Totem/Power Animals Native American and Celtic Shamanistic beliefs are strong on animal symbols.

These symbols are referred to as "Totem" or "Power Animals." You ll often hear the two referred to synonymously! but those that follow traditional Native beliefs e"#lain that a Totem Animal is one that is with you for life! it is often an animal with whom you share a connection$$either through interest in the animal or your own characteristics of the animal in %uestion. A Power Animal or S#irit Animal is a s#irit in animal form that comes through with a s#ecific lesson for you! and will change throughout the course of your life. Personally! & ta'e a ste# bac' and view them (ust li'e normal s#irit guides! elementals! and the li'e) they re here from the other side to hel#. &f you ve been receiving symbolism of an animal during meditations or dreams! the list below may hel# you to #in#oint the #ur#ose of the creature s a##earance. Note that as your Totem Animal may not a##ear real clearly to you at first! you ll want to chec' various similar animal ty#es *alligator vs. crocodile! for e"am#le+ before assuming that it s a s#ecific one. ,hen & first attem#ted to establish contact with my own #ower animal! & thought that it was an otter! but it turned out instead to be a ferretthe two have very different symbolic meanings. Also be aware that some animals may have s#ecific meaning to you other than what is listed below. This list is not meant to su#ercede your own symbolic meanings! but rather instead to su##lement it. Always go with your own instincts. Alligator) .aternal #ower! revenge! %uic'ness! aggression! basic survival instincts Ant) /etermination! industrious nature! hard$wor'ing! following a grou# mentality! action! #atience! being a team #layer Anteater) 0ethargy! curiosity! nosiness Antelo#e) Action! agility! sacrifice! (um#iness Armadillo) Safety! boundaries! medicine shield! being grounded 1adger) Courage! aggression! healer! energy conduit! earth 'nowledge! having #roblems relating to others 1at) 2ebirth! longevity! secrecy 3 initiation! good listener! viewing #ast lives! letting go of our fears of or misinformation that no longer serves us 1ear) ,atcher! world$guardian! giver of strength! courage/will#ower! self$#reservation! intros#ection! going inside yourself for answers! studying the im#ortance of dreams! instinct! healing 1eaver) 4verseer! strong will! determination! builder! #rotector 1ee) 4rgani5er! #roductivity! wisdom! fertility! defensiveness! having an obsessive nature

1oar) 6"em#lary of the life$giving energy of the sun 1uffalo) Abundance! gratitude! strength! #rayer 1ull) &nsight into the #ast! fertility! rushing into things without #ro#er #re#aration 1utterfly)1alance!transformation/metamor#hosis! successful #ro(ect! grace! ability to acce#t change Caribou) Traveler! mobility! #reference to be nomadic! ada#tability to adversity Cat) 7unter! meditation! inde#endence! %uic' recovery! freedom of thought! seeing that the #hysical and s#iritual realms are one Cheetah) Swiftness! insight! focus Cougar) 0eadershi#! loyalty! courage! ta'ing res#onsibility for your life! foresight Cow) .oveable wealth! value! #roviding for daily needs! the #ower of community sharing Coyote) Stealth! mischief! recogni5ing your mista'es! ability to laugh at yourself! bedevilment! clowning around! enforcer of 'armic laws Crane) Solitude! (ustice! longevity! vigilance! intelligence Crocodile) 6nsuring your emotions are dis#layed accurately/a##ro#riately Crow) 8ustice! balance! releasing #ast beliefs! greed! resourcefulness /eer) Com#assion! #eace! gentleness! sensitivity! 'indness! unconditional love /og) 0oyalty! friendshi#! nobility /ol#hin) ,isdom/ha##iness! de#th of emotions! #layfulness! harmony! intelligence! communication! hel#er with dream inter#retations! childli'e! se"ual /ove) Cross$world communication! s#irit messenger! #eace! gentleness! love /ragon) 2iches/Pros#erity *can be intuitive/s#iritual rather than material+! 'nows the answer to riddles! ancient wisdom! longevity! infinity /ragonfly) &nstruction on brea'ing through illusions *es#ecially those that are self$ created+! gaining #ower through dreams! imagination! higher as#irations! carefree nature /uc') ,ater energy! hel#er of seers! can clearly see/deal with emotions 6agle) 2ising! sun$circling! #otency! freedom! illumination! connection to the soul/creator

6le#hant) &m#ortance of discernment! affection! loyalty! caring for young/old/sic'! #eaceful strength! wisdom! royalty! regality 6l') Power! ma(esty! #ride! agility! honoring your gender 9alcon) New beginnings! adventure! leadershi#! healing the soul 9erret) See ",easel" 9ish) :racefulness! slyness! o#en$minded! %uic' to change one s mind 9o") Cleverness! discretion! cunning! %uic' wit! camouflage 9rog) 6motional healing! cleansing! #eace! change! ada#tability! (um#ing from the material to the s#iritual! water energy! #oor character (udgment :a5elle) The soul! aggressiveness :iraffe) Communication! intuition! attaining the unreachable! seeing the future :oat) Surefootedness! stubbornness! inde#endence! diligence! lac' of foresight :oose) /emanding of ones self! reliable! rigid! love of home! safe return! ever$searching nature :orilla) 9amily$oriented! intelligence! strength! environmental #rotector! 'ee#s #eace through aggression :rouse) Personal #ower! self$teaching! intuition! enlightenment 7aw') All$seeing! observation! truth! awareness! #erce#tiveness! re#resentative of #rimal life force 7edgehog) /efensiveness! self$#reservation! abrasive #ersonality! #ossessing a solitary nature 7orse) 9reedom! beauty through strength! movement! mobility! stamina! mobility! message$carrier! astral travel! sharing #ower with others 7ummingbird) 9ierce warrior! #leasure! feathers bear love magic! (ob! ability to see beauty! easily distracted &guana) Patience! understanding 8aguar) Chaos! sha#e$shifting! #sychic em#owerment 0ion) 2oyalty! sun$symbol! courageous guardian! #rotector! #ride! leadershi#! wisdom! #ower! family! the #ower of feminine energy

0i5ard) ;ision! letting go! self$#rotection! brings forth subconscious ho#es and fears! conservation! letting go of the ego! dream recall! hidden defenses! 'nowing when to bac' off 0lama) Comforting others 0oon) Serenity! good orator! (udgmental! can come across as uncaring or unsym#athetic 0yn") Secret$'ee#er! guardian! guide! listener! manifestation of s#iritual force and controlled #ower .anatee) :entleness! loving! childli'e .on'ey) Ability to change the environment! health! success .oose) 7eadstrong! longevity! steadfastness! wisdom! self$esteem .oth) Transformation! movement into shadows! finding the light .ouse) 6ye for detail! noticing the little things! scrutiny! organi5er Nightingale) Soft$tem#ered! easy demeanor! soothing s#ea'er! graceful movements! 'ee#er of the night 4cto#us) Protection through distraction! intelligence! getting #ast negative barriers! multifaceted! s'illed in many areas 4#ossum) /iversion! deceit! strategy! sensibility 4tter) 8oy! laughter! 0ightness! dynamic energy! #layfulness and the im#ortance of #laytime! freedom from (ealousy or sus#icion! feminine #ower and nurturing 4wl) ,ise! watcher! fate$seer! riddler! silence! vision! insight! seeing hidden motives in others! clairvoyance 4") Sacrifice! self$denial! chastity Panda) &m#ortance of slow! determined #ace! ada#tability Panther) Protection! hidden emotions! intros#ection! caution! careful decisions Parrot) Communication! beauty! guide for wisdom! moc'ery! thin'ing before s#ea'ing Peacoc') &mmortality! dignity! self$confidence Penguin) 9ather$nurturing! #atience! astral #ro(ection! se"es wor'ing together! family orientation Pig) See "Sow"

Polar 1ear) Solitude! overcoming adversity! rebirth! #atience! s#irit communication! strength! brea'ing through emotional barriers Porcu#ine) &nnocence! trust! com#anionshi#! humility Prairie /og) Swiftness! industrious! constructive! #re#aredness Puma) Com#anion on (ourneys to other worlds! grace! silent #ower <uail) :rou#$wor'! team #lay! creator of harmony and grou# tolerance! #rotectiveness *es#ecially toward children+ 2abbit) 9ertility! fear! timidity! humility! hidden s'ills! borrower 2accoon) Curiosity! cleanliness 2at) 9ertility! stealth! scavenging! intelligence! en(oys lu"ury 2aven) Tric'ster! intros#ection! self$'nowledge! wise in oracles/omens! messenger! mystery! otherworldly travel! watcher for the gods! need to ma'e changes in the way you #erceive things 2ooster) ;anity! li'es to be showered with gifts and attention! early riser! settling for nothing less than the best Salamander) 7idden things or traits! camouflage in the face of adversity Salmon) /etermination! #ersistence! #ride! intensity! trusting but not trustworthy Seagull) ;ersatility! loud! easy$going nature! creativity! la5iness Seahorse) Confidence! grace! male energy! good at dealing with emotions! courtshi# #osturing! beauty of the ocean Seal) Contentment! lucid dreaming! #rotection from danger! creativity! listening to our inner voice! gentleness! ada#tability! tal'ative! #layfulness Shar') Survival! hunter! ada#tability! #ower! danger! senses in(ury! ever$moving Shee#) :rou# comfort! warmth! #atience! fertility! rebirth S'un') Presence! re#utation! self$res#ect! e"#ression of the self without ego Snail) Perseverance! tender nature *sometimes des#ite a cold fa=ade+ Sna'e) Transformation! se"ual #otency! #ro#hecy! life$force! letting go the things that no longer serve you! im#ulsiveness Sow) 6arth magic! intelligence! things sacred! ancestral 'nowledge

S#ider) 9ate! creativity! seeing how things you do in the #resent affect your future! balance between #ast and future S%uirrel) Antici#ation of future! #lanning ahead! being #re#ared! swiftness Stag) 9orest$lord! masculine regeneration! giver of bounty and beauty! mystical signs Stor') .essenger of rebirth Swan) :uide into dreams! handling change with grace and dignity! dream inter#retation! divination! s#iritual growth Tiger) Passion/sensuality! silent solitary #ower! heightened sense of touch! valor Toad) Altered state of consciousness! changing luc'! adversity! longevity! courtshi# via the use of sound Tortoise) 9eeling at home anywhere! grounding! #atience! #eaceful nature! ancient wisdom! feminine energy and healing! #sychic #rotection Tur'ey) :enerosity! sharing! #atience! attentiveness! following the grou#! challenge Turtle) Shyness! nurturing! mother energy! #rotection! healing! 'nowledge! grounded! earth magic >nicorn) .a'ing dreams come true! virtue! beauty! weather #atterns! connection with the woodland and the beings within ,alrus) Tric'ster! solitude! a##reciates individuality and creativity! can be disres#ectful of others ,easel) Seeing beneath the surface for intent/meaning! develo#ing clairaudience! ingenuity! #aying attention to inner voice! 'een! tric'y! revenge! cunning! #layful! observant ,hale) ,isdom of the ages! #rovider! intelligence! 'indness! gentle nature! highly #sychic and intuitive! tele#athic! clairaudient! record$'ee#ing ,olf) Pathfinder for the human s#irit! 'nowledge! teaching s'ill! hel#ing in finding the life$#ath! loyalty! coo#eration! free s#irited! mating for life! facing death with dignity! #erseverance! fighting only when necessary! ta'ing advantage of change ,ood#ec'er) Sensitivity! #rotection! devotion Ya') Ancient wisdom! understanding of higher #ur#ose! self$doubt! lac' of control over emotions ?ebra) Seeing things in star' contrast! certainty! individuality amidst a crowd! balance! trusting your #ath