves and others for a job well done.
Moose walks with a measured and regal gait with his head held high
for he knows he has value and dignity.
Moose people do not hesitate to encourage others to learn and grow
for they are not threatened with the thought that someone might get
to be better at a thing; the student surpassing the teacher as it were.
Moose will not only encourage others to learn, he will jump in and
help teach, and will show by example.
Moose people will never ask others to do what they will not do themselves.
Moose knows how damaging unkind criticism and nitpicking is to the
spirit of someone trying to learn and do their best.
Moose will look for any excuse to tell the world about something
that has been done well, and he sings it forth for all to hear.
People work hard to please moose because the rewards of his
pleasure are great.
Moose does not suffer from false shyness or inhibitions or the
tendency to make light of his own accomplishments.
He is not coy about his successes.
Moose says, "I worked hard to do this, and I did it well. I'm proud of myself".
When you acknowledge that your own acceptance of a thing well done,
and satisfying your own standards, really is important to you, you are
on the road to building a bedrock of solid self-esteem.
Remember that "self" esteem comes from the inside out,
not from outside sources.

Mountain Lion Medicine:
Leadership, Truth

Mountain Lion can be a very difficult power totem
for you to have, because it places you in a position to be a
target for the problems of others.
You could be blamed for things going wrong, or for always taking
charge when others cannot.
You could become the perfect justification for the insecurities of others.
Mountain Lion medicine involves lessons on the use of
power in leadership.
It is the ability to lead without insisting that others follow.
It is the understanding that all beings are potential leaders
in their own ways.
The use and abuse of power in a position of influence are part
of this great cat's medicine.
By observing the graceful pounce of Mountain Lion,
you will learn how to balance power, intention, physical strength, and grace.
This relates, in human terms, to the balance of body, mind, and spirit.
The giant feline never wastes anything.
It only kills what it needs for survival.
The female lion is the hunter who graces her table in a style akin
to mother energy.
In assuming the place of power that Mountain Lion affords,
you must constantly be aware of keeping peace.
However you can never make everyone happy unless
you lie to yourself or others.
This is human nature.
Therefore the first responsibility of leadership is
to tell the truth.
Know it and live it, and your example will filter down to the tiniest
cub in the pride.
Respon­sibility is no more than the ability to respond to any situation.
Panic is not a part of this sacred medicine.

Mouse Medicine:
Scrutiny, Details

Mouse medicine is both a great power
and a great weakness.
It is good to pay attention to all details,
but bad to over-analyze every little thing.
Do you know when it's time to leave?
Are you aware when you have overstayed your welcome?
Can you tell when you are boring people, or becoming aggravating,
or dominating a conversation.
Have you learned the value of silence and the art of listening?
Do you go about your business with quiet determination and
effectiveness, and move on when your mission is accomplished?
You may be mouse.
There is a danger in mouse medicine.
Mouse has a tendency to become a wharf rat!
If you examine things too much, you can nitpick the joy away and
destroy the spontaneous pleasures of life.
If you save for tomorrow until you have to rent outside storage,
a major rat is growing.
When a thing no longer serves you, whether it is a pattern of behaviour,
or a belief system, or those pants you wore in high school GET RID OF IT.
Remember that nothing new can come in until there is room for it.
Mouse is wonderful, as long as he stays a mouse.
Be careful not to let him grow.

Opossum Medicine:
Diversion, Strategy

Opossum's greatest form of protection is to play dead.
In doing this Opossum confuses many a predator into believing that
the game is over. Oftentimes the confused rival walks away or
looks the other direction for a moment, and Opossum runs to safety.
Opossum medicine uses a great deal of strategy.
If all else fails, Opossum plays dead.
It has the ability to fight with its claws and teeth, but it rarely
uses this form of protection.
Instead, the supreme strategy of diversion is constantly employed
when things get a little too hard to handle.
Opossum has developed an act that would receive an Academy Award
in the animal kingdom.
The musk of the death scent is excreted at will,
adding to the master play that sends enemies on many trails of confusion.

Otter Medicine:
Female Energy

The medicine held by Otter is a set of lessons in female energy.
This applies to both men and women, as all of us have female sides.
The Otter's hide is very often used to make medicine bags
for powerful women because it represents balanced female energy.
Otter is very caring of its young and will play for hours,
performing all types of acrobatics.
It lives on land but always has its home on water.
The elements of Earth and Water are the female elements.
At home in both of these elements, Otter is the personification of femininity:
long, sleek and graceful , Otter is the true coquette of the animal world.
Otter is always on the move and very curious.
Unlike other animals, Otter will not start a fight
unless it is attacked first.
This joyful little creature is adventuresome and assumes that all
other creatures are friendly, until proven otherwise.
These character traits are the beauty of a balanced female side,
the side of ourselves that creates a space for others to enter
our lives without preconceptions or suspicions.
Otter teaches us that balanced female energy is not jealous or catty.
It is sisterhood, content to enjoy and share the good fortune of others.
Anchored in the understanding that all accomplishments are good
for the whole tribe, Otter people express joy for others.
Long ago, in tribal law, if a woman were widowed, her sister would
offer her own husband to the widow as a lover to keep her from drying
up and not using her creative urges.
This is Otter's medicine, too.
Envy, or the fear of being replaced, has no space in Otter's balanced
understanding of sharing goodness.
Woman energy without games or control is a beautiful experience.
It is the freeness of love without jealousy.
It is the joy of loving other people's children and their
accomplishments as much as you love your own.
It may be time to examine your feelings about sharing the bounty
of your life with others.
Otter may be saying that the finer qualities of woman
need to be striven for in both men and women so that a
unity of spirit can be achieved.
This would involve the destruction of jealously and of all the acts
of anger which stem from that fear.
It would mean keeping a Hawk-eye on your ego and maintaining total trust.
It would mean a world full of people coming together to honor the right
of each person to be.

Owl Medicine:
Deception, Wisdom, Clairvoyance

Owl medicine is symbolically associated with clairvoyance,
astral projection, and magic, both black and white.
Owl is called Night Eagle on several medicine wheels
used by Amerindian teachers.
Traditionally, Owl sits in the East, the place of illumination.
Since time immemorial, humanity has been afraid of the night,
the dark, and the unseen, waiting fearfully for the first crack of
morning light.
Conversely, night is Owl's friend.
Owl hunts its prey at night.
Not only can Owl see in the dark, it can also accurately pinpoint
and identify any sound.
This gives it a great advantage when seeking food.
Owls are the night hunters.
Some native people are fearful of Owl and call its
feathers "deceiver feathers~' An Owl feather is silent.
You cannot hear Owl when it flies, but its prey definitely knows
when it strikes, for its beak and talons are razor sharp.
Owl is oftentimes the medicine of sorcerers and witches.
If Owl is your medicine, you will be drawn to magical practices
and perhaps explore the dark arts.
You should resist any temptation to practice black magic or any art
that takes energy away from another person or being.
If you have Owl medicine, these night birds will have a tendency
to collect around you, even in the daytime, because
they recognize a kinship with you.
Is it any wonder that in many cultures Owl is a symbol for wisdom?
This is because Owl can see that which others cannot, which is the
essence of true wisdom.
Where others are deceived, Owl sees and knows what is there.
Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom, had a companion Owl on her
shoulder which revealed unseen truths to her.
Owl had the ability to light up Athena's blind side, enabling her
to speak the whole truth, as opposed to only a half truth.
If Owl is your personal medicine, no one can deceive you about
what they are doing, no matter how they try to disguise
or hide it from you.
You may be a little frightening to be around since so many people
have ulterior motives which you see right through.
If you are unaware of your medicine power, you may take your
keen insights and abilities for granted. Others never do.
You may frighten them and reflect their blindness,
for you cannot be fooled.
Owl medicine people know more about an individual's inner life
than that person knows about herself or himself.

Portions of these animal medicines where taken from the book,
'Discover of Power through the ways of Animals',
by Jamie Sams and David Carson.

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