Animals of Spirit, Power and Totem have been a part of every major religion for centuries. The Greeks spoke to spirits and gods through oracles. The Native Americans also imitated animals in dance and ceremonial rituals to establish links to the spirit world.

Ancient traditions teach that each person comes into life existence with one or more animal guides from the spirit world. It is also believed that the person and their "life-long" spirit totem animals share a spiritual, energetic connection in which the animals serves as an ally, guide, teacher, protector, and a source of power throughout the person’s life.

Native American folklore also teaches that over the course of a person's life, one may have nine spirit totem animals that represent their personal medicine, emulate their talents, and to also provide a source of inspiration for improving ones self and life patterns. It is believed that seven of the spirit totem animals guide and teach during specific periods of the life journey, while the remaining two walk on the right and left sides of a person and provide influences all through one's life. A spirit animal is referred to by many different terms, such as, “spirit guide”, “power”, or “totem” animal.

Traditionally the totem power animal spirit would first come to an individual through a dream, vision quest or pilgrimage to a sacred place of power, meditation, or through an encounter with it in the physical world in which its presence and relationship availability is communicated.

The spirit totem animal offers its power, teaching, medicine, protection, wisdom and unique gifts to help a person learn and grow within one’s life. The totem spirit animal has the ability to enrich a person's life and to empower them with it's power. It serves as an intermediary between the spirit world and the physical world and helps one to realize, evolve and fulfill the full spectrum of their divine life purpose.

In opening the doorway to a spirit totem animal, it is essential for the animal to have a sacred home within the consciousness and life of the person to whom it is connected, and for the animal’s being to be honored on a regular basis through prayer, song, tobacco or corn meal offering and other practices which enable the relationship to prosper. It is also important to invite the totem spirit in to your body, mind and spirit so it can teach you what it has to offer in the way of wisdom and guidance from the physical and spirit world.

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Spirit Totem Animals appear in a person's life to teach attributes, powers or lessons, and for achieving a specific purpose. The following is a list of many different types of spirit totem animals that one may encounter within their life:


Life-Long Spirit Totem Animal is an animal from the spirit world that we are connected to from birth. This animal will be with us throughout our life. It will guide us and teach us it’s powers and serve as an intermediary between the physical and spirit world.

Journey Spirit Totem Animal is an animal that guides you for a period of days or even years. It will be with you until completion of the lesson or path it is guiding you on.

Message Spirit Totem Animal is an animal that appears to teach a lesson or a specific growth attribute or give a warning. These types of animals are usually an encounter that leaves a powerful impression or significance with a person.

Shadow Animal Spirit Totem is an animal that represents the inner self and fears that must be overcome or lessons to be learned in order to evolve spiritually. This animal has great power and will put us through life-lesson tests in order to gain wisdom and growth. This totem animal changes throughout your life in accordance with the level of evolvement being attained with its presence.

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The following is a partial listing from the animal, bird, fish, insect, mammal and reptile kingdom; and a brief description of the many attributes, lessons and power they bring into our lives:

Alligator: Integration, Initiation Anaconda: Foresight Ant: Patience Antelope: Action Armadillo: Boundaries Badger: Aggressive Bat: Rebirth Bear: Introspection Beaver: Building, Goals Bee: Working together Beetle: Regeneration, Resurrection Blackbird: Energy, Understanding, New Blue Heron: Self-reflection, Self-reliance Blue Jay: Creative controversy Bobcat: Silence, Secrets Boar: Confrontation Buffalo: Abundance Bull: Fertility Butterfly: Transformation Camel: Use of resources Canary: Power of song and voice Cardinal: Renewed vitality Caribou: Physical fitness Cat: Magic, Mystery, Tactile senses Centipede: Coordinated efforts Chameleon: Mastering change Cheetah: Precision Chipmunk: Respect Cobra: Enlightenment Cow: Contentment Coyote: Trickster Cricket: Luck, Sound Crow: Divine law Deer: Gentleness Dinosaur: Ancient wisdom Dog: Loyalty Dolphin: Life energy, Power of breath Dove: Inner peace Dragon: Conscious awareness Dragonfly: Illusions Duck: Free will Eagle: Spiritual connection, Enlightenment Elephant: Obstacle remover Elk: Stamina Emu: Reason Falcon: Questioning Ferret: Solving mysteries Finch: Desire Firefly: Sharing self Flamingo: Open-heartedness Fox: Camouflage Giraffe: New horizons Goat: New endeavors, Blessings Goose: Elder wisdom Grasshopper: Leap forward Hawk: Messenger Hen: Nurturing Horse: Power Hummingbird: Joy Hyena: Laughter Jackal: Cleverness Jaguar: Personal integrity Jellyfish: Intent Kangaroo: Guardianship Kestrel: Proper values Koala: Thoughtfulness Ladybug: Unexpected gifts, Surprises

Lark: Freedom from worry Leopard: Power of choice Lion: Pride Lizard: Dreaming Mockingbird: Soul Purpose, Counseling Mole: Retrieval Mongoose: Courage Monkey: Family Issues Moose: Self Esteem Moth: Out-of-body exploration Mountain Lion: Leadership Mouse: Scrutiny, detail oriented Mule: Allowance Newt: Miracles Octopus: Versatility Opossum: Strategy Oriole: Social Behavior Ostrich: Grounded, Astute Otter: Playfulness Owl: Wisdom, Discernment Ox: Sacredness Panther: Embracing unknown, Power Parakeet: Hospitality Parrot: Developing skill Peacock: Visualization Pegasus: Immortality Pelican: Hidden resources Penguin: Unity, Astral projection Pig: Intellect Porcupine: Innocence, Trust Praying Mantis: Positive focus Quail: Reservation Rabbit: Listening, Fear, Fertility Raccoon: Protection, Dexterity Ram: Breakthroughs Raven: Magic Rhinoceros: Forcefulness Roadrunner: Mental alertness Robin: Parenting Rooster: Ambition Salamander: Fire power and medicine Sea Horse: Androgyny Sea Lion: Intuition, Imagination Shark: Warning, Signs Sheep: Congeniality Shrimp: Recognition Skunk: Reputation Snail: Taking it easy Snake: Transmutation Spider: Creativity, Dream-Weaver Squirrel: Gatherer, Planner Starfish: Hope, Inspiration Stork: Growth Swan: Gracefulness Tiger: Unexpected lessons, Passion Turkey: Harvest, Shared blessings Turtle: Earth Mother, Fertility Unicorn: Unconditional love Vulture: Purification, Releasing Weasel: Stealth Whale: Destiny Wolf: Teacher, Pathfinder Wolverine: Fearlessness Woodchuck: Decisions Woodpecker: Protection Yak: Healing stillness or numbness Zebra: Non-judgmental behavior

To learn more about your personal animal spirit guide, visit the page for: Discovering Your Animal Totem.

To read more about the fascinating views and facts about the animals we have around us in spirit, visit the page for: Featured Animal Articles.