Académique Documents
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1. EAGLE - SPIRIT
Eagle medicine is the power of the great spirit, the connection to the divine. It is the ability to live
in the realm of spirit, and yet remain connected and balanced within the realm of earth.
Eagle is reminding you to take heart and gather your courage, for the universe is presenting you
with an opportunity to soar above the mundane.Eagle teaches you to broaden your sense of self
beyond the horizon of what is presently visible.
2. HAWK - MESSENGER
Hawk medicine teaches you to be observant, to look at your surroundings. Observe the obvious
in everything that you do. Life is sending you signals. A clue about the magic in life is being
brought to you.
3.ELK - STAMINA
Elk medicine teaches that pacing yourself will increase your stamina. You may not be the first
one to arrive at a goal, but will arrive without getting burned out. Honor the company of your own
gender, you need that support. How are you holding physically to the stresses in your life.
4. DEER - GENTLENESS
Deer teaches us to use the power of gentleness to touch the hearts and minds of wounden
beings who are trying to keep us from Sacred Mountain. Both the light and the dark must be
loved to create safety and peace.
5. BEAR - INSTROSPECTION
To become like the bear you need to enter the safety of of the womb-cave, we must attune
ourselves to rhe energies of the Eternal Mother. Many tribes haved called this space of inner-
knowing the Dream Lodge, where the death of the illusion of physical reality overlays the
expansiveness of eternity. The female receptive energy that for centuries has allowed visionaries,
mystics and shamans to prophesy is contained in theis very special bear energy. Bear is the
west, the intuitive side, the right brain. Jorney with the bear to the quietness of your cave and
hibernate.
6.SNAKE - TRANSMUTATION
Snake medicine people are very rare. Theit initiation involves experincing and living through
multiple sake bites , which allows them to transmutate all poisons, be they mental, physical,
spiritual, or emotional. The power of snake medicine is the power of creation, for it embodies
sexuality psychic energy, alchemy, reproduction, and ascension (or inmortality).
If you have chosen this symbol, there is a need within you to transmute some thouht, action, or
desire, so that wholeness may be achieved.
7.SKUNK - REPUTATION
Skunk medicine! Go ahead and laugh. Skunk will not threaten your life but threatens your senses.
It is easy to notice the playfulness and nonchalance of its natural behavior. The "I dare you"
attitude of this four legged creature commands you, as the observer, to respect its space by
mere reputation alone.
Learn to asset what you are. Respect follows. Your self-respectfull attitude will repel those who
are not of like mind.
9.BUTTERFLY-TRANSFORMATION
The power that butterfly brings to us is akin to air. It is the mind, and the ability to know the mind
or to change it. It is the art of transformation.
If you look closely at what butterfly is trying to teach, you will realize that is the never ending
cycle of self-transformation. The way to discer where you are in this cicle is to ask yourself:
1) Is this egg stage: Is it just a thought or idea?
2) Is this the larvae stage: Do I need to make a desicion?
3) Is this the cocoon stage: Am I developing and doing something to make my idea reality?
4) Is this the birth stage: Am I sharing my completed idea?
By answering these questions you will discover how Butterfly is relating to you at this moment.
MOOSE - SELF-ESTEEM
The moose is one of the most ancient and unique of the power totems. The moose is
courageous and determined and will make its presence known when it chooses to.
On the other hand, the moose has an uncanny ability to camouflage itself, in spite of its great size
and power. It can move silently through its territory and never be seen. These contradictions
help it survive in the wild. It holds the teachings of invisibility and the power of presence.
Shapeshifing abilities are tied to mythology and incorporate the teachings of shamanism and
magic. For those with this totem the refinement of these skills is enhanced through these studies.
When you see a moose in the wild the energy it embodies is awesome. The massive antlers that
crown its head grow larger then any other antlered animal. Ancient myth refers to these antlers
as "The Crown of Courage." These antennae are linked to the crown chakra in man. As the
antlers grow the crown chakra opens and expands giving those with this medicine a direct
channel to universal knowledge.
Contradicting and majestic the moose can appear awkward as well as graceful. Its highly
developed sense of smell and hearing is complimented by its excellent depth perception. Its
appearance of ungainliness is misleading and deceptive and it is this deception, which enables it
to survive so well.
Moose calves are born with their eyes open. Individuals who carry this medicine are born with
their inner eyes already open and can see things with exceptional clarity. Psychic awakenings
later in life are uncommon. The moment of birth is the moment of awakening for moose medicine
people. A powerful totem to have moose will uncover the depth of who you are and align you
with your inherent wisdom.
Their intelligence is marked with excellent hearing, sense of smell and strong feeling. They are
determined as well as cunning and use these skills for the benefit of the pack. The howl of the
wolf is primal and penetrating. They howl to find other pack members or to let wolves from
outside of the pack know their territory boundaries. They have been known to run 35 miles a day
in pursuit. They are the epitome of stamina and strength. With an extremely well developed
societal organization, they act together to hunt and raise their young. They do not fight
unnecessarily and often go out of their way to avoid fighting. Sometimes a growl, a glance, a
posture is all that is necessary to determine dominance. Wolf teaches those with this medicine to
know who you are and to develop strength and confidence in what you do.
There are many stories in native cultures about this illusive black bird. Shamans know the power
of an unexpected piercing sound in altering consciousness. Ravens exercise this power, emitting
a variety of sounds and can aid us in shifting our consciousness into various dimensional realms.
This is one reason why the raven is known as a shape shifter with magical powers. Anyone with
raven as a totem can expect continual changes and spiritual awakenings throughout their life.
Raven picks its students according to their accumulated wisdom. It flies into a persons life
carrying the energy of magic and healing. If it decides to settle in and take up residence, it will
stay as long as necessary to aid you in transmuting your karma then return you to the light. It will
push, prod, and lead you into the discovery of your multidimensional self and reunite you with the
secrets of the multidimensional universe. Those with this totem should remember to meet raven,
not with fear, but rather with an appreciation for the teachings that it holds.
The buffalo's humps are located at the shoulders. In man the shoulders hold our personal energy
which expresses itself through our hands. Whatever we touch or hold onto is connected to the
energy stored in the shoulders. Shoulders carry responsibility or joy. What we carry within is
manifested outwardly. The buffalo teaches us how to eliminate our burdens by directing our
energy in a balanced way.Buffalo's can be unpredictable and dangerous when provoked. Those
with this totem need to remember to see the good in all things and not let their frustration store up
inside them. Tai Chi or martial arts would be of benefit on a daily basis.
21.OWL - DECEPTION
Those with this medicine are usually gifted with clairvoyant and clairaudient abilities. Souls who
are born with this totem have chosen a path which suggests a need to refine and perfect these
gifts for the aid of others. They make excellent therapists, psychologists and counselors.
Their secretive habits, quiet flight and various calls from whistles, screeches and hoots, have
made them objects of superstition and even fear in some parts of the world. Some native tribes
see the owl as a symbol of death while other tribes believe they embody the mysteries of
shamanism and sorcery. Individuals with this totem are private complex people and don't like
others to know what they are really thinking. This can sometimes lead to misunderstandings
especially in the area of personal relationships.
Owls have many abilities which set them apart from all other birds. Their wings which are
extremely soft and thick, allow them to fly silently as they can swoop down on unsuspecting prey.
They are able to slip in and out of places unnoticed and can teach us how to do the same.They
have a greater range of motion in their necks than any other animal with a spinal column. Owls
turn their heads rather than their eyes, which are stationary. Their night vision is so powerful that
they can see prey when the light is the equivalent of a candle burning 2500 feet away! Their
powers of vision are matched by their almost otherworldly hearing abilities. In studies done with
owls that were placed in totally light free rooms, the owls were able to locate a mouse by sound
alone.
Beavers are expert builders. Their dams are strong and secure. When the beaver swims into
your life it is asking you to strengthen the foundation on which you stand or to build a new one. If
we continue to stand on old foundations new opportunities can pass us by. Because of its
building skills the beaver has been linked to ancient masonry. Those with this totem often have
past lives associated with this magical art. The study of masonry can reveal deeper insights about
who you are and who you have been.
Those with this medicine would benefit from yoga or any form of breathing exercises. They make
excellent breath workers as well as architects. Beavers are creatures of the water the element
associated with the subconscious. This is where hidden knowledge and forgotten dreams are
stored. A powerful totem to have the beaver reminds us to live our dreams and shows us how to
manifest them using the resources available. Beavers have a gentle nature and are very
industrious. Those with this totem often find that they must work hard to obtain their goals.
Remember to be kind to yourself. When you feel defeated simply call on the beaver to help you.
A supreme actor, the opossum can be aggressive or submissive depending on the situation. The
opossum knows that each situation has commonalties as well as differences and reflects on them
carefully before it responds. This links the opossum to the energies of practicality and
ingenuity.Always full of surprises and unpredictable opossums are masters at playing dead.
When the time is right they can suddenly spring back to life. Playing dead is a self induced state
in which the heartbeat actually slows and the pulse becomes minimal. This ability serves to
confuse many predators giving the opossum an escape from life threatening situations. The
opossum is a multi-faceted actor that continually changes its appearance. It does not allow its
emotions to consume its actions and partakes in the game of life with strategic maneuvers. Part
of what the opossum teaches to those with this totem is emotional and mental stability.
The opossum is a craftsman in the art of appearances. When it appears in your life it is telling you
to wake up and pay attention. Things are not what they seem to be. By observing your actions,
reactions, thoughts and feelings, deeper insights emerge. This emergence leads to self-
empowerment. Congratulations and welcome home!
Listening to crow can teach those with this medicine how to hear the truth of what is being said.
The striking black color of crow represents the color of creation. It is the womb out of which the
new is born. Black the color of night gives birth to the light of a new day. Crow is a daytime bird
reminding us that magic and creation are present in both. Their ability to shift between the known
and unknown world indicates new journeys. Because crow is adaptable to all environments and
will eat almost anything they can survive in almost any situation. Crow is associated with magic,
unseen forces and spiritual strength. If crow flies into your life, get out of your familiar nest, look
beyond your present range of vision, listen to its caw and act accordingly.
Those with medicine are often clever and witty but must remember to keep their crafty and clever
nature balanced or it could backfire. Fox can also suggest that your actions might be too obvious
and you need to learn to be more discreet.
Fox is one of the most uniquely skilled and ingenious animals of nature. Because it is a creature
of the night, it is often imbued with supernatural powers. Author Ted Andrews states that fox are
usually seen at dawn and dusk. Dusk is the beginning of its day, and the dawn its ending. These
are the in between times, when the world of magic and the world in which we live intersect. It lives
on the edges of forests and open lands, the border areas. Because it is an animal of the between
times and places, it can be a guide into the faerie realm. The fox has a long history of magic and
cunning associated with it. It can move in and out of situations restoring order or causing
confusion depending on the situation. If fox is your totem pay attention to the way it moves and
follow its lead. This is a powerful medicine to have and those that it belongs to should learn to use
its skills for the benefit of all, including you.
Squirrel embodies the quality of trust and is one of the few animals that will eat out of a person's
hand. This symbolizes a need to let down your defenses and learn to trust more. The issue of
trust can play out in all areas of a person's life from personal intimacy to trusting Great Spirit.
Because the squirrel is always prepared those with this medicine must remember that they will be
taken care of. Establishing trust where it is presently absent would compliment the power of this
medicine. Squirrel represents balance within the circle of gathering and giving out. If squirrel has
scampered into your life pay attention to the wisdom it has to offer you. Preparedness and
survival skills can be learned from this powerful totem.
As newly hatched nymphs, dragonflies live on the bottom of ponds and streams. As they mature
and go through metamorphosis they move to the realm of air. Since water represents the
emotional body and air represents the mental, those with this medicine will often find themselves
trying to maintain balance between their thoughts and emotions.
By helping a person see through illusion dragonfly awakens ones true vision. Flying at speeds of
up to 30 miles per hour they can spot movement forty feet away. Flying into and around things
from different angles, they challenge rigid awareness and prompt the energy of change for
anyone who holds this medicine.
28. ARMADILLO - BOUNDARIES
Armadillo wears its armor on its back, its medicine a part of its body. Its boundaries of safety are
a part of its total being. Armadillo can roll into a ball and never be penetrated by enemies. What a
gift is to set your boundaries so that harmful words or intentions just roll off. Your lesson is setting
up what you are willing to experience. It is time to define your space.
The badger brings the gift of tidiness and organization. If badger has come to you in some way it
may be saying that you need to concentrate on maintaining an orderly environment to better
facilitate your day-to-day living. . It can also teach you how to manage your time more efficiently.
The badger is a remarkable digger and can get beneath the surface easily. This ability ties the
badger to the mysteries of the underworld, where the magic of life and creation is stored. It also
symbolizes a strong connection to plant and animal spirits and can teach those with this totem
how to align with life both above ground and below it.
Sensitive with keen observation skills, the rabbit has strong reflexes that help them dash to safety
quickly protecting themselves from danger. They can be seen, disappear and reappear in the
twinkling of an eye. Fast, agile and clever they hold the teachings of spontaneous decisive
movement. Always knowing which direction to go and when. When rabbit appears it is enabling
you to take advantage of opportunities that may only present themselves for brief moments.
Rabbits are guides into the shadow world, where all of our personal fears lie. When the rabbit
appears it is time to examine those deep reflexive fears that hold you back from growing. Do you
keep dashing for the safety of your old patterns every time something new or challenging
presents itself? If so the rabbit asks you to face your fears with compassion for yourself. Accept
that it is part of human nature to feel fear at times, but also believe that our fears need not
paralyze our growth and movement.
35.HORSE - POWER
The horse symbolizes freedom and the power that comes with being free. They pulled the wagon
trains across the prairies opening up new frontiers to be explored. Horses helped turn the Lakota
and other Native tribes into the powerful mounted warriors and nomads that they became,
although taming the horse wasn't easy, as their spirit for freedom was a fire that burned within
them.
Those with this medicine can be fiercely independent and have little tolerance for anything or
anyone that limits their free expression. This characteristic can create challenges in relationships
of all kinds, especially co-dependent ones. Those with this totem are teachers to their partners,
friends and family showing them how to stand solid within themselves. Individuals who choose to
be involved with a horse person do so because the need for self empowerment is strong. They
seek the horse and the power it holds rather than the horse seeking them.
Horses give their riders the safety of speed and the promise of adventure. Natives tribes used
the horse to run, fight, send messages, hunt and move their villages quickly. The horse carried
people and their belongings into new uncharted territory and the challenges that it held. If horse
has come to you, you are being offered a gift of safe movement. Is there somewhere that you
want or need to go? Horse can help you get there, whether the place is physical or spiritual. Is
their a new venture you want to undertake? Call on horse to help you create it. Are there
challenges in front of you that you dot want to deal with? If so, the horse asks you to awaken
your inner power and move forward with courage.
When the horse, either wild or domestic, appears in your life the following questions should be
asked. Are you pushing boundaries that are going to cause severe repercussions? Are you
trying in your need to be free, to not play by the rules? If so, this may not be a bad thing, but
learn the lesson of mustang, there can be a high price to pay for freedom.
One of the most interesting characteristics of the lizard is their ability to break off their tails to
escape predators. The tail is left behind writhing to distract the predator while the lizard makes its
escape. They can do this only once, however, since the replacement tail they grow is made of
cartilage instead of vertebrae. The power of lizard lies in its ability to save itself from danger by
leaving a part of itself behind. When lizard appears in a persons life it suggests the need for
immediate change in one or more areas of their life. This change represents letting go of outdated
ideas, actions, or lifestyles because the old now endangers you in some way.
Since lizard can discard its tail only once it advises you to make decisions wisely for what you
decide can follow you around for a very long time. If something isn't working for you it is time to let
it go. The psychic characteristics inherent in the lizard teaches those with this medicine how to
awaken their own abilities by making choices that honor every part of ones life. When lizard
appears it signifies a need to go within and analyze your present reality and once done, move
with confidence and conviction out into the world of new beginnings. A powerful totem to have,
lizard reveals your weaknesses, your strengths and prompts the energy of change.
The swans large wings embrace the sky collecting and storing knowledge from the heavens.
Their white plumage reminds us of the wonder and innocence found in the purity of spirit. Their
long slender necks serve as a bridge between the mundane and the extraordinary. Upon this
bridge lies the wisdom for spiritual realization.
The swan mates for life. Courtship involves mutual bill dipping or head-to-head posturing. They
are committed devoted partners. In personal relationships humans make commitments they
cannot keep. By applying swans skills in our life we begin to honor what we have chosen. This in
itself is a powerful lesson for those who hold this medicine. Honoring commitments increase ones
personal integrity.
Swans are sociable birds with a long life span. They live about 20 years in the wild and 50 years
or more in captivity. The swan is a totem that teaches us grace through movement and longevity
through inner knowledge. When we look upon the swan it invokes a feeling of tranquility in us
and reminds us to experience the beauty and magic of life.
Some people believe that Dolphins are more intelligent than humans. They have a large brain
and a great intelligence and are often associated in mythical lore with higher forms of
consciousness. Dolphins have been known to inexplicably beach themselves in large numbers.
Perhaps they are following a sick or injured Dolphin to try to aid it.
Dolphins have a purity of being which touches our inner nature. If Dolphin swims into your life,
follow its lead and open yourself to the energy of love, harmony and balance. Express your inner
truth and follow your inner joy. Dolphin asks you to return to the depths of your being and
rediscover the love that you truly are.
When this medicine is fully developed in man, intuitive and clairaudient abilities are accurate.
When underdeveloped, psychic perception becomes clouded by imaginings of the mind. There
are different species of bats, which have widely divergent characteristics. Some are small and
others are large. With one or two exceptions, the large bats live on fruits and find their way
visually. The small bats feed mostly on insects, catching them on the wing by a process known as
echolocation in which an animal produces sounds and listens for the echoes reflected from
surfaces and objects in the environment.
Author Ted Andrews writes that bats have needle like teeth and can sometimes carry rabies.
Rabies is an infectious disease of the blood and can cause a person to go mad. Fears that are
allowed to spread, uninhibited will eventually permeate our system and can create a kind of
madness within our lives. Bats reflect a need to face our fears.
Because the bat is a sociable animal it can indicate a need for more sociability or increased
opportunity with greater numbers of people. It has great auditory perception and can navigate
through the dark easily. Their built in sonar enables them to know what lies beneath the surface.
Those with this medicine have uncanny abilities to discern hidden messages both from people
and the environment.. When bat appears it is asking you to surrender yourself to the process of
change. Opportunities unknown to the conscious mind are about to manifest.
The spider shows us that the past, the present and the future are all interwoven. It awakens our
intuitive creative senses and encourages us to design the fabric of our lives from our souls
original intention. If you see a spider in its web, or creating a new one, pay attention. It
symbolizes where you are in the weaving of your own destiny. A study of the medicine wheel
and the four directions is helpful.
Because spiders are actually very delicate they embody the energy of gentleness. Spiders are
not usually aggressive unless they are defending their lives. Moving forward in all situations with
a gentle strength is a skill that often needs to be learned for those with this totem. In man, the bite
of a poisonous spider symbolizes a death, rebirth process. Poison enters the nervous system and
the body either transmutes it or falls victim to its venom and dies.
The spider signifies the tapestry of life. The web we weave is the reality we experience.
Choosing the appropriate path is one of the lessons associated with this medicine.
Spiders differ from insects in having eight legs rather than six and in having the body divided into
two parts rather than three. The number eight laid on its side is the symbol for infinity. The
number two implies the union of two forces joined together. Together they equal ten. Drop the
zero and you are back to the starting point of one. The hidden message of spider is unity. The
study of numerology is beneficial for those who hold this medicine.
When hummingbirds mate, the male claims a territory and attracts a female to it. When she
appears, he does a courtship dance, flying back and forth in a perfect arc. The arc symbolizes a
luminous bridge connecting one life to another. Male hummingbirds start the process of
procreation and the female completes it. The arc then becomes a circle, a cycle of completion.
When the hummingbird flies into our lives it can indicate a need within ourselves to complete a
specific lesson that we have been avoiding.
Hummingbirds flap their wings at the fantastic rate of 90 beats per second during normal flight
and up to 200 beats per second during courtship, giving them their humming sound. They have
excellent maneuverability in flight. They can hover in the air, fly backward, forward and sideways.
The hummingbird flies everywhere because it cannot walk well. Hummingbirds have the
advantage of seeing things from all angles and can show us how to expand our perceptions.
Hummingbirds are small but expend so much energy flying that they require large amounts of
sugar rich flower nectar to stay alive, having to eat twice their body weight a day. Because of its
small size and its high degree of activity, it loses body heat quickly, so it must digest food quickly.
Those with this totem need to watch their own sugar levels and take care of their digestive
system.
The hummingbird serves to remind us of the beauty and wonder of the world. While their speed
and sound may sometimes startle us, they help pull our attention out of the mundane so that we
can acknowledge and appreciate the beauty of Creation.
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The eyes of the alligator are positioned high on their head allowing them to remain relatively
hidden beneath the water and still see above it. Symbolically this hints to clairvoyant abilities.
Hiding in the water ties the alligator to the emotional body of man. The alligator holds the
teachings of the discovery and the release of emotions that are locked beneath the surface.
Alligators dig deep burrows when the water is high so that during the dry season they can have a
wet alcove to retreat to. These alcoves serve as reservoirs from which other animals can get
water. Water is the nectar of life. The sharing of these reservoirs indicates the alligators respect
for all life forms.
The power of alligator is its power to survive. They have no known predators. If alligator shows up
in your life or in the dreamtime it might be telling you to take care of yourself and secure your
basic survival needs.
Alligators come together only for reproduction. They have distinct individual personalities. Those
with this totem are usually loners and only join together in groups when mandatory. Alligator
medicine people can be great leaders. They know how to survive in any situation and are strong
enough to hold their ground.
These fascinating creatures digest their food slowly. Those with this totem should remember to
digest and assimilate all experiences thoroughly before moving forward in haste. Alligators teach
the art of patience and appropriate timing. They know when to hide beneath the water, peak
above it, or take action and snap.