Spirit animal and their meanings

Animal Meanings | Spirit Animal Symbolism

Animal Meanings A-ZElena Harris2021-08-09T14:11:33-08:00

Looking for A Spirit Animal?

Spirit animals carry meaning, wisdom, and power. Finding out what your spirit animal or totem means is like a going on a journey. Meanings will be revealed as you deepen your personal connection with it. Here are tools to help you go beyond generic animal symbolism and connect with the true essence of your power animal.

Top 5 Spirit Animals

Owl spirit animal

Animal Meaning: Access to intuition and wisdom, seer.

Bear spirit animal

Animal Meaning: Strength, confidence, healing, grounding.

Hawk spirit animal

Animal Meaning: Focus, clear vision, perspective, spirit messenger.

Fox spirit animal

Animal Meaning: Discernment, responsive, agility, smart.

How To Find Your Spirit Animal

When developing a meaningful relationship with your spirit animal, prepare yourself to explore a world where you can rely more on your imagination and intuition, rather than only using your intellectual abilities and rational mind.

There are many different ways to find your spirit animal:

Meditation
Going in nature and observing
Calling the animal
Process of self-inquiry
Writing about it in your journal
Imagination
Journeying with sound

These are a few methods among many used to find the animal or animals you have a special connection with. >> Learn more on how to find your spirit animal.

Spirit Animal Symbolism

Animals are omnipresent in our lives whether they are pets or live in the wild, yet we often lack a clear understanding of their symbolic nature and what they could mean. When we relate to the spirit of animals, they may offer us powerful insight.

In the world of spirit animals, animals can symbolize:

Aspects of your personality
Skills or traits that we have cultivated successfully or have yet to develop
A situation or emotions that have recently arisen
Spirit animals can also offer guidance, an intuitive understanding

Search the list above for more information.

How to develop a meaningful connection with your spirit animal

When we bond with an animal spirit guide, we are encouraged to:

Discover ourselves, get a felt sense of our strengths and weaknesses, the skills we have developed and our potential
Loosen up our personality and habits and open up to transformation
Open up to new perspectives on our relationship with nature and the earth as a whole
Feel the power of the animal and be inspired by its qualities
Call on the animal spirit to get support and guidance

Connecting with spirit animals brings new understanding about ourselves and our relationship with our world. When we cultivate our connection with animals and their spirit, we form powerful bonds with allies and guides that can help us in learning more about ourselves, engaging in life more fully and facing challenges.

Discover Your Spirit Animal

Is it the Owl or the Butterfly? Find out now with the new Spirit Animal Quiz. This free online quiz will help you find your spirit animal the easy way.

Reveal My Spirit Animal Now

The Purpose of Spirit Animals

Spirit animals carry meaningful messages and lessons for those who are listening and know how to decode them. A function of your spirit animal to guide you and bring to your attention something that needs to be acknowledged, dealt with or a skill you could use or develop further.

Spirit animals can provide guidance on:

An aspect of yourself that is already strongly developed or needs to be explored more
A situation or environment in your everyday life that has a strong emotional impact
A life direction you could consider or reflect on

Your Eerie Moon Forecast For Today

I've got something special for you today. It’s more influential than your star sign and contains the most precise and accurate guidance system you’ll ever get. I'm talking about your Moon Sign and Moon Phase! Yes -- the sign and phase of the moon at the exact moment of your birth reveal more about you than you could possibly imagine. Together they influence your strengths and passions...and reveal your potential for abundance, love, and prosperity. >> Get your free personalized video Moon Reading here.

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Ultimate Guide To Spirit Animals, Power Animals & Totems

Home NewElena Harris2021-12-21T15:38:54-08:00

Select a Spirit Animal

Discover Your Spirit Animal

Discover your spirit animal with the new Spirit Animal Quiz. This online quiz is designed to help anyone curious about spirit animals to quick start their journey through this fascinating world.

Take The Spirit Animal Quiz Now!

Today’s Message of Wisdom from Spirit Animals

The Bear says…

Deep in slumber, dreams unending,
Wise old bear, patient, strong,
Send me dreams of transformation,
Grant me intuition along
With introspection of my life,
Inner listening, no more strife.

– D.J. Conway, Animal Magick

Learn about the Bear Spirit Animal

Learn about the Hawaiian Spirit Animals

Spirit Animal News

There are now 2 Spirit Animal Tests available! We wanted to give our readers fun and free ways to discover more animals and apply those meanings to their lives. We believe that all the spirit animals have value to add, if we can only unlock their meaning…

What’s My Spirit Animal?

What Animal Are You?

Spirit Animal of the Week

The Panther: The panther symbolizes courage, valor and power. If the panther is your power animal, you are blessed with a fierce guardian. The panther totem animal encourages us to understand the power within the shadows and to acknowledge these powers to help eliminate our fear of the dark and unknown.

Learn about the Panther Spirit Animal

How To Find Your Spirit Animal

Spirit Animal List: The Spider

The spider is a mysterious spirit animal that works in the depths of our world and psyche. The weaver of fate and destiny is never far from teaching us about the intricate connections between actions, events, and chance. It shows us how to carefully move forward in life while trusting everything has its place.

Learn more about the Spider spirit animal

Get the full list of animal meanings

Top 5 Power Animals

Featured Power Animal: The Wolf
The Wolf’s spirit is fiercely independent and teaches us about trusting our path solo or with the rest of the pack. Call on the Wolf spirit animal to guide you during moments when you venture out into the unknown or need help understanding the rules of the game.

Learn about the Wolf power animal

View Top 5 Most Popular Animals & Their Meaning

About Spirit Animals

About SpiritAnimal.info

Following the footsteps of traditions from all around the world, this guide on spirit animals also offers a contemporary perspective on this fascinating subject. Blending modern psychology, intuitive work, in-depth research, and personal experience, it provides information easy to read and understand for anyone curious about animals and their power.

Elena Harris, SpiritAnimal.info Editor, tells more about SpiritAnimal.info, the intention, purpose and hopes behind the creation of this guide.

Connect With Your Spirit Animal

A spirit animal characterized by a personal relationship to the individual it is associated with. You can have one or several spirit animals throughout your life, during a specific phase of your life, or at specific occasions.

It is that connection at the individual level that differentiates the power animal from the animal totem that tends to symbolize a group or person’s identity. As such, power animals are the equivalent of animal spirit guides or spirit animals.

Your spirit animal often represents qualities and attributes that you may see in yourself. It is instructive to learn about the habits and characteristics of your power animal and see how they are reflected in your own personality and life.

What is the Difference Between a Spirit Animal and a Power Animal?

The terms “spirit animal” and “power animal” are often used interchangeably, even though they have slightly different meaning depending on the context in which they are used.

Spirit Animal Definition

Spirit animals are typically associated with traditional as well as modern Western shamanic practices. During initiations or shamanic journeys, the shaman would find one or several animals that she or another person is associated with. Traditionally, the spirit animal is used for guidance.

Think of your spirit animal as a guardian spirit or spirit guide. It can play the role of protector and provides guidance. It’s like a “personal guide or protector” that has a personal affinity with the person it’s associated with.

Power Animals

In addition, the spirit of the animal could unite with the person it “chose” in more personal ways and one will often find similarities in traits of personality, characteristics, and synchronicity between the two. As such, the power or essence of the animal can be felt or communicated. In that sense, spirit animals can also be referred to as “power animals”.

On this web site, the terms spirit animal, animal spirit guide and power animal are used interchangeably.

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what is it and how to recognize it

Published: March 24, 2022, 21:59

Spirit animal: what it is and how to recognize it: Unsplash/Robert Norton

In many legends of the world, including religious ones, there is an idea of connection between man and nature, with the animal kingdom. What is a totem animal and how to determine your powerful patron? The choice and technique for unlocking the potential of a personal totem was explained by Sigmund Freud, Ted Andrews and Irina Shishkina.

A totem animal in a person's life

As a personal spirit, amulet and guide, a totem animal accompanies a person from the moment of his birth to his last breath. Whose invisible power influences people and how is it expressed?

What is a spirit animal?

A totem is a person's guardian spirit, which appears in the form of an animal. He comes to a newborn baby, helps him become an adult, strong, successful person, accompanies and protects him on the path of life. A patron from the subtle world has certain habits, strength and influence.

Totemism as a religious and social system originated centuries ago. It can be traced in the history of the tribes and peoples of America, Australia, Africa, India, existed in Ancient Greece and Rome, left a mark on a number of religious teachings. He writes about this in the book “Totem and Taboo. Psychology of primitive culture and religion" Sigmund Freud.

The cult of the clan totem allowed people to preserve culture, integrity, common traditions and property, strengthening their ties and faith in the strength of each member of the clan. The totem was called upon during wars and natural disasters, called during celebrations and meals, songs, dances and laudatory odes were dedicated to it.

Songs, dances and laudatory odes were dedicated to the totem: Pexels

The need for a totem can be traced today. In the age of scientific and technological progress, many people, bound by laws and regulations, are returning to their roots. So the search for the unity of the human animal is now gaining its relevance. This is what the author of the book “Define Your Totem. A complete description of the magical properties of animals, birds and reptiles" Ted Andrews.

What kind of totems are there? There are group, sexual and individual totems. Their number and types depend on the chosen system. For example, sixteen totem animals participate in the cycle of the Slavic horoscope according to the year of birth, and twelve according to the sign of the zodiac.

Why it is important for a person to know the totem

A totem animal unites the energy of a person with higher powers, allowing him to gain their protection and power. Total bad luck in life can be the result of delusions, wrong actions, lack of support and a wise mentor nearby. The idea that a totem animal will help overcome all adversity inspires and gives hope.

Here are the main advantages of having a personal totem:

Gives strength, energy and confidence on the way to the goal.
Helps in self-expression. If a person is a loner, and his totem is a wolf, it is easier for him to accept and realize himself.
Unites individuals, creates ideal marriages and alliances of people with the same or friendly patron animals.
Facilitates self-knowledge and enhances magical rituals. Turning to the totem, you can bring love, wealth and good luck to life.
Protects the house, sharpens intuition, protects from damage and the evil eye.

To enhance the beneficial effect of the totem, you must have figurines or illustrations depicting this animal at home. It is not for nothing that the flags of many countries of the world emblazoned with images of an eagle, a lion or a snake, as the totem animals of the nation. Regular rituals and offerings of gifts, mentioning the totem in thanksgiving words and rituals strengthen its strength and significance in human life.

If we move away from the mystical aspects of the totem, even simple everyday actions become a sign of worship of one or another animal, for example:

Collecting porcelain elephants.
Adoption of another puppy or cat.
Love for amulets with bird feathers.
A selection of reptile leather accessories.

This following the unconscious needs allows you to find harmony, feel like a more attractive, strong and protected person. You can see your totem by plunging into a meditative state. It is possible to "order" a meeting with a totem in a dream.

To simplify the choice of a protector, you can take a test for a totem animal. Having recognized your patron, you need to learn how to communicate and activate his power in the way that the author of the book The Big Book of Totem Laws advises. Practices" Irina Shishkina.

You need to be able to communicate with a totem and activate its power: Unsplash/Helena Lopes

Definition of a personal totem

Each person has a personal totem - an animal that suits him in terms of energy, inner essence, zodiac sign, year of birth or other signs. How to recognize it and not make a mistake in choosing? This will help different classifications.

How to find out your totem animal by date of birth?

This method is the easiest and most popular. You need to know your year or full date of birth in order to use the Zoroastrian, Oriental, Totem, or Slavic calendar of totems. The day and month of birth will help you choose a totem according to your zodiac sign.

The totem animal according to the most ancient Zoroastrian calendar is calculated as follows:

Fox (1933, 1965, 1997).
Dolphin (1934, 1966, 1998).
Vepr (1935, 1967, 1999).
Owl (1936, 1968, 2000).
Falcon (1937, 1969, 2001).
Deer (1938, 1970, 2002).
Baran (1939, 1971, 2003).
Mongoose (1940, 1972, 2004).
Wolf (1941, 1973, 2005).
Stork (1942, 1974, 2006).
Spider (1943, 1975, 2007).
Serpent (1944, 1976, 2008).
Beaver (1945, 1977, 2009).
Turtle (1946, 1978, 2010).
Magpie (1947, 1979, 2011).
Belka (1948, 1980, 2012).
Raven (1949, 1981, 2013).
Rooster (1950, 1982, 2014).
Bull (1951, 1983, 2015).
Badger (1952, 1984, 2016).
Camel (1953, 1985, 2017).
Ezh (1954, 1986, 2018).
Doe (1955, 1987, 2019).
Elephant (1956, 1988, 2020).
Horse (1957, 1989, 2021).
Cheetah (1958, 1990, 2022).
Peacock (1959, 1991, 2023).
Swan (1960, 1992, 2024).
Lynx (1961, 1993, 2025).
Donkey (1962, 1994, 2026).
Bear (1963, 1995, 2027).
Eagle (1964, 1996, 2028).

Dog (1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, 2029): Unsplash/Chewy

The Eastern calendar has a different pattern:

Rat (1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020).
Bull (1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021).
Tiger (1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022).
Cat (1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023).
Dragon (1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024).
Serpent (1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025).
Horse (1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026).
Goat (1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027).
Monkey (1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2027).
Rooster (1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, 2028).
Dog (1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, 2029).
Boar (1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019, 2030).

Indian totem horoscope offers its own version of the totem:

Otter (20.01-18.02).
Wolf (19.02–20.03).
Sokol (03/21–04/19).
Beaver (20.04–20.05).
Deer (May 21–June 20).
Woodpecker (21.06 -21.07).
Salmon (22.07–21.08).
Bear (22.08–21.09).
Raven (09/22–10/22).
Serpent (10/23–11/22).
Owl (11/23–12/21).
Goose (22.12–19.01).

Wolf (19.02–20.03) according to the Indian totem horoscope: Unsplash/Philip Macias

Slavic horoscope offers unusual totems:

Dark Elk (1944, 1960, 1976, 1992, 2008).
Stinging Hornet (Wasp) (1945, 1961, 1977, 1993, 2009).
Lurking Lut (Wolf) (1946, 1962, 1978, 1994, 2010).
Fiery Veksha (Squirrel) (1947, 1963, 1979, 1995, 2011).
Pearl Pike (1948, 1964, 1980, 1996, 2012).
Bearded Toad (1949, 1965, 1981, 1997, 2013).
Wild Boar (Boar) (1950, 1966, 1982, 1998, 2014).
White Owl (1951, 1967, 1983, 1999, 2015).
Hissing Adder (Snake) (1952, 1968, 1984, 2000, 2016).
Crouching Fox (1953, 1969, 1985, 2001, 2017).
Curled Hedgehog (1954, 1970, 1986, 2002, 2018).
Soaring Eagle (1955, 1971, 1987, 2003, 2019).
Spinning Mizgir (Spider) (1956, 1972, 1988, 2004, 2020).
Screaming Rooster (1957, 1973, 1989, 2005, 2021).
Golden-horned Tur (Bull) (1958, 1974, 1990, 2006, 2022).
Fireman Horse (1959, 1975, 1991, 2007, 2023).

Aries (March 21 - April 20) - a hawk and a tiger according to the sign of the zodiac: Unsplash / Ray Hennessy

The totem is also calculated according to the zodiac circle. What are the totem animals according to the zodiac sign? Here is their list:

Aries (March 21 - April 20) - hawk and tiger.
Taurus (April 21 - May 21) - beaver and wolf.
Gemini (May 22 - June 21) - panther and deer.
Cancer (June 22 - July 22) - a dog and a woodpecker.
Leo (July 23 - August 21) - salmon and peacock.
Virgo (August 22 - September 23) - bear and eagle.
Libra (September 24 - October 23) - panda and raven.
Scorpio (October 24 - November 22) - snake and lion.
Sagittarius (November 23 - December 22) - a cat and an owl.
Capricorn (December 23 - January 20) - horse and goose.
Aquarius (January 21 - February 19) - an otter and a bear.
Pisces (February 20 - March 20) - fox and wolf.

You can recognize your totem animal by date of birth, in a dream or through meditation. You can assign it based on current needs. Having decided on a patron, use his power to improve the quality of life, protection and inspiration.

Original article: https://www.nur.kz/esoterics/interesting/1961957-totemnoe-zhivotnoe-chto-eto-takoe-i-kak-ego-uznat/

Meaning of Animal Totems. Choose your Totem!

Friends, let's dive into the world of totems and their true meaning.
Today the topic of totems and their acquisition has become quite popular.
In our shop you can buy and find descriptions of some animals and their totemic properties. Please note that here you will find a description of only the totemic properties of animals, and you will have to do the rest of the work on getting to know your totem yourself.
The Slavs, along with animals, worshiped plants, so each clan had its own Animal or Plant patron (Totem). It personified the unity of the clan and its strength.
This animal or plant reflected the true strength of the family and its capabilities. Man correlated with this animal and, as it were, merged with him into one. At any moment, if necessary, a person could call on his totem for help and receive all of its unimaginable power.

Cat - The key ability of a cat, to always land on its paws - this totem makes its owners successful, dodgy, and very dodgy people with a well-developed vestibular apparatus. He endows people with the ability to "sneak" what they want, makes it possible to sneak up unnoticed and quietly.
Qualities: independence, gentleness, curiosity, desire.

Another mystical property of cats is the possession of nine lives. It makes the owner of such a totem "more" tenacious.
Of the magical properties, it is also worth noting the ability to cause damage, to see the invisible, the ability to cause rain, to heal.

Tiger is a creator and a destroyer at the same time. He also has royal dignity, cruelty, strength, power, courage and fury, which he needs as a protector.
Tiger is often peculiar to gamblers.
Tiger is considered one of the strongest totems, and not every person is able to withstand his pressure. If the tiger has chosen you, or you have chosen the tiger totem, get ready to be the king in your own castle. From now on you are the Ruler of your life.

Leo - As a totem animal, a symbol of the sun, brilliance, strength, fire, splendor, courage, stamina, justice, law, military power. The lion also symbolizes cruelty, ferocity, animal lifestyle. He is a symbol of war and is an attribute of the gods of war. Shamans say that by riding a lion, one can tame the forces of the universe.
The lion also personifies the symbol of Kings and rulers, Autocrats and Monarchs. If this is your symbol, prepare to carry its banner with pride.

Wolf - It also symbolizes valor, devotion, Mutual assistance. This is a true team player if the flock has already rallied around him. But he can also be an incorrigible loner, and at the same time his loneliness will give him strength and not oppress him.
The wolf is a forerunner of new ideas, looking for a way. One who returns to the clan to teach and give help. If you lived in the Wolf clan, you would understand the meaning of the strength of the pack and the strength of the individual. These qualities make the Wolf very similar to the human race. We humans also have the ability to be part of society and yet still embody our individual dreams and ideas.
The senses of the Wolf are very sharp, and the moon is an ally of strength. The moon is a symbol of psychic energy, which contains the secrets of knowledge and wisdom. Moon phases can be indicators of the Wolf's desire to connect with new ideas that are only in the subconscious.
The help of the Wolf gives us the powers of a teacher and calls us to go further and help the children of the Earth in understanding the Big Mystery of Life.

Serpent, Dragon - An extremely complex and universal symbol.
Serpent and dragon are often interchangeable, and in the countries of the Far East, no distinction is made between them. The symbolic meaning of the snake is polyvalent.
She can be both male and female, and also self-reproducing. As a creature that kills, it signifies death and annihilation; as a creature that periodically changes its skin - life and resurrection.
A coiled snake is identified with the cycle of phenomena. This is both the solar and lunar principles, life and death, light and darkness, good and evil, wisdom and blind passion, healing and poison, keeper and destroyer, spiritual and physical rebirth.
It also symbolizes the primordial instinctive nature, the influx of life force, uncontrolled and undifferentiated, the potential energy that inspires the spirit. It is a mediator between Heaven and Earth, between earth and the underworld. The snake is associated with the sky, earth, water, and especially the Cosmic Tree.
Snake is knowledge, strength, deceit, refinement, cunning, darkness, evil and corruption, and also the Tempter. .
Serpents or dragons are guardians of the threshold, temples, treasures, esoteric knowledge and all lunar deities. They produce storms, control the forces of the waters, surround the waters with themselves, sometimes blocking their path, sometimes, on the contrary, bringing water to man. They are invoked at all sorts of incantations of the dead crossing the waters of death. As a creature capable of moving without the help of legs or wings, the snake symbolizes the all-pervading spirit, as a creature penetrating deep into cracks and crevices, the inner nature of man and conscience.

Owl - An ambivalent symbol. A bird of wisdom, but also of darkness and death.
But for all its "dark" orientation, all peoples without exception treated this bird with respect. After all, its main strength is in the ability to see the hidden, to see hidden in the darkness, and to pass on the wisdom of ancestors to descendants. The owl is the personification of earthly and heavenly wisdom directed to the earth to help people.

Bear — Symbolizes the resurrection (appearance in the spring from his winter lair with a bear cub), new life, and therefore initiation and rituals associated with the transition.

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