Animal Spirits/Guides

[Rashel Kitsune]

I want to know if animal guides and spirits are real. How can you find them? What kinds are there?

Answers appreciated.  

[Starlock]

[ Message temporarily off-line ]  

[Jameta]

While I'm not sure at this moment if I have any specific "guardians", there are a few creatures that I gravitate to. Particulary, the horse and various cats (tiger, cougar, and the outgoing housecat). I just have a certain affinity to these animals. Perhaps if I explore the connection more, I might be able to find a guardian or guide.

Raven also sometimes makes his presence known, but he's more of a deity.  

[Kuroyue]

The animal spirits/guides you are referring to are called Totem Animals. I found a book on this called "Totem Animal Magick" or something similar to that, so the information I'm about to relate does NOT come from me, but from the book:


You can notice totem animals during meditation and dream. But also, if you are for some reason avidly interested in an animal, or if that animal somehow keeps reoccuring in your life (aka that animal following you, constant imagery popping up everywhere...etc), then there is reason to suspect that the animal is your totem animal. Each animal symbolizes different virtues. To find out what animal is likely to be your totem animal, one way is through meditation. Think of a place that is serene and natural, be it the fields or waterfalls. Imagine being calm, peaceful, and just meditate there and genuinely ask to yourself who is the totem animal and after awhile, the animal will come. This method can be altered to your liking. Another way is to ask yourself a set of questions, but I forgot what they were. There is a lot more information in the book, go check it out in the nearest book store...the Barnes and Nobles near me has the book.

Personally, I'm not too sure what my totem animal is, but I think it may be either a fox or a bear.  

[Mina Beltara]

Animals that I have a bond to and/or that have shown themselves to be something to be include:

The house cat, with my cat Dara
Snow leopard, being my favorite animal
Dragon, being something I'm drawn to
Shadow cat, being the one that follows me
Stag, finding him in a crystal
Hawk or Falcon, don't know exactly which yet, from a dream

I don't know if they're exactly my guides yet, but they have shown themselves to me and even have a part of influencing me. Even the dragon spirits I hang out with (my friends Mel and Marre, who I call Momma Dragon) call me Baby Dragon Hell Cat. One of the sites I use is Shamanism, Working with Animal Spirits.  

[The Bookwyrm]

They're very real, and I'm very thankful to have had mine for so long. He was just sort of... there when I started meditating and projecting.

Spirit guides and animal guides I've always taken to be two different things. Your spirit guide is one you work with astrally, while an animal guide is more in the physical world.

I've had a few animal guides:
Cat
Wolf
Deer
Raven
Robin

and a few spirits as well, one of whom stick around more than others:
Wolf
Dragon

Where I have a strong draconic influence in my craft, it makse sense that I would work with dragons.  

[Anghared Starwing]

I had a guardian cat for ten years, before she passed on. She's still with me, in a sense, but I miss her physical presence. She was a pure white cat that I picked out of a shelter. Well, she picked me, actually. I don't think I've ever felt more love from anyone except my mom. My other totem animals are owls, white tigers, dragons and wolves.

Has anyone else had the good fortune to have a cat like that?  

[Seira Relur]

I only know of two of my familiars. The first is my cat, Reesie, a mostly white calico cat whom I've had since I was 7. And my other is a baby black mouse that I bought at a pet store a month ago named Yuki. They're sweet hearts, and there is no "Cat and Mouse" action between the two. I put Yuki in a ball to run around and they both always hurry their way near me before I cast a circle and they never leave until I take it down; participate in a way. heart  

[Nashoba Kaga]

Ever since my experience with Fenris I've been really drawn to the wolf.

Also it's my last name razz  

[Kuroyue]

*scratches head* I don't get you meet with a deity--I'm pretty sure they don't appear in the physical realm, and the astral realm is hard to access...do you "meet" them during meditation and envisualize them? I'm paranoic with that method, because I'm always doubtful as to whether it's a figment of my imagination or not...But it's something I'd really like to try sometime.  

[cutefairy2007]

I have heard that familiars/animal guides/etc. only come to you when they feel that you need them....is that true?  

[Jameta]

Suzuroi

*scratches head* I don't get you meet with a deity--I'm pretty sure they don't appear in the physical realm, and the astral realm is hard to access...do you "meet" them during meditation and envisualize them? I'm paranoic with that method, because I'm always doubtful as to whether it's a figment of my imagination or not...But it's something I'd really like to try sometime.

With deities, there's no telling where they'll show up (they're freaking gods and goddesses, for crying out loud razz ). However, as I've seen with many of our members, they, along with other guides tend to be contacted through meditation (with or without visulization) or ritual work (Weben has some beautiful tales).

If you feel paranoid about it being simply your imagination, focus on first being able to clear and focus your mind for a time (maybe a week or so, depending on the time your able to devote to practice, until you feel strong with it) before you try reaching out to beings. In a focused state, a thought, idea, or feeling that just comes in "out of the blue" is more likely to be a spiritual being than your own subconcious. 3nodding

Then again, some deities and figures have different methods. One might find them trying to speak with you by you simply noticing things you might not see normally. This has particularly happened more and more often with Raven and I; I think he likes my intelligence, wit, and 'mature' features. Cougar and Dogfish have also dropped hints of being close by to me. They do this in the manner that I will discover something like a rock with a carving of their figure on it in an odd place, or even (as with dogfish) leaving a body. When you find these things, you will see/feel something deeper as you might with just something you life. I found the rock with cougar and the body of Dogfish when I was little, and for some reason, they have just stuck with me.  

[Jameta]

cutefairy2007

I have heard that familiars/animal guides/etc. only come to you when they feel that you need them....is that true?

There are some that would be defined as protectors (I believe Starlock brought up various types earlier in the thread) that may only come to your aid in dire circumstances. However, just as there are many types of people and spiritual beings, it would be reasonable to believe that various guides would contact you in various circumstances, i.e., meditation.  

[Anima Lux]

When I was focusing mainly on meditation is when I got the most results with trying to 'meet with' my totem animal/ animal companion/ spirit guide. I was extremely shocked when it happened once and thrilled when it happened a choice few other times after that.

What I've found helps (and what I've heard others attest to) is the power of water being close to you. Whether is be for scrying or what-have-you, it is a powerfule meditational tool. For me, I get my best mediation results when I'm in the shower with the water hitting the right side of my body. I focus on the sound of the water, and the soothing feeling of it splashing against me. It's helped me phenomonally to clear my mind of pesky stray thoughts.

I haven't been able to mediate in a long time (which has caused some reprocussions in my life), but when I did and got results of my guide it came in the form of a large-ish scorpion. Which is why I was so initially shocked; though, after reading a bit, it does make complete sense and fit my personality in ways I'd never thought of before.

I've also found that crows, when I see them physically, are a sign that I need to pay attention because something is going to happen. So, I'd say they are like animal guides to me as well. Crows are messangers and I usuallly do not take their presence lightly.  

[Jameta]

Orissia

Has anyone else had the good fortune to have a cat like that?

Yes, actually- my parents adopted a tabby cat from a shelter named Stranger, and the name continued to stick as he lived with us. I was born a little while after, and while I may have harassed him as a child, I always felt secure around him. He was very patient for a cat, now that I reflect; very loving... and very big. whee He loved to be carried, that big, fat feline. heart

I still miss him, and hope that I may be able to have such an animal again.