What Are Animal Guides?

So, what are animal guides, really?  First, let's clear up the confusion about Shamanism, on the one hand, and the belief in Animal Spirit Guides, on the other. 
The term "Shaman" or "Shamanism" has been widely attributed to the Native American people, both as a practice and as a religion.   This is not accurate.  The true origin of the term "Shaman" is from native tribes in Siberia -- it describes a "holy person" or spiritual leader of the tribe.  There is actually a great and fundamental difference between the practice of Shamanism (which is, by the way, only one small spiritual practice within a religion, and not a religion onto itself), and that of the belief in animal guides or power animals.  One of the main differences lies in that in true Shamanism, the Shaman goes into a deep, ecstatic, trance-like state in order to interact with the spirits.  In contrast, recognizing and working with animal guides and power animals (which is more akin to Neo-shamanism -- the modern Western version of Shamanism) this is usually not the case.

The belief in animal guides, in one form or another, existed in many pre-Christian cultures around the world, even in the most unlikely places.  (You might be surprised to learn that many generations ago, your English or German ancestors once very much embraced some recognition of animal guides as part of their spiritual lives, but there is evidence that animal spirit belief systems could be found all across Europe.)

Over the last 30 years, Neo-shamanism has reintroduced to the modern world the concept of the animal guide or power animal through various New Age teachers and publications, in a manner which allows the modern man or woman to incorporate animal guides or power animals into their existing belief systems.  This is really what Shamanism always was in any event -- incorporating the recognition of and relationship with animal guides into an existing religious belief system -- as a
compliment to the spiritual life, rather than as the sole doctrine.  So it would be safe to say that almost anyone, regardless of their belief system, can incorporate into their lives the practice of recognizing and working with animal guides without compromising their fundamental religious beliefs. 

Animal guides are not "worshipped" or "deified" themselves, but rather recognized as
messengers from God/Spirit/Higher Power, etc., depending on own your belief system.  This is an important distinction to note, particularly when considering the incorporation of animal guides into a deeply ingrained religious belief system!  Those who were raised in a strict monotheistic spiritual background might at first glance feel very uncomfortable about the idea of forming relationships with animal guides for fear of compromising the fundamental doctrines of their religions; but to put this very ancient practice into Judeo/Christian terms (which is a little like putting the chicken back into the egg), working with animal guides is similar (in theory) to the concept of guardian angels.  It is also somewhat similar (again, in theory) to the practice of working with human spirit guides (see my page on Spirit Guides) -- the fundamental difference, of course, being that animal guides are animals, not humans, and have animal spirits and energies, and our interaction and relationship with animal guides will always reflect that distinction.  So, do you have to be of a certain religious or spiritual belief system to work with animal guides?  No, you don't -- it's a little like saying you have to be a Buddhist in order to practice Meditation.  However, if you are thinking to yourself right now that you are not really a "spiritual" person at all (note that I  said "spiritual" and  not "religious"), understand that at the very bottom of the belief in animal guides is that God/Spirit is "speaking" to you through the appearance and/or behavior of the animals.  Understanding this, you can see that you can't very well separate the basic "spiritual" aspect away from the belief in animal guides...it is not, of course, the animals who are doing the "speaking."

Power Animal Guides

It is important to note that there are two types of animal guides -- "Power Animals" or "Life Animals," which are with us for our entire lifetime.  There are more "transitory" animal guides, which move in and out of our lives for specific reasons.

Power animals are linked to the very core of the individual.  The primal essence of the animal guide comes to the individual from and through the power animal.  The individual normally exhibits personality and physical traits of their power animal -- a person with a deer spirit is likely graceful but somewhat nervous; while a person with a bear spirit may be a little slow moving and overly protective of family.  Through our spirit connection with the power animal, we learn much more about our basic natures than we otherwise might have understood -- both positive and negative -- and can even discover inherent "gifts" which have not been recognized or used properly. 

The tendency to want to "choose" our power animal is common, but is pointless.  Power animals choose the individual, not the other way around! A true power animal "chooses" the individual, recognizing a commonality within the soul of the individual that reflects its own basic nature.  Because of humankind's tendency to incorrectly perceive self, or at the very least not allow for honest analysis, it is wiser to allow the Power Animal to present itself to YOU based upon its unbiased and deeper perception of your true core nature.
If you begin your search for your power animal guide with preconceived notions that the jaguar, bear, lion, etc. must be your guide because you like its appearance or because you *think* its ferocity is in keeping with your personality, you are missing the point, and are probably leading yourself down the wrong path.  The size and physical traits of your power animal has very little to do with its actual "power" in terms of the energies it manifests within you -- an ant, for example, is highly intelligent, lives within a structured and well defined society, and can carry many, many times its own body weight -- hardly a "weak" power animal. 

As you begin to work to discover your power animal, have an open mind, and accept and thank what comes to you gladly --  whether it is the Bear, Spider, or Hummingbird.

Discovering Your Power Animal Guide

So, how do we find our power animals?  First, there is a relatively new concept within New Age circles designed to help you find your power animal -- divinatory cards or Power Animal tarot decks.  Power animals have traditionally revealed themselves to the individual through meditation, dreams, or sometimes in a manner in 'real life' which cannot help but grab the initial attention of the individual, which then becomes obvious upon later reflection and meditation.  Divinatory card decks might be a hepful tool as a final step in confirming meditative or dream visions, but should not be considered a first or definitive step in discovering one's Power Animal.  Yes, a power animal guide just might choose to reveal himself through a card reading, but again, this is not an entirely accurate or reliable method.  Unless you are already an experienced and seasoned divinatory practitioner, it would be unwise to rely upon a card reading alone to discover your power animal.  Moreover, the decks I have seen are extremely limited in their scope, and make it impossible for an individual to fully explore their true power animal.  Moreover, what the majority of these cards actually address is transitory animal spirits, rather than Power Animals, and only superficially at that.  Attempting to discover your power animal with the assistance of someone else is another risky business...some tarot readers or people who call themselves "Shamans" are offering to help individuals discover their power animals, either through a divinatory animal spirit reading or other methods.  I have no doubt that a true Shaman could help an individual ascertain his or her power animal; however, since the term "shaman" is used so loosely these days, it seems just about everyone is a shaman or a shaman priestess!  And since the process of discovering your true power animal is one that comes from within, either through meditation, prayer, or dreams, and since the process itself prepares the individual to accept the power animal, I would be reluctant to simply hand over that passage  to just anyone.

The best way to ask your power animal to make itself known to you is through prayer, meditation, or through your dreams.  If the animal happens to be  indigenous to your region, you may suddenly find yourself seeing the animal literally everywhere you go....but most of the time, the animal makes itself known in other ways.  Sometimes, in response to an individual's attempt to discover his or her power animal, the animal will choose to make itself known by inundating the person with images of itself -- on television, print ads, books, statues, greeting cards, etc. (or in a dramatic "get-your-attention-up-close-and-personal" manner) -- in more than sufficient quantity and frequency for the individual to "get it."

Regardless of how the animal chooses to reveal itself, the individual should always make sure that they are completely comfortable with the animal that is appearing.  If in a meditative vision or dream the animal is threatening or menacing or makes you uncomfortable in any way, you should consider this as a sign to wait a few days before attempting again.  If the animal truly is your power animal, it will return to you again under less upsetting circumstances.  (Not all animal spirits are necessarily friendly or predisposed to assisting mankind, so bear that in mind when trying to discover yours.)  However, in the end your true power animal will be friendly and non-threatening, so persevere when you face this type of challenge.

So to begin with, ask your power animal to reveal itself to you (through prayer, meditation or your dreams), directing your request to the animal guides themselves, to God/Spirit/your Higher Power -- whatever fits your belief system.  It may take you several weeks -- or more -- to discover your power animal, so do not become discouraged if it doesn't happen immediately.

Once an animal guide reveals itself to you, and you have reconfirmed to your satisfaction that it is in fact your power animal, be sure to thank it for making itself known to you, and honor it by welcoming its presence in your life.  Place a  representation of your power animal in your home, work, or car -- a picture, statue, or even a stuffed animal or t-shirt bearing their likeness.  Pershiable food, if used, can be placed outside for indigenous wildlife.  (It is always an appreciated and welcomed gesture, in any event, to recognize and honor the indigenous wildlife around you, regardless of whether or not your power animal is among them) when beginning to work with animal guides.  Something as simple as regularly leaving food for the birds and squirrels will be acknowledged and appreciated.

Now that you have discovered your power animal, don't feel as though you are done.  You have only begun to scratch the surface at this point.  Continue meditating or reflecting upon your power animal.  Study as much as you can about the animal -- where it lives, how it cares for its young, its hibernation cycle if any, its migration cycle if any, how and what it nests or beds in, its mating habits, the gestation period for female mammals, life span, physiology -- both physical characteristics and physical abilities, its diet, what it preys upon if it is carnivorous, and what preys on it, if it is not at the "top of the food chain in its indigenous regions.  The relationship between predator and prey is very important; don't miss this aspect of your power animal.  By studying not only your power animal, but its favorite or regular prey, as well as any animals that may regularly attempt to prey on it, you will gain a greater understanding about yourself in terms of your strengths, weaknesses, shortcomings, and possible pitfalls to try to avoid.  (And before you say it, just because your power animal has no natural predators, does not mean that it -- or you by virtue of its energies -- are somehow "invincible" or not susceptible to the same weaknesses as other animals.  Study your power animal to find its weaknesses -- does it have a tendency to steal other animals' food?  Does it tend to bully or harass other animals, even of different species, for territory? Look for it, and you will find it!)

The cyclical rhythms of your power animal will be important to know and understand.  Individuals with power animals that have their most powerful and effective energies in the Fall, for example, will want to apply and utilize those energies in their own lives.  Once you feel comfortable with your power animal, you can ask for help and guidance on a regular basis.  Pay attention to your dreams, seeming "coincidences" and random thoughts that occur to you for apparently "no reason" -- this is the realm of spirit communication, and it is easy to dismiss as your "imagination" or "fantasy."  But pay attention, despite your tendency to write these things off.  You will show your power animal respect (as well as to God/Spirit from whence the messages originate -- let's not forget, the animals are bringing a message, but are not the origin of the message itself) by listening.  If you remain receptive and maintain the relationship as you would any other in this world, they will return your energy and investment many times over.

Transitory Animal Guides

Once you are familiar with your power animal, you can then turn your attention to the transitory animal guides which are around you.  While it is important to discover your power animal, developing a keen understanding of the transitory animal guides in your life is in some ways even more empowering and enlightening. 

Transitory animal guides come into our lives for a duration of time -- a few weeks, months, or even a single day.  They act as teachers, companions, healers -- offering guidance and assistance with events transpiring in our lives or soon to come.   Transitory animal guides will appear to let us know we are misstepping or unnecessarily struggling in one aspect of our life or another...overworking at the expense of our relationships and health; remaining blind to unhealthy situations; difficulty in letting things go which have no control over.  They will also appear to prepare us and offer their own unique strength and energy when faced with challenging situations, and will appear to make us aware of new life paths and opportunities which are becoming available to us. They have also been known to suddenly appear in "response" to a question we have been internally wrestling with, and can sometimes surprise the individual by appearing "out of nowhere" in a manner which grabs the attention, and upon reflection, when exploring the nature of the animal and what it represents, we discover the answer to our question -- or at the very least, a fresh perspective on what the problem really is, rather than what we thought it was.  We may actively seek them out, by asking that the appropriate animal guide reveal themselves to us, or they may simply choose appear on their own.

It is not a good idea to jump into studying every animal you encounter until you have a solid relationship with your own power animal.  Of  course, as you begin working with animal guides, you may not even recognize the appearance of transitory guides (or on the other side of the spectrum, mistakenly assume that every living creature you encounter is bearing a message!)  Keep your eyes open, and you will likely notice over time that the same transitory animal guides will appear in response to the same types of circumstances, and it will be second nature for you to recognize them, and understand the message almost immediately.

A compliment to your starting point for the study of animal guides is Ted Andrew's book, "Animal Speak."  He covers some methods for discovering your power animal, and offers the general characteristics of many different animals.  It is a good jumping off point from where you can then go on to begin an in-depth study of animal guides.



What Are Animal Guides?

So, what are animal guides, really?  First, let's clear up the confusion about Shamanism, on the one hand, and the belief in Animal Spirit Guides, on the other. 
The term "Shaman" or "Shamanism" has been widely attributed to the Native American people, both as a practice and as a religion.   This is not accurate.  The true origin of the term "Shaman" is from native tribes in Siberia -- it describes a "holy person" or spiritual leader of the tribe.  There is actually a great and fundamental difference between the practice of Shamanism (which is, by the way, only one small spiritual practice within a religion, and not a religion onto itself), and that of the belief in animal guides or power animals.  One of the main differences lies in that in true Shamanism, the Shaman goes into a deep, ecstatic, trance-like state in order to interact with the spirits.  In contrast, recognizing and working with animal guides and power animals (which is more akin to Neo-shamanism -- the modern Western version of Shamanism) this is usually not the case.

The belief in animal guides, in one form or another, existed in many pre-Christian cultures around the world, even in the most unlikely places.  (You might be surprised to learn that many generations ago, your English or German ancestors once very much embraced some recognition of animal guides as part of their spiritual lives, but there is evidence that animal spirit belief systems could be found all across Europe.)

Over the last 30 years, Neo-shamanism has reintroduced to the modern world the concept of the animal guide or power animal through various New Age teachers and publications, in a manner which allows the modern man or woman to incorporate animal guides or power animals into their existing belief systems.  This is really what Shamanism always was in any event -- incorporating the recognition of and relationship with animal guides into an existing religious belief system -- as a
compliment to the spiritual life, rather than as the sole doctrine.  So it would be safe to say that almost anyone, regardless of their belief system, can incorporate into their lives the practice of recognizing and working with animal guides without compromising their fundamental religious beliefs. 

Animal guides are not "worshipped" or "deified" themselves, but rather recognized as
messengers from God/Spirit/Higher Power, etc., depending on own your belief system.  This is an important distinction to note, particularly when considering the incorporation of animal guides into a deeply ingrained religious belief system!  Those who were raised in a strict monotheistic spiritual background might at first glance feel very uncomfortable about the idea of forming relationships with animal guides for fear of compromising the fundamental doctrines of their religions; but to put this very ancient practice into Judeo/Christian terms (which is a little like putting the chicken back into the egg), working with animal guides is similar (in theory) to the concept of guardian angels.  It is also somewhat similar (again, in theory) to the practice of working with human spirit guides (see my page on Spirit Guides) -- the fundamental difference, of course, being that animal guides are animals, not humans, and have animal spirits and energies, and our interaction and relationship with animal guides will always reflect that distinction.  So, do you have to be of a certain religious or spiritual belief system to work with animal guides?  No, you don't -- it's a little like saying you have to be a Buddhist in order to practice Meditation.  However, if you are thinking to yourself right now that you are not really a "spiritual" person at all (note that I  said "spiritual" and  not "religious"), understand that at the very bottom of the belief in animal guides is that God/Spirit is "speaking" to you through the appearance and/or behavior of the animals.  Understanding this, you can see that you can't very well separate the basic "spiritual" aspect away from the belief in animal guides...it is not, of course, the animals who are doing the "speaking."

Power Animal Guides

It is important to note that there are two types of animal guides -- "Power Animals" or "Life Animals," which are with us for our entire lifetime.  There are more "transitory" animal guides, which move in and out of our lives for specific reasons.

Power animals are linked to the very core of the individual.  The primal essence of the animal guide comes to the individual from and through the power animal.  The individual normally exhibits personality and physical traits of their power animal -- a person with a deer spirit is likely graceful but somewhat nervous; while a person with a bear spirit may be a little slow moving and overly protective of family.  Through our spirit connection with the power animal, we learn much more about our basic natures than we otherwise might have understood -- both positive and negative -- and can even discover inherent "gifts" which have not been recognized or used properly. 

The tendency to want to "choose" our power animal is common, but is pointless.  Power animals choose the individual, not the other way around! A true power animal "chooses" the individual, recognizing a commonality within the soul of the individual that reflects its own basic nature.  Because of humankind's tendency to incorrectly perceive self, or at the very least not allow for honest analysis, it is wiser to allow the Power Animal to present itself to YOU based upon its unbiased and deeper perception of your true core nature.
What is Man without the Beasts?  If all the beasts were gone, Men would die from great loneliness of Spirit, for whatever happens to the Beasts also happens to Man.  All things are connected.  Whatever befalls the Earth befalls the Children of the Earth.
- Seathl, Duwamish Chief
There was a time not long ago when people recognized that they were a part of Nature, and that Nature was an inherent part of themselves.  All living things on Earth were given equal respect and significance -- man was not put above the plants and animals or even the Earth itself -- but rather lived in harmony with them.  Moreover, it was understood that the spirit world spoke to humankind through the natural world.
Animal Spirit Guides
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals

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