How Do I Know What My Totem Animal Is?
What are totem animals?
Totem animals are animal spirits that serve as guides, protectors, and symbols for a person or a group in many traditional cultures, including among Native American tribes. According to Native American tradition, each person is connected with and can call upon the strengths of a certain animal guardian spirit to serve as a protector and provide guidance. These personal totem animals were considered spirit guides that represented characteristics that the person shared with or aspired to embody from that animal.
The concept of totem animals has a long history and deep spiritual significance across North America. Totem animals were often seen as sacred and portrayed in various forms of Native American art and ritual, including being carved into totem poles. According to Native American tradition recorded by early European settlers and anthropologists, the qualities embodied by a person’s totem animal provided spiritual power, and tribes often recognized collective clan totems. Traditionally, Native Americans learned their totem animal through a vision quest or from the tribe’s shaman. Totem animals served as symbols of spiritual connection and identity within the tribe.
Sources:
https://study.com/learn/lesson/native-american-totem-poles-symbolism-history.html
Common ways to determine your totem
There are several common methods for determining your totem animal. Some of the most popular include:
Dreams and visions: Pay attention to any animals that appear repeatedly in your dreams or during meditation. This could be a sign of your totem. For example, if you dream about owls several nights in a row, it may indicate the owl is your totem animal (source).
Astrology: You can examine your astrological chart, especially your Sun, Moon, and Rising signs, to gain insight into your totem animal. Each zodiac sign corresponds with certain spirit animals. For instance, Scorpios often have snake, eagle or phoenix totems.
Numerology: Calculate your life path number and look up the animal associated with that number. Numerology can reveal deeper meanings and point you towards potential totem animals.
Meditation: Sit quietly in nature and ask your totem animal to make itself known. Pay attention to any animals that come into your awareness or any visions that appear during meditation. This intuitive practice can reveal your totem.
Look for signs in nature
Pay attention to the animals you encounter in nature or in unusual places, as these may be signs of your totem animal reaching out to you. According to Spirit Animals blog (https://fauna-protect.com/en-us/blogs/spirit-animals), seeing a particular animal cross your path repeatedly or having an unusual encounter with an animal may indicate it is your totem. For example, if a deer appears on your path when you are hiking several times, it could be a sign the deer is your totem animal.
Likewise, having an unusual encounter with an animal, like seeing a hawk land close by and stare at you, can be a way your totem animal makes its presence known as noted in the Pinterest article on Spirit Animal Symbolism (https://www.pinterest.com/pin/spirit-animals–29836416272802818/). Pay attention when animals react to you in strange ways or appear in unlikely places. Analyze what attributes the animal represents to determine if it aligns with your inner spirit.
Pay attention to your personality
One popular way to determine your totem animal is by assessing shared characteristics and traits. We often possess innate qualities similar to certain animals. For example, people who are playful and energetic may relate to the monkey totem. Those who are wise and insightful may identify with the owl totem. Introverts who enjoy solitude frequently find themselves drawn to the bear totem. If you feel deeply connected to a particular animal’s habits, attributes or lifestyle, this may be a sign they are your totem.
Spend time reflecting on your core personality traits and how they align with various animal archetypes (https://ann-gadd.medium.com/whats-your-enneagram-type-s-animal-archetype-608f16853cda). For instance, are you fierce and protective like a mama bear? Or social and hardworking like a bee? Your inner nature will often point toward your totem animal if you listen closely. Pay attention to animals you feel most kindred with. Their symbolic wisdom likely has guidance to offer you on your life path.
Examine your birth date
One way to determine your totem animal is by examining what animal is associated with your birth date. Every day of the year corresponds to a particular animal that imparts distinct energies and characteristics. The Celtic zodiac and many Native American traditions have established fascinating connections between birth dates and animals.
For example, if you were born between December 22nd and January 19th, your totem is the owl according to Celtic astrology. The owl represents wisdom, intuition, and perspective. Those born under the owl are thought to be observant, insightful, and cerebral in nature.
In some Native American traditions, those born between June 21st and July 21st have the woodpecker as their zodiac animal which signifies protection, nourishment, and determination. Woodpecker people are associated with loyalty, nurturance, and provision.
So examine the different zodiac calendars to see what animal corresponds to your birthday. The qualities and traits associated with that creature may reveal your innate strengths, capabilities, and even life purpose. Check sites like Totem Animals By Birthday to find your totem animal by birth date.
Notice recurring animals
Animals that frequently appear in your life may be trying to get your attention and serve as a sign or message. Pay attention to animals you see repeatedly, especially those that show up in unusual places. Some common animal messengers to look out for include:
Wolf: Repeatedly seeing a wolf or wolf imagery indicates it may be time to pay closer attention to the people you surround yourself with, as the wolf reminds us of the importance of loyal companions (Source).
Owl: If an owl repeatedly appears, it often signifies change or transition. The owl serves as a messenger and reminder to pay attention to intuition and inner wisdom as you navigate change (Source).
Butterfly: Seeing butterflies frequently may signify transformation, joy, lightness, and creativity. The butterfly’s metamorphosis can inspire your own inner transformation (Source).
Deer: When a deer repeatedly crosses your path, it often signals a need for gentle self-care. The deer also reminds us to be gentle with others. Its appearance serves as a sign to approach life mindfully and with compassion (Source).
Recurring appearances of any animal are worth noticing. These sightings likely signify there is a message to interpret or guidance to receive from the animal’s symbolism and meaning.
Consider Your Heritage
Some people believe there are certain animals associated with specific ethnic backgrounds. For example:
- The bear is considered a totem for some Native American tribes like the Haida and Tlingit.
- The carp is seen as symbolic for Chinese and Japanese heritage.
- The black panther represents the strength and resilience of African ancestry.
- The dolphin and salmon are totems for some Polynesian cultures.
- The falcon is an important animal in Arab tradition.
- The reindeer has significance among Arctic peoples like the Sami.
Looking at the cultural stories and folklore related to your ancestry can provide clues into what animal guides may be significant for you based on your roots. Examining art, symbols, and motifs prevalent in that culture may also reveal meaningful creatures. This can help you get in touch with your ancestral legacy and the wisdom passed down through generations.
Take a specialized quiz
Online quizzes can offer guidance on determining your totem animal. You can find free quizzes like this one or more in-depth paid quizzes. These quizzes will ask questions about your personality, preferences, dreams, and more. Based on your responses, the quiz will suggest one or more totem animals that seem to align well with you.
While online quizzes can be fun and provide a starting point, remember they utilize algorithms and may lack spiritual context. So treat any results as helpful hints rather than absolute answers. If a particular animal really resonates from the quiz, look deeper into its symbolism and see if you identify with its traits.
Get in touch with nature
One of the best ways to connect with your totem animal is to spend more time outdoors in nature. When you’re surrounded by trees, plants, and wildlife, you open yourself up to sensing the subtle energies and spirits around you. Spending quiet time in nature allows animal energies to come forward and make themselves known to you.
Take walks in the woods, go camping, or sit in your backyard. Tune into the sights, sounds, and smells around you. Animals are more likely to appear when you’re relaxed and not focused on finding them. Don’t force it. With a quiet mind, animals may cross your path, appear in unusual ways, or even call out to you. Pay close attention and you may notice a certain type of animal repeatedly catching your eye or appearing in unexpected places. This could be a sign of your totem.
You can also try meditating outdoors and visualizing your totem animal. Ask for it to reveal itself to you. Then pay attention to any insights, visions, or animals that come to you during or after your meditation. Spend enough time opening yourself up to nature and your totem is likely to make itself known.
Connecting with nature helps strip away the mental clutter so you can tune into subtle animal energies around you. Allow nature to guide you to your totem animal. [1]
Talk to a shaman
Shamans are spiritual guides who can connect with animal spirits. Through rituals and trance states, shamans can provide insight into your totem animal. Shamans access the spirit world to retrieve information about power animals and serve as a medium between humans and nature spirits.
Some common rituals shamans use to help determine totem animals include:
- Drumming or rattling to enter a trance state
- Guiding participants on a guided meditation to meet their animal spirit
- Reading patterns in smoke or flames
- Throwing stones or bones and interpreting the messages
- Analyzing dreams
By tapping into the wisdom of animal spirits, shamans can provide clarity on your personal totem or spirit animal. Shamans often recommend getting in touch with your totem animal through connecting with nature, meditation, vision quests, and looking for signs and omens.
To learn more, check out this video on spirit animals in shamanism: Spirit Animals in Shamanism
