CHAPTER THIRTEEN

DICTIONARY OF ANIMAL TOTEMS

It is important, when you begin to examine your animal totems, to relate to them from an entirely different perspective. You will actually begin to develop a kind of empathy toward them. You will no longer simply observe Nature objectively. You will become involved once more with all aspects of it. You are drawn in.

Books may describe the qualities and characteristics of the animal, but only by working with it and applying it to your own self and your own life can you develop a relationship with it. You cannot help but be connected with environmental and social ethics involving Nature and animals. You will develop both passion and compassion for all aspects of Nature. You will feel what Nature feels. The numbness that modern society has helped to foster in regard to Nature fades. “Empathy is the tangible sense of our interconnectedness. When we feel what another person feels and when we understand that Earth is a living organism whose parts also have an awareness, even though different from our own, we want to help because we share that emotional experience.”44 Just as with the birds, begin the process by asking yourself basic questions concerning your animal:

• What is its color?

• Wha t is its size?

• What is its shape?

• How does it behave?

• Where is it from and what direction is that to you?

• When is it most often seen?

• What kind of home does it make?

• What kind of sounds does it make?

• What is its favorite food or prey?

• What feeds or preys on it?

• How does it adapt to seasonal changes?

• When does it usually mate?

• What are its survival adaptations?

Some may find it easier to begin by examining the most significant feature of the animal. Does it have sharp claws or great strength? Are there sharp teeth or skillful intelligence? Focus first on its most outstanding feature and then move to other aspects. That which most strikes you first about the animal will be most important.

For example, horns and antlers may be the first thing you notice about an animal. They have long been a symbol of strength and power. Horns are permanent growths, while antlers are shed each year and new ones then grow again. Both reflect an antennae-kind of connection to that which is above the head. In some animals, it bestows beauty and indicates maturity. A singular horn was often used to symbolize the masculine or solar aspects, while doubles reflected the feminine and lunar energies of life.

There is no possible way all animals could be covered in the following dictionary. It focuses primarily on mammals from the North American continent, but there are mammals from other continents included. Even if you have lived your entire life in this country, it is possible to have a totem from another country. This may reflect past-life connections. It may also help reflect that we are connected to the entire Earth and not just our continent. The world is smaller today in that we have the influence of all societies. We speak of the United States as being a melting pot-this holds true for spirit totems as well.

You may wish to also study about mammals in general. It may provide some insight. Mammals are our closest relations among animals. What distinguishes mammals from other animals is that mammals breathe air and they give birth to live young. They are not hatched. Mammals are the only animals that produce milk and suckle their young. Only mammals grow hair or fur. They are also warm-blooded.

There are roughly 4300 species of mammals in the world and over 400 on this continent alone.45 There are twelve orders of mammals, ranging in size from the tiny shrew to the great whale. They are found both in the wild and in cities. Each group has its own characteristics, and a study of them will help you to understand more about this animal’s influence in your own life.

Study the animal’s living environment. If it is an animal found within urban areas, what does it need to survive and live close to people? If it is found in the wild, what does it need to survive there? Remember that every species has value. One is no more magical or powerful from a spiritual perspective than another. They all serve a vital role. Every animal has its own magic, no less essential to our lives and the life of the Earth.

This dictionary will give you a starting point. Do not limit the study of your totems to it and it alone. It is sketchy. You may even find that the interpretations of animals and their behaviors from a mystical point of view may differ from your own. This is fine. Each must relate to the animals in his or her own unique way. Establish your own relationships. Only then will the essence and magic of the animals come to life for you.

ANTELOPE (Pronghorn)

KEYNOTE: Speed and Adaptability of the Mind

CYCLE OF POWER: Spring and Autumn

The pronghorn is the only antelope native to North America, but it is not a true antelope in that it does not shed its antlers, as is common among all antelopes. As with all horned and antlered animals, it reflects a connection to the brow and crown chakra and all aspects of mental ability. In the case of the pronghorn, it reflects a mental agility and quick witted ness that will enable it to survive in the most difficult of environments.

The antelope is usually specialized for living within different environmentsdeserts, grasslands, thickets or even swamps. They have a thick hide, sometimes an inch thick, which helps protect them from the environment. The thick tubular hairs have large air cells which serve as an insulation during winter. This insulating factor is partly what enables them to survive.

For anyone with an antelope totem, there may either be a need to insulate oneself or a need to come out of hiding. The pronghorn can show how best to work with your insulation and help you develop a new sense of timing in relation to it. It is not unusual for someone who is very emotional or empathic to have the antelope show up at times as a totem.

All antelopes have great speed. They can run at speeds up to 60 miles per hour. Even baby fawns can run around 25 miles per hour in the first day or so. Those with an antelope totem have always had extremely quick wits. The ability to communicate those thoughts is part of what the pronghorn can teach. Pronghorns have a dynamic ability to communicate with others, and they have a great curiosity. Children with pronghorn totems are often those who drive parents nuts with continual questions. Their minds and imaginations are always active.

A pronghorn will signal danger to others by raising the white patch on its rump. Most pronghorns depend mostly on their sense of sight. They have large eyes and a wide angle of vision. They have eight times the vision of humans, so the moment the white patch flashes, they do see it-even from a great distance. This ability to see at a distance can be developed into a heightened psychic ability for prediction. This is further reflected with the branched set of horns, giving the antelope totem the ability to awaken your own higher psychic antennae. Clairvoyance is part of what it can teach. Most individuals with a pronghorlf totem are intrinsically psychic. They came in with the lights on, although th~y don’t always realize it. They can usually sense imminent danger, and as long as they pay attention to it, they will seem to lead charmed lives-always just avoiding the catastrophes that seem to befall those around them.

Pronghorns also have a strong sense of smell. At the first sign of danger, a strong musk scent is also released. This totem can teach people how to know when people and situations don’t quite “smell” right. In traditional spiritualism there is a form of mediumship known as clairaugustus or clear-smelling. Some mediums and psychic pick up fragrances of spirits or around individuals and interpret them. This is an ability that this totem can help awaken. It is not unusual for those with this totem to encounter strange fragrances throughout the day from unidentifiable sources. Usually when this begins to awaken, it begins with the aroma of musk. Musk is a fragrance that can be meditated with to help facilitate connecting with this totem.

Pronghorn males often have harems. The females usually have twins, and they give birth to them in different spots. It is not unusual for those with this totem to find that their energies are divided, come spring. Two avenues of activity usually open up. They each will be distinct and different, even though there may be connections or they may have opened up at the same time from the same source. It is always a good idea to look for new opportunities about to surface in your life when the pronghorn shows up.

For the protection of the fawns, the mother stays away from them after giving birth, except to nurse. The fawns are born with practically no scent, so as long as the mother does not leave hers, they will be safer. This implies several things. First, the opportunities that are about to open will not need a great deal of attention. Second, it indicates an ability for the new opportunities to grow quickly with just a little nurturing.

The pronghorn feeds on shrubs and sagebrush. It can actually go for months or even a lifetime without drinking water. It has the ability to get water from the plants that it eats. This reflects that the pronghorn can teach you how to replenish yourself in whatever environment you live. It can teach you how to use your adaptive ability to find life in areas not normally considered liveable. It can help you extract the life essence out of the most parched life experiences and develop a new mental perspective and attitude toward them, so that you can move quickly into new areas of your life.

ARMADILLO

KEYNOTE: Personal Protection, Discrimination, and Empathy

CYCLE OF POWER: Year-round

Armadillo is Spanish for “little armored one.” It is a burrowing animal whose armor is the shield it carries on its back. The armor is comprised of overlapping bony plates, covered with horns. The undersides are ordinary hide and are its most vulnerable area. The armadillo and those with it as a totem are most vulnerable when they expose their undersides, or inner workings. Armadillo teaches how to protect yourself and when to let your defenses down.

The armadillo is actually a member of the sloth family. It has no canine teeth or incisors, but it does have 80 or more molars that never stop growing. It lives in burrows that are really multichambered dens. These dens can be as much as five feet below ground. Its claws are excellent for digging, reflecting an ability to dig through the surface of things to see what is beneath. The armadillo teaches discrimination.

All animals with armor of any kind have connections to the European knights of medieval lore. The armadillo can be a past-life link specifically to the 16th-century Spanish conquistadors, probably best known for the conquering of Mexico and Peru. Chivalry, strength, and protection were often the ideal qualities to be developed by the European knights. This is reflected in the fact that the armadillo’s best offense is a strong defense.

The early armor was often heavy and made it awkward to move in, in spite of the protection. The armadillo teaches how to carry your protection with you and how to use it only when it is necessary. They have an ability to protect without causing undue harm to others. The armadillo can reflect past-life connections to the knights, or the need to develop the same qualities and characteristics that the knights possessed.

The armadillo links those with it as a totem to other animals-including those which prey upon it, and these should be examined as well. The armadillo is often preyed upon by big cats and coyotes. They will often flip them over to expose the underside. The armadillo also will sometimes bask in the sun during cold periods. They tend to fall asleep at such times, on their backs with their undersides exposed. They are thus more vulnerable. Along health lines, the armadillo teaches those with this totem to be extra cautious in dress and covering during times of cold, or there will be a greater susceptibility to illness. Again there is the issue of protecting against exposure to certain climates.

The spotted skunk and the burrowing owl benefit from the armadillo. Both will make their homes in abandoned armadillo dens. It is not unusual to find that an individual with an armadillo totem will have friends who have skunk and owl totems also. There is a positive relationship. The Aztecs called the armadillo “rabbit turtle.” The qualities of both are somewhat embodied by the armadillo-especially in its appearance. An armadillo as a totem can also reflect a past-life connection to the ancient Aztecs.

The primary diet of armadillos is invertebrate insects. In one summer it can consume 200 pounds of insects. Ants and earthworms are a large part of its diet, and the qualities of them should be studied as well.

When threatened, the armadillo will roll itself up into a ball, covering all its vulnerable areas. If an armadillo has strolled into your life, you should be asking yourself some questions. Are you not protecting yourself as you should? Are others around you needing protection? Are you being too sensitive and protecting yourself from attacks that are not there? Are you imagining attacks or being too sensitive to the energies of others?

The armadillo has a tremendously powerful sense of smell. It can smell insects six inches underground. This strong sense of smell has ties to higher forms of discrimination and psychological stimulations. Anyone with the armadillo as a totem would do well to work with aroma therapy and the development of their own sense of smell. Do things just not smell right? Do people or situations smell fishy? Learning to trust what you smell is part of what the armadillo can teach.

The sense of smell also has ties to the sexual energies. It is a strong stimulant to the sex drive. The armadillos only pair for mating, and then they go on their way. The usual gestation period is around eight to nine months, just as with humans. Unlike humans though, if distressed, the armadillo can delay giving birth for up to two and a half years.

This reflects much about the energy that comes with an armadillo totem. It usually signals that the opportunity for a new birth is coming within the next 8-9 months. It will be important, though, not to roll ourselves up and hide from the opportunity for fear we may be vulnerable. On the other hand, if we are too worried and stressed to act upon the opportunity, its movement can be delayed for up to two years or more. Armadillo can show you how to adjust your rhythms so that what you wish to create will occur at the safest time.

The armadillo can move fast if it needs to. It is also a good swimmer. It will swallow air and inflate its intestines until they are able to float. Other times they will hold their breath and walk on the bottom of streams and other natural water sources. They can hold their breath for up to six minutes.

This and their ability to dig reflects an the ability of the armadillo to teach you how to move from one dimension to another. It can teach you how to move through all elements. This can be linked to specific forms of mediums hip, in which the individual is able to move consciously into new dimensions and stay protected all the while. It hints of an ability to explore and walk the threads of life and death, and work with the spirits of the dead.

It also hints of the ability to explore the emotional sides not often exposed, even though individuals with this totem may be reluctant to do so. If in the position, they can explore many emotional and mundane aspects of themselves. THey often try to keep these more sensitive aspects of themselves protected and hidden. It will be important for those with this totem to learn when to expose these more subtle sides and when to cover them up. This is part of what armadillo teaches.

Oftentimes individuals who are extremely empathic will have an armadillo as a totem. An empathic individual’s body will become a barometer for whatever is experienced. If around someone with an ache or pain, empathics will experience it within their own body as if it is their own ache or pain. This can lead to an actual manifestation of the problem. Empathic individuals are very susceptible to outside influences-physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual. This heightened sensitivity needs to be controlled and balanced. Armadillo can teach you how to do this or show you how to help others in this position.

ASS

KEYNOTE: Wisdom and Humility

CYCLE OF POWER: Year-round

Although most people associate the ass with negative qualities, it has not always had this association. As with many animals, it has had mixed significance throughout the ages. It has been associated with the planet Saturn in astrology, probably because Saturn is the strict teacher. It makes sure we learn our lessons. Thus we have threads of the ass’s association with stubbornness.

In Chaldea, the goddess of death was pictured on an ass. Thus it was also a symbol of death, and, of course, the life after. Its image has been found in Palatine in mock crucifix in which Jesus was depicted with the head of an ass. It was also found in medieval emblems and art as a symbol of patience and humility.

In Christian gnosticism, it is aligned with the mysteries associated with the triumphal entry into Jerusalem-or that point in New Testament scripture we now associate with Palm Sunday. In the scripture Jesus is depicted riding upon a white ass as palm leaves are waved in celebration.

This kind of processional is symbolic of the path of the candidate who is victorious in transfiguring his/her life. It represents the outer recognition that comes to those who express the higher, inner potentials. The white ass is symbolic of the awakened soul wisdom and the palms are the symbols of the victorious attainment.

If an ass is a totem for you, you should be asking yourself some basic questions. Are you expressing your own wisdom or following the wisdom of others? Are you displaying the appropriate humility for what you have accomplished? Are others around you doing so? Are you recognizing and acknowledging what you have accomplished so far on your life path? Are others around you not recognizing or acknowledging their own accomplishments appropriately?

The ass is the promise of awakening wisdom and the approach of new opportunities of even greater work. Don’t be stubborn and refuse to move with the flow. Don’t hold on only to what you have done to this point. Remember that it is not the goal but the path to that goal. Do not become content and complacent, for the ass promises even higher wisdom and greater opportunities.

BADGER

KEYNOTE: Bold Self-Expression and Reliance-Keeper of Stories

CYCLE OF POWER: Late Spring

The badger is the giant of the weasel family. Those with this totem should study the weasel as well. The badger is gray, black, and buff, with a white stripe from the nose to the back of its head. This in itself is very symbolic of how open it is, the keeper of much light and knowledge of other animals and the Earth.

The badger may look fat, but it is muscular and powerful. Its outer skin is loose, so it is difficult for bites from other animals to injure it. Its own jaws are exceedingly strong. The jaws are the symbols of powerful expression. This ties the badger to the mysteries of the “word” -particularly the magic of storytelling.

“I would ask you to remember only this one thing,” said Badger. “The stories people tell have a way of taking care of them. If stories come to you, care for them. And learn to give them away where they are needed. Sometimes a person needs a story more than food to stay alive. That is why we put these stories in each other’s memory. This is how people care for themselves.”46

The badger is a remarkable digger. Fast and quick, it can dig beneath surfaces easily. It can outdig a gopher or a mole, moving rapidly through the Earth. This ties them to all earth spirits and gnomes of lore. It also hints at the ability to see beneath the surface of all things and people. It lives in an underground complex of burrows that are called “earths.” It has several living chambers, along with latrine and storage chambers. These earths hint at the stories beneath the outer, the inner places, and homes of the outer world.

The badger is active both day and night. It is a carnivorous animal, living primarily on rodents such as rabbits, gophers, mice, squirrels, and other underground dwellers. It eats many crop consuming rodents. It will often store the animals or parts of them in its earths. Because of this it can be thought of as the keeper of the stories of other animals.

It is basically an unsociable animal. It does not “relate” well with otherseven its own kind. This might be why stories are its symbolic means of communication. It is often easier for those with badger medicine to relate through stories than to have to do it directly.

The young badgers, usually two to three, are born in Mayor June. The family always separates in the fall, when the young and the father move to find their own homes. Sometimes the father will help with the raising of the young, but as a whole the badgers are loners and solitary. They are comfortable within themselves and are very self-reliant. They can teach this or help those with this totem to teach it to others.

The dachshund (badger dog) was bred specifically to hunt and dig after the badgers and to chase them out of the burrows. Dachshund owners probably have some badger medicine or can easily connect to it.

Because it is such a powerful digger, the badger has knowledge of things beneath the earth. This includes minerals, roots, and other plants and herbs. This makes the badger also a dynamic healer. Sometimes the badger healer is overly aggressive, but the technique is usually effective. Badger can teach the long forgotten knowledge of roots and their mystical and healing powers.

The badger is bold and ferocious, and it never surrenders. If a badger has come into your life, you should do some examination. Are you or those around you not digging deep enough? It may indicate a need to get beneath the surface. It may reflect a time of greater connection to the earth and its animal spirits. It may be telling you to draw upon the stories that intrigued you and held you fast during childhood. They may be symbolic of things going on or about to go on in your current life. Whenever badger shows up, there will be opportunities to develop self-expression and reliance. It speaks of a time to begin to tell a new story about yourself and your life.

BAT

KEYNOTE: Transition and Initiation

CYCLE OF POWER: Nighttime

The bat is one of the most misunderstood mammals. Modern depictions in movies and television have given it a sinister reputation, but it plays an important role in Nature and as a symbol in the totem traditions. Although more modern lore places the bat in cohorts with the devil, with its dragon-like wings, in more ancient times it was a powerful symbol.

In Babylonia bats represented the souls of the dead. In China they were symbols for happiness and long life. To the ancient Mayans, they are symbols of initiation and rebirth. To the medieval peoples, they were miniature dragons.

From the early Meso-America traditions came a sacred book of the initiatory process in which bats hold a significant role. This book was called the Papal Vuh. It was discovered by Father Ximinez in the 17th century. The second book of the Papal Vuh describes the seven tests that two brothers must undergo. The seventh test took them into the house of bats. Huge bats flew through the labyrinth and it was overseen by Camazotz, the god of bats. This being had the body of a human, the head and wings of a bat and carried a great sword by which he would decapitate unwary wanderers.47

This powerfully symbolic story and imagery reflects the process of transition- part human and part bat (animal). It implies a loss of one’s faculties if unwary about the changes. It also holds the promise of rebirth and coming out of the darkness.

The authors, Jamie Sams and David Carson, refer to the bat as reflecting the traditional shaman’s death-the breaking down of the former self through intense tests.48 It is a facing of your greatest fears-that it is time to die to some aspect of your life that is no longer suitable for you.

Most people fear transitions, holding onto a “better the devil you know than the one you don’t” kind of attitude. If a bat has flown into your life, then it is time to face your fears and prepare for change. You are being challenged to let go of the old and create the new.

For many, change is always distressing. When the bat comes into your life, you may see some part of your life begin to go from bad to worse. That which worked before may no longer. This is not negative though! And it will only be upsetting to the degree we are emotionally attached to the old way of life or to the degree we focus on the past rather than the infinite possibilities of the future.

Changes and transformations are blessings. They are not triggered from without but from within; and the world is our mirror. As we change, even within our consciousness, everything reflected within the world also begins to change. To understand and enjoy the blessing of change, begin by taking or renewing responsibility for your life. This means opening to the power within which will override all fears.

Look beyond the immediate and limited circumstances. There can be no death without there also being rebirth. Everything reflects the divine. Remember that fear and death is a choosing to block or go against the Divine energies that are yours by right of inheritance. Rebirth and life are found by choosing to follow the flow within. The choice is always ours. Remember that each time you trust your own inner promptings, you chase the fears within the dark corners of your mind away. What you choose to do today will have repercussions for years down the road. Do you want those repercussions to be positive or negative?

Though small in stature, the bat is a powerful symboL Its medicine is strong and can even be traumatic. It is a nocturnal animal, and the night was often considered the home of fears. Home fires and lights are often used to chase back the night and the fears rather than facing them and transmuting them. Are you avoiding facing something that is inevitable?

Sometimes bats are a symbol of facing our fears. They have very sharp, needle- like teeth. They can also be carriers of rabies. Rabies is an infectious disease of the blood, created by a virus. It was often associated with madness. Fears that are allowed to spread, uninhibited, will eventually permeate our system and can create a kind of madness within our lives. Bats can reflect a need to face our fears. The imaginings that result from fears that are incubating are often much worse than the actual facing of the fears, themselves. What are you most fearing right now?

From a naturalistic view, bats are not sinister. They playa very valuable role in nature. They feed on insects and are essential to the pollination of many plants. Their waste product, guano, is also used as a valuable fertilizer. This hints that every aspect of facing our fears will have value to us, no matter how messy it may seem to be. It holds the promise of empowerment.

The bat is also the only flying mammaL Its tremendously elongated finger bones support the wings which are made of a tough leathery skin. Its flight seems fluttery and jerky, but it is flight nonetheless. All flight implies a rising above. You may wish to study the general symbolism of flight as described in part two of this book.

Because humans are mammals as well, the bat is an even more important symbol for us. It becomes a symbol of promise amidst the sometimes chaotic energies of change. It reflects the ability to move to new heights with the transitions. Yes, our own flights may seem fluttery and jerky, but we will be able to fly.

We will not only be able to fly as a result of the changes, but we will be able to see the world from an entirely new perspective. Bats sleep with their heads down. This posture has always reminded me of the Hanged Man card in the tarot deck. This card reflects the piercing of new barriers and the opening to higher wisdom. It symbolizes a new truth being awakened. It also implies great strength and stamina to handle the ordeals that may beset you as you open to new consciousness. Its message contains the promise of new horizons and unexpected views about to manifest. Meditation upon this card would be most beneficial for those with a bat as a totem.

The bat is actually a sociable animal. It lives in flocks, and thus its appearance usually reflects either a need for more sociability or increased opportunity with greater numbers of people.

The bat has a medicine which awakens great auditory perception. The idea of “blind as a bat” is wrong. Bats are not blind, and their eyes are large and developed. They can easily navigate by sight in lighted situations.

On the other hand, they are expert at maneuvering through the dark. They have a form of sonar in their nose that gives them perfect navigation. Their ability at echo-location enables them to perform amazing flying feats even within the flock. They rarely, if ever, collide. This sonar and echo-location can be linked metaphysically to the gift of clairaudience or clear-hearing. It awakens the ability to hear spirit.

Those with a bat as a totem will also find that they have an increasing ability to discern the hidden messages and implications of other people’s words. Listen as much to what is not being said. Trust your instincts. The nose is the organ of discrimination, and with its sonar located in its nose, the bat reflects the ability to discriminate and discern the truth in other people’s words.

The bat is powerful medicine. It can be trying, but it always indicates initiation- A new beginning that brings promise and power after the changes.

BEAR

KEYNOTE: Awakening the Power of the Unconscious

CYCLE OF POWER: Spring and Summer

The bear is a powerful symbol and image in both myth and lore. Stories abound of individuals turned into bears, bears into humans, and bears as gods. It has stirred imagination so much that even a constellation was named for itUrsus Major, The Great Bear. Seven stars of this constellation are probably the most easily recognized in the northern hemisphere. These seven stars form The Big Dipper, and they have links to the seven great rays of light of the Divine.

The bear has lunar symbology as well, giving it ties to the subconscious and even unconscious mind. It was an animal associated with the goddess Diana, a goddess of the moon. It is also a symbol for alchemy, the nigredo of prime matter. It relates to all initial stages and primal instincts.

Like birds, the bear is often considered among Native American peoples as kin to humans because, like birds, it can stand and walk upon two legs. For many, the bear and the wolf are the last true symbols of the primal, natural world, and many ecologists believe that how humans respond and protect their lands and their future will be the most honest depiction of how serious humanity is about preservation of our environment and the natural resources within it.

The bear is the largest of the carnivores, but it will eat almost anything. It is omnivorous, eating both plants, fruits, and meat. It actually eats less meat than many smaller carnivores, such as the fox.

Contrary to popular belief, bears do not truly hibernate. They do live to a great degree on their stored-up fat. The body temperature will drop a little (around 13 degrees) and the breathing rate can be cut in half. The depth of their sleep depends greatly upon the amount of fat stored. This reflects the bear’s ability to teach those with it as a totem how to go within to find the resources necessary for survival. The bear can teach you to draw upon all of your inner stores of energy and essence even those which have never been tapped or accessed. Meditating and working with bear will help you to go within your soul’s den your inner sanctum-to find your answers.

During the winter sleep the black bear’s kidneys shut down completely, and scientists are studying this activity, hoping it will provide clues to more successful kidney transplants. Physicians would love to find a way to duplicate this in humans so that diseased kidneys would have time to heal. This is part of what bear medicine is about.

The kidneys serve a vital function in the body, excreting urine, and also filtering the blood plasma. Metaphysically, the kidneys are symbols of discernment and discrimination. If bear has shown up in your life, ask yourself some important questions. Is your judgment off? How about those around you? Are you not recognizing what is beneficial in your life? Are you not seeing the core of good deep within all situations? Are you being too critical of yourself or others? Are you wearing rose-colored glasses? Bear medicine can teach you to go deep within so that you can make your choices and decisions from a position of power.

All bears are astonishingly swift. The black bear and grizzly can reach running speeds of 35-40 mph for short distances. All bears, including the polar bear, can climb. Only the size of the tree will discourage the climbing. Bears are often associated with trees. Nature programs love to photograph bear cubs high up in trees or adults scratching themselves against them. There are even “bear trees,” trees marked with claws as signposts along the well-worn and traveled path of a particular bear.

The tree is a powerful and ancient symbol, just like the bear. It is a natural antenna, linking the Heavens and the Earth. Different trees do have different meanings, as was discussed briefly in an earlier part of this text, but in general, it represents knowledge. It is a symbol of fertility, of things that grow.

As bear teaches you to go in and awaken the potentials inherent, the tree serves as a reminder that we must bring what we awaken out into the world and apply itmake our marks with it. Anyone with a bear totem should keep the cub in themselves alive and occasionally climb trees-if only to get a clear perspective.

For those with a bear as a totem, it is important not to hide away and try to hibernate all year-round. You must come out of the den. This is even reflected in the birthing process of bears. Female bears give birth during their heavy sleep, semi-hibernation stages. Usually two cubs are born, sometimes three. They are born helpless and semi-conscious. The cubs nurse in the safety and warmth of the den throughout the winter.

As spring approaches, the mother and her cubs will emerge. The cubs will have become strong enough to follow their mother. This is tremendously significant for those working with a bear totem. It often reflects a need to go deep within yourself, to have periods in your life when you can be more reclusive. During these times, you will be able to go within yourself and even give birth to two or three ideas or projects. They can be nursed through the winter, and then as spring approaches, emerge with your babies to help them grow.

Those who have a bear as a totem will find this cycle of semi-hibernation and reclusiveness during the winter very natural. They will also find that with the spring will come opportunities to act more assertively in regard to that which has been nursed through the winter months. Bear people should be patient though, as the cubs will usually stay with the mother for up to two years. This can reflect that those project you nursed may not come to full fruition until the second year of the cycle.

Although distantly related to the dog, the bear is a closer relative to the raccoon. There are a variety of bears. The most common bear is the black bear. This is a kind of misnomer, as not all black bears are black. They can be brown, cinnamon, and various combinations. They are very playful, both as adults and as young cubs. This is a reminder for those with this bear as a totem.

The largest bear is the Alaska brown bear. A relative of the grizzly, the brown bear is relatively solitary. The grizzly has long been known for its strength and ferocity. Although it can be quite fierce, it is not naturally aggressive.

By far the most outstanding hunter of the bear family is the polar bear. This white bear has no fear. It is the most carnivorous and aggressive of all the bears. It is at the top of the food chain and has no enemy other than humans. It feeds to a great degree on seals, and those with this totem should study the qualities of the seal as well.

All bears have a great fondness for honey. Honey is the natural sweetness of life. It is usually found in the hives, located in trees, again reflecting a connection between bears and trees. It is a reminder for those with this totem to go within to awaken the power, but only by bringing it out into the open and applying it will the honey of life be tasted.

BEAVER

KEYNOTE: The Building of Dreams

CYCLE OF POWER: Dusk and Night

The beaver is the largest of the rodent family. It disappeared from Europe and Asia, and is found now only in this hemisphere. It is adapted for life in the water. It has webbed feet, and its tail serves as a rudder. It is an excellent swimmer, and it can stay submerged for up to 15 minutes at a time. It has extra-large lungs, and it can take in more oxygen and tolerate more carbon dioxide than humans. Because of this, beaver can also teach lessons about breath and its control for the greatest health and effectiveness.

Water has long been associated with emotions and with dreams. One of the most common dreams the average person has is to have a home and a family. This dream is embodied by the beaver. It lives in a close-knit family, and beavers will mate for as long as both are alive. If beaver has appeared in your life, it can reflect the opportunity to build upon your dreams.

Beavers are also master home builders. They perform magnificent feats of engineering in the felling of trees and the building of dams. Their homes can have intricate canals, and they keep their dams in constant repair. This magnificent skill at building may even link those with this totem to the ancient and mystical Masons. A study of the Masonic tradition may open many doors.

A beaver lives less than twelve years in the wild. Its most noticeable characteristics are its large incisor teeth and its tail. One of the reasons that the beaver is always chewing is that its teeth continue growing until it dies. Without the chewing, the teeth would become too large, and it would be unable to eat. If a beaver loses a tooth, it will usually die. For those with the beaver as a totem, proper dental hygiene and care will be essential.

Tree bark is the beaver’s favorite diet, and poplar and aspen are its favorite trees. A study of the qualities of these trees may provide you with even more insight. The actual tree felling is accomplished through teamwork. One beaver rests and keeps watch, while another chews. The trees are often stored in the dam to provide food throughout the winter.

Although some see the beaver as a pest, it actually serves wonderful benefits. Its felling of trees enables brush to grow, thus providing food for deer and moose. Its dams even help make farmlands for humans. A beaver pond will fill with silt. When the beaver leaves it, eventually the dam in that pond will break. The water drains off, leaving a flat pocket of rich soil.

If beaver has come into your life, ask yourself some important questions. Have you been neglecting your most basic dreams? Are your dreams in need of some repair work? Are you or others around you becoming too lost in their dreams-always dreaming and never acting upon them? Is your home in need of repair?

Remember that the beaver reminds us that we have to act on our dreams to make them a reality. When it shows up, it is a time for action. Beaver can show you how to construct wonderful dreams.

BISON (BUFFALO)

KEYNOTE: Manifesting Abundance Through Right Action and Right Prayer

CYCLE OF POWER: Year-round

The American buffalo is actually a bison. Buffalo is a name that applies to the animals of Asia and Africa. To the plains Indians it was a symbol of sacred life and abundance.

Once a beautiful woman dressed in white buffalo fur appeared. She brought to the Lakota the sacred pipe which showed how all things were connected. She taught the men and the women many mysteries of the earth, and she taught them how to pray and follow the proper path upon the earth. She showed them how to pray for and bring forth abundance. As she left, she rolled upon the earth and became a white buffalo calf and then disappeared over the horizon. No sooner had she disappeared and great herds of buffalo were seen all around the Indian camps.

The bison or American buffalo is a symbol of abundance and the manifestation. Part of what White Buffalo Woman taught to the Lakota is that they did not have to struggle to survive if the right action was joined with the right prayer. By uniting the mundane and the divine appropriately, all that would be needed would be available. This same idea is embodied even within Biblical scripture: “The Lord helps those who help themselves.”

The bison is a large animal and can weigh up to a ton and a half. It has a massive head, humped shoulders, and an almost exaggerated appearance because of its shaggy fur. Humps are often symbolic of stored forces-reservoirs that can be tapped. In the case of the bison, it reflects the abundance that is available if we know how to tap it. The fact that the hump occurs at the shoulder level, implies that we must incorporate our own efforts. Shoulders are symbols of the ability to embrace and hold life. Upon shoulders are carried either our burdens or our rewards. The humped area on the shoulders implies the need for our own efforts.

The massive head also implies the need to combine our efforts with the Divine. The head is the upper region. It is a symbol of the heavens and the divine, the higher faculties. In the case of the bison, both aspects are amplified. Both the mundane and the spiritual is necessary for manifesting what we are seeking.

The bison is very unpredictable and can be dangerous. This can serve as warning about not keeping yourself well grounded as you begin to work toward greater abundance in some area of your life. It is a four-footed animal, and thus implies groundedness.

The bison also usually follows the easiest path. When we join the right action with the right prayers, the path is not difficult. We do not have to bull our way through. The path opens and flows easily. The bison will use its head to bowl and push with on occasion, but it is usually during the winter. Its massive head is used to clear patches of snow so that it can feed upon the grasses beneath.

If a bison has shown up for you, it may indicate opportunities to manifest or move toward manifesting abundance in some area of your life. This has hidden within it several cautionary notes, though. This is not a time to push or force. Follow the easiest path.

The appearance of the buffalo also implies that the law of synchronicity is operating within your life at the moment. Things will happen in the time, manner and means that is best for us if we allow it. This doesn’t mean we should sit back and do nothing, but rather that we should do what we have to do and then let the events take their natural course.

It’s nice to get from point A to point B, and there are ways of forcing it. If you force it though, you may end up at the destination at a time when there is nothing to be gained. If you allow the natural flow to take you, you still end up at your destination, at an advantageous time, and you usually get some nice side trips along the way. Bison teaches us how to work with that natural rhythm.

If bison has shown up in your life, look for opportunities for abundance and increase. Also ask yourself some important questions. Are you honoring that which you seek? Are you remembering that the divine is essential to all things in the physical? Are you giving honor to yourself and to the efforts of others within your life? Do you show gratitude for what you already have? The quickest way to stop the flow of abundance is by failing to honor that which has already come to you.

BOBCAT

KEYNOTE: Silence and Secrets

CYCLE OF POWER: Late Winter and Spring

The bobcat is sometimes called the wild cat. It has a short, bobbed tail from which it gets its name. It also has tufts of hair on its ears and sideburns. It is often confused with a lynx which is usually grayer and always larger. In fact, the bobcat is sometimes called the red lynx.

The bobcat is a solitary animal, and those with it as a totem often find themselves in the same situation. Coming to terms with that-learning to be alone without being lonely, is part of what the bobcat teaches. The females often have a small territory, but males can be quite nomadic, overlapping the territories of five to six females. Mating is usually in late winter, and then the males and females go their separate ways.

Because it is solitary, those who have the bobcat as a totem will find that their friends often share secrets. It is important for anyone with a bobcat or lynx as a totem not to break confidences. This will always have strong repercussions and will usually be found out quickly.

The tail is very symbolic. Tails have a long connection symbolically with the sexual energies and the kundalini. The tailor the tail end is the seat of the life force. The tip of the bobcat’s tail is black, and its underneath side is white. This reflects the ability to turn on and off the creative forces as is needed. This is part of the medicine of the bobcat.

It also ties the bobcat to some forms of sexual magic and mysticism. Using the cloak of darkness and secrecy, the bobcat can teach how to project and utilize the life force in silent but powerful ways. The bobcat’s magic is always most powerful when others do not know of it. Speaking of it dissipates its power. For those with this totem, learning when to speak, how much, and to whom will be essential. Bobcat people must be cautious about what they share with others. Things will have a tendency to be distorted or blown out of proportion. What may be white to the bobcat person can be mistakenly perceived as black, and vice versa.

The bobcat’s keen eyesight, sensitive whiskers, and tufted ears make it a superb nighttime hunter. Those with a bobcat as a totem will be most effective at night. These characteristics have ties to most of the predominant psychic arts. Bobcat’s eyes will enable them to see what others may try and hide or cloak. Their sensitive whiskers give them the ability for a form of psychometry, holding an object against the face will enable the individual to pick up impressions. The tufted ears also have connections to clairaudience and to hearing what is not being said.

An individual with a bobcat totem may find others uncomfortable around them. They will know that you can see what they are not showing and hear what they are not saying. This ability can make someone a dynamic counselor or a dynamic manipulator. If a bobcat has shown up in your life, look for that which is hidden. Not all is as it appears to be. Trust your own senses. If it doesn’t feel right, trust it-even if there is no logical reason to think otherwise.

The bobcat can see very well in the dark, and its hearing is acute. Oftentimes, bobcat people choose to be solitary because they hear, see, and feel so much hidden garbage about people around them that they begin to believe all humans are like this. Bobcat people should never become completely reclusive. Meditation on the Hermit card in the tarot deck will help you to know when to be alone and when to be social. It will help you to attune to the energies of this animal.

The bobcat is found all over the United States, but it is endangered. It makes its home under rocky ledges and in piles of rocks, and the symbolic significance of this should be studied as well. (Refer to chapter five.) Although not very fast, it can leap six to eight feet. Its primary food is rabbits and woodchucks, and the significance of these should be studied as well to fully understand the power of the bobcat.

The young are born in the spring, and up to four bob kittens can comprise a litter. The mother starts training early. By about seven months the young have learned to hunt alone and around nine months they have left the family to search out territory of their own.

For those to whom bobcat comes, expect some new learning formal or informal. In either case, within 7-10 months you will have what you need. Bobcat people usually learn quickly and thoroughly. If you are a parent who has a bobcat totem, begin the training of your children early. Trust your own instincts on how best to do this. The children will become strong and independent. If bobcat has come into your life ask yourself these important questions. Are you being too solitary? Do you need to look for new learning opportunities? Are you or those around you being indiscreet? Are you not trusting your inner senses? Are you allowing others’ outside appearances to sway you? Whenever bobcat is around, it will teach you that there is true power and strength through silence.

BULL

KEYNOTE: Fertility

CYCLE OF POWER: Year-round

The bull, and its female counterpart the cow, have long been symbols of fertility. While the cow is predominantly a symbol of motherhood and nourishment through non-injury (it’s an animal able to furnish food without being slaughtered), the bull is an animal which brought nourishment through slaughtering and so came to be known as an animal symbolizing fertility through sacrifice.

While the cow usually embodied lunar aspects, and goddesses sometimes wore horns of the cow, the bull was a symbol of the sun. To the Assyrians, the bull was born of the sun. The Hindu divine being Indra is often depicted riding on a bull, while Brahma is depicted upon a cow.

Bull worship was a part of Egypt and Greece. The Egyptian god Osiris is often depicted with the head of a bull. In Roman and Greek mythology are several powerful legends of the bull. Probably the most familiar is the tale of the Minotaur. A study of the myth and lore of the bull may provide insight into past lives for those with this totem.

The bull is, of course, associated with the astrological sign of Taurus, an earth sign. It is a sign that has to do with possessions. It is a sign that has links to making the mundane and earthy more fertile. The sign of Taurus should be studied for further insight.

The bull is masculine and implies a fertilizing of the Earth, a feminine planet in traditional astrology. In the bull then we have the union of the male and female. The bull is sometimes depicted as lunar (female) and sometimes as solar (male). The horns of the bull resemble the lunar crescent, giving it the link with the feminine. Anytime the male and female come together there is opportunity for fertility.

If a bull has shown up as your totem, you should ask yourself some important questions. Are you being as productive as you can? Do you need to sow some new seeds? Are you being stubborn and rigid? Do you or those around you need to become more sensitive? Are you rushing when you should be allowing things to become fertile in their own time? Are you or those around you insecure? The bull can help you to understand and work with the mundane aspects of fertility and the relationships necessary for it. it will teach stability without stubbornness. The bull can help you to assert your feminine energies with the greatest success.

CAT

KEYNOTE: Mystery, Magic, and Independence

CYCLE OF POWER: Nighttime

Although a domesticated animal, it would be unjust not to at least touch upon the energies and essence of the cat as a totem. Many of the larger cats are examined in this dictionary separately, but cats in general-wild or domestic- have certain qualities in common.

In myth and lore, the cat predominates. In ancient Egypt they held a position of special privilege. The goddess Bast was often depicted either as a cat or with a cat’s head. In Scandinavian lore, the cat was associated with the goddess of fertility, Freyja. In the Hindu tradition Shasthi, the goddess of childbirth, is depicted riding upon a cat. Cats appear frequently in the tales of the Brothers Grimm and many other folk stories from around the world.

To cats have been attributed a wide variety of traits-often contradictory. Curiosity, nine lives, independence, cleverness, unpredictability, and healing are but a few. A witch’s pet cat was usually regarded as her familiar-a spirit in the form of a cat. It was often believed that witches could take the form of cats.

Cats are at home after dark, and yet most humans want them to be traditional pets during the day. When they do not respond in this manner, they are accredited with independence and unsociability. Because the dark is the home of fears and those things humans do not want to see and can’t see, the cat has come to be associated with magic and mystery. The truth is that cats have more rods in the retinas of their eyes, which enhances light perception. It enables them to see effectively in the dark. The traditional prey of a cat is the mouse, but it is by no means limited to it. Cats still effectively hunt birds and rabbits.

The traditional enemy of the cat is the dog, but this is not its only enemy. For anyone with a cat totem, the study of the qualities of the mouse and the dog will be beneficial for helping you to understand the magic and the balance of energies with the cat.

Examine the colors, the character, the behaviors of your own cat. Everything about it will be significant. Many books exist on the lore and the character of cats. Whether domesticated or wild, anytime a cat becomes predominant, look for magic and mystery to come alive.

COUGAR

KEYNOTE: Coming into Your Own Power

CYCLE OF POWER: Year-round

Throughout its history the cougar has been known by many names: puma, mountain lion, cougar, catamount, mountain screamer, sneak cat, panther, and more. Cougar, panther, and puma are the most common. Cougar is its South American name and the name puma comes from the Quechua language spoken by the Incas. The Florida panther is part of the same family, but it should not be confused with the panther of the leopard/jaguar family as is described later. In your studies of the cougar, is there a name which draws you more? This may provide some insight into past life connections with this totem.49

The early colonists mistook the cougar for a female lion. “Dutch traders in New Amsterdam (now New York City) asked the Indians why they only brought in skins of the female. The Indians relishing a joke on the ignorant white traders told them that all of the males lived in a distant range of mountains and were so fierce that no one dared hunt them. Thus the name mountain lion came to be.”50

The cougar is the second-largest cat in the western hemisphere. It is also one of the fastest and most powerful of animals, but it tires quickly. It is powerful enough to kill with its bite or its claws. It can leap over forty feet.

It is a stealthy hunter, and many of the qualities of the panther described later hold true for the cougar. If cougar has shown up in your life, it is time to learn about power. Test your own. Most young cougars learn how to use their power through trial and error. It strengthens them and hones their skills. When cougar shows up as totem, much of the trial has been worked through. Now it is time to assert.

People may not like your asserting. They may try and keep you in the category they have always kept you. You can choose to remain so, or you can stretch your muscles and show your capabilities. Those with cougar medicine fall easily under attack, especially by those who have grown comfortable with the status quo and do not wish to truly see you grow. Remember that there will always be some who will not wish to see you come into your own power or will ever acknowledge that you have. If cougar has shown up, there is a choice to be made, and it should be made quickly and strongly. A cougar leaps at its opportunities.

The deer is the cougar’s favorite prey. Anyone with a cougar totem should also study the deer. One of the qualities embodied by the deer is gentleness. For those with the cougar totem, remember that power can be asserted gently. There is strength and power in gentleness. It is also a reminder that there are times to be gentle and there are times to assert your power forcefully. This is part of what the cougar teaches.

The cougar also has connections to the porcupine, and its qualities should be studied as well. The cougar is one of the few animals capable of killing a porcupine without harm to itself. In fact, about one third of its food can be made up of porcupine. The cougar has developed the ability to flip the porcupine upon its back, exposing its vulnerable underside.

The cougar teaches decisiveness in the use of personal power. When it attacks, it does not hesitate. When threatened, it goes for the most vulnerable place. The cougar can teach you how to bring out your power and fill your heart with it in a manner that will enable you to take charge of your life. You will find you can use it to defend yourself or to attack-with equal effectiveness. Cougar teaches you how to take charge of your life and your circumstances most effectively.

COYOTE

KEYNOTE: Wisdom and Folly

CYCLE OF POWER: Year-round

The coyote is an amazingly adaptive animal, and the Native American lore about this animal is rich and plentiful. It is the creator and the jokester. Much magic has been associated with the coyote, but the magic does not always work. Even in its not working, it serves a purpose. There is always hidden wisdom where the coyote is concerned.

In many ways the coyote is to the plains Indians what the raven is to the people of the Northwest-creator, teacher, and keeper of magic. Both are playful and love to have fun. Both are skillful, but often look for ways to do things that will not involve the use of their own skill. They often look for short cuts. Both remind us not to become too serious, and both remind us that anything is possible.

Oftentimes in many of the tales, the coyote makes things more complicated than they need to be. If coyote has shown up as a totem, you may wish to ask yourself some questions. Are you or those around you being too serious? Have you forgotten that play time is essential to health? Are you complicating what is really simple in some area of your life? Is someone playing tricks on you?

The coyote teaches the balance of wisdom and folly and how they both go hand in hand. The image of the wise fool has been used in the lore of many societies. This is the individual who seems to be a simpleton and yet the words and actions have a much greater wisdom than is initially recognized. Are you not seeing the wisdom of your life and its events? The coyote will help you.

In the tarot deck is The Fool card. This card is good for anyone with a coyote totem to meditate upon. Its energies are tied to simplicity and trust. It is the card for developing poise in the chaos of life. It stimulates and renews innocence, and it reawakens a childlike wisdom in response to the world. It is the card that reminds us that true teachers of wisdom have a wonderful sense of humor. Through the coyote, we learn to become again as little children with a reawakening of the intellect, creativity, the artistic mind and all of the intuitive faculties.

Although often seen as a pest to be eliminated by many groups, it has managed to extend its range. It is found in every part of the country. It has been able to do so because it has used its keen intelligence and adaptive ability. The coyote used to be most active hunting at dawn and dusk. Today it is most active at night. This is done to avoid other hunters.

The coyote will often use cooperative hunting techniques. They have a wellorganized system of running down smaller prey. The chase occurs in relays. While one coyote rests, another gives chase. This kind of cooperation hints at the energies that coyote can bring to your life-an ability to stimulate cooperation to accomplish important tasks in the most efficient manner. Sometimes the coyote has even teamed up with badgers and they have hunted together, reflecting the coyote’s ability to adapt to the situation.

The howl is one of the coyote’s most significant qualities. It is generally accepted to be primarily a social gesture. It can express loneliness, warn of danger, or call for assistance. It touches the soul of whoever hears, reminding us of our primal connections.

A coyote’s den can be located anywhere. They usually prefer the side of a hill near a water source. The coyote will often return to the same den for each litter, but they rarely use the den year-round. It is a place they work out of. This same kind of pattern is common among those who have a coyote as a totem. They are most effective when they work from a place, but do not limit themselves strictly to it. It hints of the need for mental stimulation, and those with this totem require a lot of it.

Coyote’s have a very close-knit family unit. They will sometimes mate for life. The father is very conscientious and participates in the care and raising of the young. Both parents train the young in hunting techniques. The male cares for the mate while she is pregnant, helping to protect and feed her. If something does happen to the mother, then the male takes over the care of the young.

The coyote is one of the most fascinating animals, and it is not easily locked into any particular category. It is filled with paradox, but at the heart of its energy is the balance of wisdom and folly that makes for a fulfilling life.

DEER

KEYNOTE: Gentleness and Innocence-Gentle Luring to New Adventure

CYCLE OF POWER: Autumn and Spring

Deer have always captured the imagination of humanity. It is one of the most successful families of mammals, native to every continent except Australia. They have been able to adapt to every sort of habitat. The white-tailed deer, the mule deer and the caribou are three that are prominent on this continent. The moose and wapiti (elk) are also part of the deer family, but they are treated separately in this work.

Each type of deer has its own special qualities and characteristics, while sharing some of the qualities of all deer in generaL Caribou, for example, make long migrations twice a year, reflecting a need for those who have it as a totem to use that same pattern in their life. They begin rutting in fall and early winter, and these then are the power times. The mule deer is also a wanderer. It never follows the same path twice. This is part of its natural defense, making it less predictable to predators. Most of the information in this section will focus on deer in general, and the white-tailed specifically.

The name “deer” has several variations on its origin. These may provide clues to past lives for those with this totem. The Anglo Saxon word “dear” was a general word for animals and was often used just in the general sense. In the German language, it has its root in “tier,” simply meaning wild animal also. It can also be traced to the Sanskrit “mriga,” also meaning wild animal.

To many the deer is considered the most important animal ever hunted. The hunt of the deer is what transfers our civilization to the wilderness. There are many stories and myths of deer luring hunters or even kings deep into the woods until they are lost and begin to encounter new adventures. One such example is found in the tales of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Sir Gawain follows a white hart to many adventurous encounters.51 A reading of Sir Thomas Malory’s Le Marte D’Arthur will also provide more examples.

The deer is also a central religious image for Buddhism. Buddha is often pictured with a deer, and legend tells how he first preached in a deer park. This image itself reasserts the meaning of the deer as representing innocence and a return to the wilderness.

The white-tailed deer is the most common in the United States. One of its most outstanding features is the set of antlers that the male develops. In other members of the deer family, i.e., reindeer and caribou, both the male and females grow them. The antlers are solid bone, and they are shed every year. Antlers grow behind the eyes and are very protective.

Each year until the age of five, the antlers grow bigger and with more points. If you encounter a deer in the wild, try to make count of the number of points. This will tell you some of the significance the deer will have for you. Remember that numerology can help define the essence.

Antlers are symbols of antennae, connections to higher forms of attunement. Deer with antlers thus can be a signal to pay attention to your inner thoughts and perceptions, as they are probably more accurate than you think.

The antlers are shed every year, and each year they grow back larger and with more points, for five years. If a deer has entered your life, look for new perceptions and degrees of perceptions to grow and expand for as much as the next five years. It can indicate that there will be opportunities to stimulate gentle new growth increasingly over the next few years.

The antlers grow behind the eyes, again hinting at the symbolism of heightened perception. When the antlers are shed, they are eaten by deer and rodents who gnaw on them to assimilate the calcium.

One to two young are born. Fawns are born a color that protects and hides them. In the first few days, they hardly move, and the mother nurses them often. This is very significant for those with this totem. Many societies taught the importance of staying with the newborn for a prescribed period of time. No visitors, no family members other than the father were allowed contact with the newborn. Even today in the Muslim religion, a mother who breastfeeds for a prescribed time makes that child her own, whether it is her biological child or not. This kind of attention and separateness enables the child to link with the family more strongly and protects the newborn from subtle outside influences.

It has always bothered me to see new mothers with week-old babies walking around busy malls and stores. I understand the desire to get out, but it reveals a lack of understanding of the subtle energy influences of the human body. Our auras or energy fields are electro-magnetic and exchanges of energy do occur with other people and places. The kind of energy a child is exposed to in a mall can have strong effects. No one has ever done any significant studies on this, and it is an area that truly needs to be explored. Until that child’s energy is strong and firmly grounded, it should be protected from extraneous influences.

The deer leads us back to the primal wisdom of those old teachings. It reminds us to establish a strong healthy connection with the child before we expose it to many people and other strange energies. It is a reminder that there is a tradition that is natural and suitable for family units and for the health of the young. It is for the child’s best interest.

After the first few days, the fawn can usually stand and follow its mother about. Doe fawns may stay with the mother for as much as a year. The buck or male will usually leave after a few months. The father takes no part in the rearing of the young; it is all the rule of the mother. Again this can be a reminder for us to move gently back to the traditional family unit and roles. It may indicate, if the deer has shown up in your life, that you have gotten too far away from the role that would be most beneficial for you at this time.

A deer’s senses are very acute. Its vision is designed for clarity at a distance. It is especially effective at detecting contrasts and edges in dim light. Its hearing is equally acute. Anyone who has deer as a totem will find increasing ability to detect subtle movements and appearances. They will begin to hear what may not be said directly.

When deer show up in your life it is time to be gentle with yourself and others. A new innocence and freshness is about to be awakened or born. There is going to be a gentle, enticing lure of new adventures. Ask yourself important questions. Are you trying to force things? Are others? Are you being too critical and uncaring of yourself? When deer show up there is an opportunity to express gentle love that will open new doors to adventure for you.

DOGS

KEYNOTE: Faithfulness and protection

CYCLE OF POWER: Year-round

Dogs are domesticated canines. Their descendants are coyotes and wolves, and thus they should be studied as well. Dogs are companions to humans, providing faithful protection. Every dog and every breed has its own unique qualities. Many breeds were designed for specific purposes and functions. Studying the history of your breed will help you define the kind of energy specific to this totem.

Different dogs will mean different things. Herding dogs were for protection and to assist in the labors of herding domesticated farm animals. Some dogs were raised specifically for sporting activities-hunting and retrieving. Thus they may have qualities unique to them-a love of water, a need to run, etc. Some dogs are mixed, embodying qualities from a variety of breeds, reminding us that we each are unique.

Examine the qualities of your breed and the individual dog. It will reveal much about the energy associated with it. Examine the individual personality. How does it behave most of the time? What does this say about you? Earlier in the book, I gave an example of how my four dogs are unique, and how I use their behavior as messages for my self. If my dog Cheyenne, who is usually standoffish and a loner, becomes very friendly and pesters me to play, it usually indicates I need to take some time off and socialize and playa little. Our animals can tell us so much.

Most Native American tribes had dogs for protection and warnings, but dogs have held symbolic importance in other societies as well. In India the dog is a symbol of all caste systems, reflecting the small becoming great. In early Christianity it was a symbol of guardianship (as in the sheepdog), and it was even an allegory for the priest. In Greece it was a companion to and guardian of the place of the dead. It has also been a symbol of motherhood because dogs are very caring and nurturing parents.

It takes a lot to break a dog’s spirit. It’s ability to love, even when abused, is tremendous. It’s spirit and willingness to love and to be a companion is great.

Study your dog. This will tell you more than what can be elaborated on here. If dog has come into your life as a totem, ask yourself some questions? What is this saying about your need for or lack of companionship? Are you being faithful? Are others around you? Are you showing unconditional love, or receiving it? Do you need to be more protective of your territory? Do you need to playa little more? Are you being faithful to yourself? Does your spirit need bolstering? How about those around you? Examine your territories. Dog knows its home ground, and if it has shown up, its energies and lessons will touch you personally.

The dog is a powerful totem, reflecting faithfulness and companionship. Many times it is easier for individuals to begin working with totems that are domesticated rather than the wild. (Pictured above are the author’s own four dogs: Cheyenne, Akasha, Avalon, and Kodi.)

DOLPHIN (Porpoises)

KEYNOTE: The Power of Breath and Sound

CYCLE OF POWER: Year-round

The dolphin is a mammal of the sea. Many people think of dolphins and whales as being fish, but they aren’t. They nurse and contain most of the qualities that separate mammals from other animal species. The largest member of the dolphin family is the killer whale which also embodies the quality of patience.

The fact that dolphins make their home in the sea is very significant. Many myths speak of how life began in the primordial waters of life. Water is the symbol of creation, passion, and even sexuality. It is the element of all life. It is a symbol of new dimensions and forces.

Dolphins can open new creation and dimensions to a great degree. Water is essential to life, but so is breath. Many techniques for breathing exist that teach how proper use of breath can be used to induce altered states and align oneself with new dimensions and life. Learning techniques of breathing can help you to become more passionate and sexual, and to heal the body, mind, and spirit. For example, tension and stress can be released by simply imitating the spouting breath that dolphin uses upon surfacing. People with lung and breathing problems can benefit greatly by aligning themselves with dolphin medicine.

Dolphin has a rhythm to its breathing and to its swimming. Learning to breathe like a dolphin can be beneficial. Breath control is the key to the power of the dolphin. When you can align yourself with dolphin through breathing you can have dolphin take you to all the places and times that existed before the great seas covered most of the world. Dolphin can lead you to underground caverns and the primordial beginnings of yourself.

Dolphin also has a sonar ability. It uses a series of clicks and responds to the feedback of those clicks as the sound reverberates. Sound, breath, and water are all considered the sources of all life. Sound is the creative life force. Sound came forth out of the womb of silence and created all things. Learning to create inner sounds so that you can create outer manifestations is part of what dolphin can teach.

Sound requires breath, and water is the unformed creative element that we can shape into any manifestation, if we know how to combine breath and sound. The sacredness of sound and breath has been taught in many societies. In the Babylonian cosmology, the gods formed by the goddess Tiamut in the waters of life did not come into being until she called them forth.

Dolphin can show you how to enter into the waters of life and then with breath and sound call forth from the waters what you most need or desire. There are breathing techniques and sounding techniques essential to manifestation. If we don’t use them properly, we find that our prayers are unanswered and our affirmations manifest in an obtuse manner. Dolphin can show us how to do it properly. (You may also wish to refer to my earlier work Sacred Sounds for further information on this.)

The dolphin was a symbol of salvation to the early Christians. To the Greeks it was a sacred messenger of the gods, a dynamic blessed symbol of the sea. Because of this it was rarely killed. The dolphin often displays an altruistic behavior. It has a large brain and a great intelligence. Even today, rather than be wary of humans who would kill them, they enjoy the company and their curiosity draws them close.

If dolphin has shown up as a totem, ask yourself some important questions. What are your words and thoughts creating for you? If unsure, when dolphin arises, you will soon discover. Are you getting outside and enjoying fresh air? Are you holding in tensions? Are others? When dolphin shows up it is time to breathe some new life into yourself. Get out, play, explore and most of all breathe.

ELEPHANT

KEYNOTE: Ancient Power, Strength, and Royalty

CYCLE OF POWER: Year-round

The elephant is the largest living land mammal. Although not native to this continent, I have included it because I have encountered a number of people to whom it has become a significant totem. It has an ancient ancestry in the mammoths. There are two types still in existence, the Indian and the African. The African is larger and the shape of the ears differ.

The elephant has a tremendous amount of myth and lore surrounding it. Of all elephants, the white elephant is considered the most sacred. This is similar to the sacredness often reflected in Native American traditions associated with the white buffalo. It is said that mothers of great teachers and masters will dream of white elephants. One story of Buddha’s mother tells how she dreamt a white elephant had entered her womb.

In India and southeast Asia elephants are venerated, and the symbolism of the elephant is multiple. It is a symbol of royalty and fertility. The Hindu god of wisdom and success, Ganesha, is usually depicted with an elephant’s head. The god Indra held several roles in which an elephant played a part. As the king of gods, the elephant was the royal mount. As the god of warriors, the elephant was Indra’s super weapon. As the god of rain, Indra used the gray elephant to bring forth the monsoons.

The elephant is both strange and terrifying to those unfamiliar with it. Much of what the average person believes about elephants is fallacy. Mice do not scare them. They respond to the sound, not to the movement of a mouse. Although they do have good memories, the idea that an elephant never forgets is misunderstood. It actually refers to never forgetting someone who has caused injury. They have been known to seek revenge if the opportunity presented itself. There also are no elephant graveyards, special places where elephants go to die. These tales are very mystical and symbolic. Elephants do show interest in the dead and the dying, even going so far as to display sorrow.

The elephant has a most auspicious symbolism. They embody strength and power, especially power of the libido. Male elephants are more likely to rage out of control when in rut. Because of this the elephant is seen as a symbol of great sexual power.

Because of their size, color, and shape, elephants and clouds have been linked together. They were seen as symbols of clouds, and many believed that elephants created the clouds. Those with an elephant totem should study the symbolism and significance of clouds. In general, they are symbols of the mist that separates the formed worlds from the unformed. They have been associated with Neptune, prophecy, fertility, and even family. Because they are always in a state of metamorphosis, they can reflect the same for those with the elephant totem.

On several occasions in the past, I have participated during the summer in psychic events that were held outdoors. On these occasions for a change of pace, I did “cloud readings,” using the cloud formations to stimulate the psychic energies. I would hold the individual’s hands, and look up into the sky and then talk about what I saw in the cloud formations and how it reflected in the individual’s life. It is fun and can be a nice change of pace. On every occasion I have done this, one of the first things I would see is a cloud formation shaped like an elephant. It would be years before I understood the connection.

One of the most outstanding features of the elephant is its trunk. Because the elephant has relatively poor eyesight, it relies heavily upon its sense of smell. It breathes smells in through the trunk and discerns from the smells. The sense of smell is a long time symbol for higher forms of discrimination. Those with an elephant totem should pay attention to what smells good and what smells bad. Are you not discriminating as you should? Are others? Does something smell funny? Are you not responding, even though things don’t smell right?

For those with an elephant totem, working with incense and fragrant oils can be a powerful and effective tool. Aromatherapy should be studied and used. Oils and fragrances will enable you to shift your consciousness most effectively. The sense of smell is also strongly connected to sexual drive. It is one of the most powerful stimulants. Smells may become an aphrodisiac for those with this totem. It can be a powerful means of seducing or being seduced. This further enhances the symbol of the elephant as a sexual symbol.

The trunk is very versatile, and it is used for drinking, showering, and defense. Elephants even greet by touching trunks. The trunk has two fingerlike extensions. This specialized nose and upper lip combination makes it work almost like a hand. With it they can feed upon twigs, leaves, and grasses that it would not otherwise have been able to reach. Again it reflects that through the increased sensitivity of smell that the elephant stimulates, you can open to energies and worlds otherwise unaccessible.

The tusks are another important part of the elephant. Unfortunately, poachers kill an outrageous number of African elephants, simply to cut off the tusks of ivory. For anyone with an elephant totem, the significance of ivory from a spiritual and metaphysical aspect should be examined. The tusks are used as weapons and as tools for digging edible roots. This gives the elephant links to things beneath and above the earth-a knowledge of plants and roots.

The elephant society is divided by age and gender. Cows and calves live in all female herds, led by a wise old cow. This reflects the ancient tradition of three forms of the feminine energies in life-the child, the mother, and the old wise woman. These three forms have been found in most societies in which mystery teachings of life and the universe exist.

Bulls occasionally join the female herds. This is usually just for mating. The rest of the time they usually live in bachelor herds which are run by an older tougher bull. Again this has been duplicated in many societies around the world. Both men and women had their societies and their sacred teachings about elephants.

Elephants show great affection and loyalty to each other. Older calves will help younger siblings. Grown elephants will help sick or wounded comrades. In the elephant are the ideals of true societies.

Those who have the elephant as totem will usually find themselves in a position where the opportunity to reestablish powerful family and societal ideals will occur. Mutual care of the young, respect for the elderly and the sick, being strong in your own self-these are the foundations of a great person or a great society. If the elephant has come to you, you will have the opportunity to work toward establishing this within your own life or the lives of others. If elephant has come to you, prepare to draw upon the most ancient of wisdom and power. You will have an opportunity to either help yourself or others reclaim your most primordial royalty.

ELK (Wapiti)

KEYNOTE: Strength and Nobility

CYCLE OF POWER: Autumn

The elk is one of the most regal animals of North America. It is powerful and strong. At one time it was found all across North America, but by the late 1800s it was wiped out in the eastern United States. Today it is protected, and the western mountains provide range and refuge for it.

The Shawnee Indians named this animal wapiti, which is probably a more appropriate name. White settlers gave it the name of elk, calling it after a European relative which actually more resembled the moose.

The elk is an animal of great strength, power and stamina. It can run at a fast trotting pace for extended periods of time. One of its primary defenses is to outrun its predators. Elk can sustain a strong pace for great lengths of time.

If an elk has come into your life it can mean that you are about to hit your stride. Elk may also have shown up to teach you how to pace yourself more effectively. Have you been overdoing? Have others around you? Have you given up or thought about giving up too soon? Are you not pursuing things enough? Are you trying for the quick and easy when the long and steady will be most effective for you right now? An elk takes four to five years to reach maturity. If you have started new projects or tasks recently, you may need to give them four to five years to see them reach the peak of success.

An elk is in its power time during the fall. This is its rutting season. Except during the season of rut, elks stay with their own gender-males with males, females with females. Sometimes elk will show up as a totem to remind us that we need to have the company of the opposite sex occasionally for balance. Have you been neglecting your need to relate to others of the opposite sex? Are you keeping company of just one gender-to the neglect of the other? Have you been spending too much time with the opposite sex and not enough with your own?

The neck of the male swells during the rutting season and its bugle call sounds throughout the area. It is a way of declaring territory and affirming the relationship with the cows of the species. The neck is a bridge area, a point of crossing over. We all need the company of the opposite gender. It does not have to be a sexual relationship but simply spending time with them helps in balancing and bridging our own energies to higher levels.

Few elk are ever loners or solitary. They congregate and live in herds, staying mostly with their own gender. If elk has shown up, it may reflect a need for companionship or group support in some fashion. Herds of elk usually have watchouts. These elk will sound alarms through long whistles (bugling) and through raising and revealing a large rump patch. There is always a group interaction occurring. Sometimes elk will show up to teach us how to live cooperatively in herds or groups. Are you trying to do everything by yourself? Are others? Do you feel as if you have the strength and energy to handle all tasks alone?

Elk even make use of babysitters. One or two will take charge of the young, while the others wander for food. If threatened, they will defend the young with sharp hoofs. It is the young that are most vulnerable, and elk and moose are both extremely protective. Parents with elk totems can be very protective and fierce in defense of any possible threat, imagined or real. The most common predators are the mountain lion and grizzly, although coyotes will often group hunt. As long as it is a healthy adult, the elk can usually outrun its predators. This is not so with the young and the sick, but this is how the herd stays strong. A study of the elk’s predators will provide further insight into the kind of energies likely to be manifesting within your life.

Elk eat mostly grasses and vegetation. They do not migrate much. Their fur is thick and heavy and they can withstand the severe cold. If the weather is extremely bad, with very heavy snows, they may spend the winter in the foothills where vegetation is more accessible.

Anyone working with elk medicine would do well to hold to a predominantly vegetarian diet. The energy levels will be stronger, the stress levels will be lessened and the stamina will increase. If you find yourself becoming sluggish, call upon elk medicine. Adjust your diet, and in just two to three days you will notice a considerable difference in your overall energy levels.

FOX

KEYNOTE: Feminine magic of camouflage, shapeshifting and invisibility

CYCLE OF POWER: Nocturnal, Dawn, and Dusk

The fox is a totem that has touched almost every society on the planet. It is a totem that speaks of the need to develop or the awakening of camouflage, invisibility, and shapeshifting. It is one of the most uniquely skilled and ingenious animals of nature. It can teach these skills to those whose life it enters.

There are 21 species of fox and they can be found in most parts of the world and in varied climates. It is found along seashores and in the mountains, in the deserts and in the Arctic. It lives in North and South America, Europe, Asia, and even Australia. The fact that there are 21 different kinds of foxes found throughout the world has great metaphysical significance.

Card 21 in the tarot deck is The World. It is a card that reflects a new world opening up, that the process of creation is beginning. It reflects that the world is growing and shapeshifting itself into new patterns that will be beneficial. For those with a fox as a totem, meditating upon this card can be of benefit to understanding how fox energy will be helping with creation. It can reveal what is growing and shapeshifting (or needing it) within your own world.

The fox has a long history of magic and cunning associated with it. Because it is a creature of the night, it is often imbued with supernatural power. It is often most visible at the times of dawn and dusk, the “Between Times” when the magical world and the world in which we live intersect. It lives at the edges of forests and open land-the border areas. Because it is an animal of the “Between Times and Places,” it can be a guide to enter the Faerie Realm. Its appearance at such times can often signal that the Faerie Realm is about to open for the individual. In the Orient, it was believed that faxes were capable of assuming human form. In ancient Chinese lore, the fox acquires the faculty to become human at the age of 50, and on its hundredth birthday, it becomes either a wizard or a beautiful maiden who will ultimately destroy any man unlucky enough to fall in love with her. “There are several American Indian tribes that tell tales of hunters who accidentally discovered their wives were foxes.”52 This is very symbolic of the idea of magic being born within the feminine energies, and that unless a male can recognize the magic of the feminine-in himself or others-and learn to use it to shapeshift his own life, it will ultimately lead to destruction.

The Cherokees invoke fox medicine to prevent frostbite, and Hopi shamans always wear fox skins in their healing rites. The Choctaw saw fox as the protector of the family unity. Apaches credited fox with the killing of the evil bear, and for sticking its tail fur into the flame and stealing fire for humans. In other societies, fox was also held in great esteem. In Persia it was sacred, for it helped the deceased get to heaven. In Egypt, fox fur was thought to bring favor with the gods. The Indians of Peru had a fox god. The fox was often believed to reward those who did it service.

An examination of fox behaviors and characteristics will reveal much about the role and the energy it represents for you individually. Almost all faxes have sharp snouts, large ears, long, bushy tails, and long, thin legs. The large ears help the fox to keep cool in the summer, as they dissipate heat through them. For someone with a fox totem that has difficulty with summer heat, combing the hair behind the ears will almost always bring relief.

The most common fox in North America is the red fox, but not all red faxes have reddish fur. The fur of the red fox has variations, just as human hair does. Some may have the reddish coat, others may be more brown, and still others may have a black and silver fur. In general the red fox is associated with sexual energy, the kundalini, and the freeing of the creative life force. A study of colors and their symbology may help you further define the role of your fox in your life.

Except for the Arctic fox, the fur does not change color with the seasons. The Arctic fox also has more rounded ears, providing more insulation against the cold.

The coat of the fox serves as camouflage, and most fox coats have variations of color within them. This facilitates their ability to stay camouflaged and remain relatively unseen. Practicing and using camouflage is something everyone with a fox totem should learn to do. Working to blend in with the surroundings, to come and go unnoticed, moving silently about without revealing your intentions is all part of what fox teaches.

Much of this is reflected in learning to control the aura, the energy field around your body. You can adjust its frequency and intensity so that you harmonize more with others. You can focus on changing its appearance so that you blend in. Practice by standing against a wall and see yourself (and your aura) becoming the color of the wall, just as if you were fading into it.

The next time you go to a party, take a seat in a chair or on a couch and see yourself as a fox that blends in perfectly to its surroundings. Remember that a fox is most often seen when it is out in the open, so visualize yourself as taking on the color and pattern of the chair. Then sit quietly and watch how many people, accidentally bump into you or even begin to sit on you because they did not “notice or see” you there. You will be amazed.

Practice seeing yourself as a fox when you enter or leave a party or gathering. See yourself as blending into the gathering, melting into it. Do not be surprised as the night goes on when people make such comments as, “When did you arrive?” “How long have you been here?” “I didn’t see you come in,” or “When did you leave?” The more you work with fox, the easier this becomes.

The historical character of Merlin had to have used fox medicine and energy to accomplish much of what he did, but he practiced it. “Even during his lifetime Merlin was largely ahistorical and unrevealed ... He was largely unknown to the greater public, except as ‘Merlin.’ When he was summoned by kings or needed desperately to recruit other allies, he came silently, disguised as a poor shepherd, as a woodcutter or as a peasant. Even the sovereigns failed to recognize his in his various disguises. He practiced concealment habitually and for a long period of time.”53

For those with fox totems, it will be important to learn this art of camouflage, and its related arts of invisibility and shapeshifting. The fox uses its ability at quiet camouflage to its benefit. With practice you can develop this same kind of ability and apply it so that you may see and hear things you otherwise could not.

Another aspect of fox fur has significance as well for anyone with a fox totem. Hair is often associated with psychic energy serving as antennae. The fox has two kinds of fur. It has a short, dense, wooly undercoat, and it has long, stiffer guard hairs that overlie the undercoat. This serves as a protector and it is usually darkest on the back.

Hair and fur are ancient symbols for energy and fertility, and layers of fur reflect levels of energy and levels of fertility. With the fox it is the undercoat which is the primal energy source from which an individual draws his/her abilities. The outer layer protects and defines how that energy is being used by the individual. As the outer hair changes so does the expression of the inner creative force. Hair should become very important to an individual with a fox totem. If a change is needed on certain levels, learning to change the hair to reflect the change desired helps to activate fox energy so that shapeshifting can begin.

The brush or tail has always been considered the most sacred part of the fox, although this is not necessarily true. It does hold great significance for one with a fox totem. When it runs, the fox tail is always in a horizontal position out from the body. This acts as a rudder. This horizontal position is the feminine form. Thus the fox tail is a symbol of directly guiding the feminine creative forces. It is especially beneficial to the fox when making abrupt and sharp turns. If the focus stays on the creative energies, any sharp turn in the individual’s life will be accomplished with ease.

The tail also serves as insulation from the cold for the nose and feet, as the fox wraps itself up in its tail. Individuals with fox totems have an ability to insulate themselves from anything that may seem to be cold, especially in relationships. They can become warm and cozy in themselves.

The overall thickness of the fur makes the fox look much larger than it really is. This is especially significant for those with fox totems. These individuals have the ability to make themselves appear larger than they actually are. Because of this, an individual schooled in working with this aspect of fox medicine can use it to his or her advantage, for personal protection or for making greater impressions in various areas of his/her life.

In the winter, a thick tuft of hair grows on the toe pads on the bottom of the feet. This helps keep the feet warm and gives better traction, something that those with fox totem should be careful to do.

Although a fox dislikes getting wet, it is an excellent swimmer. This is also very significant, for it says something about the innate character of those with a fox totem. They have learned to draw upon and express the feminine energies, the creative force, in the outer world. For them, there is no desire to go back into the waters of life (feminine), but they will do so if it is necessary.

The legs of the fox are adapted for running. There is a tremendous stamina to them, an ability they can bring to others. Their favorite gait is a trot, and it is believed that they can trot indefinitely without exhaustion or the appearance of such. Few animals of a similar size can outrun a fox. Learning to establish a trotting pace is essential to those with a fox totem for their overall health and success. The fox also runs in such a way that the tracks look like a single line of footprints. During the trot the feet are placed almost directly one in front of the other. This reflects a straight-forward expression of the feminine energy.

Fox walks and runs on its toes, something very catlike. This is also significant for the fox is part of the canine family (dog), but it embodies a feline characteristic. The feline is the feminine energy given greater expression and movement. This quality reflects a need to assert the feminine, creative energies.

The fox also has the ability to run up trees if it is necessary. This reflects an ability to move into new dimensions and call upon new resources instinctively. The gray fox particularly has the ability to climb a tree much like a cat would, by using the claws of its back feet to push it up.

The senses of the fox reveal much about the potential within those who have it as a totem. Its hearing is very acute. They are like mini-antennae. They can pick up the squeal of a mouse over a hundred and fifty yards54 away. Those with fox totems have an excellent ability to hear what is not being said, as well as any whispering that may be going on. This ability is also tied to clairaudience, the ability to hear spirit.

The fox also has excellent eyesight. In fact they have elliptical eyes, just like a cat. They are color blind, but they have a great ability to see varying shades of lightness and darkness. This gives an individual the ability to size people up very accurately. They also have a great ability to see moving objects, especially at the edges or borders of areas. Because of this, it is not unusual for those with fox totems to develop the ability to see spirit; actually see those beings of the “Between Places,” the fairies and the elves. This will happen if fox has come to you.

By far its keenest sense is the sense of smell. It hunts as much or more by smell as by the other senses. The fox is fascinated by unusual odors, and those with fox totems respond strongly to smells, detecting subtle differences in odors. Smell is one of its forms of social communication-cieciding who to socialize with. It would be beneficial for anyone with fox medicine to study aromatherapy.

Sexually, the sense of smell is one of their strongest stimulants, and it has a key impact upon the degree and intensity of arousal for those with fox medicine. There is strong connection between fragrance and sexuality, and for those with fox medicine, this is critical. The sexual energy is our most creative energy; it is part of the kundalini energy force within the body. This force is critical in all activities. If controlled and channeled, it can be used for a variety of purposes-one of the most dynamic being for the art of shapeshifting. A fox entering one’s life as totem may reflect the awakening of the kundalini. Such an individual to whom fox comes often has a great capacity for sexual expression with an ability to practice it in rich and varied ways-often with little inhibition. This aspect may often be camouflaged until the right moment.

The sense of smell is also associated with higher forms of discrimination and discernment. One working with fox medicine should sniff out each situation. This will let them know who to avoid and who to connect with. Does this person smell right? Does something smell funny about this situation?

Most foxes have only one partner. They are very monogamous. They also live alone about five months of the year. They are often solitary and comfortable with that state most of the time. The red fox vixens (females) search for a den usually only when they are pregnant. If possible they return to that same den year after year, adding to it and making it larger and more comfortable.

This same quality and love of the home is found in those with fox totems. Although foxes are territorial and travel within that territory, they do return to their home, their den. Those with fox medicine may find themselves as territorial in activities, but also inclined to return to their home and improve it.

A litter of fox cubs usually numbers from one to six. They are blind and deaf when they are born, but they move from that extreme to one of great sight and great hearing as they get older. If the cub survives its first year it will usually live several more, establishing its own territory. This reflects that those with fox medicine may have their greatest tests in childhood, but also their greatest instinctual education in the art of survival.

The fox is a survivor and a great hunter. In spite of encroachment on its territory and the history of being hunted it has been exposed to, it still manages to survive. Its instincts are great. Some have said it has survived because of its cowardice, but this “cowardice” is nothing more than the fox having learned to avoid potential danger. It will go out of its way to do so.

The fox is actually the farmer’s friend, although many farmers accuse them of stealing and killing chickens and such. Usually the fox that does this is old and unable to hunt more difficult prey. The fox actually consumes vast numbers of beetles, crickets, grasshoppers, and especially mice and other rodents. Mice, in fact, are its favorite food, and those with fox totems should also study the characteristics of mouse.

The fox has a small appetite, but it may eat small amounts frequently throughout the day, caching away extra food in its den. This can reflect a beneficial eating habit for those with a fox totem.

Foxes are dainty, graceful, and lightfooted in hunting. They actually hunt more like a cat, often leaping upon their prey and holding it with their front paws. The fox is crafty and patient, and it will lie in camouflage intensely studying its prey until just the right moment to attack.

Probably the fox’s cleverest hunting technique is “charming.” In this technique, the fox is seen near a prey, performing various antics. It will leap and jump and roll and chase itself, so that it charms the prey’s attention. While performing, the fox draws closer and closer without its prey realizing, as it is caught up in its seemingly non-threatening antics. Then at the right moment, the fox leaps and captures its prey. This is a camouflage technique, one associated with behavior. It is one that those with fox totems can use to capture any prize. As you develop attunement to the fox and learn its magic, any prize can fall to you.

GIRAFFE

KEYNOTE: Farsightedness

CYCLE OF POWER: Year-round

The giraffe is the tallest of all mammals. Although not a native of this continent, it is worth discussing, as many people all over the world experience the giraffe as a totem. This tallness enables them to see great distances. This has ties to foreseeing events that are to come.

The most outstanding features of the giraffe are, of course, the long thin legs and the slender and long necks. The neck is their most outstanding feature. As I have mentioned in regard to several other animals, the neck has great symbolism. It is the point of connection between the head and the trunk, the upper and the lower. It is the bridge. All bridges help us to cross over into new realms and new perceptions. The long neck, in combination with the giraffe’s exceptionally keen eyesight, makes it a powerful totem for farsightedness and for seeing what lies on the horizon for you.

The neck is very strong. Male giraffes twist their necks around each other to test strength. The force of a head blow, directed by the neck muscles in defense, is great. It hints at using what is most natural for the greatest power.

The throat and neck are also associated with expression and communication. The giraffe makes no noise other than an occasional snort. It can moo and bleat, but most of its communication occurs through body language. If the giraffe is your totem, are you saying things you shouldn’t? Are you not saying things that you should? Are you allowing others to speak inappropriately or allowing their words to affect yourself?

If a giraffe has come into your life, ask yourself some important questions. Are you seeing what is ahead of you? Are you afraid to look ahead? Are you seeing other people’s perspective? Do you allow other’s refusal to see your own perspective affect your life? Are you seeing the consequences of your thoughts, words and deeds? The giraffe can help you in answering these questions.

The long thin legs of the giraffe are symbolic as well. Legs enable us to move. They are symbols of balance and represent an ability to progress. With the giraffe, you have your legs and feet on the ground and your head in the sky.

Are you resisting moving into new areas you see for yourself? Are you resisting change? Are you afraid of the future? The giraffe can show you the future and how best to move toward it. When running, the legs and the neck of the giraffe work together, reminding us that it is not enough to see the future, but you must move toward it as well. The giraffe can teach how to do this most gracefully.

The giraffe is a browser, eating twigs, leaves, and buds. Its tongue is used to strip the leaves from trees. Its long legs do make it difficult for it to get water, so it has developed the ability to go several days without. The giraffe is most vulnerable when it spreads its legs out and lowers its head so that it can drink. This is a reminder to those with a giraffe totem. You will be most vulnerable if you move your sights from the horizons for any great length of time. If you become too static and complacent, you will find life becoming increasingly difficult.

The giraffe has a dainty head which reflects a lot of its social character. Giraffes like each other’s company. The strongest ties among giraffes are between the mother and her baby. Giraffe people usually have strong family relationships and friendships as well.

On the head of the giraffe are horns that are unlike any other animals. These blunt, long stubs are never shed, and they are covered with skin. As has been mentioned, horns and antlers are symbols of antennae for higher mental faculties and perceptions. With the giraffe, there are actually three horns. The third actually looks more like a lump under the skin, but it is located just above the eyes. This placement is very significant as this is the area of the body associated with the third or inner eye-the seat of higher intuition. This only serves to reinforce the farsighted perception that the giraffe and its energies can awaken within you.

GOAT (Mountain)

KEYNOTE: Surefootedness and Seeking New Heights

CYCLE OF POWER: Late Fall and Early Winter

Everything about the mountain goat enables it to survive in the higher altitudes of mountain regions. Its thick wool insulates, its greater skeletal flexibility aids it in climbing, and even its feet are adaptive to their environment. Anyone with a mountain goat as a totem would do well to study the significance of its living environment-the high mountainous regions.

The mountain goat is noted for its dynamic climbing ability. The toes act like pliers, aiding their grip as they move up steep ledges. The soft pads on the bottom act as suction cups, giving them greater surefootedness. They can stand on their hind legs and pull themselves up with the front. Even the kids can stand almost immediately upon birth and begin climbing shortly after.

Their highly flexible skeletal system is very significant. Comprised of bones and cartilage, it is the support system for the framework of the body and assists in its movement. If a mountain goat has shown up as a totem, ask yourself some important questions. Are you getting the support you need as you move up into new areas? Are you giving the proper support to others as they move? Are you being too inflexible in exploring new possibilities? Are you feeling a lack of support or a need for support? Is something wrong with the basic structure of your life?

The mountain goat can, of course, descend much quicker than it can climb. The flexibility of its spine and its surefootedness enables it to maneuver precarious paths and ledges that would kill other animals. It has been known to make leaps of thirty feet or more to small ledges, barely large enough to stand upon. This reveals much about the flexibility of its skeletal system, but also the ability of its knee joints to absorb shocks. The mountain goat holds the knowledge of how to stretch and reach for new heights and goals. It can teach how to have trust in your own ability to land on your feet.

The mountain goat has links astrologically to the sign of Capricorn. You may want to look toward this time of year as being a significant one for culminating new moves or initiating them. The goat may have shown up to get you prepared. Anyone with a mountain goat as a totem should study the qualities and characteristics associated with the sign of Capricorn.

Because of its connection to Capricorn types of energy, ask yourself important questions. Are you being too serious? Not serious enough? Are you not preparing diligently enough for the new moves in your life? It can reflect a time of studiousness and industry, but it can also help when ambition and opportunistic behaviors get out of hand.

The horns of the mountain goat give it the ability to perceive what lies ahead in the future, and, with its natural climbing ability, it can reveal how you personally can best achieve the future. Mountain goats will fight with their horns. When threatened, they circle and try to stab with their sharp points. They have been known to even kill grizzly bears.

The thick coat of the goat enables it to withstand severe winter conditions. This reveals much about this animal’s abilities as a totem. It can help you to keep focused and move step by precarious step to new heights, all the while protecting you from any severe life conditions. It is not unusual to have a mountain goat show up as a temporary totem when conditions become difficult and we fear slipping back. Its energies help us to regain balance, perspective, and continue the climb.

The goat may also link you to past lives associated with Greece. It is a symbol that shows up prominently in Greek mythology. It has ties to the nature god Pan, and to Amalthea and the Horn of Plenty. A study of the lore around them will provide insight into the role the goat will play within your own life. If the mountain goat has climbed into your life, this is a time to begin new climbs and new endeavors. You will not need to rush into them. With proper foresight, you will see what is ahead and will be able move forward with greater surety.

GROUNDHOG (Woodchuck)

KEYNOTE: Mystery of Death without Dying-Trance-Dreams

CYCLE OF POWER: Winter

The groundhog or woodchuck is a burrowing rodent, actually a member of the squirrel family. It has chisel-like teeth, and it lives at the edges and open areas of woods and forests. It is known for its digging and tunneling ability.

Symbolically this reflects the ability to get deep within an area of interest. It is not unusual to have a groundhog appear at a time when a new area of study is about to open up. Since a groundhog does not fully mature for about two years, its appearance as a totem can reflect an endeavor that may take two years to come to full fruition. This may reflect two years of intensive study, digging, and building.

The groundhog makes elaborate dens with multiple exits and storage rooms. It spends half its time underground. The bedroom area is always located above the lowest end of the tunnel. This is so it won’t be flooded. They clean up after themselves, burying their own excrement. Within their burrows they have separate toilet chambers.

Groundhogs are generally non-territorial, but they will not allow others in their tunnel. Groundhogs can tell if a burrow is occupied, as fresh dirt will be piled outside of its entrance. For anyone with a groundhog totem, it is important to give definite signals to the boundaries you wish to have respected in your life.

Groundhogs go into a true hibernation and spend about four to six months in that condition. They prepare for this by fattening themselves. They gorge through summer and late fall. They will curl up in a frost free chamber of their burrow, and their life processes will slow. Their temperature will drop from its normal 96 degrees to about 40 degrees, barely above freezing. The respiration slows to one breath per minute and the heartbeat plunges from 110 beats per minute to about four or five. They achieve a state of unconsciousness and will usually awaken in late winter or early spring.

Hibernation has always had great significance to it. It symbolized death without dying. Some societies used methods to induce these states as a symbolic ritual of death and rebirth. Thus hibernation reflected a time of initiation. Winter is the season of power, for that is when the groundhog reveals and uses its most effective medicine-hibernation.

It is also a symbol of opening fully to the dreamtime, the heavy winter sleep, allowing the individual to use the dreamtime more powerfully. Those with a groundhog totem will find that there will be increasing ability to develop lucid dreamingespecially during the winter. Any time groundhog shows up, the clarity and power of altered states will be amplified. Dreams will become more significant.

Many shamans, yogis, and mystics would teach methods of slowing down the metabolism of the body. This was often used to create trance conditions. This could facilitate healing or be directed toward out of body contacts. It can also be used to develop shamanistic trance. In this form of trance, the individual learns to shut down the body and then leave the body (leaving it protected), and then goes off into other dimensions to learn and to bring back knowledge.

When groundhog shows up as a totem, there will be opportunity to explore deeper altered states of consciousness. Lessons associated with death and dying and revelations about its process will begin to surface. Groundhog holds the knowledge of metabolic control. Its medicine is that of going into the great unconscious to touch the mystery of death without dying.

HORSE

KEYNOTE: Travel, Power and Freedom

CYCLE OF POWER: Year-round

The horse is rich in lore and mythology. An entire book could be written on the significance of the horse alone, for no one single animal has contributed more to the spread of civilization than the horse.

It has been associated with both burial rites and birth-with individuals riding into and out of the world upon it. The Norse god Odin rode upon an eight-legged steed. In the Hindu tradition, the chariot of Surya, the sun god, is pulled by stallions, as is the chariot of Apollo in Greek Mythology.

In Chinese astrology the horse is associated with appeal and persuasiveness. Horses are symbols of freedom-oftentimes without the proper restraints. Horse people in Chinese astrology are friendly and adventurous, and they can be very emotional.

Before the horse’s domestication the distances between peoples and societies was great, and there was little interaction. It served humanity in travel, in war, in agriculture, and in most other major areas of life. Today the horse is limited mostly to recreation and agriculture, but its energy is expansive. Because of it, the world has been brought closer together.

The horse enabled people to explore and find freedom from the constraints of their own communities. This enabled them to travel and thus discover the multiplicity of life and all of its powers. Horses have great appeal to most people. We are fascinated by them, and riding one raises us above the mundane, and renews our sense of power. Riding horses has been likened to flying by more than one poet through the ages. They signify the wind and even the foam of the sea.

Horses were given powers of divination. More than one legend speaks of the clairvoyance of horses and their ability to recognize those involved in magic. They are symbols that can express the magical side of humans.

The symbolism of the horse is complex. It can represent movement and travel, or maybe it showed up to help you with movement. It has been a symbol of desiresespecially sexual. The stallion was often used as a symbol of sexuality The taming of a stallion would then be the taming of sexuality and dangerous emotions.

As with many domesticated animals, there are a wide variety of horses-each with its own unique abilities. Riding, plowing, pulling-the horse still serves a variety of functions. To understand your own particular horse totem, try to determine which kind it is. Horses, like dogs, are bred today for specific purposes and determining that can help you define the purpose of it within your own life.

Take your totem and examine it in regard to yourself. What is its color? Its kind? How does it appear to you? Does it run? Is it always perceived standing? Do you see yourself riding it or watching it?

If a horse has shown up in your life, it may be time to examine aspects of travel and freedom within your life. Are you feeling constricted? Do you need to move on or allow others to move on? Is it time to assert your freedom and your power in new areas? Are you doing your part to assist civilization within your own environment? Are others? Are you honoring what this civilization has given you?

Horse brings with it new journeys. It will teach you how to ride into new directions to awaken and discover your own freedom and power.

LEOPARD

(See the separate entry for the “SNOW LEOPARD.” Information on the leopard has also been included in the category of “PANTHER.” Although technically they are not the same, panther was a name often given to both the leopard and the jaguar. The qualities of both are very similar. Study the panther information and then research the leopard to find its unique significance to you.)

LION

KEYNOTE: Assertion of the Feminine and the Power of the Female Sun

CYCLE OF POWER: Year-round

The lion is the second largest member of the cat family. The traits of cats should be studied in general, for the lion embodies many of them. It makes its home on the savannas of Africa, and those with this totem would do well to study the significance of the savannas. The lion’s main prey is the antelope and this should be studied as well.

The lion has been symbolic of a variety of energies through the years. It is a symbol of the sun and of gold. It was a symbol for the sun-god Mithra. The Egyptians believed that the lion presided over the annual floods of the Nile. Early Christians believed it to be the earthly opponent of the eagle. The medieval alchemists associated it with the fixed element of sulphur, and a young lion was often the symbol of the rising sun and all that is implied by it.

The lion is unusual among members of the cat family in that it will live in groups called prides. If a lion has shown up as a totem, you can expect lessons and issues dealing with community and groups to surface. There may be a need to examine your own role in the group.

Within the pride, the females are the best hunters. Although most lions are clumsy hunters by themselves, they have developed an excellent cooperative hunting technique. The females, though, do most of the hunting and the rearing of the cubs. The lion cubs lead a relatively care-free existence. Their parents are patient and affectionate with the cubs, and most individuals with lions as totems will find those same qualities developing within themselves.

The males are most noticeable by their large mane. They do very little work. They can be passionate and excessively jealous of the lionesses. They protect the pride against predators. When hunting they use their roar to scare prey toward the waiting lioness. If a male lion has shown up as your totem, you may need to examine your usefulness within some group or community in your life. Do you need to do more than you are? Do you need to be more protective? Do you need to cooperate more?

The lion does not fight for the sake of fighting. It avoids confrontations, and will leave the scene of danger if possible. This is a tactic to keep in mind if the lion is your totem. Lions also hunt primarily by stealth, and the most common method of killing it is by strangulation. This technique is something for those with this totem to practice developing when pursuing new endeavors and objectives in any area of life. Be stealthy for the greatest success.

The idea of the young lion being associated with the rising sun is most significant. Since the females of the pride do most of the work, it actually reflects the idea of the rising of the feminine energies. The sun has not always been a masculine symbol. It does give birth to new days, and it nurtures and warms life. Thus it is not stretching the correlation to see the lion as the assertion of feminine energies to bring forth birth and new power.

When a lion has shown up, there will be opportunity to awaken to a new sun. Trust your feminine energies-creativity, intuition and imagination. These will add new sunshine to your life. Don’t be afraid to roar if you feel threatened or intruded upon.

LYNX

KEYNOTE: Secrets and Vision of the Hidden and Unseen

CYCLE OF POWER: Winter

Much of the information concerning the bobcat also applies to the lynx. Both animals are similar, and the bobcat was sometimes referred to as the red lynx. Both have short, stubby tails, tufted ears, and a ruff about the face. The lynx is chunky and muscular. It has long legs and big furry paws that serve as snowshoes during the winter. The lynx is also found further north and its territory is not nearly as widespread as that of the bobcat. For anyone with the lynx as totem, also study the significance of the northern direction.

Its facial ruff gives the lynx an aristocratic appearance. Still abundant in Alaska and Canada, they are starting to make a comeback in other northern parts of the country. The lynx has no trouble maneuvering in the snow. Its feet are wider than those of its relative, the bobcat.

Lynx kittens are usually born with blue eyes. After about two months, the blue eyes turn to the yellow like their mother’s. The blue hints of the expansiveness of the sky or heavens open to the lynx from birth. The transition to the yellow reminds us that the lynx can draw knowledge from the heavens.

The mother teaches the young to hunt. Summer and fall is spent in passing on the skills. These skills will be needed as winter approaches, for by late winter the family breaks up and the lynx go their own way-seeking out their own life and knowledge.

The main prey of the lynx is the snowshoe hare. On its wide feet it is able to pursue the hares, even when the snow is piled deep. It will feed on smaller rodents, but the snowshoe hare is its main diet, and the qualities of it should be studied as well. “So closely is the fate of the lynx tied to that of the hare ... that when the hare population plummets during a regular eleven-year cycle, so does that of the lynx.”55

This eleven-year cycle is very symbolic. From a metaphysical standpoint, eleven is a master number. It is associated with inspiration, revelation, mysticism, and occult teachings. The fact that the lynx is a gray color also adds to this significance. The gray is the symbol of clouds that hide the ancient wisdom, that separate the seen from the unseen. The lynx is the animal whose powers enable it to cross back and forth and draw out knowledge and secrets from behind the clouds.

The lynx has connections to mythology and occult groups in history. These links (no pun intended) can provide clues to possible past lives. In the Scandinavian and Norse traditions, the lynx was sacred to Freyja, and her chariot was sometimes depicted being drawn by lynx. The Creeks believed the lynx could see through solid objects. In fact, it is named for Lynceus, a mythological character who could also do this.

In 1603 Italian scholars formed the Academy of Lynxes, dedicated to the search for truth and the fight against superstition. Calileo was a member, and its symbol was that of a lynx tearing Cerberus with its claws. Cerberus guarded the entrance to the underworld. The implication was that knowledge would conquer darkness and suffering.56

The lynx has acquired the reputation for supernatural eyesight. It has been attributed with the ability to see error, falsehood, secrets and all that is hidden. If a lynx has shown up in your life, look for that which is hidden. Trust your instincts in believing others. The things you imagine are probably more accurate than you think. No matter how strange and how irrational the imagining, it probably has a core of truth.

Lynx has the ability to teach you how to know the inner workings of others. Jamie Sams and David Carson refer to it as a special type of clairvoyance in which you see that which people hide-from others and themselves. This may be fears, activities and even abilities.57

Individuals with lynx as a totem need to be very careful about breaking confidences. Things said have a greater potential of being made public or distorted, so words must be chosen and used cautiously. Strength through silence should be the motto. The breaking of confidences usually brings quick and strong repercussions.

If lynx has shown up in your life, you will find that other people increasingly share their secrets, taking you into their confidence. You will “accidentally” discover things about people, and some of it you may not wish to know. You don’t have to do anything with the knowledge. Hold onto it. Use it for your own benefit, but be careful of sharing it inappropriately.

It is not unusual to find that some people will become very uncomfortable around you. On some level they will recognize that you can see within them. When they avoid you, trust what you imagine to be the reason.

To help you awaken the lynx ability to see hidden knowledge, Sit back and watch. As you observe how people behave and what they say, you will also get images of things behind them. Visualize yourself inside the other person. In many ways the lynx medicine is like X-ray vision. You are able to see the inner workings. Learn to go into the silence and trust what images and knowledge come to you from it.

MOOSE

KEYNOTE: Primal Feminine Energies and the Magic of Life and Death

CYCLE OF POWER: Late Fall and Early Winter (November)-The Time of Approaching Shadows

The moose is one of the most ancient and most unique of the power totems. To the Algonquin Indians, it was known as “mong-soa” or “twig eater.” To the Athapaskan Indians of Alaska it is Dineega. To the latter there was a tremendous relationship between Raven and Moose. The Athapaskan hunters would protect and talk constantly on their hunts to Raven who they knew helped shape the world. They would pray to Raven to assist in the hunt for Moose. Thus when a moose appeared, it was a special, sacred gift. For anyone who aligns with Moose-no matter how it may occur-a unique and sacred energy is opened.

The moose is an animal of contradictions. It is strange and yet majestic. It seems awkward, but there is a tremendous gracefulness to it. While it makes us smile, it also causes us to catch our breath. Those with Moose as a totem will find these same contradictory feelings stirred in others about them.

Except during mating season, it is a predominantly solitary animal with a unique ability to make use of its territory-whether it be lake, pond, grassy, plains, or spruce forests. Those with this as a power animal have that same ability.

The moose has an uncanny ability to camouflage itself, in spite of its great size and power. And it uses this ability to its advantage. Those who would align with the moose can also develop this ability. Part of this involves the ancient magic of invisibility, but it also involves an aspect of shapeshifting.

This unique “shapeshifting camouflage” is reflected in the life of the historical Merlin. When he was summoned by kings or needed desperately to recruit other allies, he came silently, disguised as a poor shepherd, as a woodcutter or a peasant. Even sovereigns failed to recognize him in his various disguises. He practiced this concealment habitually.

Despite the size of the moose, it does have a unique ability to move silently and speedily. Its appearance of ungainliness is misleading and deceptive. It is this deception which enables it to survive so well. One reason for their ability to do this is that they have excellent depth perception. They can accurately judge the negotiability of an area. The moose has a speed and grace at negotiating territory that others could not. It can move through great depths of snow and through marshes that would trip up many others. This same ability can be strengthened, awakened, and even taught to those who align with the medicine power of the moose.

The moose is often associated with the feminine energies, the maternal forces of the world, and those who align with the moose will find these forces awakened. Part of this revolves around the association with water. Water is the primal symbol of the feminine forces of the universe. It is the symbol of creativity and dynamic forms of intuition and illumination.

The Penobscot Indians of Maine relate tales of how the moose once was the whale, the greatest mammal of the waters. The MicMacs of Nova Scotia tell how when the moose is too persistently hunted, it returns to the sea.

The association with the water and sea is important to understand for anyone who aligns with the moose power. The sea is the point from which all life comes and to which all life returns. It is the great womb of the universe. The moose is often seen in marshy areas and standing in lakes.

They also have a unique ability to plunge to the bottom of lakes, and can remain there feeding for up to a full minute before surfacing in a burst with fresh greens dangling from their mouths. For those who want to work with the full mystery of moose power, this should be carefully studied and meditated upon. It reflects the ability of the individual to learn to go back into the depths and draw new life and nourishment from it. The moose can teach the ability to move from the outer world to the inner. It can teach how to cross from life to death and back to stronger life. It teaches how to use the thin thread that separates life and death to one’s advantage. It is not unusual to find individuals with strong mMoose medicine working in soul retrieval.

This aspect of working with life and death and the energies and life forms on both levels is reflected through a sacred tradition of the Athapaskan Indians. To these people “potlatch” is a memorial ceremony to help dispatch the spirit of the dead. The belief is that when people die, they do not leave right away. They stay nearby and so food is burned for them to eat. At first it is once a day, then every other day, then once a week and so on for a year-at which time a memorial potlatch is served. This potlatch involves a sharing of special food, particularly moose head soup, sacred because it is not always available. This service then sends the spirit on.

This reflects much about the inherent mediumship and ability to work with spirits of the dead by those who align with moose medicine and energy. Moose people can learn to go into the icy waters of the void (death) and come back out.

Another reason for its association with the primal mother/feminine energies of the universe is because the female moose is extremely protective of its young. Very few creatures will ever challenge a female moose with its calf. There is a great maternal energy that has a primal strength to it.

Moose also have a highly developed sense of smell and a highly developed sense of hearing. The sense of smell has its spiritual or metaphysical counterparts in emotional idealism and spiritual discernment. The hearing lends to the human the abilities of clairaudience and spiritual comprehension. When Moose aligns with an individual ( which is usually how it happens, rather than an individual aligning with a moose), the individual should pay more attention to that inner voice and that sense of smell. Do things not smell or sound right-even if you can’t define why? Trust those feelings, for they will define themselves shortly.

Moose calves are also born with their eyes open, which is very significant. Most of those who are open and resonate with Moose medicine came into this world with their inner eyes already open. It is not unusual to find such individuals getting discouraged when they work to “click on those inner lights,” as so many others describe their own awakening psychic and intuitive capabilities. These individuals must understand that they came in with their inner lights already on, so there will be no clicking. Learning to trust what they so often think is simply the imagination, etc. is part of the task of maturing into full Moose power.

If a moose calf lives through its first month, it will most likely survive to become an adult. This reflects much about the lives of those who moose aligns with. It is not uncommon to find those with moose medicine having had their most difficult (and sometimes traumatic) lessons in life during their childhood. The survival through this reflects that innate ability to draw from the creative force of the feminine waters of life to strengthen and sustain them. The two most powerful parts of the moose are the paws, which will cut like a knife, and the antlers which are both decorative and defensive. The head and the feet-these two areas are parts of the body most sensitive in those of moose medicine. Foot reflexology and head, neck, and upper back massages are important to release stress. I would imagine, although no research has been done on this, that cranial sacral work would facilitate healing and release most beneficially for those of moose medicine.

Along health lines, the moose is herbivorous, and this says much about the dietary needs of those who would truly align with its power. This does not mean that one should become a vegetarian, but rather that it should be a strong part of the diet. It also reflects that the body will respond most strongly to herbal alternatives rather than traditional chemical medicines.

You cannot discuss the power of the moose without also discussing its antlers. Their antlers are the largest of all antlered animals. Antlers are ancient symbols of antennae-of crownings that activate the upper chakras of the head. Only the male of the species grows antlers, unless there is a hormone imbalance in the female. Maybe this reflects the idea that the male must attune even more strongly (through these antennae) to the intuitive promptings. The rubbing of the antlers to remove the velvet covering has a lot of significance as well. It reflects the need to massage the head area to release the past for the antlers are shed each year.

The moose is a symbol of the sexual energies as well. This sexual energy is a physical reflection of the primal creative energies. That energy has its cycle within the body and within the rhythms of the year.

Autumn is the power time of the moose, and late October and Noyember especially is the month for honoring the moose. The hunting season is over. The mating is being completed, and a new cycle is about to begin. For those of moose medicine the autumn is a powerful time. The smell of dry leaves, the sound of their crunch as they are walked upon, touches a primal core, stirring life forces anew within the individual. In many ways it is aligned with Samhain, All Hallow’s Eve, All Saint’s day, Harvesting Rituals and all the traditional energies associated with this season.

The Moose has always been a powerful omen. When it appears in dreams, it reflects a long, good life. It was known to give strength, and more than one Indian tribe believed that you could travel three times as fast and three times as long after a meal of moose. (The mystical significance of three should not be bypassed here. It is the creation, the new child born from the womb of the mother.) The hoof was known as a cure for epilepsy. Moose was known to banish headaches and dizziness, and Moose medicine was also considered the antidote for snakebite.

The moose has no enemy that it fears other than a grizzly bear, but even then it can outrun and outswim it. Its maneuverability and intuition, along with its highly developed senses sustain it.

Almost all northern Indian tribes have legends and tales of the moosereflecting its universality and its great mysticism. The Menomini of Wisconsin even had a moose phatry or clan at one time. The Dog-Rib Indians south of the Arctic Circle (near Great Bear lake and Great Slave Lake) speak of Hottah, a twoyear- old moose who was the cleverest of all northern animals, and who helped create the Rocky Mountains.

When moose comes into your life, the primal contact with the great feminine force and void of life is being awakened. It is an invitation to learn to explore new depths of awareness and sensitivity within yourself and within your environs.

MOUSE

KEYNOTE: Attention to Detail

CYCLE OF POWER: Five- to Six-Week Cycles

There are many kinds of mice. Most have certain qualities in common. These will be examined in this section, along with a specific look at the common deer mouse (also called the wood mouse or whitefooted mouse).

The deer mouse has big eyes and ears. and has white gloves on its feet. Most mice are nocturnal, but this is especially true of the deer mouse. It sees well in darkness, but in sunlight it will act somewhat blind. This is not true of other mice. The deer mouse will nest in abandoned squirrel and bird nests, hollow logs, cracks, and crevices. Its nest will often be globe-shaped, and the entrance will have a plug or door which can be closed for warmth. The male and female work together to remodel the nest. Most mice change their nests often.

The deer mouse is fastidious about keeping its fur cleaned and groomed. This is not so with the more drab house mouse. The deer mouse is good about its appearance, but it is a sloppy housekeeper. This reflects that, for those with a mouse totem, there will be areas in which fastidiousness and attention to detail is highly concentrated, while in other areas there may be neglect. This paradox is often a source of confusion and sometimes irritation to those who live and work with mouse people.

Most mice store food, as well as search out food all year round. The deer mouse eats seeds, berries, and bark and is less destructive than the meadow mouse in regard to farmers crops and grains.

All predators feed on mice. To compensate for this, mice will have three or four litters a year. They survive because of their numbers. The deer mouse mother, as with most mice, will care for the young about five weeks. Then the young are on their own. Because of this, if a mouse has come into your life, its energies will be most strongly felt for about five to six weeks.

When mouse shows up as a totem, it is either time to pay attention to details, or an indication that you cannot see the forest for the trees. You may be getting so locked into details that you forget the big picture.

Ask yourself some important questions. Are you taking care of the trivial but necessary things in life? Are you getting so lost in the big dreams that you are neglecting other aspects of your life? Are you becoming so focused on one or two activities that you are neglecting to see other opportunities? Are you missing what is right in front of you? Is there something obvious that you are missing or need to focus on? Are you trying to do too many things at once and thereby scattering your energies?

Mouse medicine can show you how to focus and pay attention to detail. It can show you how to attain the big things by working on the little things. Whenever mouse shows up there are lessons associated with attention.

OPOSSUM

KEYNOTE: The Use of Appearances

CYCLE OF POWER: Spring

A number of years ago when my workshops were just beginning to grow in popularity, an individual in the metaphysical field was spreading rumors about me among certain groups, to undermine my work. Apparently he felt threatened by the increasing attention I was receiving. After a workshop one evening, several people spoke to me about what was being spread around. I remember fuming all the way home. I couldn’t believe that this person would make up stories-after all we had done some traveling together. I knew that I was going to have to confront this person.

When I got home and raised my garage door, my headlights flashed on a pair of eyes in the back of the garage. An opossum had taken up temporary shelter. I got a broom and tried unsuccessfully to sweep it out. Finally, I left the garage door open, hoping it would leave on its own and went into the house, temporarily distracted from my fuming.

About an hour later I went outside to check the garage, and the opossum had disappeared. I drove the car into the garage, and pulled on the garage door. It only moved about five inches and then locked. I pulled again and still it locked. Since it was dark, I couldn’t tell if the runners on which it sat were jammed or what was going on. Finally, I grabbed the handle with two hands and yanked as hard as I could. The door freed and came down. As it did, the opossum tumbled off the top of the garage door and fell on top of my head. I must have jumped six feet. I don’t know who was scared worse--me or the opossum. Apparently it had climbed on top of the garage door and was lodged in a way that hindered closing the door.

It left rather abruptly, after bouncing off my head and hitting the ground. It appeared just as dazed and unhurt as I was. I tried to get my heart started. I began laughing as I walked back into the house. My anger from earlier that evening was dissipated. It was then I decided to not respond. I would just appear to play dead or ignorant to the rumors. Within several weeks, the rumors had ceased and numerous phone calls reaffirmed that I had responded appropriately. No one was believing the rumors, and my invitations to teach and lecture increased even more.

Opossum teaches us how to use appearances. Sometimes it is necessary to “play dead.” Sometimes it is necessary to put up a particular front to succeed most easily and effectively. This is what the medicine of opossum can teach. It also can show you when others are putting up false fronts and deceptions. Opossum has an archetypal energy that helps us to use appearances to our greatest benefit and that helps us to recognize when others are creating false impressions. Opossum can help us learn to divert attention or to get attention any way we need.

Sometimes it is necessary to behave or act in a strategic manner. We may need to appear fearful or fearless in spite of how we truly feel. We may need to show submission or aggression. We may need to be apathetic or extremely caring. Opossum is the supreme actor, and those in the acting field or that need to learn something of it can do no better than to work with the opossum.

The opossum is a nocturnal animal. It is the only marsupial on the North American continent. Marsupials are animals that raise their young in a pouch on the abdomen. When the young are born, they are blind, but they are still able to climb up into the pouch immediately after birth. There they stay for about one month.

During the spring, I often stop and check opossums hit and on the road. There may be young in the pouch if it is a female opossum. The young can live for a while in the pouch even after the mother has died, but only for a short while.

In the pouch are located the nipples. Most opossums have 13 nipples. In a litter, there can be many more than thirteen young, but only thirteen will be able to survive. This number is very symbolic. Although many associate it with bad luck, it is also a symbol for the one great sun around which the twelve signs of the zodiac revolve. It is a symbol of the sun within.

The pouch, especially in regards to the opossum’s defense of “playing dead,” links it to the ability to help us draw from our own bag of tricks that which will most benefit us. It can show you which appearance to draw from the pouch to use for the greatest success. The milk of the mother is rich in calcium, as young opossums need high concentrations of it. Those with this totem should examine their own calcium levels.

The playing dead that the possum is famous for is a self-induced state of shock. The pulse becomes minimal. The heartbeat slows. A musk scent of death is released, and for all appearances it will seem dead. The opossum can enter and leave this state abruptly-pretty much at will. This act serves to confuse many predators. The surprise distracts them, and the opossum is able to make its escape. It is this kind of flexibility and ease of appearance that the opossum can teach to those with it as a totem.

When opossum shows up as a totem, ask yourself some important questions. Are you acting or about to act in an inappropriate manner? Do you need to strengthen your own appearance? Are others putting up false appearances in front of you? Do you need to divert attention away from some activity? Are others trying to divert your attention? Is it time to go into your bag of tricks and pull out some new strategy? Learning to pretend and act in ways and with realism is the magic that opossum teaches.

OTTER

KEYNOTE: Joy, Playfulness, and Sharing

CYCLE OF POWER: Spring and Summer

The otter amuses and fascinates must humans. Their playful expressions and activities capture our imaginations. Whether a sea otter or the river otter, there is a natural, joyful curiosity about them.

Once on a canoe trip in northern Ontario, Canada, a river otter popped up about ten feet from the front of the canoe. It raised itself up out of the water and peered over its nose as if curious as to who would be up so early and coming into its playground. It would dive and disappear and then reappear off to one side or the other, as if trying to size up the situation from every angle. When its curiosity was satisfied, it dived and disappeared, going about its own activities.

Otters awaken curiosity. They remind us that everything is interesting if we look at it from the right angle. They are playful and seem to have fun at whatever they are doing.

Otters always have their homes close to the water. During the summer, they are rarely on land, especially river otters. They usually have a large home territory around and in the water, and they usually mark their homes with a scent.

Their connection to the water links them to the primal feminine energies of life-especially the pleasurable aspects of the feminine-creation, imagination, joy and love of the young. Otters remind us to keep the inner child alive or to give birth to it. They remind us that life can be fun if we approach it with the right attitude. Otters are seldom seen alone. They are either with others or playing with some object.

The adult otter has practically no natural enemies. They protect their young very well. They are agile and fast in the water, with the ability to outswim fish. If there is a threat, they usually swim away fast, but they can be ferocious fighters.

The mother otter usually chases the father out of the den when the young are born, again reflecting the otter’s tie to primordial feminine and mothering energies and patterns. When the young are out and about, the father is allowed to rejoin. Usually two to four young are born, but they must be taught to swim. This task is handled by the mother. Sometimes otters show up to help awaken the primal mothering energies and responsibilities. It can indicate a need to set up your boundaries within the home and define your feminine role.

Otters are extremely agile and acrobatic in the water. They love to slide on their bellies and dive in and out of the water. When under water, the nostrils and ears close. Remember that water is an ancient symbol for the feminine and creative forces of life. An otter’s activities and playfulness reminds us all-male and female-that we all need the feminine qualities in some form for the greatest joy in our life.

If otter has surfaced in your life, it may be time to find some play time. Involve yourself in some creative activity. You do not have to be god at it; just have fun with it. Or are you being too playful? Are you not staying focused? Are you afraid to have fun? Are you getting too serious? Are you worrying? Do you need to awaken your inner child? Treat yourself to something special. Honor otter and it will teach you not only how to have fun, but it will reawaken a new sense of wonder at life and all things within it.

PANTHER

KEYNOTE: Reclaiming One’s True Power

CYCLE OF POWER: Dark of the Moon-New Moon-Winter

The panther is a very powerful and ancient totem. The name panther is more generally associated with a particular species of leopard or jaguar, although in the Florida area, the cougar is also referred to as panther. For the purposes of this work, we will explore it as part of the leopard and/or jaguar family and not of the cougar.

As with most of the large cats, the panther is a symbol of ferocity and valor. Like the tiger and the lion, it embodies aggressiveness and power, but without the solar significance. In the case of the black panther, there is definitelya lunar significance.

As with any totem, a study of the individual characteristics can provide much insight into the energies being awakened within those who align with this animal. Panthers of the leopard family are found in Africa, Asia Minor, China, and India. Those we associate with the jaguar family are found in the southwest United States (rarely anymore), throughout Mexico, Central America, and parts of South America. Meditation upon this totem, when it reveals itself to you, will help you determine whether it is part of the leopard or the jaguar family. Regardless, there are still traits that both embody and reflect.

The panther, in general, is smaller but more fierce than lions or tigers. They have over 500 voluntary muscles that they can use at will. This reflects a lot about an individual who has such animals as a totem. It reflects an ability to do a variety of tasks as he or she wills. It is simply a matter of deciding and putting to use those particular “muscles”-be they physical, mental, psychic, or spiritual.

As a whole panthers are loners (solitary) although they do associate with others, they are most comfortable by themselves or within their own marked territories. They are drawn to those individuals who are likewise often solitary.

The panther is an enchanting combination of beauty and utility. They have a wonderful gracefulness, with an ability to move with ease or freeze entirely. They are quiet when they are stalking, hunting, or pursuing. Those who have a panther as a totem will find their greatest power in silence as goals are pursued. Revealing too much or speaking too much about pursuits can counteract some of the effectiveness.

Panthers are excellent sprinters, but they are not great long distance runners. From a health perspective, those with a panther totem must learn to pace their work, allowing time to rest and to play. They must not push too far or too hard on anyone task. If they do, they are more susceptible to imbalances. In times of trouble- in any environment-those with panther totems are often the first and the fastest to respond, and especially in the work environment they respond effectively to deadlines and to pressures.

After mating, the panthers only stay together for a short time. The female handles the rearing of the young, disliking intrusions from the outside. This is often similar to women who have panthers as totem guides. They do not like others- even their mates-interfering with how they feel the young should be raised. The female panther almost always raises the cubs alone, and women with panther totems often find themselves doing likewise-whether out of divorce or simply through asserting dominance in that area of the couple’s life.

All cats have binocular vision. Each eye can work singly, providing greater depth of vision, magnifying images, and facilitating judgment of distances. Thus anyone who aligns with the panther will begin to develop greater depth of vision-of their life, of events, or other people. This is more than just psychic sight. It is an inner knowing.

Often people enter the metaphysical field, taking up exercises and meditation to have their inner lights “clicked on.” Individuals with panthers as totems are usually individuals who came into the world with the lights already on. Thus they should not be discouraged when they do not experience what others describe when their lights turned on. They should trust their thoughts and their inner visions (imaginings) for there is probably a strong foundation in reality.

To those with whom the panther links comes the ability to develop clairaudience, to hear the communications of other dimensions and other life forms. The panther has very strong hearing. It can move its ears to locate the direction of sounds.

The panther also has extremely sensitive hairs on the body, especially the face. Those with a panther totem will find their own sensitivity to touch increasing, from the time the panther enters your life. The skin is our largest sensory organ, and we experience much more of the world through it than we realize. Those with panther totems should pay attention to how they feel when someone touches them or when they touch someone else.

The facial hairs of the panther are especially sensitive, and those with this totem can develop a special form of psychometry. Rather than holding and “reading” an object’s vibrations through the hands, placing it against one’s cheek or forehead will bring strong impressions.

This skin sensitivity-the touch faculty-will heighten responses in the overall body. Things-such as foods-that are generally revolting will be more so to individuals with these totems. Touches that are sensual and erogenous will intensify as well when the panther enters one’s life. The arrival of the panther initiates a time of awakened sensuality and passion, two powerful tools of the feminine powers.

It is in the hours of darkness that panthers find its greatest element of power. This is even more true of those who have as a totem a black panther. The season in which their power is greatest is the winter. The lunar cycle most powerful is the dark of the moon through the new moon.

It has been noted mythically that a panther of the leopard variety have a distinctive sweet breath by which it lures animals to it for food. Leopard varieties kill by biting the back of the neck. They do not attack from the front, they pounce from behind. Those with a panther totem who are angered will not confront another individual head on-and are better off not doing so. They must stalk patiently, waiting until close enough to strike strong and hard. They don’t play when they hunt. These individuals will go for the throat, so to speak.

The jaguar variety of the panther will also stalk, but they are more powerful. Because of their position and power they will simply bite through the temporal bones of the skull. They have also been known to shear the heads off of animals with a single swipe of their claws. Because of their sensitivity, individuals with the jaguar panther as a totem will instinctively know how best to attack if placed in such a position-and they can do so lethally whether in defense or in response to anger. Because of this natural ability, individuals with this totem must learn to temper their responses, or they may unintentionally wound others more deeply than they mean to.

Of all the panthers, probably the black panther has the greatest mysticism associated with it. It is the symbol of the feminine, the dark mother, the dark of the moon. It is the symbol for the life and power of the night. It is a symbol of the feminine energies manifest upon the earth. It is often a symbol of darkness, death, and rebirth from out of it. There still exists in humanity a primitive fear of the dark and of death. The black panther helps us to understand the dark and death and the inherent powers of them; and thus by acknowledging them, eliminate our fears and learn to use the powers.

In China there were five mythic cats, sometimes painted like tigers or leopards. The black reigns in the north with winter as its season of power, and water its most effective element. This is the element of the feminine. This is the totem of greater assertion of the feminine in all her aspects: child, virgin, seductress, mother, warrioress, seeress, old wise woman.

When the black panther enters your life as a totem, it awakens the inner passions. This can manifest in unbridled expressions of baser powers and instincts. It can also reflect an awakening of the kundalini, signaling a time of not just coming into one’s own power. More so, the keynote of the black panther is Reclaiming One’s True Power.

In mythology and scripture, the panther has been found in all parts of the world as a dynamic totem. It has been a symbol of the” Argos of a Thousand Eyes,” who guarded the heifer 10 who was loved by Zeus. After his death, the eyes were transferred to the feathers of the peacock. The panther always brings a guardian energy to those to whom it comes.

The panther has also been attributed to Jesus. In the Abodazara (early Jewish commentaries on the scriptures), it is listed as a surname for the family of Joseph. It tells how a man was healed “in the name of Jesus ben Panther.” Because of this the panther is often signals a time of rebirth after a period of suffering and death on some level. This implies that an old issue may finally begin to be resolved, or even that old longstanding wounds will finally begin to heal, and with the healing will come a reclaiming of power that was lost at the time of wounding.

The panther was also a symbol associated with Bacchus/Dionysus. One story tells how Bacchus was nursed by panthers, and he is sometimes depicted riding a chariot drawn by them.

The myths and stories of Dionysus are very symbolic. He is, to many, a symbol of unleashing desires, and thus the awakening of the kundalini forces. Heand thus the panther-symbolize a time of moving from mere poles of existence to new life without poles or barriers. The panther in a Dionysic manner awakens the unconscious urges and abilities that have been closed down. It signals a time of imminent awakening.

The panther is a symbol of awakening to the heroic quest. All of the Greek heroes were born from the union of a god and a mortal mother-the linking of the great fire and the great femininity. The heroes thus had the seeds of the divine force, that would eventually provide impetus to reach beyond the normal bounds and restrictions-to negotiate new stages in progression and purification. The heroic tales tell us that no matter the depth of degradation-whether self-inflicted or inflicted from outside forces-there is always the promise of light and love to lead us back. When the panther enters your life, the path leading back is about to begin.

Dionysus had to overcome many years of wandering, plundering, madness, destruction, and suffering before he could take his place within the heavens. His is the lesson of overcoming negative tendencies and sufferings inflicted upon ourselves by ourselves, or by others to attain to our divinity. His story is that “we are gods and goddesses in the making.”

Usually, in the lives of those with a panther totem, there either already exists or will soon arrive upon the scene an individual who will serve as teacher and nurturer and guide upon the heroic path. For Dionysus there was the centaur Silenus and the satyrs. They symbolize the alternate realities that do exist around us and the increasing ability to view them at will as we become the initiates of the heroic path.

These alternate realities will open to those with panther totems. These alternate realities, the beings within them and the energy of the panther all have ties to powerful sexual energies. It may reflect a time of resolving old sexual issues, or it may simply reflect learning to embrace these energies as a true power without being judgmental. We must recognize and learn the transforming nature of the sexual energies and how to direct them consciously.

Dionysus was a god of life and rebirth, passion and resurrection. He was twice born. The panther reflects a coming time of opportunities to become twice born ourselves. This often means we may have to face offending malignancies of our life-a process similar to what has come to be known as “Meeting the Dwellers on the Threshold” - those aspects of ourself or our life that we have painted over, glossed over, shoved to the back of the closet or pretended didn’t exist. Sometimes this means we must suffer the loss of what we think we love the most.

The panther holds the promise of rebirth and guardianship throughout. It is the extra protection we need in those times. It is the symbol of power reclaimed from whatever darkness within our life has hidden it. The panther is the promise that whatever is lost will be replaced by that which is greater, stronger, and more beneficial.

In the myth of Dionysus, the hero bears the magical thyrsus, a wand entwined with vines, upon which rests a pine cone. It gives the individual the ability to create delusion and illusion. There awakens within the individual upon this path and with this panther totem an ability to cause people to see and think as you desire them too. This ability is earned and strengthened through self-discipline. Like the black panther, you can blend into your surroundings with ease and to whatever degree you desire.

To the Indians of North and South America, the jaguar especially in the form of the black panther-was endowed with great magic and power. The jaguar panther climbs, runs, and swims-even better than the tiger. Because it could function so well in so many areas, it became a symbol of immeasurable power to the Latin American natives. It was a symbol of mastery over all dimensions.

To the Tucano Indians of the Amazon, the roar of the jaguar was the roar of thunder. Thus the black panther was the god of darkness and could cause eclipses by swallowing the sun. This reflects the tremendous power inherent within the feminine forces. To those with the panther as a totem, this power will increasingly be experienced.

The Arawak Indians say that everything has jaguar. Nothing exists without it. It is the tie to all life and all manifestations of life <thus ties to the eternal feminine within all life). To them, becoming the man-jaguar was the ultimate shapeshifting ritual. The Olmecs created monuments to the jaguar, and the Aztecs and Mayans spoke and taught about the power in becoming half-human and halfjaguar. One who can become a jaguar is shorn of all cultural restrictions. The alter ego is free to act out desires, fears, aspirations.

The Indian shamans would perform rituals to borrow jaguar power. One who could do such could do great good or great ill. Stories abound of revenge, abductions, and great cures of disease through use of jaguar power among the Latin-American Indians.

Even in Egyptian rituals, a panther tail was worn about the waist or knotted about the neck to help protect and strengthen. It was used in a process called “passage through the skin”-their own version of shapeshifting to engender themselves with the panther’s power.

Nietzsche once said that “that which does not kill us makes us stronger.” It is this same idea that is awakened in the lives of those who open to the power of the panther totem. Those things of childhood and beyond that created suffering and which caused a loss of innate power and creativity are about to be reawakened, confronted and transmuted.

The panther marks a new turn in the heroic path of those to whom it comes. It truly reflects more than just coming into one’s own power. Rather it reflects a reclaiming of that which was lost and an intimate connection with the great archetypal force behind it. It gives an ability to go beyond what has been imagined, with opportunity to do so with discipline and control. It is the spirit of imminent rebirth.

PORCUPINE

KEYNOTE: Renewed Sense of Wonder

CYCLE OF POWER: Autumn

Porcupines are fascinating mammals that are often misunderstood. The porcupine is a member of the rodent family. It is sometimes called a hedgehog, but this is a mistake-the true hedgehog is an entirely different animal.

Porcupines are rather good-natured, and they shuffle along at their own pace. Though they look clumsy and slow on the ground, they are excellent climbers and can climb 50 to 60 feet. The legs are short but strong, and they have a unique ability to use them to test the strength of the limbs they may climb upon.

Porcupines live in arboreal areas, mostly in pine forests. They eat the barks of various trees and evergreens, and they enjoy blossoms, young leaves, and water lilies. They also have a great craving for salt and will eat anything that has the faint flavor of salt. Individuals with this totem may need to watch their salt intake. There may be a tendency to crave and overindulge in salt.

I encountered my first porcupine in the wild in northern Ontario, Canada. I had to portage my canoe, and as I came to the next stage of river, a porcupine was at its edge, about three feet out, feeding on water lilies. It looked up more curious and amused, and then simply resumed its feeding, more fascinated by the lilies than it was by me.

This reflects much about the personality and character of the porcupine. It has a good nature, and it seems to enjoy just about anything that it does. It has a strong sense of curiosity, and seems amazed and filled with wonder at most things it encounters. It is this same quality that the porcupine can awaken in those with it as a totem. Although it has poor eyesight, it remains extremely curious, and not overly cautious in response to its visual limitation.

The most noticeable characteristic about the porcupine is its quills. This is also the most misunderstood. The quills-around 30,OOO-cover all parts of the body except the face and the underside of the belly and tail. The quills are controlled by a layer of muscle and they can be made to lie flat or straight up. When molested, disturbed, or threatened, they stand up. The quills are filled with air, making the porcupine buoyant in water. This reflects the ability of the porcupine to swim and move in emotional areas (symbolized by the water).

The porcupine does not shoot its quills. When threatened the quills stand up. To protect its face, it will lower it between the front legs so that quills guard it. The quills are loosely attached and easily discarded. It will lash with its tail, usually aiming at the predator’s head. If it hits, the quills are left.

There is no venom on the quills, but they do have barbs on the end. As the quill penetrates the skin of an opponent, the barb expands. Each movement of the predator then causes the quill to work deeper in. It is impossible for other animals to remove them.

The porcupine’s greatest predator is the fisher, a member of the weasel family. For many years, naturalists believed that the fisher flipped the porcupine on its back to kill it, but they now know that it grabs the porcupine by the nose, biting its face repeatedly until it dies. The fisher is so good at preying on the porcupine that it is becoming more and more scarce in the wild. Anyone with a porcupine totem should also study the weasel family, and especially the fisher member.

Cougars are also successful at preying on porcupines. They have learned the knack of flipping it onto its back, exposing its vulnerable belly. The cougar should also be studied by those who have the porcupine totem.

Porcupines usually live in hollow logs, caves, and holes. In the winter, they will spend a lot of time in trees. It is easier for them to climb than it is to shuffle around through the snow.

Porcupines are usually born one at a time, although occasionally there are twins. They mate in the autumn, and the young are born about seven months later. Only the mother raises the young. Porcupines can live to be anywhere between 9-15 years.

As the young get older, they are often seen standing upon their hind legs and rocking to and fro, waving their paws. This is a rhythmic exercise. When observed, it looks very much like a dance, and porcupines can help us come into a new rhythm in the dance of life-one that will awaken wonder. Dance is also an avenue of pure enjoyment that anyone with a porcupine totem could find great pleasure and relaxation in.

Porcupines are also susceptible to snuffles. This is a flu-like disease that affects animals. It is usually the result of a lack of nutrients. Anyone with the porcupine totem should be careful to have a diet rich in nutrients and vitamins. Especially eating green vegetables will be beneficial to the health, as the porcupine is an herbivore. If you feel your energy weakening or are coming down with cold and flu-like symptoms, check your diet.

Porcupine people have a knack for sticking it to people sharply and intensely if aggravated. They have a knack for saying or doing that which will cause the most hurt for the longest time-like a quill barb working deeper into the skin. They do not always use it, but when they do the point is well taken.

When porcupine shows up, take a look at your life. Are you allowing other people’s opinions to prevent you from exploring activities that could otherwise be fun and enjoyable? Do you have recreational time in your life? Are you overly sensitive to the barbs of others? Are your barbs inappropriate or taking the joy from others? Are you still allowing the barbs from long ago to aggravate you and sting you? Sometimes it is necessary to remove the old barbs, no matter how painful, so they do not fester and poison the system.

Porcupines can show you how to resist the barbs of others. They can teach you how to enjoy life and maintain a sense of wonder about it, in spite of negative conditions. They can show you how to shuffle along, without too much seriousness, and still achieve. They can teach you how to protect the inner child from all of life’s barbs, and can show you the strength in your vulnerability.

PRAIRIE DOG

KEYNOTE: Community

CYCLE OF POWER: Spring and Summer

No other animal, except for perhaps the wolf, epitomizes the idea of community more than the prairie dog. A prairie dog community is always filled with activity. A prairie dog is a member of the squirrel family, and there are two main kinds. The blacktailed live predominantly on the plains and are the most common. The second has white-tipped tails. They live in the mountains and are not as sociable.

Prairie dogs live in a town, a network of underground tunnels. The burrows or homes are comprised of individual tunnels and rooms. The entire town is divided into coteries or individual communities in which the members depend on each other. Each section of the town is inhabited by members of separate “clans.”

In the digging of the tunnels, the dirt is kicked out behind them. This gives a raised mound area at the entrance above the ground. They then cut down the plants around the entrance, enabling the prairie dogs to watch out for predators more easily. The watchman prairie dog will send out alarms in the form of highpitched yips.

The primary predator used to be the black-footed ferret, which now only exists in captivity. Efforts to restore it to the plains have had very limited success. Today its primary predators are owls and snakes, and these should be studied by anyone with a prairie dog totem.

Prairie dogs eat grasses and plants. They rarely drink water, getting moisture from plants instead. In the winter they live predominantly off their accumulated fat.

Individuals with prairie dog totems may need to make sure they have lots of vegetables in the diet. Water intake may not be as important to them as long as a great quantity of fresh vegetables are eaten regularly. Individuals with these totems may also experience a sensitivity towards the sun, and sunglasses would be very beneficial. Prairie dogs have orange-colored lenses in their eyes to filter out some of the sun’s glare. This helps them as they are often seen sunbathing.

Prairie dogs are very sociable animals. They greet each other by kissing and hugging. With mouths open, they touch their teeth together. They love to show affection. If a prairie dog has shown up as a totem, examine your own sociability. Are you or those around you being sociable? Unsociable? Are you trying to be reclusive when you shouldn’t? Do you need to demonstrate more affection than what you have in the past?

Examine your sense of community-be it your family, work or social community. Are you participating fully? Are others? Do you need to learn to live with others, each sharing in the responsibilities? Prairie dog usually indicates that there are going to be changes in your perceptions about community life and your part in it. These lessons may extend over a five- to seven-year period, as this is the usual life span of the prairie dog.

Because prairie dogs are diggers, when they show up as a totem, you may want to examine how much digging you should do in different aspects of your life. Do you need to get more deeply involved in the lives of others around you? Are you too deeply involved?

Although many people feel the prairie dog is a pest and should be eliminated, it actually serves a valuable purpose in Nature. The digging aerates the soil, causing plants to grow more easily. Their burrows allow more moisture to get beneath the surface of the land. When prairie dog shows up it is usually time to become more actively involved in the community. Changes are necessary. Involve yourself, and don’t allow others’ accusations to dissuade you from your participation.

RABBIT (HARE)

KEYNOTE: Fertility and New Life

CYCLE OF POWER: Year-round

The rabbit is an animal whose essence and energy is a paradox. It is found in both myth and folklore, and, depending upon the society, it was perceived in a variety of ways. In Greek mythology, it was associated with the goddess Hecate. In Egyptian hieroglyphics it is associated with the concept of being. The ancient Hebrews considered it unclean because it was lascivious (Deuteronomy xiv, 7). II Among the Algonquin Indians, the Great Hare is the animal-demiurge.”58

In China, it is one of the twelve astrological signs. It was considered a most fortunate sign, giving those born under it the ability to possess the powers of the moon. Hare individuals are considered sensitive and artistic. The hare is imbued with ambition, finesses, and virtue, along with living on the moon.

The rabbit is known for its ability to procreate, its fleetness, its ability to make great leaps and hops. It moves primarily by hops and leaps, and individuals with this totem find that their endeavors do so as well. All of these characteristics are significant for those with the this totem.

The rabbit is found mostly in thickets and tall grasses. It is active both day and night, but is most visible at dawn and dusk. These are times long associated with the Faerie Realm of life, and because of this, the rabbit is often seen as an animal that can lead one unknowingly into the Faerie Realm. The most common example of this is found in Lewis Carroll’s story of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, in which Alice follows a white rabbit down a hole into a wondrous world of adventure.

Rabbits and mice are the two most common prey animals. Because of this Nature compensates them with a tremendous fertility. Rabbits can have between two and five litters of young per year, usually with three to six young per litter. It is because of this that the rabbit has long been a symbol for sexuality and fertility.

The mother only feeds the young in the morning and in the evening. She spends the rest of the day away from the nest, feeding herself. This is a protective gesture for the young, so as not to draw attention to them. Unfortunately many people come across baby rabbits while the mother is away, and they assume they are abandoned. People then proceed to move the young.

Within one month, 28 days, the young are able to be out on their own. They can stay in the nest, but they can survive on their own. If a new litter arrives, the mother will kick the old litter out. This 28-day period again reinforces the lunar connection with the rabbit. Usually if a rabbit totem shows up, you will begin to see a cycle of 28 days beginning to manifest in your life.

The two most common rabbits are the cottontail and the jackrabbit. The ears of the cottontail are shorter than the jackrabbit, and its coat stays the same all year round. The fur of the jackrabbit will lighten or even turn white in the winter. Both animals can leap and hop. Those with rabbit totems will see movement occur in their life in varying degrees of leaps and hops. It won’t be a steady step-by-step movement. The leaps and hops do not usually take more than the cycle of one moon (28 days) to occur.

Although some associate fear with the rabbit, it has wonderful abilities for defense. Those with this totem would do well to apply them to their own life. Rabbits often create forms to use for hiding and resting. To create a form, the rabbit scratches a shallow bowl into the earth or grass that is open in front and in back to enable it to escape if necessary. Rabbit people should plan for possibilities. If a rabbit has shown up, it may indicate a need to do some more planning or check those you have already set in motion. You do not want to box yourself into a corner. Rabbits have a knack for avoiding being seen. They can freeze, holding perfectly still. They know that movement can be detected from great distances by many predators. If you are involved in competition-in work or in play-it will be important not to foreshadow your moves.

Rabbits are also clever at doubling back, making quick and rapid turns. If they need to flee they can be extremely fast. Learning to shift from freezing to great speed is something all with this totem should learn. It will aid your success and enable you to take advantage of opportunities that may only present themselves for brief moments.

Rabbits are vegetarians. Those with this totem may need to examine the kinds of foods being consumed. For the greatest health and healing, a vegetarian diet, even if only temporary, will strengthen and heal.

Rabbit can show you how to recognize the signs around you. It can help you to attune to the lunar cycle and recognize the tides of movement within your life. This in turn will enable you to become even more fertile in your life.

RACCOON

KEYNOTE: Dexterity and Disguise

CYCLE OF POWER: Spring and Summer-Nocturnal

Raccoons are fascinating animals. They are distantly related to the bear, and thus it should be studied as well by anyone with this totem. The raccoon is one of the most adaptable animals, and in spite of encroachment on its natural habitat, it is even able to live within the city.

The name raccoon is believed by some to come from the Algonquin Indian word “arckunem,” meaning “hand scratcher.”59 The paws are very dexterous. Raccoons can be expert at opening lids, latches, doorknobs, and such. Because of this they often have the reputation for thievery-of being able to get into things they are not supposed to. It would not be surprising to find that individuals who are thieves and burglars have raccoon medicine, even though it is not being used positively.

Raccoons are fascinated by water. They like to slosh their hands and their food in it. This has given rise to the belief they never eat anything without washing it first. Actually, water increases the sensitivity of the raccoon’s hands, and they can feel their food better.

The raccoon will eat almost anything available. It will capture small prey, but it usually eats mostly vegetables and fruit. This is something that those with this totem should also keep in mind.

Raccoons are extremely curious, which is partly why they often get into things they shouldn’t. They love to explore. Their nocturnal excursions can be likened to mini-adventures. They can be very curious about new realms and will examine anything that fascinates them.

One of the most striking features of the raccoon is the mask that it wears. Although some associate this with thievery, it actually gives the raccoon a very powerful mystical symbolism. The use of masks to achieve altered states and for other healing and ritual purposes has been a part of every society. Mask making is an ancient art employed all over the world for ceremony, celebration, and in magical practices.

Concealed behind a mask, people could become something or someone else. We can become whatever we want by wearing masks. Masks are invested with mystery. They are tools for transformation. The hidden aspect, the secrecy, helps promote the transformation. It helps us to change what we are to what we want to be, giving us magic.

Just as there is with the raccoon, with masks there is ambiguity and equivocation. When we wear a mask we are no longer who we thought. We make ourselves one with some other force. We create a doorway in the mind and in the physical world a threshold that we can cross to new dimensions and new beingness.

This is the magic of raccoon. It is an expert at disguise and secrecy. It knows how to wear masks for a variety of purposes. It can teach you how to mask and disguise and transform yourself. Each must develop the relationship with the raccoon in their own unique way, but raccoon medicine can teach you how to become dexterous in the masks you wear. It can show you how to wear a healing mask or show you the face you shall become. The raccoon holds the knowledge of how to change our faces.

Whenever I take trips to teach classes and workshops, I look for any animals that may appear to determine the kind of energies associated with the upcoming session. The first time I taught a class on mask making, I saw no animals other than those I normally see on trips. I was kind of surprised because usually with new classes, some new animal shows up.

The class went well, and as I pulled away in my car, the headlights flashed off the eyes of an animal. I slowed, thinking a cat or dog was stepping out onto the road. As I drove closer, I saw a raccoon sitting on the edge of the street, its masked eyes fixed solidly upon me. I drove slowly forward, and stopped alongside it. It didn’t move. It simply stared at me. Goosebumps appeared as I nodded to it and thanked it for helping with the class. It never occurred to me before that the raccoon would show up to add its energy to the mask making class. Every time since then, I always encounter raccoons either going to or coming from the class on mask making. I have honored the raccoon for its help.

Raccoon holds the knowledge of transformation through masks and disguise. This knowledge can be applied to religious and ritual practices or within normal everyday life. Do you need to present a different face to people for greater success? Are you hiding your true self? Are others hiding their true self? Raccoon can help you find the answers.

Raccoons do not hibernate, but they do go into a heavy sleep during the winter, living off their body fat. This has connections to learning to use masks to put to sleep one aspect of yourself so that another can be awakened. This is also part of what raccoon medicine can teach. It will help you develop dexterity in using masks to achieve new altered states and dimensions.

Raccoons are very courageous and they can be quite ferocious. Litters of raccoons are brought in to Brukner Nature Center every spring and early summer. Working and handling them has taught me a great respect for their ferocity-even when young. When they get older, they can become very surly. In the wild, raccoons are deceptive and agile. They are experts at self-defense.

Raccoons enjoy hollow logs, especially for their dens. They will have one to two litters per year, usually with two to seven young. At about twenty weeks a raccoon can live on its own, but they are very sociable, and where you find one raccoon, you will usually find another. They also live longer than most animals in the wild-around ten years.

If a raccoon has shown up, you may see its influence for an extended time. If you are trying to make changes or endeavoring to hide changes you are making from others until you are in a better position, plan on using about a 20-week cycle. You will find it more effective. For longer and greater life transformations and such, when raccoon shows up you may want to make longer plans.

RAMS (Bighorn Sheep)

KEYNOTE: Seeking New Beginnings

CYCLE OF POWER: Late Fall and Early Winter

The ram has long been a symbol in many societies. For many it was a symbol of sacrifice. It was killed in ritualistic traditions for a variety of purposes. This is found often in biblical lore. Moses initiated Passover with the sacrifice of a lamb. It also symbolized the quest for great rewards, as is seen in the Greek heroic tale of Jason and the Quest for the Golden Fleece. It is also a symbol of great force and power. Battering rams were used in many societies to knock down doors and gates of enemies.

If the ram has shown up in your life, prepare to seek out new beginnings in some area of your life. The ram is the symbol for the astrological sign of Aries, the first month of the astrological year. It falls in the spring, a time of new beginnings. The ram tells us to assert ourself in new areas.

In Chinese astrology the goat and the sheep (ram) are often interchanged, representing one of the twelve months of the year. It is a sign associated with sensitivity and perseverance. They are somewhat stoic, never coming out and speaking their minds directly, and they can also have a tendency toward impracticality in the Chinese tradition.

In real life, rams embody many of the characteristics associated with them in mythology and lore. Their power and strength is often depicted in nature films where they are seen butting heads in duels of strength.

Rams and ewes of the bighorn sheep family live above the timberline. They eat tender grasses and the flowers of certain herbs. Throughout the spring and summer they build up layers of fat and a thick coat which enables them to survive the winters.

The horns are a predominant feature of the ram. In individuals with this totem, they stimulate great mental activity. There is a curiosity and an active imagination that must be constantly fueled and that gets stronger with each passing year, just as the horns of the ram grow larger with each passing year.

The horns of the ram are weapons, a form of defense and a status symbol. They grow throughout the life of the animal, eventually forming a full curl or spiral. The spiral is a symbol of great creativity, and because it is associated with the head in the case of the ram, it has even more significance. For those with this totem, there will occur a new stimulation of mental faculties, imagination, and inspiration-along with the energy to act upon it.

Young rams often playa form of king of the mountain, testing strength and new positions. This is most evident in the autumn, when the pecking order becomes more focused. There begin challenges for the right to mate with the ewes. The rams spin, lunge through the air and heads crash, horns knocking together. This continues until one admits defeat. For those with this totem, autumn may bring a time for you to assert your strength and move to new challenges.

A ram can live to about 14 years of age, but the life expectancy decreases with the size of the horns. The larger the horns the more frequent the duels. The rings on the horn actually mark the age of the ram.

Bighorn sheep, like mountain goats, have toes that pinch. The hooves are covered with an elastic material that helps absorb the shocks and aid the grip. The joints of the sheep act as miniature shock absorbers when they make their great leaps down. The bighorn sheep only need a two-inch space to get a foothold.

This is very important for those with this totem. It is a reminder that the openings for new beginnings may be small, but if acted upon, they can be secured. Those with this totem must learn to trust in their ability to land safely on their feet as they make new moves and new beginnings.

If the ram has come into your life, do some examination-but don’t take too long with it. It is usually an indication of a time to make some new beginnings, to initiate new endeavors-rather than just think about it. Are you taking advantage of opportunities that are presenting themselves? Are you staying balanced as you make new leaps and climbs? Are you initiating things appropriately? Are you acting on your ideas or just talking about them? When the ram shows up, it will teach you to bring forth the powers of the mind and imagination and use them to seek out new heights and new adventures.

RAT

KEYNOTE: Success, Restlessness and Shrewdness

CYCLE OF POWER: Year-round

The sight of a rat usually distresses most people. Rats often carry contagious diseases, and though rats don’t have a very elegant reputation, they are tremendously adaptable.

In Chinese astrology, the first year is assigned to the rat. A legend tells how at one time Buddha summoned all of the animals to him. Of all the animals, only twelve showed up, and the first was the rat. To honor each of the animals, Buddha named a year after each one, giving the first year to the rat. People born in the Chinese year of the rat are said to be success-oriented, sometimes restless and nervous, but always very shrewd.

Although the city rat can be a pest, its cousin the wood rat, or country rat, is a most exceptional animal. It is intelligent and often displays an ability to reason. Studies have shown that wild rats are brighter than laboratory rats. The rat has succeeded in proliferating in spite of the efforts of humanity. This drive for success may be what the rat has come to speak of with you. Are you dri- ving too hard? Are you not pushing hard enough? Do you need to be more aggressive in pursuing your goals?

Rats are highly social and often cooperate in survival efforts. They store food, reflecting an interesting economy. They are the most adaptable of animals with an ability to survive in most environments.

Two rats were introduced into this country-the black rat from the orient and the Norway or brown rat. Of the two, the Norway is often considered the most harmful because it can easily destroy great quantities of stored foods. If possible, identify the rat. Begin by asking yourself: Is this a country rat or a city rat? And then go from there.

If a rat has shown up as a totem, you may find yourself getting more restless. It may indicate a time to be more shrewd in all of your dealings. Are you not handling the pests in your life properly? Do you need to become more adaptable? It may even reflect a time to more aggressively pursue endeavors for success. The behavior of the rat when you see it will help you to determine the kind of energy it specifically brings to you.

RHINOCEROS

KEYNOTE: Ancient Wisdom

CYCLE OF POWER: Year-round

There are five species of rhino in existence today, two in Africa and three in Asia. The African rhinoceros can be distinguished from the Indian by its two horns. The exact species of your totem will provide more specific insightincluding possible past-life connections to those areas of the world where it is found. The rhino is a survivor of the age of giant mammals. It takes its name from the two words, “rhino” and “keras/’ meaning nose and horn, respectively.

All rhinos are basically solitary, and because they are descendants of ancient times they bring with them an energy of comfort in one’s own solitude. They teach how to be comfortable within yourself. They are the embodiment of the mystery school axiom: “Know thyself!”

The most significant aspect of the rhino is, of course, its horn. Unlike most animals, the horn is located on the nose and not on top of the head. Although all horns give higher sensitivity from a symbolic perspective, in the case of the rhino it lends to those with this totem greater sensitivity to that area of the body of the olfactory senses. The sense of smell has long been a symbol of the energy of higher discrimination, spiritual idealism, and the application of higher wisdom. When we look at the sensory development of the rhino, this is further exemplified. Although it has relatively poor eyesight, its senses of smell and hearing are keen.

If the rhino has shown up as a totem, you need to examine your own innate sense of discrimination. Are you not trusting your own inner wisdom-what you know to work and be best? Are you distrusting or discounting the foundation of your own learning? Are you forgetting that ultimately no one knows better for you than you? Are you only looking at appearances and refusing to see beyond the surface?

The African white rhino is endangered. It has become a symbol of African ecology. It suffers from loss of habitat and from poaching by those who pay a great deal of money for the rhino’s horns, because of the ignorant superstition regarding its magic abilities. The horn is a symbol and has no medicinal value. The horn is not even comprised of the bony material that makes up normal horns and antlers. It is rather flimsy and is made of skinlike material.

The white rhino is found in the African savannas. It likes tall grasses. Despite its size, it can be surprisingly agile if need be. It can be a rather peaceable animal. The rhino only bears one young at a time, and the gestation period is about 17 to 18 months in the case of the white rhino. For those with this totem, look for new access to ancient wisdom and the assimilation of it into your own life to occur in about this same time-frame.

Those with this totem would do well to also study the oxpecker bird. This bird is a companion to the rhino. In fact it is sometimes called the rhino bird. It will land on the back and eliminate stinging flies and ticks.

The rhino will help you to see the wisdom of your life. It has a solidity that will help you to put life into its proper perspective. The ancient side of the rhino will help you to draw upon your own innate wisdom and find application to the present time.

SEA LIONS and SEALS

KEYNOTE: Active Imagination, Creativity and Lucid Dreaming

CYCLE OF POWER: Year-round

Seals and sea lions amuse and fascinate most people. Although similar in appearance, they are not the same. They do share many of the same characteristics, but they should not be confused. Both are part of the order of mammals known as pinnipedia, which is usually translated as “finfeet,” but it literally means “feather feet.” The name seal comes from the Anglo-Saxon “seolb” meaning to drag, named after the manner in which they move upon the land.

Although both seals and sea lions will spend time on land, the seal is more at home in the water. Sea lions are not completely the water animals that seals are. They also are much more mobile upon land than the seals. This is due to the fact that a sea lion has much more flexible hind flippers than does the seal. Its neck is also more flexible than the seal’s. Most of the time what the general public refers to as performing “seals” are really sea lions.

There are more varieties of seals than there are sea lions. The elephant seal is the largest of all. It got its name for its size and the droopy snout of the males. During the mating season, males will have ferocious battles, and although sometimes a great deal of blood is shed, rarely is anything injured more than their pride. In the late 1800s the elephant seal was reduced to a mere 100 before laws to protect it were instituted. Today, it has rebounded. The harbor seal is the widest ranging of all seals. Like the sea lion and other members of the seal family, it will give birth out of the water. The specific kind of seal or sea lion should be studied to determine its specific role within your own life.

The most distinguishing characteristic between the seal and the sea lion is that seals have no external ears, simply small openings. The sea lion does have external ears. Because both are small, they stand out even more in their symbolic significance. Ears are the center for hearing and balance, and this significance should be applied to your own life.

If a seal or sea lion has shown up as a totem, it is time to do some questioning. Are you getting out of balance? Has the imaginative faculty opened so much that you are not staying grounded? Are you listening to things and people that you shouldn’t? Are you not listening to that which you should? Are you listening to the inner voice (especially in the case of a seal totem)? Are you following the words of others rather than your own?

Both the seal and sea lion are associated with water. They spend great amounts of time in and around it. Water is the creative element. It is a symbol of the feminine, the emotional, the imaginative, and the dreamtime. When these animals show up, you can expect your dreams to become even more vivid and significant. Pay attention. Much of what you are dreaming and imagining may have a strong basis in reality-no matter how far-fetched.

Keep a notebook with you, as the imaginative faculty is about to be awakened and stimulated. Seals and sea lions can teach you how to develop and focus the imagination. They can teach you to draw upon their energies to impact upon the “real” world in which you operate every day. Seals and sea lions can also keep us grounded so that we don’t get lost or caught up too strongly within the imagination.

Remember both come out of the water for rest and mating. They always bear their young on land. This is very significant, as it reflects the ability to bring the creative force out from the inner and set in motion in the outer. For seal and sea lion people, it will be important to pay attention to the creative imagination and inspiration that is strong within them. These individuals are highly imaginative and very creative, needing activities that channel and direct those energies.

This kind of creativity, stimulated by these totems, is similar to the kind of creative life force often associated with beings of the Faerie realm in legend and lore. The Selkies of the Shetland Islands and Iceland were water spirits who took the form of gray seals. According to legend, at night they would come on shore and shed their seal skins, walking and dancing in the moonlight as men and women. The women selkies were very beautiful and desirous, while the male selkies were handsome and amorous. Human women who wished to have children would cry seven tears into the water to draw out a selkie lover from its depths.

There are no limits to the creative energies stimulated by this totem. They enliven dreams and awaken the imagination so they can be applied to the outer. The archetypal force of the seals and sea lions helps those with them as totems to learn to balance the inner imagination with the outer realities-making both aspects more colorful and beneficial.

SKUNK

KEYNOTE: Sensuality, Respect, and Self-Esteem

CYCLE OF POWER: Year-round

At Brukner Nature Center where I volunteer in the animal program and as a trail guide lecturer, there is a tradition in giving the animal talks. Before the skunk is brought out to be shown, the audience is made to raise their hands and repeat after the speaker: “I promise ... not to ... hold my nose ... or go ‘Ooooh!’ ... when the next animal is brought out.” Of course, everyone usually knows by then that it is the skunk they are about to see.

The skunk is one of the most widely recognized mammals, but it is also one of the most misunderstood. It is a very powerful totem with mystical and magical associations. Just look at how people respond to it. They show great respect for it and what it can do. This is part of what skunk teaches. It teaches how to give respect, expect respect, and demand respect. It helps you to recognize your own qualities and to assert them.

The skunk does not get out of the way of any animal. It moves along at its own speed, with its own mind. It is self-assured and confident in itself. If skunk has shown up, it can be to help you with this particular aspect. It can teach you how to be more self-assured and how to assert yourself.

The natural enemy of the skunk is the great horned owl. Skunk is its favorite food. This owl should be studied as it is also part of the contrary or balancing medicine of the skunk. Its essence can help you in seeing how best to apply your skunk medicine.

Skunks are fearless, but they are also very peaceful. They move slowly and calmly, and they only spray as a last resort. Because they are peaceable by nature, they always give warnings before spraying. This warning involves three stages. First, it will stamp its feet and turn its back to you. Second it will raise its tail up, as the gland which sprays is located underneath it. When the third step arrives, it is usually too late. After raising the tail, the skunk will look back over its shoulder. This is to line up the correct angle for spraying. Once the skunk has seen you over its shoulder, it is too late.

The skunk can spray 12-15 feet with tremendous accuracy. It can repeat the spraying five to six times before it must build up again naturally. The spray is an irritating chemical. It won’t kill, but it can sting the eyes and numb the senses. Sometimes a skunk can show up as a totem to teach us how to get more attention without being arrogant and irritating. Sometimes it shows up to help us deal with those people in our life who are outrageously irritating. Tomato juice is still the one thing which helps to eliminate skunk odor. Those with this totem may find they have a sensitivity to tomato, or a need for more within their life. The qualities and characteristics of the tomato should be studied as it is part of the contrary or balancing medicine associated with the skunk.

The skunk smell is one that almost everyone can recognize. This has links to how skunk awakens in others a greater recognition of you and your own abilities. The sense of smell also has ties to sensuality and sexuality. Research is currently being conducted that reveals the various connections between fragrance and sexual response. This includes work with pheromones and studies that reveal a surprising similarity between the cells of and response of the olfactory nerves, and those within the genitalia.60

Fragrance has long been used as an aphrodisiac. Those with skunk medicine will find that the use of fragrances will elicit dynamic responses in those they associate with. People will respond to the fragrances you employ. A study of aromatherapy would be very beneficial for those with this totem. When skunk shows up, you can usually expect to experience stronger sexual responses to others and in their response to you. A greater ability to attract people will begin to unfold.

It is interesting how people respond to some fragrances. They complain that certain smells drive them nuts. How often have you heard people say, “I wish I knew what that smell was. It reminds me of something and it’s driving me crazy.”

Skunks usually have one litter of young per year, with about ten babies. Skunks can spray from the moment their eyes open. This again reflects the intense energy levels that individuals with this totem are often born with. In the early years, they may find extreme cycles of either repelling or being pushed away by others, or drawing lots-many friends or no friends, never alone or always alone. At 20 weeks they are capable of being out on their own. A skunk can have a lifespan in the wild of up to ten years. This reflects the kinds of cycles likely to manifest for those with this totem.

Skunks are known carriers of rabies. Mothers that have rabies will pass it on to the young, although the young may not show any symptoms of it for up to six weeks after being born.

Individuals with skunks as totems must learn to balance the ability to draw and repel people. There is a natural cycle. The skunk is a solitary animal for the most part. Skunks can remind us that there are times best for drawing people and there are times best to avoid people. Finding the correct balance is what can ensure prosperity.

There are two main types of skunk-spotted and striped. The striped is the most common and most easily recognized. It actually has a double stripe that runs from its head to its tail. This stripe, whether single or double, is an indication of the active flow of the kundalini or life force. (The kundalini has ties to the sexual energies nd to the life force that is active in every aspect of our life processes.) In individuals with this totem, the kundalini is usually already active. Skunk shows up at a time to amplify and to teach the control and use of this life force more effectively.

In eastern metaphysics, students are taught of three channels of energy that flow through the body along the spine-the ida, the pingala, and the sushumnathe moon, sun, and the balance of the two. This reflects the ability of those with skunk medicine to be able to turn on and off the creative force and direct it along several lines.

Skunks are usually quite silent, so it is good for those with this totem not to blow their own horns. It will backfire and only serve to push others away. Sit back and let others do the noticing for you.

Skunks are very adaptable and this is what those with this totem must also learn. Skunk can teach you when its best to be noticed and how to go about it most effectively. They are carnivorous, but they will eat almost anything, particularly insects, berries, and fruit. Skunk does its hunting at night.

When skunk shows up as a totem you are going to have opportunities to bring out new respect and self-esteem. It indicates lessons and times associated with increased sensuality physically, sexually, psychically, and spiritually. Examine your self-image. Remember that people are going to notice you. How they notice and remember can be controlled by you. This is what skunk can help teach.

SNOW LEOPARD

KEYNOTE: Overcoming Our Demons and Haunts, and Renewal of Vision and Vitality

CYCLE OF POWER: DAWN–Early Morning, and Dusk–Early Evening

Leopards and jaguars are the two spotted members of the big cat family. Often they are linked and called the same thing-given the generic name of “panther.” A study of the section on “Panthers” will reveal even further insight.

Of all the big cats, leopards are the best at stalking prey. They can remain silent and inconspicuous until they are within only a few feet of their prey. Then they reveal themselves only for a few seconds at the instant of attack.

Leopards have a strong hunting instinct and intuition, which usually shows up in cubs at an early age. Those with any leopard totem usually have strong intuitive faculties and heightened sensibilities. Leopard cubs learn quickly what is within their ability to capture and how best to approach it. Trusting that inner instinct is part of the life lesson for those with this totem. This can be difficult in developing trust, especially in Western society where we are often taught to ignore the intuitive and only follow the logical.

The leopard negotiates its environment in silence. Imitating the walk of the leopard can be a means of helping those with this totem attune to it. The leopard walks with each paw turned inward. The outer edge of the paw will touch the ground first, and thus objects which could cause noise can be avoided before the leopard’s full weight comes down on them.

The leopard hunts best at night, and it will often store its prey in a tree. One of the traditional trademarks of the leopard is the tail dangling down. The long graceful tail is often a symbol of sexuality and innate potential.

The snow leopard is found in the high mountains of Asia. This may reflect possible past-life connections to those areas in which it is commonly found. Its green eyes and grayish white coat dappled with rosettes make it one of the most beautiful members of the leopard family. For those with this totem, meditation on its green eyes, the northern direction, and its mountainous and rocky homes may provide insight into its specific role in your life.

Of all leopards, snow leopards are considered the least aggressive. Although many big cats are known to occasionally take human prey, the snow leopard does not do this, even though they are quite capable of taking down prey much larger than themselves. Their environment forces them to be extremely agile and excellent leapers. This hints at its ability to teach those with this totem how to make great leaps over new obstacles in their life.

The snow leopard has been surrounded by mystery and lore. In Central Asia arose a belief that snow leopards do not eat the flesh of their victims, but only suck their blood. Although this probably originated because of the puncture marks created when the leopard suffocates its prey, it has great symbolism. The blood of anything is its life force. In most societies there existed the belief that what one ate, one became. An animal that only took the blood and not the flesh may indicate great discrimination so that only the powers and life force of the prey is assumed and not its weaknesses (symbolized by the flesh). For those with this totem, it can reflect opportunity to learn how to find the lost life force and drink from it once more, without becoming enmeshed in the old patterns.

There is also an old story of Milarepa, Tibet’s poet-saint, who was stranded for six months in the Great Cave of Conquering Demons. When his followers went to find him, they found he had been transformed into a snow leopard. The snow leopard is a totem that can reflect a renewed energy, ability, and opportunity to conquer one’s own great demons. Those with this totem would do well to research and meditate upon the life of Milarepa.

The snow leopard lives in the high mountains. Mountains have always been places separate from humans. They were the abodes of gods. They are places of good vista. The animals of mountain gods and goddesses were often sacred to the divine in some way. When a snow leopard reveals itself, it hints of divine protection and a reawakening of one’s own spark of divinity.

The snow leopard is solitary and secretive, so for it to be seen is a rare and precious experience-even if only in a vision. The snow leopard has an uncanny ability to blend into the rocky vastness of its environment. Although they have a stocky appearance, due to their thick coat, they are actually slightly smaller than regular leopards, but they are equally good predators. The qualities of the bharal (blue sheep) should also be studied by those with this totem as it is one of its most common prey.

If a snow leopard has revealed itself, look for a time to clear out the haunts and demons within the mind. The strength and vitality to do so will be therevibrant and plentiful. Great leaps in overcoming them will occur.

It can reflect a period of 22-24 months in which the old demons are chased away and new vistas open up. (At the age of about 22 months, the young are able to be out on their own.) The snow leopard holds the promise of new life, new perception, and a renewed perspective on life.

SQUIRREL

KEYNOTE: Activity and Preparedness

CYCLE OF POWER: Year-round

Everyone is familiar with the squirrel. It is a member of the rodent family, and is often seen scurrying about, as if always busy or bursting with nervous energy. Squirrels can be quite sociable, but they don’t like strange squirrels. They are often observed scrounging about for food and digging holes in the earth and storing nuts and other food sources for later times. Their keen sense of smell will enable them to find their stored caches even if they do forget where they buried their nuts.

There are two main types of squirrels, the gray and the red. There is also a black squirrel which is a more aggressive strain of the gray. The gray is found most often within the city, while the red is found more commonly in forests and woods.

There is also the flying squirrel, which does not really fly. Its skin stretches and enables it to glide from tree to ground or tree to tree. Unlike the gray and the red, it is nocturnal. It strongly dislikes being disturbed during the day. Owls are usually the flying squirrel’s chief predators.

Red squirrels are the sentinels of the forest. They chatter and scold when strangers appear. It seems as if they are literally reporting the news to all who can hear. The red squirrel is more aggressive and is usually a much better fighter than the larger gray. The marten is the red squirrel’s most dangerous enemy, and it should be studied as well. Red squirrels usually have two litters per year, with two to seven young. Within twelve weeks of birth they are usually capable of being on their own. This twelve-week cycle would be good to examine in regard to your own life, if red squirrel has come to you.

The gray squirrel is the most common and the most enthusiastic. Like all squirrels, it does not hibernate. It builds its nests in the hollows of trees or in treetops. The nests are usually ball-shaped, and the entrance is on the side. Even though it is bigger than the red, if confronted the gray will usually run and avoid any fight. Its predominant predators are foxes and raptors such as the owl and hawk. Gray squirrels, like the red, usually have two litters per year, and they also are usually able to be on their own in about twelve weeks.

All squirrels can be quite sociable. They wrestle for play, and they are extremely observant and imitative. This imitation of other squirrels is how they learn. Individuals with squirrel totems learn best by doing rather than by studying.

Squirrels are also quite communicative. Their chatter can often be heard in the trees when disturbed or playing. Their bushy tail adds to their expressiveness, along with providing warmth, shade, and balance. The squirrel will often express emotion through flicks of its tail.

Every squirrel is unique, and its medicine will be activated differently for everyone. If squirrel has scampered into your life, examine your own activity and preparedness. Are you too active? Not active enough? Are you not planning at all for the future, distant or near? Are you becoming too erratic-running to and fro and not accomplishing anything? Do you need to learn how to save and ration on any level-including money, time, energy, etc.? Are you afraid you will never have enough? Are you getting too hung up on collecting and accumulating? Are you gathering and not giving?

Squirrels can teach us balance within the circle of gathering and giving out. If we are doing too much of one or the other, squirrel may appear to help us. Squirrels are the masters at preparing, but they also are reminders that in our quest for our goals, we should always make time to socialize and play. Work and play go hand-in-hand, or the work will create problems and become more difficult and less fruitful.

TIGER

KEYNOTE: Passion, Power, Devotion and Sensuality

CYCLE OF POWER: Nocturnal-Full Moon and New Moon

Tigers are magnificent and stir a feeling of awe in all who see them. There are a number of varieties of tigers-bengal, Siberian, etc.-and each should be examined for its own characteristics. The information on cats and panthers should also be studied as there is often an overlap.

All tigers are known for their ferocity and their power. They are also excellent swimmers, unlike other large cats. This gives them ties to all the energies and mystical qualities so often associated with the element of water. All tigers also display great motherly devotion with their offspring. The mother raises the young and teaches them to hunt. Most tigers are solitary, and they come together usually only to mate. They also have immense territories.

The Siberian tiger is considered by many to be the most magnificent, and most experts agree that this species of tiger originated in the northern part of East Asia. It would later migrate and evolve to live in warmer areas. The Siberian tiger is an untiring traveler. It can cover great distances in a single day. Tigers prey upon all types of animals, but wild boar is a frequent victim.

The Bengal tiger lives in southern Asia. Its main prey is deer. It will usually live in several lairs, one of which is used to bring up the young cubs. At eight weeks old the cubs join their mother in hunting. At six months, they have learned to kill, but they are not capable of feeding themselves until they are around sixteen months old.

Most tigers hunt slowly and silently, a tactic beneficial to learn for those with this totem-regardless what is being sought. They can be selfish with their kills, and they have the power to drag a several-hundred-pound carcass over a quarter mile, just to hide it.

Tigers are nocturnal hunters. Individuals with this totem will find their most effective work accomplished at night. The traditional black and gold/ orange patterning links the tiger to the mysticism surrounding the new and full moons.

The sleek and powerful muscles and the soft thick coat of the tiger stimulates thoughts of sensuality. All cats stretch languorously and rub up against other cats and objects. For those with this totem, there will be awakened a new sensualitya sensitivity to touch.

There has always been a great deal of mysticism and mythology centered on the tiger. A study of these associations will help you to identify its role within your own life and possibly even past-life links to other parts of the world. In Korea, the tiger is the king of beasts. In the Hindu tradition, the tiger was sacred to the goddess Kali, the goddess of creation and dissolution, of sexuality and death. In Greece, it was associated with the mythic character Dionysus, the twice-born.

China is filled with myth and legend of the tiger. In Chinese astrology, one of the twelve signs is the sign of the tiger. Those born in the year of the tiger are assigned the traits of being both colorful and unpredictable. They are adventurous, powerful, and passionate.

In China, the tiger is both a symbol of darkness and the new moon, as well as brightness and the full moon. There are five mythic tigers in Chinese lore. The red tiger is a symbol of the south, summer, and fire. The black tiger is a symbol of the north, winter, and water. The blue tiger is a symbol of the east, spring, and vegetation. The white tiger is a symbol of the west, autumn, and all metals. The yellow tiger is supreme among all five. It is the ruler of the Earth and all energies upon it.

If a tiger has entered your life, you can expect new adventures. It will awaken new passion and power within life. Expect it to begin within 6-8 weeks and last for at least a year and a half. Examine what is going on in your life. Do you need more passion for life? Are you expressing your life passion inappropriately? Has your energy been down? If tiger has shown up, there will begin to manifest new adventures and renewed devotion and passion for life.

WEASEL

KEYNOTE: Sly and Secret Circumvention and/or Pursuit

CYCLE OF POWER: Nocturnal

The weasel is a member of the mustelid group of mammals. This family includes, skunks, badgers, fishers, minks, otters, martens, and wolverines. They are all recognizable by their long bodies, short legs, and ears that are generally rounded and especially small. All produce a strong musk scent and usually have underground homes. They are also all carnivores.

There are three branches of mustelids. Some dig for their food and are not strictly carnivores, although meat entails a large part of their diet. This branch includes skunks and badgers. A second branch are those who are expert at swimming and catching prey in the water, such as the otter. The third group are almost strictly land carnivores, and it is this group in which weasels belong.

Weasels are almost entirely meat eaters. They kill mice, rodents, and other pests, and in the wild they stick strictly with natural foods. For those with this totem, this behavior may need to be examined in regard to their own best health interests.

Weasels require tremendous amounts of food. A weasel will eat from one third to one-half of its weight in food every day. They eat small amounts all day long because they expend a lot of energy. This is a dietary practice that those with this totem will find most effective for their own health and well being. The weasel will also do all the killing necessary for it to eat through the day before it ever eats a bite. It will take the food to its own den and enclosure.

The weasel is a great chaser. It has an excellent sense of smell, so once it has its prey’s scent, it can trace it. The long, slim body enables it to follow mice into burrows. It has a wonderful ability to squeeze through narrow spaces. Weasel medicine can help you get out of tight fixes and to squeeze through and into areas of life that others would not be able to enter.

The weasel is graceful, solitary and very silent. Though weasel people may often be loners, they uncover a lot about people in their lives. Their ability for silence enables them to go unseen and unheard, even in the company of others. Because of this things are said and done in front of weasel people without others realizing. Weasel can show you how to use your powers of silent observation to sniff out what is hidden or secretive without anyone being the wiser.

In the Native American tradition, the weasel has the medicine for seeking out secrets. Trust your own senses in regard to other people, and you will come out all right, even if it means going alone. This is part of what weasel teaches.

Ferocity is probably greatest among the weasel family of all mammals. Mothers will even attack humans if they feel their young are threatened.

Weasels usually bite their prey at the neck and hang on until the spinal cord is cut or the animal bleeds to death. Individuals with this totem have a knack for going for the throat of those who threaten or try to best them. Once aroused, they will hang on until the damage is done. Remember that weasels are carnivorous, and weasel people, if angered, do not hesitate to attack in some way. This can be verbal assaults that cut deep and sure and inflict lasting wounds. Weasels are naturally silent when hunting, but they have a wide range of vocalizations. The worse thing an individual could do would be to assume that a weasel person was weak simply because he/ she was silent.

When weasel shows up as a totem, examine your life. Do you need to develop your observation skills? Are you being too vocal in your pursuits? Telling others about your goals will undermine your own pursuit of them. Are you not digging hard enough? Is there a narrow space that you may have to squeeze through? Are you or others around you being fully honest? If not, weasel will help you to see it. Are you missing the obvious? Are you not trusting your own feelings and senses-regardless of others?

Weasel medicine awakens your innate ability for silent and secret observation. It will show you the best techniques for circumventing trouble. It can teach you how to pursue your goals on any level with the greatest success.

WHALE

KEYNOTE: Creation, Power of Song, Awakening Inner Depths

CYCLE OF POWER: Year-round

The whale is the world’s largest mammal. Whales form part of a large group of warm blooded mammals adapted to life in the sea. Many myths speak of how all life upon the planet, especially human, sprang from the seas. Because of this and other reasons we will discuss, the whale is an ancient symbol for creation-be it of the body or our world.

The people of the Arctic are often considered the most careful observers of Nature, for only this would enable them to survive the most unforgiving of climates. The Inuit (Inupriaq) had a special relationship with the bowhead whale, and one of their legends tell how it was the most magnificent creation that the Great Spirit had made.

There are ninety or so different species of cetaceans or whales-including dolphins and porpoises. There are sperm whales, killer whales, pilot whales, narwhals, humpback whales, and the largest mammals on the planet, blue whales. All whales have blowholes by which they exhale. Imitating the spouting breath of whales can aid in freeing your own creative energies. All whales have blubber which serves to insulate and store energy for the whales. The whale can help teach you how to insulate yourself and use your own creative energies more conservatively. All whales also conserve oxygen under water by decreasing the blood flow to areas of the body where it is non-essential. Whales have an ancient knowledge of how to use the creative force of breath for a variety of purposes.

Most whales are divided into one of two groups, toothed and baleen. Toothed whales have sharp teeth by which they catch and eat fish and other marine animals. This group includes sperm whales, pilot whales, dolphins, and such. Most eat fish, squid, and other marine animals. They usually are found in herds or pods. Toothed whales have demonstrated great reasoning capabilities and even creative thinking at times. They can stimulate this in those with them as a totem.

Baleen whales do not have teeth. Their mouths are lines with bony plates made of hardened keratin. They strain sea water through these plates, feeding on the plankton or sea life within it. The baleen whales are the largest.

The humpback member of the baleen family is most noted for its wonderful song. The beautiful sounds are sung by the males, and each breeding season brings with it corresponding song changes. This reflects the ability of the whale to teach us how to create through sound and song, adjusting it to the time and place and individual. By drawing upon your own creative instincts, you can sing forth your own song.

Whales also have a form of sonar or echo-location. This sensitivity to sound again links the whale to the primal creative sounds of life. Sound is the creative force of life. Directing it and responding to its feedback is part of what the whale teaches. This can be used to tap hidden levels of your own mind or even to accelerate the manifestation of goals.

Whales at one time were also symbols of containment, concealment, and even resurrection. The Biblical story of Jonah and the whale is the prime example. For three days, Jonah lived within the belly of the whale before he came forth. He was given a second birth. He was resurrected. When we learn to go deep within our selves, the creativity that we awaken can resurrect our lives-if we bring it out and apply it.

Whales will occasionally breach-coming completely out of the water. Whale people are very creative, but they have to come out of those creative waters. They must stay in contact with the real world. Are you becoming lost in your own creative imagination? Are you not taking it and using it in your outer life? Are you keeping everything inside and afraid to let it out? If so, it is time to breach. Show the magnificence and power of your own creativity. Do not hold back.

If whales are showing up in your life, you should examine your use-or lack of use-of your own creativity. Are you not simply mimicking what others have done or are you building upon it in new and dynamic ways? Are you applying your own creative intuition to old processes and life formulas? This and this alone is what imbues them with power and magic.

Remember that the whale was a gift of the Great Spirit to the Inuit people. It was what enabled them to survive. It was the most beautiful of all beasts but it had practical uses as well. Creativity for the sake of creativity is not what whale teaches. It awakens great depths of creative inspiration, but so it can add color and light to your outer life to make it more wondrous.

WOLF

KEYNOTE: Guardianship, Ritual, Loyalty, and Spirit

CYCLE OF POWER: Year Round-Full Moons-Twilight

Wolves are probably the most misunderstood of the wild mammals. Tales of terror and their coldbloodedness abound. Although many stories tell otherwise, there has never been any confirmed attack and killing of a human by a healthy wolf. In spite of the negative press, wolves are almost the exact opposite of how they are portrayed. They are friendly, social, and highly intelligent. Their sense of family is strong and loyal, and they live by carefully defined rules and rituals.

Wolves are the epitome of the wild spirit. Their positive characteristics are so numerous it is no wonder that Native Americans and others practically deified them. Many believe that the true test of America’s sincerity about protecting the environment will revolve around whether or not the wolf remains protected and is allowed to be reintroduced into areas of the country where it has heretofore been eliminated. The wolf is the true spirit of the free and unspoiled wilderness.

There are several kinds of wolves in North America. The red wolf is the smallest and it may even be extinct in the wild, although there are efforts to reintroduce it. Its territory was in the southern United States. The Mexican wolf is a subspecies of the more common gray wolf. It is found in the southwest United States and Mexico. It was hunted almost to extinction, and is now part of a recovery and captive breeding plan. The Arctic wolf is probably the purest breed. Living in an isolated area around the Arctic circle has enabled its survival.

The gray or timber wolf is the most common. Only in Alaska, Canada, and the region around the Great Lakes area is it found today. It was hunted to extinction in all other areas of the country. The gray wolf is not always gray. It may be black, gray, brown, white, or various combinations.

Probably the biggest misconception of wolves is about their size. They are not nearly as large as most people imagine. Their thick fur gives an appearance of greater size, but they are usually no taller than a good-sized German Shepherd. Wolves are very ritualistic-in as many ways as humans. They live by carefully defined rules. There are specific territories that are sacred. Their social behavior is based upon a hierarchical structure. Each has its place and function within the hierarchy. There is an “alpha” male and an “alpha” female.

Wolves do not fight unnecessarily. In fact, they will often go out of their way to avoid it. Though they are extremely strong and powerful, disagreements rarely end in serious fights. Often a glance, a posture, a growl is all that is necessary to determine dominance. They don’t have to demonstrate it, but they are capable if it comes down to it. This is part of what wolf medicine teaches. The wolf teaches you to know who you are and to develop strength, confidence and surety in that so that you do not have to demonstrate and prove yourself to all.

Wolves have a complex communication system-using body language. The movement of the head, an erect tail, direct eye contact-all have great meaning. The postures are often subtle, but each wolf learns from the time they are pups how to read and respond. The facial expressions of the wolf are varied and useful in conveying the mood to other members of the pack. It is a most important visual center of communication. It also uses its tail position to effectively communicate as well. Usually those with wolf totems are very expressive with hands, posture, face or in some other manner. If you have difficulty conveying your moods and ideas to others, meditate and study the wolf. It will teach you how to empower your verbal communications with appropriate body language.

Wolves also have a complex system of vocal communications. They howl, whimper, whine, growl, and even bark. Even the howls for which they are famous have a variety of meanings. The howls may serve as a signal to call others of the pack or to locate the other members. They may be a social expression. They are used to greet one another and to define certain territories. They even howl just for the joy of it.

Every member of the pack knows its position in relationship to everyone else within that pack. The ritualistic behaviors that establish the wolf ranks are part of its magic. Wolf packs are not entirely autocratic-under the supreme rule of the alpha member. Neither are they democratic. There are times when both occur, and it is this flexibility which adds to the success of the wolf government. Wolf can teach the lesson of proper governorship-a balance between authority and democracy. Wolf can teach you how to use ritual to establish order and harmony within your own life. Wolf helps us to understand that true freedom requires discipline.

The alpha male and female often mate for life. Breeding season is usually in late winter, with the female giving birth about two months later. All members of the pack show great care and affection toward the playful pups. They are extremely tolerant. If the mother or father is unable to care for them, then another member will adopt the young. Some wolves will even serve as babysitters. Adult wolves are friendly and amiable toward pups, and wolf medicine teaches respect and honor for family and for children.

Wolves become sexually mature at about the age of 22-24 months. For those who have a wolf come to them, look for its energies and influence in your life to take this same possible time pattern.

Wolves are, of course, predators. Their prey consists most often of the sick, the young, and the old. Deer is their most common prey animal. Wolves will not waste much time on a healthy adult moose that stands its ground. Wolves travel great distances in their hunting. They have a stamina and strength that enables them to travel far, and for extended periods. They have been clocked at 24 to 28 miles per hour. Although the wolf can’t maintain that speed for any great length of time, it does seem able to trot indefinitely at about five miles per hour. In winter wolves will use frozen lakes and rivers as travel routes and can travel 15-25 kilometers in a single night.

Wolves usually consume all that they capture, gorging themselves. For those with wolf totems, this can indicate a need to make use of all that is available to you. Sometimes wolves show up as a totem to remind us not to waste, as much as to remind us to keep our spirits alive.

The wolf has an extreme intelligence. It goes out of its way to avoid trouble or danger. Some believe that wolves even use ravens as aerial spotters for possible food sources.61 The raven has a connection to the moose in Eskimo lore, and since moose can be a prey of wolves, raven is linked to them as well. Ravens will often follow wolves. They will fly ahead, land in a tree and wait for the wolves to pass, and then fly on again. Wolf expert David Mech reported a playful behavioral relationship sometimes displayed between wolves and ravens.62 Raven should also be studied by those with wolf totems.

Wolves have extremely keen senses, particularly that of smell. It is said to be one hundred times greater than that of humans. The sense of smell endows it with great discrimination, and the sense of smell has often been associated with spiritual idealism in metaphysical circles.

The wolf also has an excellent hearing sensitivity. Its hunting depends strongly upon its sense of smell and hearing. This would be a reminder to those with this totem to listen to their own inner thoughts and words. The intuition will be strong. This idea is even further emphasized by the thick coat of fur the wolf has. Fur and hair have long been symbols of psychic abilities. The wolf has both an inner coat and an outer, giving it the ability to reflect the archetypal forces associated with psychic insight.

The wolf has a capacity for making quick and firm emotional attachments. Learning to trust your own insights and to secure your attachments accordingly is part of what wolf medicine teaches. The wolf can help you to hear the inner and guard you from inappropriate actions. It will guard you as it teaches you-sometimes strongly, sometimes gently-but always with love. When wolf shows up, it is time to breathe new life into your life rituals. Find a new path, take a new journey, take control of your life. You are the governor of your life. You create it and direct it. Do so with harmony and discipline, and then you will know the true spirit of freedom.

[contents]

44. From Keepers of the Animals: Native American Stories and Wildlife Activities for Children by Michael J. Caduto and Joseph Bruchac, Fulcrum Publishing, Inc., 350 Indiana Street, #350, Golden, CO 80401 (303) 277-1624.

45. Ibid, pp. 161-162.

46. Excerpts from Crow and Weasel by Barry Lopez. Text copyright © 1990 by Barry Holstun Lopez. Reprinted by permission of North Point Press, a division of Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, Inc.

47. Hall, Manly P. The Secret Teachings of the Ages (Los Angeles: The Philosophic Research SOCiety, Inc., 1977), pp. CXCIV-CXCVI.

48. Sams, Jamie and Carson, David. Medicine Cards (Santa Fe: Bear and Company, 1988), pp. 205-207.

49. Limburg, Peter. What’s in the Name of Wild Animals (New York: Bobbs-Merrill Comp., 1975), p. 140.

50. Ibid, p. 140.

51. Knowles, Sir James. King Arthur and His Knights (New York: Longmeadow Press, 1986), pp. 103-119.

52. Lavine, Sigmund A. The Wonder of Faxes (New York: Dodd, Mead and Company, 1986), p. 13.

53. From Merlin by Norma Lorre Goodrich. Copyright © 1987 by Norma Lorre Goodrich. Used with permission of the publisher, Franklin Watts, Inc., New York.

54. McDearmon, Kay. Foxes (New York: Dodd, Mead and Company, 1981), p. 26.

55. Weidensaul, Scott. American Wildlife (New York: Gallery Books, 1989), p. 4.

56. Limburg, p. 115.

57. Sams and Carson, p. 109.

58. Cirlot, J. E. A Dictionary of Symbols (New York: The Philosophical Library, 1971), p. 139.

59. Limburg, p. 147.

60. According to the Random House Dictionary of the English Language (New York: Random House, 1970), p. 1081, a pheromone is “any of a class of hormonal substances secreted .. . stimulating a physiological or behavioral response ...”

61. Brower, Kenneth. “The Wolf Man of Riding Mountain,” Harrowsmith, ii:ll (September/October 1987), p. 75.

62. Meeh, 1. David. The Wolf (Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1970), p. 288.