(excerpted from Animal Spirit Guides by Dr. Steven Farmer)
Those spirits that are in animal form that teach us, guide us, empower us, and help us heal are called animal spirit guides or spirit animals. In shamanic and indigenous cultures they’re usually called totem animals or power animals. Often these terms are used interchangeably, although there are subtle differences in meaning.
The term totem animal has two meanings. First, a totem
animal is typically one that is shared by a family, clan, or group. In
indigenous cultures, the family you were born into all have a totem
animal in common. In modern societies, various groups also have communal
totems, such as sports teams or clubs that identify with a totem
animal. A second meaning of totem animal is a representational object of
a particular animal, like a small tortoise, owl, raccoon, or hawk
figurines. We often give our children totem animals, like teddy bears or
bunny rabbits to give them comfort.
The term power animal has its origins in shamanism. This is a
specialized animal spirit guide the shaman or shamanic practitioner
acquires early in their initiation into their practice. Their power
animal travels with them whenever they go on a shamanic journey, which
is an altered state of awareness in which the practitioner sends his
soul or consciousness into non-ordinary reality—another term for the
spirit world—to receive teachings, guidance, and healings. You can,
however, have a relationship with a power animal even if you’re not a
shaman or shamanic practitioner. They may come to you in meditations,
visions, dreams, or shamanic journeys. It’s a highly personal and
specialized relationship with an animal spirit guide, one where the
personality and characteristics of the particular power animal that you
have attracted to you are reflective of your own personality and
characteristics.
Although every creature on the planet can be an animal spirit guide,
in some traditions domesticated animals can’t be power animals because
they’ve lost much of their wildness and are removed from the natural
world. Likewise, some traditions believe that insects are to be excluded
from being power animals because of their size and nature. I have,
however, included both domesticated animals and some insects such as
butterfly and dragonfly my book, and even two mythological animals,
dragon and unicorn, to account for those who have enough of a special
relationship with them to call them power animals.
However to experience the tremendous value of working with animal
spirit guides you don’t need to be a shaman, have any interest in
shamanism, nor be associated with an indigenous culture. For most
purposes you don’t even need to be concerned as to whether an animal
spirit guide is a totem or power animal. Instead, consider these
wonderful beings as spiritual allies that want to reach out to each and
everyone one of us who are open to their guidance and, when called with
sincere intent, will respond.
One of the great advantages of working with animal spirit guides is
that the actual animal is physically and symbolically present in so many
ways throughout every society and culture on earth. Because of their
abundant representations in third-dimensional reality, they’re
continually in our consciousness. Depending on how and in what way they
show up in the material world, whether in the flesh or as a symbol,
their appearance can be a representative of the spirit of that animal.
When an animal shows up in an uncommon way or repetitively as spirit
guide, that animal isn’t just the single animal, but is representing the
entire species. The hummingbird that flits about and then hovers for
several seconds directly in front of you isn’t just a hummingbird but is
carrying with her the essence of all hummingbirds, and is
therefore Hummingbird with a capital “H.” That’s also why when we speak
of an animal spirit guide, we leave out the “a” or “an” as a way of
recognizing and honoring that spirit animal. The hawk that visited me
wasn’t only a hawk, but in those instances was representing the essence
of all hawks, and was therefore Hawk.
Not only do these spirit animals help us in many ways, but another
positive effect is that you’ll deepen your appreciation for the magic
and mystery of all animals, whether they are of the air, water, or the
land. Every being on this beautiful and majestic planet has its place in
the web of life, and as we develop our consciousness and awareness of
the unique quality of animal spirit guides, we enhance our relationships
with all of our animal brothers and sisters.
