Totem Animals 11-15-2021

We call on totem animals, spirit guides and guardian angels when we need extra help

they provide different kinds of help so we may use all or only one of these.
Totem animals are power and energy we can draw upon when we need certain specific energies for magick or a particular problem.

We may invoke the energy of a lion if we needed to be powerful and in control of a situation a spider may be for dexterity sometimes you may use your totem animals in meditation or path workings and other times you may evoke their energy in spell work
another way may be using totem animals as astral familiars.

Spirit guides, and angels help us make decisions and guide us towards our destiny.
We may ask angels to guide us in our work and our destiny's.

Their influence is more subtle than a spirit guide who can often be connected to psychically. We may envisage our spirit guide and hear their voices our angelic guardians often do not show themselves to us.

Totem Animals
Native American and Celtic shamanistic beliefs are strong on animal symbols. 
These symbols are referred to as "totem animals" or "power animals."
You'll often hear the two referred to synonymous, but those that follow traditional Native beliefs explain that a totem animal is one that is with you for life, 
often an animal with whom you share a connection, either through interest in the animal or your resemblance to or shared characteristics of the animal in question.

A power animal or spirit animal is a spirit in animal form that comes through with a specific lesson for you, and will change throughout the course of your life.
Witches cannot always work with physical familiars due to many reasons.
Perhaps the most common one will be space limitation.

Let's face it, who can keep a tiger in his/her house? Siegfried and Roy do NOT count!
Therefore, many witches work with their totem animals in the astral.
Totems are not specific animals but mystical powers.

Totem animals are sought in the astral world.

Witches choose those power animals that closely represent their higher selves. In other words, power animals are chosen by their affinity to the witch.
Power animals are used for specific purposes too.

For example, a witch may choose the animal that lends to a specific kind of magick.
Maybe the spell needs some "medicine" or energy from the Snake.

Some animals are associated with the quarters. Sometimes these energies are activated with the quarter calls.

Totem animals are great advisers. So, if you are confused about something, call the animal.

Our personality has many facets, so you're likely to have more than one power animal. However, I suggest that you begin to work with one power animal at the time.
Visit the animal in the astral world and "talk" to it for a while. Once you get aquatinted with that one, move to the next one.

I think most of you have an immediate affinity with at least one particular animal and whilst I talk about this are thinking about your animal.

Bear in mind that totem animals may come and go out of your life as you grow. 
So do not feel bad if you see the Bear spirit disappear from your life, and instead the Fox spirit appears.

There are those power animals that might stay with you for the rest of your life, but others may come and go as need be.
Welcome those that come to you for the new experiences they will bring into your life. Bless and thanks those that go.

If you would like to get in touch with your own totem animals, here are a couple of methods you can try.
I've had the best success with dreams, though this may be in part thanks to experimentation with lucid dreaming in the past. 

If you want to try using dreams as your medium, you might want to consider burning some scented candles or oils in the bedroom before turning in for the night (lavender and lilac are great for helping you to open up psychically). 
Clear your mind of the day's "chatter" (take several deep breaths, or some meditation techniques can be found here).

Repeat the following statement: "I am open to communication with my spirit guides, and would like them to come to me in my dreams. I will remember these dreams in the morning."

Another means you can try is entering a meditative state. Find a comfortable chair in a quiet place with no interruptions, barricade yourself in, and do the following:
Close your eyes

Take several deep, relaxing breaths, clearing your mind of your thoughts
Once you've reached a relaxed state, imagine a natural setting that is calming and comforting to you: an ocean beach, a meadow in summer, a forest clearing in the rain, a flower garden, a grassy hillside or wherever the animal you wish to contact may reside.
Imagine a seat in the middle of your area
approach the seat and sit down

Send a thought out that you would like to meet your totem animal
Wait for the animal to approach, and let it sit or lie down if that is what it wants to do
Ask his or her name, and what he or she is here to teach you.
If this is your first attempt, keep this meeting brief, thank your animal for coming, and slowly bring your consciousness back to the room in which you're seated.

Another means you can use to establish a more rudimentary communication for your totem animal just to let you know that they're present, to receive confirmation that you're on the right path, or to let you know that you need to pay special attention at a particular moment is to pick a symbol, something specific and that you're not inclined to see every day, such as a pen with a red barrel, a purple flower, or a pair of dice.

Be on the lookout for your symbol, and if you see it, know that your totem is there with you. I find it best to ask to see the animal in unusual places as my sign.
Note that as your totem animal may not appear really clearly to you at first, you'll want to check various similar animal types (alligator vs. crocodile, for example) before assuming that it's a specific one.

Often you can confuse two different animals for example a cheetah and a leopard
which have different energies
Also be aware that some animals may have specific meaning to you other than what is in the list.

For example, some people have different views on rats...some keep them as pets, others detest them.

This list is not meant to supersede your own symbolic meanings, but rather instead to supplement it. Always go with your own instincts.

Guardians
Everyone has a guardian this is not to be confused with your spirit guide or guardian angel. 

A Guardian guards you from psychic attack or possession.

They are especially strong in young spirits or those who haven't been reincarnated many times older spirits are able to care more for their own psychic well-being.
Often when people first try to contact their spirit guide, they first come across their guardian.

The guardian is often scary looking, ugly, or frightening in some other way. They are not going to hurt you, but are protecting you.
If during meditation you come across someone who fits this bill, do not be afraid. They are caring for you. There looks are meant to scare away possible attackers.

Spirit Guides

These entities that are known by many names, Spirit Guides, Guides, Helpers or Spirit Helpers. They are all of these things. 
I have heard them called "controls" or "spirit controls". I don't like these names as they do not in any way try to control you.

 No, they will not make your decisions for you. They feel that this is your life and that you must live in it.
They will offer their opinions and advice if you ask for it, but they won't tell you what to do. It is your life and you must decide how to live it.
They are souls or spirits that have lived many lifetimes and have gained much wisdom. They are there to help and assist you and are your friends, in fact they are the best friends that you have.
They do truly love you and would never do anything to harm you in any way. 
And even though you may not consciously know it at this time, you already know them. You picked them to help you before you were born and they agreed to be your helpers.

What is the difference between an angel and a Spirit Guide?

Well, in most religions an angel is a spirit that has never lived a human life, rather acts as a messenger or worker of the Divine. 

Spirit Guides have lived many lifetimes and by doing so have gained much wisdom.

They also often act as messengers or workers of the Divine. Percentage-wise, there are very few angels that have not lived physical lives.

I believe that angels are very like faeries in some ways non-human
but that spirit guides are like human angels.

Spirit Guides are entities who have chosen to aid others on the path to spiritual enlightenment as we are about to ascend to higher light - the evolution of consciousness - our natural state of being. You are frequency. Spirit guides are higher frequency. It's like turning on a television or radio - one need only adjust the station to the matching frequency to connect.

Connection is usually telepathic unless your spirit guide uses some form of telekinesis to move objects or manifest objects to reinforce their connection with you. any spirit guides have had incarnations on the physical plane, as well as other realms. They, like yourself, exist multi dimensionally.

Spirit guides are often your polar opposite - the other part of your soul which remains on the other side in higher frequency as your soul experiences in third dimension. hat may physically appear to you in humanoid form so you mind can conceptualize them better.

Spirit Guides sometimes show up as ectoplasmic forms - in photos or for you to see with your own eyes.
We all have at least one spirit guide. They vary in number.

Spirit guides 'speak' to you in many ways. Sometimes they are the little voice you hear in your head - your thoughts.
Often times they speak to you in dream state, meditation, altered states of consciousness, through the synchronicity things that occur in your life, thought, art, music, dance, or acting.

Synchronicity, in general, are experiences created by your soul to bring you into greater awareness of what is occurring in your life.
We have all had them
hearing a song that expresses our feelings at a particular time
something happening that makes us feel we are being cared for in the spirit realm
 If you meet someone by accident - it is because your soul and theirs has made a decision to meet. 
Everything is part of a giant web - sacred geometric blueprint.
We are more aware of meeting them when we sleep. 
At that time, we remove our consciousness from third dimension - moving to faster moving frequency - faster than the speed of light to connect with that other realm of existence.
It is here that we work with our spirit guides and plan what we will do in the physical realms when we return to 'wakefulness' place our conscious mind back in our physical bodies - when we get up. 

Some see dream time as Real Time - as that is where the true decisions are made.
As you'll no doubt hear your guide in your own voice or as part of your thoughts, it's important not to dismiss this as your imagination. 

The more you communicate with your guides, the easier it will be to separate and distinguish their messages from your own thought-traffic. 
Pay special attention at times when you're in a relaxed, slightly-distracted state, such as daydreaming, meditating, or driving.
You can contact your guides in similar ways to contacting your power animals,

Listening and Viewing
Telepathic communication with spirit is called clairaudience which is communication by thought form.

Clairvoyance - communication by imagery on the screen in behind your forehead 
like a flash back or for the more advanced - images in front of you or in your mind.
They may be accompanied by physical sensations such as:
pressure on top of your head. This is the opening of the crown chakra.
a sensation on the left side of the body or face. This is the right side of the brain - the intuitive side - opening.
Sit down in a quiet place. You do not have to prepare as you would for meditation.

You may do this with your eyes open or closed - whatever helps you focus more easily. Today you are going to listen to your thoughts
Think Hello! 
Relax and allow the answer to come naturally. 
You should hear a thought message with an affirmative answer.

We are going to test this by asking 'yes/no questions' that are not personal. 
Think - Is it sunny today? You should hear the answer. Is today Sunday?
Continue with one or two more non-personal questions that can answered with Yes or No. You are adjusting your brain to 'listening' for messages.

their role is very similar, to watch over, care for and advise you whenever you need it and in whatever way they can.
They provide a sensation of comfort when you are sad or bereaved, guidance when you are troubled and are someone, we can rely upon for good advice should we choose to listen to them.