Thread: What's your spirit animal?

I have been introduced to spirit animals from a native woman. Many native cultures that I know of from Canada believe in 'spirit animals' or 'animal guides'. Traditionally a person would fast and go on a journey in the wilderness until they encountered their animal guide. These encounters are either real or hallucinated but they are supposed to be life changing.

I spoke with this native woman, she worked at a drug rehab program that I attended. We discussed my spirit animal and we think that mine may be a turtle. Turtles are slow animals and they 'wear their homes on their backs'. I live a slow paced lifestyle and I always feel the need to protect myself.

To anyone who wishes to learn more I would suggesting starting by looking into native cultures (I don't remember the names).

I was meditating a while ago when an animal whom I assume was my spirit animal came to me. During the meditation I was picturing myself inside of that symbol that is my avatar when I found myself inside the black depths of it, under the mountains. It was totally pitch black but there was a thickness to it, so it wasn't like it felt as if I was in space, more like deep under water. Then out of the depths of the blackness I found myself in there emerged a giant squid. And I introduced myself and asked it if it would show me the world through it's eyes. Needless to say, what followed was a very alien experience to me.

I wish I had enough focus to meditate so I have something other than my new-agey friend and a conversation with a necklace-seller to go on, but my internal monologue/running commentary and constantly having annoyingly catchy songs stuck in my head always borks it up. -_-'

*shrug* ya just gotta learn how to chill. That's all there is to it really. Just chill out and experience the moment.

Not very good at chilling, especially when the moment I'm experiencing mostly consists of the house making noises, the filter in Aristotle the Goldfish's aquarium buzzing, my eyelids twitching... and it's really hard to set a scene mentally since I think in words. So I keep going "Okay, there's a (insert object here) and another (object) and they're (whatever) but really all I see are blobs and darkness and - no, I don't wanna be thinking about all the icing stars I had to pipe in cake decorating class today; go back to the other things that I was supposed to be imagining - dance your cares away *clap clap* worry's for another daaay - no, no, no, I don't want the Fraggle Rock theme stuck in my head; that's not relaxing at all! Gaaah, shut up brain! Now my leg hurts and something outside is creaking. Sigh."

I don't know if I have a spirit animal. I see cats a lot in my dreams. But that's probably just because I also see cats a lot in my waking life.
Sometimes in dreams I turn into something like a dog-monkey-cat. Is it possible to have a spirit animal that is a combination of animals?

As an artist, there have been a few animals that I have gone through fazes of drawing a lot. First I drew elephants a lot, then flies and snails.
The fly has become an personal symbol for me, representing the basic primal needs and mortality. So maybe the fly could be my spirit animal. I kind of like that.

There is music for meditation that can help you clear your head a little. Just try to focus on the soft music. Also go through each limb of your body one at a time from the bottoms of your feet to the top of your head. As you do this you can focus your energy on each limb, when I do this they tingle. I find it easier to meditate if I have a focus or a 'mantra'. I often repeat to myself "I am peaceful and tranquil". My mind will always stray but by repeating my mantra in my head I am able to return to my focus.
I am new to meditation and these are the tricks that I use to get into it. People who have practiced meditation for several years are able to achieve the state very easily, the key is to take baby steps. If you are really interested in meditating you can try some of these tips. They may not work as well for you as they do for me. Good luck.

Someone once told me that your spirit animal must be a mammal. I don't know if I agree with that, but this same person also believes that it is possible to have more than one spirit animal, although there is usually one that is the 'main' one. We all have animals or even insects that we can relate to, it may not necessarily mean that they are our spirit animal. However I think it is important to pay attention to why we feel that we relate to them.
Perhaps a fly, for you, represents flight and the need to be free to soar, although this is usually represented by a bird. Maybe you feel more like a fly on the wall, someone who sees and hears all. The concept of mortality makes sense to me, life is short and in many ways that is the beauty of it. These are my interpretations of the fly, yours may be very different. I'd be interested in hearing why you relate to the fly. What primal needs does it represent for you?

Originally Posted by HeritageDreamer

Someone once told me that your spirit animal must be a mammal. I don't know if I agree with that, but this same person also believes that it is possible to have more than one spirit animal, although there is usually one that is the 'main' one. We all have animals or even insects that we can relate to, it may not necessarily mean that they are our spirit animal. However I think it is important to pay attention to why we feel that we relate to them.
Perhaps a fly, for you, represents flight and the need to be free to soar, although this is usually represented by a bird. Maybe you feel more like a fly on the wall, someone who sees and hears all. The concept of mortality makes sense to me, life is short and in many ways that is the beauty of it. These are my interpretations of the fly, yours may be very different. I'd be interested in hearing why you relate to the fly. What primal needs does it represent for you?

Now that you mention it, I guess I am sort of like a fly on the wall sometimes. I often quietly observe rather than actively participate in things. A bird makes more sense to represent soaring and flying, although flies are expert fliers.
The primal needs I was thinking of is just the basic necessities of life. Living creatures need to eat, breath, and find a mate (or mates). That's pretty much all a fly does. Even though humans also have more complicated desires and goals in life, we are still dependent on these same basic necessities. Our animal nature is still an important part of us.
Of course, many other animals could easily represent this same concept. I was just drawn to the fly for some reason. Not even sure why.

I think your spirit animal or animals represents the strong and weak aspects of yourself. You and your animal have extremely similar energy, it is like like your energy signature. Organic beings cannot have insects as their spirit animals.

mine is a rat and a rabbit

Originally Posted by saltyseedog

I think your spirit animal or animals represents the strong and weak aspects of yourself. You and your animal have extremely similar energy, it is like like your energy signature. Organic beings cannot have insects as their spirit animals.

mine is a rat and a rabbit

I'll have to disagree with that. Organic beaing can definitely have insects as spirit animals. My personal shadow totem is a the cockroach. The shadow totems represent your fear, and your weaknesses. Insects can also be a life long totem/spirit animals. Your spirit animal can be anything, from a dragon (yes this includes mythical creatures) to an insect, from a fish to a bird and from a mammal to a dinosaur. It's spiritual. It's the definition of the spirit and what the spirit represents. It's something VERY personal.

regular humans cannot have have insects as totems

Originally Posted by saltyseedog

regular humans cannot have have insects as totems

Define what do you mean by "regular" and also where do you get your information from? I'd be very curious to know!

Originally Posted by saltyseedog

regular humans cannot have have insects as totems

This is not a definite science. It is a spiritual belief. We all have different beliefs. The native cultures that I have heard of have 4 spirit animals. Eagle, wolf, turtle, and another that I do not remember definitely but I think it was a bear. According to different beliefs from this one, your animal spirit must be a mammal. Some people, like grizzlyclaws, feel that their spirit animal is actually a spirit insect. It all has to do with your own individual spiritual beliefs.

To me, the cockroach represents resilience. It is a very strong insect that would likely represent a strong human. Perhaps you have a strong personality, or maybe you are physically strong. This is just my opinion based on my beliefs, not based on any research at all.

I am curious, saltyseedog, is yours a hare? I am asking because of your picture.

I read recently that animal spirit guardians sometimes appear scary and aggressive in dreams to get our attention. And if we stick with the dream, we will find that they are actually trying to help us.
Sometimes in my dreams I'm attacked by a bear or a large wild cat. I'm not sure if these represent anything other than general anxiety.

Originally Posted by HeritageDreamer

This is not a definite science. It is a spiritual belief. We all have different beliefs. The native cultures that I have heard of have 4 spirit animals. Eagle, wolf, turtle, and another that I do not remember definitely but I think it was a bear. According to different beliefs from this one, your animal spirit must be a mammal. Some people, like grizzlyclaws, feel that their spirit animal is actually a spirit insect. It all has to do with your own individual spiritual beliefs.

To me, the cockroach represents resilience. It is a very strong insect that would likely represent a strong human. Perhaps you have a strong personality, or maybe you are physically strong. This is just my opinion based on my beliefs, not based on any research at all.

I am curious, saltyseedog, is yours a hare? I am asking because of your picture.

Yes mine is a rabbit. It is not about belief. Your spirit animal is an energetic fact. there are lineages of people who have spirit animals that are in relationship with one another. They could be the same animal or they could be different animals that have good energy together. Also you can have more than one spirit animal, although people rarely have more than two.

Originally Posted by GrizzlyClaws

Define what do you mean by "regular" and also where do you get your information from? I'd be very curious to know!

I'll PM you where I got that from. Also I kind of assume this because I have never met anyone who has an insect as a totem.

Originally Posted by HeritageDreamer

This is not a definite science. It is a spiritual belief. We all have different beliefs. The native cultures that I have heard of have 4 spirit animals. Eagle, wolf, turtle, and another that I do not remember definitely but I think it was a bear. According to different beliefs from this one, your animal spirit must be a mammal. Some people, like grizzlyclaws, feel that their spirit animal is actually a spirit insect. It all has to do with your own individual spiritual beliefs.

To me, the cockroach represents resilience. It is a very strong insect that would likely represent a strong human. Perhaps you have a strong personality, or maybe you are physically strong. This is just my opinion based on my beliefs, not based on any research at all.

HeritageDreamer,
my main totem (aka: life totem) is a bear (a grizzly to be exact). I am physically and psychologically a strong person but it's due to my bear. As I said before, cockroach is my shadow totem. It represents my fear or my weaknesses. I see cockroaches as VERY adaptable creatures. In real life, I'm exactly the opposite. I hate anything new. I have some serious difficulties adapting to anything new. Environment, job, home, etc... And also, in real life, cockroaches are my phobia.

Originally Posted by insideout

I read recently that animal spirit guardians sometimes appear scary and aggressive in dreams to get our attention. And if we stick with the dream, we will find that they are actually trying to help us.
Sometimes in my dreams I'm attacked by a bear or a large wild cat. I'm not sure if these represent anything other than general anxiety.

Animals attacking you in a dream can be messengers. Trying to tell you something through dreams....

grizzly claws, your totem is a hawk.

If you have animals attacking you in dreams it is probably a manifestation of your mind that symbolically represents stress.

Hum.....interesting....

I suppose my totem is rather obvious from my avatar. I have been intensely connected to Owl and also Dragonfly all my life.
But I'm not a Shaman, nor have I had a spirit journey, so I can't be absolutely positive that my totem is Owl. Whether it is or not, though, my obsession has been life long and will continue.

My frist lucid dream was from the point of view of a bird. So I think my spirit animal is a bird, I just haven't figured out what species yet..

I think some of these websites about spirit animals are misleading. Your spirit animal is not your spirit guide. Your spirit animal represents who you are. Although your spirit guides may take the form of their spirit animals in dreams. Although the good part about those web sites is that they have a lot of informaton about different animals personalities, and how they interact with other animals. For example many people who have birds as spirit animals (not all birds, different birds act differently) often like being with large groups of highly social people, and are attraced to other people on a physical level. While many people with mammals as spirit animals like to be a small group of friends that they have a strong emotional connection to. Some animals are very devoted to their mates and will be with them for life. Others are not like that. People are attracted to people with similar animal charateristics. Most of my friends are mammals and reptiles. Different reptiles are split both ways. some are emotional and not aggressive, smart. Some bigger reptiles are more chill, maybe not as smart. Some species of snake can be aggressive if you mess with them to much. A smaller species of snake might not be aggressive. Some types of lizards like to be around other lizards, other lizards and snakes like to be alone.
On another note you can easly turn into your spirit animal in dreams. If you have a more badass animal you are more likely to become a dream warrior.

EDIT: yay post 420

im pretty sure my spirit animal tried to kill me a few nights ago my panther guy prolly not a good sign