You can at any time call on the animal kingdom for assistance. Working with animal totems can be as simple as asking a question and going for a walk in nature, or as complicated as a full ritual to acknowledge a specific power animal – as long as you make the effort to open up to the natural world.
Working with Animal Totems for Healing
You may choose to work with an animal totem specifically for one energetic / healing / magickal working that would benefit from that animal’s medicine, guidance and power.
In terms of healing, many animals have unique resistance to certain diseases, and drawing upon that animal’s energy helps us/our patient be more resistant to it as well.
Calling upon the badger energy will allow the healing to penetrate deeper into the system. Many motions of Reike healers are similar to those used by ancient badger medicine people. Physically, badgers are incredibly tough and can survive venomous snake bites and hundreds of bee stings. They can be called on for venomous bites, poisonings and other toxin issues.
Animals that appear to us at times of illness can also be providing us with vital clues as to the best way to focus our healing energies. The spirit of a power animal may choose at times to enter the consciousness of one who has walked the Medicine Way (ie works with animal totem medicine) for many years, and align itself to aid in healings. This is part of the initiation process of Animal Medicine, and brings great power to the healer.
Some animals are archetypal symbols of healing, like the snake, as it sheds its old skin and moves into the new. As a symbol for transformation, by meditating and focusing on the snake during times of illness, it can assist in accelerating the healing process.
Animal Totems As Quarter Guardians
Some animals are associated with the quarters (four elements) and can be called in to activate and protect the quarters when working in circle.
Working with Animal Totems As Advisors & Guides
Totem animals are also great advisors and can be called on for help in particular situations. They can lead us and help us in sacred quests and journeys, as well as bring us direction about situations, choices, decisions and activities we’re involved in. A closer study of their characteristics and behaviours provides clues and insights as to what our own behaviours and actions should be in particular situations.
Crow Wisdom Includes:
Ability to move in space and time
Honouring ancestors
Ethics and Ethical behaviour
Carrier of souls from darkness into light
Guidance while working in shadow
Shape-shifter
Animal Totems As Teachers
You can also personally select a “power animal” – i.e. a totem animal to work with within the astral for a time (weeks, months or years) in order to learn specifically from that animal. All animals that come to us are teachers. They teach us about our own potentials, about energies at play within our lives and about our spiritual paths. We can learn something from every animal, but those that appear to us, and those that we choose to work with, can teach us special wisdoms.
Working with Animal Totems as Protectors
Animals are also protectors, and can be called upon to give us extra strength and energy. They can alert us to trouble, physically and spiritually.
Pay attention to what animals appear in your life in order to benefit from their messages of warning. You might find yourself having dreams of conflict in which an animal appears – the animal lets us know what qualities to draw on to handle the conflicts in our life.
Protection animals are not always big and ferocious – every animal has its own unique defence strategies and abilities. While bears can be powerful protectors for many aspects of life, the opossum can also serve as a protector, warning that things and people around us are not what they seem to be. We may need to “play possum” in some situations.
THIS IS THE LAST POST IN THE ANIMAL TOTEMS INTRODUCTORY SERIES – WE HOPE YOU’VE ENJOYED IT AS MUCH AS WE’VE ENJOYED SHARING IT WITH YOU!
If you’re inspired and would like to deepen your connection to Animal Medicine, we have an awesome crystal kit for just this purpose that you can check out below 🙂
Animal Communication Crystal Kit
This Crystal Kit contains crystals to enhance and strengthen your ability to communicate with the animal kingdom and animal healing work, contacting your animal spirit guides and working with animal totem medicine. It conveniently comes in a small pouch so you can easily carry it with you and always have it available on hand. You can also use it during meditation or simply place the stones in your home.
