PREPARATION:
A piece of turquoise stone, photographs/pictures of North American Indians, any American Indian artifacts e.g. dream catchers, medicine pouches, pictures, carvings or statues of animals and native American Indian Music CD/Tapes.
We recommend that you begin and end each lesson with a short meditation of ten minutes duration, as your body and mind need to be calm and relaxed to achieve the best spiritual/psychic results.
INDIAN TOTEM ANIMALS of North America
The Native American Culture has many philosophies that are similar to that of the New Age Movement. It has a deep respect for Mother Earth and all life forms and acknowledges the powerful forces of the four elements- earth, wind, fire and water, seasons and animal kingdoms. You can learn to incorporate many of their belief systems into your understanding of spiritual forces and phenomena.
CULTURE AND TOTEMS
The North American Native Indian believed that he was One with All. He felt a close association with all the kingdoms of the Earth – other humans, the animal kingdom, the vegetation kingdom and the crystal and gem kingdom.
The Tribes, who called themselves “Human Beings”, had a deep reverence for all life forms. When an animal was hunted and killed for food or clothing, prayers were offered to the animal’s clan, as a sign of respect, before and after the hunt.
The Indians believed that their personal totem animal gave them protection, guidance and power, while hunting, in battle and on spiritual quests.
To discover his Totem Animal or Ally, he would retreat to a secluded place, such as a high mountain top. During a vision quest he would fast from food and water and leave weapons behind. Seated in a circle of sacred stones, as his only protective barrier, he would meditate for several days.
During this meditation, he would experience much spiritual and psychic phenomena, including visits from animal spirits, such as the eagle, mountain lion, snake etc. Finally one animal spirit would come forward, as his future totem animal. Often the initiate would enter spiritually into the form of the animal and experience its emotions, needs and shape.
It was felt that the warrior absorbed the power of his totem animal and its physical traits e.g. the swiftness of the deer, far sightedness of the eagle, power of the bear. In time of danger the warrior would call upon his totem animal for it’s strength, wiliness or courage.
Additional energy was given to the warrior, if he wore about himself a talisman of his totem animal, such as a bear tooth necklet, for strength and protection. If he had gained this in single hand to hand combat with his totem animal, the animal’s strengths were believed to have entered into him after the “kill”.
These animal totems were often represented by carvings, such as personal or village totem poles or artifacts such as carved statues.
Medicine pouches also contained pieces of hides, talons, feathers etc. for personal and medicinal use.
A tribal name would also be given to the warrior which reflected his connection with his totem animal and its various abilities. e.g. in the movie Dances With Wolves, the soldier earns his name, by being seen dancing and playing with the wild wolves of the prairies.
Maidens, (not squaws- this is a derogatory term), of the tribe were often given names which parents hoped would reflect their feminine aspects. e.g.. White Dove- gentleness, peace.
The tribal Medicine Men and women were aware of the energies and attributes of gems and often used them in their cleansings and remedies. e.g. Turquoise was used widely as a bone breakage preventative, for humans and highly prized horses.
Also herbs and medicines from native plants were widely used for treatment of daily ills. e.g.. aspirin from the native willow tree bark.
Sand paintings were used as an aid to locate the cause and cure of illnesses. Rattles, drums and chants were often used to frighten the bad spirits away, to increase healing.
The tribe used sweat lodges to promote good health and increase spiritual visions and meditation.
The shaman would often take the illness from his patient, into his own body and later release it. His totem animals often helped in the curing process, by giving information or strength.
Wankatanka was the name of the Great Grandfather Spirit which guided the tribes, while on the Earth. They believed in a Now Time and a spirit time, known as the Other Time.
The Elderly were respected for their wisdom and white hair was honoured, as being a sign of the highest of the auric colours- a strong connection with the Godforce.
The Bird Tribes myths which are common to many of the Tribes of the Red Indian Nation, refer to the interaction of the tribes with extraterrestrial visitors, particularly those from the Seven Sisters – the Pleiadian Galaxy.
The White Buffalo is a special symbol to the Native American Indians, as its birth signals a renewal of native strengths and cultures. It is expected to be born within the next few years.
EXERCISE TO FIND YOUR PERSONAL TOTEM ANIMAL
Play Indian music or drum tape in background
Prerecord this exercise and replay:
1. Relax for a few minutes, holding your quartz crystal. Ask your Guides to help you with this exercise to see, hear, smell and feel your totem animal. Protect yourself with a white light or golden auric egg.
2. Visualise yourself on a mountain top, looking down at your village below.
3. You are on a vision quest. You have left your weapons behind. You have built a sacred circle of stones around you for psychic protection.
4. You state to Wankatanka, the Grandfather Spirit, that you wish to locate and bond with your totem animal.
5. Now visualise your astral body (inner being) travelling out of your body, still connected to your body by a long silver chord. In your astral body you can travel anywhere safely and quickly.
6. Mentally send yourself down to the seaside and into the sea. You easily sink below the waves and come to sit on the ocean bottom.
Now call all the nearby creatures of the sea and rivers to you – fishes, whales, dolphins, sharks, crabs, eels, seals etc Most will come close and then swim away, but if your totem animal is located in the water, one will stay with you. If so, sit and connect mentally with this creature. Feel its skin or scales and continue to play with it. Look at its positive and negative qualities Is it a happy, fun loving creature, one of a pack or pod? Or is it an insular, loner? Does this relate to your life and feelings?
7. For those whose totem animal is not in the water, leave the seaside and be intuitively directed to the jungle, grasslands, prairies etc. Sit quietly here and allow your totem animal to come close to you. This could be a bear, horse, rabbit, lion, elephant or any other land animal. Connect and bond with it. Play with it. Look at its positive and negative qualities. Is it a friendly, fun loving creature, one of a pack or group? Or is it an insular, loner? Does this relate to your life and feelings?
8. For those whose totem animal is not on the land, leave this region and be intuitively directed to the mountains, hills and skies. Sit or float quietly here and allow your totem animal to come close to you. This could be an eagle, falcon, bat, butterfly, pigeon or any other air creature. Connect and bond with it. Play with it. Look at its positive and negative qualities. Is it a friendly, funloving creature, one of a flock or group? Or is it an insular, loner? Does this relate to your life and feelings?
9. Think of how you can use this animals qualities in your daily life. Will it help to give you strength, bravery, softness, communal feeling, fun etc? See how it can be integrated with you, to help you develop spiritually.
10. Now thank your totem animal for presenting itself to you. Ask for it, to be near you when needed. Leave that place and find yourself back in the circle of rocks on top of the mountain.
11. Thank Wanka tanka for helping you with this vision quest.
12. Return to the room, take a deep breath and relax.
Write down your experiences and findings. How are you like your totem animal? Are you reclusive like the eagle or sociable and enjoy the interaction of the clan or wolf pack?
Think of ways to integrate the totem animals into your daily life. How can it give you comfort, strength or protection in certain situations?
You may like to collect a statue or painting of this totem animal, to remind you of its presence around you.
SUMMARY: The Native American culture has much to teach us concerning respect for Mother Earth and the animal kingdoms. You can learn to locate and contact your Totem animal when needed for strength, support, guidance and comfort.
