"In brother bear when a tribe member came of age the shaman woman, guided by ancestors, would assign that person a totem. The totem is an animal that represents a trait that the coming of age is to learn in their lifetime.
I was struck by how wonderfully simple and straight forward life would be if society was like that. It would guarantee that nobody would be stumbling around grasping for purpose and meaning. And nobody would have to die with regret, they know they accomplished their purpose in life. I would like such a clear purpose."
Totems come and go with different periods in your life. You can loose totems and gain new ones.
in chrono order:
When I was completely innocent my totem was a deer and a white horse. When I lost the deer it drowned in a puddle of water. When my innocence ended so did the white horse, I had a dream of it dying. It was the most intense emotional experience of my life. I was literally screaming, crying and flailing in my sleep, then continued to cry while awake. It was worse than my sisters death. Guess I really value innocence.
A little psychic girl 5 years old told me my animal is a cow. I think it still applies somewhat.
For a long time when I was only focused on spiritual matters my totem was the golden eagle. After a traumatic event that changed everything I had a dream of falling from the sky with the eagle and two other animals and humans, all the animals died when we hit the ground.
My most beloved animal is the chickadee. Unfortunately my familiar is the Merlin falcon who only eats chickadees! (How I learned about my familiar is a long but magical story) I chose to keep the chickadee over the falcon.
I believe one of the best ways to tell that an animal is your totem though unexplainable attraction. I felt it whenever I saw the eagle in my dreams, and seagull feathers in waking life.
Recently I asked what my most important totem to focus on and I got stork.
But the one totem I have always had, and always will, is the nightingale:
"The sweet song of the Nightingale gives inspiration as a harbinger of a personal dawn. She guides one into seeing the importance in the connection to old beliefs and thoughts. It is time to take authority of your mind. She teaches the nocturnal song and brings to the light what is mysterious and hidden. What is learned in the "night' is to be incorporated into the "day". She shows how to move throughout different consciousness and use inspirations of higher realms while keeping grounded. Nightingale balances masculine and feminine energies along with balancing dietary elements. It is time to sing loudly - above the cacophony of the mind chatter and above what others think and say. Timid and shy at times, she can show how to act with grace and elegance. In regards to parental love, timidity changes to a brave ferocity. Nightingale will show the balance between the two. Are you sharing what you know, acting what you believe."
This site for bird totems:
http://www.starstuffs.com/animal_tot...y_of_birds.htm
Originally Posted by mystyx
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