Native American Legends and Folklore

A totem can be the symbol of a tribe, clan, family or individual. Native American tradition provides that each individual is connected with nine different animals that will accompany each person through life, acting as guides.  Different animal guides come in and out of our lives depending on the direction that we are headed and the tasks that need to be completed along our journey.

Native beliefs further explain that a totem animal is one that is with you for life, both in the physical and spiritual world.  Though people may identify with different animal guides throughout their lifetimes, it is this one totem animal that acts as the main guardian spirit.

With this one animal a connection is shared, either through interest in the animal, characteristics, dreams, or other interaction.  This Animal Guide offers power and wisdom to the individual when they "communicate" with it, conveying their respect and trust.  This does not necessarily mean that you actually pet or spend time with this animal, more that you are open to learning its lessons.

This Animal Guide offers power and wisdom to the individual when they "communicate" with it, conveying their respect and trust.  This does not necessarily mean that you actually pet or spend time with this animal, more that you are open to learning its lessons.

For some, knowing what is their totem animal is almost an innate process.  It's as if they've always known, inexplicably drawn to the animal or having a special feeling for the animal's energy. For others, they wonder how to tell what their animal totem is. 

Here are some questions to ask yourself if you're wondering what your animal totem is:

Have you ever felt drawn to one animal or another without being able to explain why?  This could be animal, including birds and insects.

Does a certain kind of animal consistently appear in your life?  This doesn't necessarily have to be a physical appearance, it could be represented in other ways such as receiving card and letters with the same animal pictured over and over, unexplainable dreams of a particular animal, watching television and seeing the same animal featured time and time again, or, actually having the animal show up.

When you go to the zoo, a park, wildlife area, or forest, what are you most interested in seeing?  

Are there any animals that you find to be extremely frightening or intriguing?

Is there a particular animal that you see frequently when you're out in nature?

Have you ever been bitten or attacked by an animal?

Have you ever had a recurring dream about a certain animal, or a dream from childhood that you have never been able to forget?

Are you drawn to figurines or paintings of a specific animal?

The totem itself is a symbol that represents this animal.  This could be any number of items - a crest, a totem pole, an emblem, a small figurine or anything else that depicts your animal guide.

Animal Characteristics & Meaning

The BEAR is so highly revered as a totem animal that many Medicine Priests have adopted Bear as part of their name. According to some tribes, the spirit of the Bear never dies, and thus has become synonymous with supernatural powers and the ability to heal. Among all Shamans, the Bear is reverently addressed as Grandfather. Among the old tribes of Northern Europe, the Nordic warriors known as the Berserkers wore Bearskin shirts into battle in dedication to the Goddess Ursel, the She-Bear. To the Norse, the Bear was a masterful martial artist, and the she-bear protecting it's cubs was the worst nightmare a hunter could encounter under the Northern Lights. The Bear was the totemic symbol for St. Gall and St. Seraphim.. The Bear ~Healer ~ Fearless ~ Leadership ~ Power ~ Endurance~ Insight ~ Confidence & Courage .

RAVEN is the messenger of magic, the soul-bird who takes one into the mysterious underground places and out again; he conveys information concerning the after-world and is the carrier of healing energy from great distances. In Native American tradition, raven is known as a trickster, a shape changer who is actually an etheric world entity temporarily taking the form of a bird. For practitioners of distant healing, raven medicine enables one to become an empath, knowing, understanding and feeling another so that peace and healing can occur without being in the presence of the one to be healed.

DEMETER, the ancient Greek goddess of fertility, chose the dolphin as her totem animal, thus representing her position as Mistress of the Sea. Since the earliest days of sea lore, dolphins have been credited with saving the lives of shipwrecked humans. In both old Roman and early Christian art, the dolphin was depicted as the guide that would bear souls of the dead across the waters to the Blessed Isles. For the Native American tribes located on coastal regions frequented by the dolphin, the aquatic mammal was identified as a special messenger of the Great Mystery. Dolphins have a purity of being which touches our inner nature. If the dolphin is your totem animal, you are allied with a spirit helper that has come to you from another realm of being.

WOLF is said to be "teacher" medicine, For many traditional people,. Wolf is the sage, the Grand Teacher. Wolf is allied to the moon and lunar energies. Because the Moon rules psychic perception, Wolf people should work on learning to trust their intuition and psychic urges, to listen for the voice within. A spirit helper that will always back you up, regardless of the consequences. This totem guide is known for its extraordinary powers of endurance.

OWL (Wisdom). From the Owl, humans can learn about old wisdom, knowledge, paradox, femininity, mystery and vision. Those with this medicine are usually gifted with clairvoyant and clairaudient abilities. Owls with their spectral senses help guide us through the dark tunnels of fear, change and uncertainty to the brilliant light shining at the other end. If the owl appears in your life thank it for its willingness to guide you through its shadowy realm to the other side of promise and joy. In Bali "HANTU" Is ghost, and an owl is Burung Hantu ( ghost bird )

The HORSE was introduced to this continent by the Spanish, transforming this continent by providing its inhabitants with a freedom of movement and travel no other animal could provide. Pegasus, Centaur and Unicorn are forms horses have taken throughout mythology. These magical creatures can see the essence of a man's soul. Horse represents Stamina, mobility, strength and power, coping under difficult circumstances, Life and death symbol, intellect, wisdom, power, nobility, energy, freedom, wildness, divination, prophecy, fertility. Horse people are wild spirits that cannot be broken. If Horse comes to you, look for safe passage into the new.

The BUFFALO is a symbol of abundance and manifestation. In the early days of the United States, the buffalo ranged from the western plains to as far east as the Allegheny Mountains. 60 million buffalo once roamed the plains. Celtic representations of bulls, particularly those from Gaul, often depict the creature's mighty head with three horns. Yama, the Hindu Lord of Death, has the head of a bull and judges the underworld. The Minotaur, in his labyrinthine caverns awaiting the foolhardy who seek to trespass in his domain, is another symbol of a guardian of the underworld, with the body of a man and the head of a bull. If Buffalo as your totem animal, you have an ally stepping stone towards healing our imperfections and reconnecting with mother earth and father sky.

The LIZARD, GECKO, CHAMELEON - According to the African beliefs, the Chameleon is one of the five animals present at the creation of the world. Also as a god, who can appear in different aspects of life and always shows his knowledge and great wisdom. For many Native American tribes, the lizard is the gate-keeper to the dream world. In the South Pacific, the Lizard is considered a messenger of the gods. Numerous tales in folklore depict lizards as the ancestors of humans. The lizard's practice of shedding its skin makes it an almost universal symbol for regeneration. This spirit helper as a messenger from the Great Mystery and as a very reliable prophet of major events in your life.

The BUTTERFLY - Throughout history the butterfly has been admired for their delicate beauty. They can see a single image clearly and are able to perceive ultraviolet wavelengths of light. This suggests clairvoyant abilities for those that hold this totem. Butterflies are symbols of freedom and creativity. They hold the gift of transformation and soul evolution. The butterfly represents the process of transformation and shape shifting. Those with this medicine need to stay consciously connected to spirit at all times in order to arrive at their desired destination.

CAT-COUGAR - Perhaps no animal inspires both devotion and animosity and abhorrence as the cat. To the ancient Egyptians, the cat was accorded a place of reverence in both the home and the temple. The popular folk belief that the cat possesses nine lives goes back to the Egyptian worship of Bast, the Cat-Mother goddess, who had nine incarnations. . Cats came to be worshiped with such intensity in those ancient cities along the Nile that the wanton killing of a cat was punishable by death. In ancient India, the cat was held sacred. A number of Sanskrit texts make many favorable references to the influence of the cat on humankind. If the cat is your totem animal, you have a spirit helper who is resourceful, strong, and fearless. You will experience a sense of confidence and courage If you have the cougar as a totem animal, you are likely the kind of individual who enjoys exploring the mystical side of life. Your cougar totem can bring out a certain aggressive streak within you, but your spirit voyages can assure you that you become a hunter of dreams and visions. In Bali the Cat is believed to be able to cross between Worlds.