The Healing Medicine of Spirit Animals, Guides, & Totems

“It is better to prevent than to cure.”
– Peruvian Proverb

We hear about Animal Spirits, Guides, and Totems, but what do they have to do with healing? If the Shaman-healer knows his animal companions as well as other of nature’s helpmates, they have clues that guide them further.

Your Animal Medicine

Ancient people felt that sickness originated with an angered god, an insulted nature spirit, or from breaking taboos. In effect, sickness resulted directly from deceptive, inattentive, or unconnected living. As the caretaker of the tribe’s spiritual and physical well-being, it fell upon the Shaman or wise people remedy this situation. Today we know we can be our own shaman and heal ourselves.

Be Your Own Shamanic Healer

The first step in healing began by mediating with spiritual forces on a person’s behalf. To accomplish this, the healer often interviewed a patient first, asking about recent dreams and other significant events. If the Shaman decided that his medicine could help the afflicted, he:

• Fasted
• Prayed
• Danced
• Chanted
• And he entered a trance state.

Then the shaman traveled to the astral realm seeking guidance and insight.

How long this whole procedure took depended on the severity of the problem, but eventually, a cure came forward and communicated to the patient. This “cure” frequently took the form of offerings and actions that would appease the offended spirit and correct the patient’s inappropriate living patterns. Without such correction, surely the sickness or another malady would return even worse than before. Alternatively, the patient might be instructed to wear an amulet and to follow a prescribed diet.

Today’s Shaman & Animal Spirit Communicator

Modernly, urban Shamans and wise people acknowledge the importance of the spirit world in healing, but know that this is only one part of achieving wholeness. Physical, psychological, and environmental issues all impact a person’s well-being. Modern medicine also plays a role these days and should be honored for its value. The hands of a sensitive physician can bear healing energy from Spirit too, along with his or her knowledgeable talents!

The difficulty for modern Shaman-healers is twofold. First, we are all too often unaware of any problem until it evidences itself. It is hard to “prevent” dis-ease without the on-going connection. Unless we’re acting as continuous spiritual counselors and guides for specific people or our figurative tribe, healing becomes a very tricky matter.

The second factor is deciding what magical or spiritual treatment will work best, considering the circumstances and whatever protocol modern medicine has prescribed. This determination depends heavily on the problem and the wise person’s aptitude with various metaphysical healing techniques. Most healers and Light Workers defer to the method they know best unless Spirit guides them otherwise. Even more importantly, this decision relies on a healer being aware of his or her personal medicine and how to apply it effectively in a variety of situations.

So, let’s say you or another shamanic healer decides calling in Spirit Animals, Guides, and Totems is the best medicine. What then?

You Can Talk to the Animals

Once a spiritual seeker understands the basics of communing with Animal Spirits, they can use that for gaining insight. Each animal has a message and meaning. Some even appear with a message before a person seeks greater insight.

Begin by calming your spirit and moving to a place in your home or a park that’s in the North. This is the Quarter governing animal medicine in the Native American tradition. This is where you should meditate and reach out with your question or concern. Once an animal appears in your mind’s eye, listen closely. Watch everything that animal does. Make notes afterward.

Spheres of Healing

Below is information on animal medicine. But, if you find yourself craving more details, visit our sister site, What Is My Spirit Animal.com for tons of information on Animal Totems and Guides.

Each creature that you may meet on spiritual journeys has its own power; it’s own medicine. That specific energy acts as a message as to how to heal – be it physically, emotionally or spiritually.

Consider the example of a relationship that’s become toxic. If Bear comes to a seeker, that indicates both parties need greater awareness and a willingness to really work on that partnership. A Spider Spirit, on the other hand, denotes a change in affairs. There are alternatives and good ways of approaching them without further damaging either person.

The Healing Counsel of Animal Helpers

Here is a brief overview of common Animal Helpers and their ascribed medicine:

Bear
Heals through empathy and nurturing.

Buffalo
Heals through prayer and forgiveness.

Crow
Heals through shapeshifting or by applying universal law.

Deer
Heals through emotional support and sensitivity.

Dog
Heals with service and giving.

Dolphin
Heals through breath and restores the life force.

Eagle
Heals the spirit.

Elk
Heals physical vitality and endurance.

Fox
Heals by encouraging adaptation and resolution.

Hawk
Heals communications skills and inaccurate perceptions.

Horse
Heals memory and encourages balance.

Lion
Heals by his or her life’s example.

Otter
Heals by teaching playfulness and renewing curiosity.

Owl
Heals with insightful truths.

Porcupine
Heals faith and trust.

Rabbit
Heals fear.

Raven
Heals using magical methods.

Skunk
Heals through humor and reclaimed self-confidence.

Snake
Heals by motivating active, participatory change.

Spider
Heals the lines of a person’s fate by offering alternatives and sound advice.

Squirrel
Heals disempowered people, or those lacking energy.

Swan
Heals intuitive senses.

Turtle
Heals by counseling retreat, grounding, and protection.

Whale
Heals through sounds (such as chanting or songs).

Wolf.
Heals psychically, and through tribal reconnection.

Working with Your Power Animal

Find Out More about Power Animals, Totems, and Animal Messengers at our Sister Site WhatIsMySpiritAnimal.com!

A healer’s power is not secondary to his or her power animal’s attributes. The healer works in tandem with this creature’s abilities and sometimes other people. Each individual’s personality and life experiences change his or her medicine quite a bit. Dramatic life changes, even more so.

Let’s say John knows he was born with an Eagle Totem. John’s connection with that totem stresses channeling energy from the Great Spirit. That means John could become a catalyst for remedying a person’s modes and methods of communication both mundanely and metaphysically. In this manner, your power animal, totem or guide becomes an intimate part of your medicine. You can also call on other totemic images for help in different areas as needed. They may not say yes, but there’s no rule against trying.

Once you understand your animal’s healing characteristics, it is time to think about how they blend with and augment your own natural magical abilities. Power animals and Totems generally help you summarily whenever you open the doorway for that assistance. Remember a Spirit Animal, and it’s associated medicine rarely intrudes unless something really important is at stake. So, take a moment before practicing any healing art to ask the appropriate creature to join and guide you.

Visit our sister-site, WhatIsMySpiritAnimals.com, and learn all about hundreds of Spirit, Totem, and Power Animals!

Based on “Shaman in a 9-5 World,” by Patricia Telesco. All rights reserved.