Animal Totems

No problem!

I had a dream last night about two tiny albino horses under a tree (they weren't much bigger than a My Little Pony!); they were cute but more feisty than friendly and they looked kind of weird with their pink eyes really. They were playing and fighting with each other. Also in the dream were lots and lots of cats, all let out of boxes; I picked one up (a grey one) and lifted it onto my shoulder and I was patting it and talking to it. I understand the meaning of horses and cats, but there was the added thing of the horses being tiny and albino - I guess this means they were highly unusual - and what they all meant in the context of my dream. I'm sure they all represent parts of myself, so that is very interesting!

Well, disturbingly - I found out that albinism in horses is a genetic defect and the foals do not survive. That can't be good. Then again, this site says that is not true: http://www.mini-horse.org/health_care_albino.html

hmm, well what does your gut tell you about your dream Gem? What stood out to you about the albino ponies? What did it mean to you? Perhaps the symbolism was not meant to be taken literally. White is a colour of purity and light. Red can be fire or passion - red eyes - eyes are the windows to our souls...I think rather than searching for literal meanings you might want to explore your own personal connections to the symbols in your dream. I don't know if it is useful, but maybe you could write the main elements of your dream on a piece of paper and then sit and brainstorm what comes to mind about each. This kind of free thought association might hold the key to unlocking the meaning held by the dream.

Wonderful insight! And this brings me to my question. What would a Yowie represent? It is the most predominant animal in my life at the moment. The first time I saw it at the back of my house it was crouched down and very still. I could read it's thoughts and it felt like it was thinking "if I stay still, she won't see me". I also felt that if it stood up it would be like a bear. That was the first incident. The next time I was confronted by it I was in the bush behind my home (bushwalking) and I heard a gutteral growl that sounded like half wild boar and half panther. I was absolutely terrified and ran home. I had never heard such a sound, not even on t.v. Next I was asked by a taxi driver if I had ever seen any wild pigs in my area because he had seen something a week earlier that he had to swerve to miss hitting and even though it didn't look like a wild pig, it was the only thing he wanted to believe it was because it had frightened him. He went on to tell me that after sharing his story with another taxi driver, he had been told of another incident when someone had seen a large black animal that they nearly ran over and they thought it was a panther. So it appears that this creature looks like a panther, a wild pig and a bear. It seems to come around our house at night and even though I am concerned about it, I feel that it is trying to make itself known to me. Half of me wants to come across it face to face, but the other half is scared it will eat me. So here is my totem. A mysterious beast that I am not sure is harmful or simply wanting to be acknowledged. Do you think I am on track with this line of thought?

Goth~Ink wrote:

hmm, well what does your gut tell you about your dream Gem? What stood out to you about the albino ponies? What did it mean to you? Perhaps the symbolism was not meant to be taken literally. White is a colour of purity and light. Red can be fire or passion - red eyes - eyes are the windows to our souls...I think rather than searching for literal meanings you might want to explore your own personal connections to the symbols in your dream. I don't know if it is useful, but maybe you could write the main elements of your dream on a piece of paper and then sit and brainstorm what comes to mind about each. This kind of free thought association might hold the key to unlocking the meaning held by the dream.

Mr Gem has highly unusual amber-coloured eyes, and in the same dream one of his brothers was in it also with intense amber eyes. And Mr Gem and I had been having some ego battles/arguments at the time as well. So maybe the horses were *us*. In the dream, the horses were also like they were very unique, unusual, and I feel like that could represent us as well - neither of us totally 'fits' with what is considered 'normal', but it's more of an internal thing than anything you can see by looking at us. I would also say that we both have strong elements of the 'horse' personality and are both fire risings... it's kind of, we both have the independent spirit personality and sometimes ironically that causes a clash. In the dream, there was one horse by itself under the tree and it was fine; then the other one came along and nudged it and they started playing and fighting. That is, in a sense what we sometimes do to each other. So... that's actually making lot of sense now! Thanks for the insight!!

A strange little side note to my bellbird experiences... I noticed that a handbag of mine is made by the company 'Bluebird' - ok, not the same, but similar... then I remembered when I was maybe a pre-teen, my favourite earrings were a pair of little bluebirds (I think there was also a necklace)... and a couple of days ago for some weird reason I thought I should join Twitter. The logo of which is a little bird, and your updates are called 'tweets'! lol http://www.twitter.com



Ohh, the bellbird is singing outside again!

Nuelma wrote:

Wonderful insight! And this brings me to my question. What would a Yowie represent? It is the most predominant animal in my life at the moment. The first time I saw it at the back of my house it was crouched down and very still. I could read it's thoughts and it felt like it was thinking "if I stay still, she won't see me". I also felt that if it stood up it would be like a bear. That was the first incident. The next time I was confronted by it I was in the bush behind my home (bushwalking) and I heard a gutteral growl that sounded like half wild boar and half panther. I was absolutely terrified and ran home. I had never heard such a sound, not even on t.v. Next I was asked by a taxi driver if I had ever seen any wild pigs in my area because he had seen something a week earlier that he had to swerve to miss hitting and even though it didn't look like a wild pig, it was the only thing he wanted to believe it was because it had frightened him. He went on to tell me that after sharing his story with another taxi driver, he had been told of another incident when someone had seen a large black animal that they nearly ran over and they thought it was a panther. So it appears that this creature looks like a panther, a wild pig and a bear. It seems to come around our house at night and even though I am concerned about it, I feel that it is trying to make itself known to me. Half of me wants to come across it face to face, but the other half is scared it will eat me. So here is my totem. A mysterious beast that I am not sure is harmful or simply wanting to be acknowledged. Do you think I am on track with this line of thought?

My thoughts are that the actual identity of the creature is not as important as what you feel it represents to you. After all, totem animals are guides that show us different aspects of ourselves. Is there something in your life you feel the same way about that you described in your post Nuelma? A harmful or potentially harmful beast that wants to be acknowledged that you want to face but at the same time harbor fear towards?

I wonder what you will be tweeting about Gem? Bluebirds and birdsong...they seem like very happy omens.

They do, don't they.

Weird synchronicity thing happened today. Been thinking about my grandma a lot recently, and today I was walking past Bed, Bath and Beyond and in the window they had those plush hot water bottle covers that look like toy animals, so I went in to have a look. The hippo one reminded me that my grandma gave me a hippo hottie cover many years ago (it's head eventually came off after years of use and had to be stitched back on twice); so, seeing as these ones were on special, I decided to get one because I felt like it was a sign from her. When I turned around, the first thing I clapped eyes on was a coffee mug that said "When the going gets tough, GO TO GRANDMA'S". I had to hold back my tears in the shop! ( I used to always ring her or go to her house if I was being a brat and couldn't get my own way). That totally confirmed it for me. And then I wondered if hippo's mean anything for me personally, so this is what I found and it kind of jolted me!

Hippopotamus lives in Water, the ancient realm of birth,
power, creation, imagination, and healing.
Hippopotamus brings an awakening of our higher sensibilities.
It enables lucid dreaming and spirit contact.
Hippopotamus is a link to the spiritual, artistic and healing realms of water.
It teaches you how to be strong in all of them.
Learning to control powerful creative energies is the lesson that Hippopotamus gives you.

Hippo: symbol of birth, motherhood, protection of young

The hippopotamus is associated with birth, motherhood and the protection of young. The Hippopotamus, whose name means 'River Horse', protects the woman of the house, especially the woman of childbearing age.

The Hippo lives both underwater and on land. It is both practical and stable and tends to follow set patterns. The hippo teaches us to follow a path that is determined to be successful.
The hippo represents routine paths and an intuition for truth that lead to our goals in life.

While underwater, the Hippopotamus is able to see, hear and breathe. This can teach us a higher level of perception, and so increase intuition for the heart and truth of situations in life.

The Hippopotamus is an amazing animal that lives both underwater and above ground. It combines the elements of earth and water and teaches us how to integrate the attributes of both into our daily life.

Water is associated with intuitive knowing and earth is associated with practicality and stability. The hippopotamus asks those with this totem to act upon their intuition without analyzing it while maintaining a practical grounded life style.

Hippopotamus are amphibious and have special adaptations for life in the water. It can safely stay underwater, able to breath, hear, and see the world above without having to expose its body. When this medicine if fully developed those with this totem have an innate ability to know what lies beneath the surface of any situation. They speak and see truth and demand that others respect that truth

Hippo’s need water deep enough to cover them because there skin is delicate and thin and vulnerable to overheating. Those with this medicine are susceptible to sunstroke and sun related problems including dehydration so care should be taken when outdoors.

Although the Hippopotamus is extremely agile and flexible in its movements it has a tendency to develop set patterns. When they leave the water at dusk, they prefer to follow the same path creating a rut in the ground several feet deep. The hippopotamus teaches us to find a path that works for us and to stay on it to reach our true destination.

Water is universally a symbol of emotion and creativity. Water is also a necessity in life to keep hydrated. In looking beneath the surface of the water, we can get to the heart of the matter- of our emotions and creativity. Sometimes it takes time and patience, an ability to simply wade in matters to give them time to soak in and imbibe us. This is important not only for understanding but moving forward. Additionally, beneath the water is the ground. Hippos teach us how to process our emotions and creativity- our life forces without getting too caught up in lofty or airy perceptions, keeping us grounded. Additionally, water is a symbol of not only life- but birth. Hippos are a good guide or teacher for women or families preparing to grow their families. Hippo mothers are maternal and form strong bonds, especially with their daughters. Hence, possibly in the here and now, hippos can help us to strengthen bonds with the female members of our family or friends circle or intuitively work on our ‘maternal instincts’ to help others.

The most freaking weirdest thing about that, is that last night I was having a dream about a mum and a baby, and I was being maternal towards the baby and it was smiling back at me being so amazingly cute!!! Kinda makes me want one.

Hmm I wonder if your Grandmother is telling you she is ready to reincarnate? I noticed that Hippos are 'river HORSES' - isn't that another animal that comes up for you and Mr Gem alot? Wow, what a profound experience in the shop. So beautiful!

I noticed that coincidence with the river horse too! And then the other night I noticed a friend of mine was wearing a horse charm on a necklace - she said she is not even a person who likes horses but she spotted the charm and decided to get it. Anyway, I now think that maybe the grandma message might have been a little hint that I should just talk to her or to know that she's around me and supporting me if or when I feel overwhelmed or stressed - which it turned out I was the next day with my pap smear result. I'd had no idea that previous day that 'the going was going to get tough'. On the day of my result I had also seen another really gorgeous hippo (stuffed toy) while I was out and about, and seeing as I don't usually see hippo toys at all, I took it as another sign.

And as for the bird thing... Twitter is turning out to have some good coincidences and fun times!

Good to know. I am overwhelmed with all the different things around - facebook, myspace, twitter.... I have enough trouble keeping up with this forum and the occasional chat on messenger!

Working With Contrary Totem Medicine


Have you ever considered that it's quite possible to work with Contrary Medicine? It's an interesting topic that too few people stop to explore, afterall, Contrary Medicine is something to avoid isn't it? Who wants to walk around demonstrating that? The thing is we do demonstrate it, especially when we don't realize we're doing it. Unfortunately, many people head straight for the positive traits of their Totems, the strengths and the power they represent, after all, our Totems reflect aspects of us and we certainly don't want to see flaws in ourselves when these exciting creature-teachers make their appearance-we want all the good stuff.
While our strengths most certainly deserve our attention so do our weaknesses, it's the only way that we're going to be able to balance ourselves with our abilities and bring them under our control. Seeing the flaws allows us to make changes, to turn those weaknesses into strengths but it takes a willingness to do that. I want to encourage those of you coming to learn about Totems, and those who walk with them knowingly, to look deeper at Contrary Medicine with a more positive outlook, to see what it is in that Contrary Medicine, that when harnessed becomes a strength.
Yes, we all have a Shadow Side in our nature and if we honor it we work with it to bring it into balance and maintain neutrality with it until there is call to summon that within us. Both sides of our traits need to be honored for what they bring to us and it's not always easy looking into the Shadows. Contrary Medicine, untamed and ignored, enhances our Shadow nature but in negative ways. However, when brought under control it undergoes transmutation and becomes a source of strength to call upon in times of need. We don't unleash it without reason, but we need to know it's there.
So how do we go about understanding it? Well we need to do some reading up on it that's for sure, and as we do we come to see that in learning how your Totem preys upon others, how it hunts, and what it hunts to nurture and sustain itself tells you a lot about the Contrary Medicine being put to good use. How does it slay the prey it hunts? And in a figurative way how do you demonstrate that same trait with others in your life? When an animal hunts for joy kill it is a rogue, it has let the primal Contrary nature rule. We're capable of the same thing and if we don't study these aspects in ourselves how will we learn when and where we've displayed them and why? Aren't we really short-changing ourselves ignoring our own Contrary Medicine? By seeing when we behave in these manners, we can see what needs control, what can be a strength, and when or when not to apply it.
Sometimes Totems will present themselves from this perspective to initiate us to those changes. It's easy not to notice that at first, it's usually an almost instinctive reaction, something we do that surprises us or seems out of character. Sometimes it's an emotional reaction we impulsively responded to without thinking. Most of us don't see these things when we're not familiar with the Totems we walk with…and if we are familiar with them we choose to ignore the 'bad stuff'. Learning what traits are showing, how to track them to the creature they pertain to, getting a feel for the energy signature of Contrary Medicine in the first place, Stars it can be confusing. I think the simplest way to learn to recognize when Contrary Medicine is at play is to look at one of your Totems. Any Totem you wish will do for starters, and one by one you can go through those who walk with you. (For those of you wanting to make an initial introduction to your Totems please look at the articles in the Totem Library on that subject.) Once you know at least one Totem to explore personally you will begin a very intimate course of study through their Contrary Medicine and in that come to understand your own nature so much more. It helps us to define ourselves, to make changes for the better, and to harness energy that needs to be controlled and transformed into a more positive outlet.
Begin by reading all you can about their Contrary nature. You will learn about that in many places when you begin to study them. Their weaknesses, their primal instincts, their rogue behaviors and the motivating factors around expressing them all tell you a great deal about the Medicine when it is untamed. In that we learn how much damage we can leave in our wake if we don't tame ourselves, we see the destructive nature (self or towards others) and 'why' we need to tame it. Learning how they hunt and kill will tell you about their primal strength and how damaging it can be to others when it is unleashed without reason or unjustly. Gather information about their Contrary side, the pretty stuff that all the books want to talk about is one thing, but there's much more to learn in what they don't focus on…Contrary Medicine doesn't sell well so study them and their habits any way you can. Our Totem Library brings some of that to light but keep going. Look into a Nature Atlas, encyclopedias, online resources, go to the zoo and observe, see how the animals interact. Pay attention to the superstitions about them, the lore and myth…what are the traits that give rise to fears or admiration?
When you have done that it's time to look at yourself. When have you behaved in like manner? When do you act from a primal state? What sets that off in you? How do you go about hunting insights and slaying them with answers, or hunting issues to find the solutions? When have you acted out of character in a negative manner and hurt another's feelings what was it that brought that on? Stay with the Contrary traits of the animal you are focusing on. Learn the pattern of transmuting the negative into a neutral energy with understanding and then explore yourself to see how that can become a strength. Then, when you're done with one Totem move onto the next; but make sure you understand both the positive and negative traits, the things they teach and the abilities involved with those teachings from both sides as they pertain to you and your life.
Totems are not just constrained to the spirit worlds and we need to look at how we walk with those abilities and traits ourselves every single day. We'd do better walking with them if we understand them.
Each Totem we walk with reflects many patterns in our behavior, and depending on which Totem is active with us at the time (or perhaps more than one) learning what their energy feels like creates a signature for us to know. Knowing that energy signature we can quickly reflect on the Medicine it carries and instantly know how to respond and what measures of control we need to bring into play in any given situation. However if all we study is the strength how will we recognize the Contrary when it rises up in us, or how can we control it? Stuff it? Let it loose and when it's spent apologize or walk away? That doesn't serve anyone.
I walk with a few Big Cats and when my whiskers start to twitch I go on alert. First I have to identify the energy signature of which Big Cat it is and they all have their unique feel to them. Each takes a position with me and based on that feel (if they're not showing themselves visually) I know who is stirring. Sometimes there's more than one present and when they position I know who's where and what they're up to based on having explored their instinctive traits and personalities intimately. I begin to hold myself in Silence instantly, stilling my mind and opening it, I slowly start stalking things to see why I have received that sensation. I begin to connect with them, hunt in the way the Totem hunts until the matter is found and then I choose how I will respond to the situation. I can feel them moving with me, my spirit stirring accordingly, there's a shift of focus internally to feel the muscles and the nature that's rising to come forward. Learn to do this.

Now it would be just as easy to give into the more primal nature, feel the twitch and pounce on the first thing that crosses my path but that's not very observant and it's giving sway to letting myself get out of control. It's better to stalk, to lay back and see what's coming into view first, keep my strengths and abilities neutral for the time being and then choose logically what I need to bring into play. In that way the Contrary Medicine is harnessed in a positive way, it's kept under control, and if the situation calls for that approach the focus is correct when it's released.
Totems, when they first come to us, bring lessons with them. When they appear it does indicate that we carry that Medicine but it also indicates that we need to study those aspects of ourselves before we go throwing them around. If we let our primal nature sweep us away our egos will become involved, and that leads to arrogance, or misuse of the Medicine in some way. At those times you can bet a Totem will use Contrary Medicine to teach us a lesson in humility and about our flaws. When that happens it's by circumstance, we're suddenly finding ourselves in an awkward position. They do this to get our attention-especially when we're blindsided as to the use of the Medicine they bring us into. This happens through our actions and the things we do, stirring our senses we start to slip into a primal mode. If there's a need for experience to bring a lesson forward you can bet your Totems will be working to do just that and they often put us in a Contrary position.
We can see it happening but it's usually in hindsight as the negative traits of our Totem reflect back to us. "Oh yeah, I'm capable of that behavior, I remember when ________ happened, Stars did I cut off my nose to spite my face that time!" Well why not avoid that mistake in the future by raising your awareness of the fact and transforming that primal energy into something useful? When the Contrary Medicine hits us unaware it's easily at a time we tend to prefer to overlook or ignore that nature altogether. If we study the primal nature of any creature we see where that is called for, in what situations it is used, how it's applied and in this way it brings us to a new understanding…a strength. We can see when a rogue animal abuses that primal nature as well indicating misuse and what that results in for us. We are equivalent to the rogue animals until we learn to tame it in ourselves. When the intent is for the higher good discretion brings clarity as to how it's used. We have a primal nature within us too, we tame it as children, we let it out to play at times or in fits of temper, but we are taught early on by our parents to keep it under control and learn when to shut it off.
Awareness of this more primal nature within ourselves is often brought to light through unnoticed introductions to our Totems. Learning to tame that nature, to raise the primal to a more cosmic level of conscious awareness brings the control we're looking for. Contrary Medicine at its best is achieved when the primal nature is taken from carnal to cosmic through transmutation. Contrary Medicine resides in our nature; it spills over into our abilities and how we learn to use them as well as how we carry ourselves. I know it's hard to take a serious look at what we would consider our weaknesses or failings, we all tend to focus on our strengths when we strive to grow…we look for the positive and weakness tends to be seen as a negative. So does the term "Contrary Medicine"-neither of which have to be seen that way when understood from their Contrary perspective in teaching us things. Contrary Medicine, once recognized, can be tamed within ourselves, brought under control and used with discretion when we know how to do that…it often becomes a great strength that others will recognize and strive to emulate too.
It will help those of you who are confronting experiences along these lines to remember that if a Totem is introducing itself and we are unaware of its presence, don't know how to sense the spiritual connection as it takes a stronger hold with us, that we are essentially blindsided to unusual behaviors-those things that seem out of character for us. Unaware at the time we often discover we exhibited a bit of the primal nature before anything else, like something just itching to be released and hitting a point where you 'have to blow'. For example…perhaps you were introduced to Big Cat Medicine and took a swipe at someone verbally ripping their head off, or you went for the jugular in some spontaneous way. Maybe it was Snake and you found yourself spewing venom and later wondering why you took that attitude, weren't more composed, you just struck. If introduced to a bird of prey we can feel our fingers flexing like talons, we grasp at items quickly, perhaps ripping things out of others hands. Maybe we begin to peck at things with our beak (mouth) and can rip and tear with that. An individual coming to be aware of Turtle might pull in their shell for a time, withdraw and appear to be reclusive. Perhaps they feel life has knocked them on their back and like Turtle, they can't flip over easily, can't get back up and they feel helpless so they snap and claw at anything that comes close to bring harm, or they go into their shell until someone comes along and kicks them over. So many different ways of behavior can indicate the presence of a Totem stepping forward and it's funny how the traits start to surface and take us by surprise at first.
When new to totemic interaction we tend to overlook them; after all, they're spontaineous moments but minor ones…aren't they? Perhaps we've apologized for the way we handled things and the moment is behind us so we easily dismiss it…afterall, it was just that one time, odd but not so odd it can't brushed it off. Well, okay, it happened 3-4 times but it's nothing and on we go dismissing things that would otherwise be very obvious.
These Contrary behaviors that are exhibited point to our weaknesses or issues we may not like to delve into but should. Contrary Medicine is not always a bad thing and I want to point out that by coming to understand it we can often turn it around, turning weakness into strength by doing so; there are times that Contrary Medicine serves a purpose and is called for. The Contrary aspect is only Contrary when we do not heed it and see it for what it is, it becomes an untamed primal nature then. But we can embrace it and work with it too and if a totemic introduction is including a lesson it's apt to be through Contrary Medicine that certainly will stand out and get our attention. It's a choice to learn to see it this way and it means we have to choose to really look at ourselves to delve deep enough to find the things inside us that need to be touched upon. We have to see where we behave with that primal nature to put a finger on it, to re-recognize the energy signature. And when we see it in ourselves we can then see what kind of instinctive reaction it brings to bear.
I've mentioned that initially we tend to look at our Totems seeing their strengths, but we don't always meet them that way, and it's much more comfortable if we don't ignore the primal natures so we're not hit upside the head with a proverbially invisible 2 x 4. We don't initially see the value of study there because we're bent on self-improvement, on growth and walking as best we can. Delving into the strengths and positive aspects we want to understand, we're sometimes simply not ready to look at our weaknesses. Many of us are dealing with enough vulnerability at the time. However, when do that we're actually devaluing Contrary Medicine. We can't grasp that it's a very powerful aspect of the Medicine we each carry. When we look for just the strong points we do ourselves a disservice.
So many people gravitate to the creature-teachers that represent power and strength because it makes them feel that way themselves to claim them. They create their Totems thinking "I want to be seen as Bear" or Eagle or Panther or some other powerful creature as a means of off-setting their weaknesses they don't want to look at. Often that's part of our lesson in learning that we don't choose our Totems, they come to us because we carry their traits and they reflect those traits to us teaching us how to walk with them appropriately. We don't 'choose' our Totems, we open to receiving them and they begin to show themselves to us…often taking us by surprise at who is actually showing up. There is no shame in any Totem, none whatsoever.
If we can see that the creature-teachers all hold great power, from the tiny Ant to the huge Elephant, there is power and life force within them all so we don't have to guess at who we want to walk with. At that insight alone we can open and receive those who may wish to step forward no matter who it is. I don't believe in selling the idea of someone's Totem to themselves, it only leads to confusion and I feel it's more important if the individual can let their Totems emerge and see it as a path of discovery through themselves and their behavior. Sometimes that behavior, when presenting in a Contrary manner to get our attention, has us acting totally out of character and emphasizing a negative trait so we do see it and will take the necessary steps to correct it.
Contrary Medicine is important to understand as we come to totemic study and it's important to recognize when we begin to exhibit it. As strong as the positive traits are, the Contrary Medicine is just as strong and when one knows how to make use of it things really start to change. I want to take you into the Contrary Medicine because it represents weaknesses until it's understood, then it becomes a tactical strength when we can see how and when to use it. Learn when to be the predator, when to defend being prey, when to summon the primal aspect of both and why. The gist of this is learning the pattern of introduction by Contrary Medicine. Strength is something that takes getting used to and Contrary Medicine tends to challenge us to find our inner strength, courage, and conviction. Those weaknesses stand out at first but once understood they become powerful attributes. We don't always realize when our primal nature starts to surface, we simply slip into a primal mode often triggered by a defensive emotional response. We don't always recognize when we're flexing those muscles (contrary or positive) and when that happens around others we can at times overwhelm them not to mention shocking ourselves. So let's talk about the primal nature for a bit.
How do you learn to recognize the primal side of yourself? Well that's pretty simple, it rises like a seething desire to bite someone's head off, to take a swipe at someone, to pounce, to flex your proverbial claws tearing someone or something to shreds or ripping away at things. Anger, well sometimes it is anger, sometimes it's resentment, it can be born of frustration or exasperation, triggered by pressure or emotions that are on the surface but we don't see that at the time, it makes us feel impulsive and we simply react when it goes out of control. As an example, someone with Snake Medicine being used in a detrimental primal manner will spew venom in their words toward anyone who does not act in accord with their way of thinking. Behaving like this makes someone berate, belittle, and intimidate others this way and rarely are they capable of seeing it for what it is. It's just there, a part of them, and they act impulsively with it.

Now in a situation where firm control is called for, perhaps leadership that must take on a daunting task, that same primal energy can weave into words that strengthen and encourage, or cut to the bottom line of truth when it's called for. The venom becomes the passion in the force behind those words and it motivates, empowering others to act. We all know that in small doses venom can bring healing to someone infected by a Snakebite. Contrary Snake is going to teach us some things about that primal energy if we're learning by trial and error and we may find we've been biting our own tail in the process (ouch) or biting those we love without thinking. But if we see it for what it is and when it's appropriate for that venom (a cause to fight for perhaps or any issue for the higher good for that matter) then it serves a purpose, it comes across in a controlled way moving and motivating us. We can draw forth the primal energy to work with and fuel our passion yet contain it enough so we're able to effectively bring forth the needed changes.
When we come to see it as our own you can bet the transformative process is us before it's anything else. And anyone can call on Snake to help them whether it's their Totem or not. We have to change ourselves first. Uninformed we're not going to see that, we cover up the need to change with the spewing of venom trying to make others seem as if it's them that need to change. "There's nothing wrong with me or my point of view, it's the rest of the world that's crazy!" We deny our fear that it may be us, after all change is not very comfortable is it? Not usually.
The comfort zone we're in is safe, it may be a rut, but we know the rut well and have gone complacent, so we demand that others change so we don't have to. It's not pretty. I'm using Snake as an example because it represents change and changing primal energy through raising our awareness is part of the transformation process. If we learn to recognize it and work with it we transform it from a weakness into a strength. So let's look at the example of Snake a little further.
When Snake grows it sheds it's old skin and that's exactly what we need to do to turn the Contrary Medicine from a weakness into a strength. But in the process that means we do it in context with Snake's nature. A film will grow over Snake's eyes (essentially we are blind to the process of transformation and seeing what's changing, we simply pass through it by experience) to protect it from the hazards it will encounter as it challenges itself to shed. You see, Snake puts itself through an obstacle course of underbrush and rough ground that will aid it to tear the dead skin away and allow the new skin to emerge and breathe. Snake's sensations guide it through the transformative process and it must pay attention to the feel of the soft underbelly where those sensations reside.
If we're being introduced to the Contrary Medicine of Snake and spewing venom at everyone or anything in our way we're not paying attention to the shedding we need to do. We're not paying attention to what aspects of our being are falling away or need to so that we can grow. If we see it for what it is and bring it under control we center ourselves; we start attuning to the sensations, the primal trigger points that send us into a knee-jerk reaction, into our blind spots. The sensations running through us tell us many things…why we do or don't find things to our liking…and then we can change our reaction to those things, see where to avoid them, perhaps to tolerate that not everyone is going to see or feel the same as we do and tolerance is the first lesson. We'd need to find tolerance with ourselves while we were changing too….things we'd be forgetting until we were humbled enough times to remember. Once? Twice? Six times? How attentive are we? That will determine how many times we have to repeat the Contrary lesson.
When Contrary Snake is inaction and unheeded that blindness works against someone. They can't see the obstacles coming at them, they're not feeling things they're moving through but they are feeling the frustration of encounters and they start to spew that venom. By recognizing the Contrary aspects and working with them changes begin to take place. Using the strength of Snake and understanding that to be in various aspects of our nature, we see that we may be able to use that blindness to focus internally, privately, on our needs. Instead of watching everything going on around us it may just be time to be alone and at different periods during the day, taking the time to our advantage by raising our conscious awareness of our sensory impressions…about ourselves. Or perhaps when that primal energy rears within us we stop what we're doing, close our eyes, see what's making us feel that way and focus inward instead of outward toward others.
What does that feel like? Why are we responding to it the way we do and what can we change to make things better? Seeing what needs to change it's then a choice in how we respond, we can still use that primal energy if we need to, and being this is Snake the sensations and our reaction to them will come 'strikingly fast'. Feeling with our senses we see the challenges to the changes as we encounter them and we use that feeling to bring us through them in a better way…growing out of the old skin we're shedding and turning things around by letting the new skin breath…responding to others in a more appropriate way, tasting the air with our proverbial sensory tongues and seeking new knowledge in what we prey upon.
At this point the strike is at our weakness, the change is transforming it to a strength, and the strike is fast. The primal energy that is the more base aspect of Contrary Medicine begins to change into the primal energy used to infuse our Higher Awareness and grow into a stronger more sensitive individual that attracts others to us rather than repels them.
What we prey upon begins to be our own traits, we become more selective, what we hunger for we feel the need to feed, and we explore the effects we bring about when we use our venom in a more appropriate way. We have to hunt the food within us first…we have to change ourselves so what aspects stand out that need to be changed. Snake dwells both above ground (in the world) and below ground (within itself). We're not out joy killing others to make ourselves feel more powerful and better about the path we walk in life, we begin instead to use that venom to heal situations, and bite into those that need healing…and we begin doing that with ourselves.
We learn in this way to help others who struggle with the same challenges we've experienced. Our senses tell us, guidance tells us, we attune to those silent voices that guide us through the obstacle courses in life. Is it any wonder that Snake is so much a symbol of the medical profession in their caduceus with the entwined serpents? A little venom has the power to heal, a lot can kill…or at the very least cause a whole lot of discomfort to those exposed to it.
No matter what totemic animal you are working with, a good look at the Contrary Medicine will point you toward issues to address in yourself and give you your initial homework. Ask yourself how you might use the positive aspects to bring yourself through the process of change. By raising your conscious awareness to the positive attributes of change your own abilities turn from that weakness becoming a well honed and functional muscle adding strength and the endurance needed to face challenges when they're encountered.
Transformation through choice has begun. Snake will let you feel your senses and guide you through this in an effortless manner when you learn from this creature-teacher…it will show you how to maneuver the obstacles through that sensory information. You will begin to taste what nourishes you and hunt that as prey…you feed the hunger to know more about Snake and therefore yourself and all the beauty that resides in the transformation process starts to lift you up and through it.
Snake is a an excellent example of going with the flow, and in this it shows us how to do the same.

There is a rhythmic movement in Snake's undulations…it moves through the senses checking each one out for what it can convey. It's body moves in the way a master dancer moves, fluidly, up, under, around and through the obstacles in the best manner to fit the need of the situation. It bites into the food that nourishes it and bites repeatedly; quickly devouring it whole, the prey is taken in, digested and nourishment results. Learning how to use this Contrary Medicine in the same way, being willing to accept that our actions had us eating away at ourselves and/or others, we start to feed on the positive uses and bring about change as we grow into a new skin that transforms all other outer relationships.
If we spill venom with others we know there must be call for it and how it's used to avoid the effects of backlash. We temper, hone, and apply that as we move in that rhythmic undulation of sensory impression. Contrary Medicine has served a great purpose there. Is it any different (the pattern of change through Contrary Medicine) with any other totemic creature? Absolutely not. By understanding that we use it in times of need rather than to control others, we bring ourselves under control. We use it with discernment turning a weak and careless nature into a strong and composed one. We transmute that weakness into a strength and turn the Contrary Medicine into Good Medicine that serves the greater good and brings about right intent.
We move through the Medicine teachings with integrity this way, and tame the primal ego that wants to feed the self any way it can. It's not about controlling others, it's about controlling ourselves.
Since Snake has been our primary example I want to point out that part of its Medicine is about the initiation process of transformation which takes us into the life, death and rebirth cycles. The life led to the point of awareness where the Contrary Medicine is a conscious matter must then die to undergo the rebirth process. Snake at times must put itself through the shedding process to grow and that means we have to let go of our old ways and embrace the new in-sights our senses are bringing to bear about ourselves. In this we embrace the new skin, we take on the new sensations that allows-and then we can move rhythmically through life with them. When the Snake has completed its shedding process its eyes shed the filmy veil that has protected them during that dangerous time. No longer blind it has come through the experience enlightened, and it sees again as it makes its way through the world…it sees in a whole new way.
There are many ways to spew venom in the Contrary Medicine one exudes. Mentally, emotionally, physically, spiritually, sometimes in a variety of these ways. That can do a lot of damage to others but think of the damage it does to the individual too. Others shun those who bite the vulnerable areas of their being, they back away from those that bring this kind of danger to them, they avoid them altogether if possible. How many true friends does someone like this have? And why would we do this to ourselves? What we do to others we do to our Self. We are all a part of the Web of Life and what we do along our strand reverberates through the entire web. We are either going to attract that which we need or we're going to repel it. This is the power of creation, of co-creation, of evolution at its best…the power to take that Contrary Medicine and put it to good use bringing about positive results and healing or evolving. It's definitely raising our conscious awareness and helping us to continue to evolve in that manner too.
Dismissing Contrary Medicine regardless of what totemic creature we're looking at is not a good thing. What is good is to study and understand it and learn to use it properly instead of improperly. In order to do that we have to be willing to look at ourselves and see when we use it, how we use it and what those results have brought us. At that point, seeing what needs to change stands out in a more logical than emotional way.
The logic helps us see the need to change and it's easy to make that choice. We're able to see that our Contrary state of refusing to change has caused so much suffering no only to us but to others. The emotional regret of having taken so long to see it, and perhaps the damage in the wake of that, the venom spewed at others and how that hurt or injured them instead of bringing a healing serum their way…well those things are things we don't forget, but they do serve to add to our strength by giving us the conviction to never do them again without just cause and then with great thought. We no longer respond in the impulsive way, that changes to instinct and our defenses are no longer a weak point but one of strength that maintains itself. We simply change and shed the old ways for the new.
We can all do this rhythmic dance with life in a new and less confined manner, willingly without resistance, we listen to the soft voices that guide us and we effect change in positive ways…within ourselves and others. We have lifted our conscious awareness to a higher state of mind and our actions will be in accordance to that. So will the results they bring. Contrary Medicine holds purpose.
When I started this article I mentioned that we usually confront the Contrary Medicine first…we don't understand what benefits it holds and see it as a negative in the first place. When it comes to the attributes we carry, it's often very hard to look at our short comings so the initiating experiences will be challenging us to do so. If we can see the value in Contrary Medicine we begin to see from an advantage point. Turning that around calls for courage to face whatever challenges are in us and you can bet that if you're walking with Contrary Medicine first the experience will be one of exposure.
It can often be quite embarrassing to be exposed, vulnerabilities we hide from weaken us, confronting them calls for turning them into strengths in some fashion and you will run into a mirror somewhere that will expose this part of your nature. It means setting boundaries that will allow you to use that to create a safe place to do your examination. Those boundaries begin within you.
If I'm coming out with my claws showing I can rip someone's head off quite effectively. It doesn't happen often, I keep that under control until there's a reason to use it, picking my battles. I can feel when my Totems are moving within me, my senses tell me who is coming forward in my own behaviors and I know what Medicine I'm working with when I feel the primal energy signature. Learning how the contrary Medicine of a Totem works you can see how it can work to your advantage as a strength when called for and how it can work against you if you're not controlling the primal nature. In battles where strength is called for we call up that primal nature to draw that energy into our actions and if under control we use it well. I encourage you to learn what your Contrary Medicines are and how to use them.

From Spirit Lodge

YES!!! That is true. We seem to focus on the positive and overlook the contrary and what we might learn from this side of the totem. Lol, like the crow I consider myself a scavenger - I am always looking for things especially other people's cast-offs (second hand furniture and clothes). Like the snake I keep low to the ground picking up vibrations from the earth especially when it involves my natural enemies (ex-partners with less than compatible ideals). Like the possum, I play dead to avoid life at times...we can learn so much more about ourselves by looking at all the dimensions of our messengers and not singling out the good or glamorous. Like anything, animal totems are not just one-dimensional, they have various aspects and insights there for the observing and learning on our behalf.

Owl Medicine - Part one

Owl sees and knows the truth. It's ability to navigate through the darkest night and bring back nourishment for itself and others is the foundation of this essence. When you have lost your way, owl essence will guide you back to your proper path and wisdom.

Expanded Definition - Death and rebirth, releasing that which has outlived it's benefit and usefulness in your life, actual physical death transition, can be placed in a bowl of water and used to help earth bound Souls find their guides and loved ones. Clearing a home or land of negative energy. Starting over in a new life or releasing the ties that kept you bound to the old one. Enhances clairvoyance, clairaudience, communication from one's Master Guides and Totems.

Owls have long been associated with both death and wisdom. In Greek mythology an Owl was sacred to Pallas Athene, the Goddess of wisdom, because it sat on her shoulder and lit up her blind side. Their association with death comes from their peerless ability as hunters of the night, they are able to navigate through the most densely forested areas in order to seek out and capture their prey. Crows will mob Owls when they are near their territory for they know that when night falls, Owl becomes a formidable predator that will return to the Crow's nesting areas in search of a tasty Crow dinner.

Yet even so, the Owl provides a vital function in keeping bird, rodent and insect populations in check; too many of any species is detrimental to the balance of all. So it is with other things in our own lives, for if we have too many possessions, too many projects, too much of anything, it limits and restricts our ability to move freely through the different areas of our lives and the resu lt is stagnation which leads to the death of joy, happiness and abundance. Owl medicine then becomes crucial in helping us to clear out that which is no longer needed or wanted. What may seem like a death to us in the giving up of something may be for another the birth and manifestation of a dream. We are most likely to lose our way when we become enmeshed in the "shoulds" and "must haves" in life, most of which come not from our inner selves but from the opinions and beliefs of those around us. We can spend so much time listening to others about what we should want ( and the commercials on the telly and radio are prime examples of this!) that we ignore what we really want. We find ourselves spiraling downwards into the darkness because we have become so busy thinking we must pursue this or hunt that, most of which provides very little, if any, real nourishment.

Think for a moment what your life would be like if you were able to jettison anything that did not speak to you on a Soul level. What would remain? What then would you "hunt" because it provided for you on all levels? That is what Owl medicine teaches us to do. We find that as we begin to move through the process of what we truly want, clearing the old to make way for the new birth of the Self that is close at hand, we find that other obstacles, limitations, fears and anxieties also begin to "die" in our lives. They no longer have the hooks to remain attached to our energy fields and without our support, they must die.

Owl knows that all apparent manner of death is in fact a liberation into a new life. Something must first be cleared away for anything new to be born. When a person moves, leaves a job or relationship, has a baby, adopts a new animal friend, something in the old way of life had to die for the new to be created. At the time it may seem incredibly painful because we have been taught that death is an ending, not a new beginning, and that what is in the process of being born is always more beneficial than the old. The pain and grief is extended and heightened when we try to hang on to what was because we believe that s the best we would ever have. The unknown can seem dreadfully forbidding, how will we cope, who will be there if we stumble, what if we fail?

Owl can take us beyond those thoughts and fears, for Owl sees far into the future and knows that even after the darkest night there is a new dawn that is approaching. It is as inevitable as babies crying and of buds bursting for th from plants in the spring. From every death something new must emerge for life is ever renewing itself. The Crow that was taken by an Owl last summer may reappear the following spring as a nestling. The Berries that were eaten by a Bear one year may reappear the next as a bird, an ant or a human being. All of life is interconnected and we are all part and parcel of the same fabric that wends its way through the stories of our own life and death. Death then becomes not a loss but a new adventure to be explored with great abandon and joy.

Chakra - Root, Crown
Essential Oil - Rosemary, Lime, Cinnamon
Chant - Ti mah su
Planet - Pluto
Other Supportive Measures - Write a letter to a loved one who has passed over or light a candle for them for 7 consecutive days. Look back at some of the "deaths" in your life, how have they helped you to become the person you are today? Join a discussion or support group for death and dying, study the planet Pluto in your natal chart and note what deaths have occurred through the house where it is found and also the house where Scorpio is found on the cusp or contained within it. Hold a releasing ceremony, symbolically burying or burning anything you no longer want or need in your own life. Make up your own ritual for this and follow your own inner knowing or call upon Owl to help show you the way.




Owl Medicine - Part Two
Owl medicine can help a person to extract secrets, to see that which is hidden in the darkness and is very powerful for soul retreivals for this reason. Many shamans, psychic healers and mediums have owl medicine either as a primary totem or can call upon one as needed. They can see clear through to the core reason for any type of imbalance and then they can spot the proper medicine needed to heal the imbalance.

Owls are also fabulous at keeping rodent populations under control. In Eastern Oregon for example farmers have begun encouraging Barn Owls to nest on their property because of their ability to out do the family cat in keeping rodents under control! So Owl medicine can also help us to keep the pests in our own lives at bay and keep them from becoming overly destructive. In healing this medicine can become very important as in cases of Cancer where they "pest" in this case the cancer cells, are multiplying so rapidly they threaten to destroy the fabric of the body physical. In actual fact, the body contains numerous cells and virus's and bacteria's that if not kept under control would kill us within days and yet in the proper numbers are actually highly beneficial to the body!

So too are rodent populations needed in order to maintain balance in the world. Owl knows what is needed in the proper amounts and what needs to be released, the way in which the Owl Medicine person does this though depends on the relationship they have with their own Owls and what the Owl suggests to them as the proper balancing measure.

Owl people also need to get a certain amount of daytime/solar energy via the sun, yellow crystals or flowers and so forth lest they become out of balance with the nocturnal side of their nature. It can be easy for Owl people to want to shun the daylight as they tend to be more comfortable at night, and yet they too need the balance that the solar world provides. They might feel overly exposed when out in the daylight and thus it helps them to wear a talisman or shield of some sort where they feel they are protected from the energies of others as often they are extremely sensitive and psychic.

If you need to know the truth of something, ask an Owl person or one who has Lynx or Bobcat medicine! All three tend to see what others do not or cannot and are very reliable and accurate in what they pick up about a person or situation. The Owl person, though, is far more likely to tell you what they see, the Lynx and Bobcat person usually keeps many things to themselves.

Other raptors such as Hawks, Eagles and so forth are associated with Owls as well because they frequently share the same territory although there is the odd skirmish now and again. Owl people frequently find that they may have to stand their ground in life when they find themselves challenged by someone else, yet if they are coming from what they know is true, that always does come to the forefront in the end! Owl people also do tend to be very wise, often beyond their years because they do see far more than many others do. They tend to be mystical, rather magical people and often are highly interested in magic and ritual at which they are extremely gifted! Merlin had an Owl for example, this is why he was such a wonderful Magician, VBG!

By Morning Star

WOW !! !! Just look at how BE-auti-FULL he is !! !!Not my picture.

Now that is bizarre and timely. Last week I came home to find a tawny frogmouth sitting in my backyard and it just stared straight at me.



This is the first one I have seen here in the whole 8 years I have been in this house. My mother used to have them visit her regularly at her place but not me. Anyway I was able to get pretty close to it before it slowly glided away. The call is a soothing ooom oom ooom that may be repeated continuously for for hours. During the day they sit still and look remarkably like a broken tree branch. If you stumble upon one you may first know about it when the bird suddenly opens it's mouth very wide and utters a harsh greaarrrk. The one that visited me was silent. They are related to the owl family.

The day that you posted the above info on owls Solane, I encountered a hawk! It was flying parallel to my car and at times in front as if navigating or guiding me. When I read about the association between owls and hawks in your post I was floored! And then the day after, I had a female wedge-tail eagle flying circles over my backyard. I stood and watched and the circles got smaller as it zeroed in on me curious to see what I was. I was in awe of the majesty and serene flight of this bird. It must have had a wing span of over 2 metres.



And then, the next day, I had a crow talking to a magpie in my yard....I feel like these birds are coming to me with a message. Time to take flight perhaps?

Lol and back to the penguins...I dreamt last night about penguins. I went down to the shore and one in particular was looking directly at me and came up out of the water and kissed me!

Oh how sweet! Kissed by a penguin! Not many people can say that.

WOW !! !! Goth, talk about hitting the nail right on the head or what, this is Great stuff.




Penguin

A Penguin Totem can show you how to move freely through the astral plane and the dream dimension. A Penguin person will have lucid dreams and have the ability to change the course of those dreams while still asleep. You can use those same energies to change the course of your waking life as well. Think of the leap the Penguin makes from land into the water – astral projection is just that easy for Penguin people.

If you do Astral Travel with the help of your Penguin, make sure to elicit the help of your other Totems beforehand. Your Below totem can help you keep a connection to Mother Earth and the waking plane and use one or more of your most powerful Totems as protectors and guides.

The penguin is an amazing animal with unusual characteristics. If you ever see one in the wild it will be hard to forget. Highly specialized for their flightless aquatic existence their binocular vision is poor. Some penguins have no binocular vision at all. A sideways stare acts as a method of focusing on threatening objects. They see better in water than on land and their sense of smell is weak.

These unique animals exude an air of properness and good manners. Gathering in groups they walk bolt upright forming several lines denoting a sense of order and purpose. They waddle with determination and focus. Those with this medicine have the same inherent abilities. If this medicine isn't fully developed call upon the penguin to help you refine and perfect these skills.

Both male and female penguins bow to one another before entering or leaving the nest. The bow is a behavior demonstrated most often in pairs. Penguins may also walk about the area while bowing. Bowing is considered to be both a form of appeasement and a tool for maintaining social bonds. Penguin medicine people are either well mannered and polite or need to learn these abilities. This bird teaches respect to all who cross its path.

The penguin's striking black and white attire suggests formality. The Emperor penguin, the largest of this aquatic bird, dressed in a tuxedo looks as if its ready for a dinner party. Those with this totem are careful about their appearance and enjoy life styles related to high society. They are social and feel at ease in any type of situation. This gives them leadership qualities and denotes an air of self confidence.

Penguins are master acrobats. While swimming their movements are graceful and fluid. They twist and turn in a variety of ways then shoot high out of the water landing solidly on their feet. When traveling long distances on ice the penguin toboggans on its stomach using its fins to push it along. They have been recorded at speeds up to 25 miles an hour. The penguin teaches us how to connect with our inner rhythm, honor our body and move with agility.

Because of their association with water astral projection and out of body experiences are keynote. Their movements both in water and on land indicate an ability to glide easily from one dimension to another. Penguins have the ability to consciously go out of body. They teach those with this medicine how to embrace and understand all realms of life. Individuals with penguin totems are vivid dreamers and often receive messages through the dreamtime or in a meditative state.

The colours of the penguin are also symbolic. The colour black represents the hidden or the unknown and the color white reflects the light or awakened consciousness. The merging of the hidden with the known produces a balanced state of being. Penguin teaches you how to blend, merge and balance the dark with the light.

Penguin is a powerful totem to have and helps you change your reality, move between the worlds and awaken full consciousness. If this master bird appears in your life get ready for a life altering course of mystery, intrigue and transformation. Once you have explored uncharted waters there will be no turning back. (Source: Sayahda.com)

That very much describes me right now and I love penguins! Always have. When I went to Seaworld back in March, they were the ones I wanted to see most out of all the animals. I spent ages at their enclosure watching and conversing with them.