I was surprised to read recent posts about “negative” aspects of power animals, so I have spoken to my Shaman teacher to clarify a few things.

The long process of learning to become a Shaman begins with the discovery of his power animal.

Power animals are usually a deep reflection of our deeper selves and they reflect the qualities we need in this world.

Power animals are our helpers,they do not do anything detrimental to us. We do that ourselves through letting Ego get in the way of our spiritual path. :notworthy:

Our power animal may be the smallest timid creature but in times of need they have the power and strength necessary to help us.

Power animals come and go in our lives. Since I discovered my first power animal (wild boar) four years ago, I have had several new ones.

On the evening of the Doreen Virtue seminar, I was in my friends bedroom looking out the window. A long legged bird was standing in the garden, stock still. It didn’t move for at least five minutes, I thought it was a stone statue, I recognised the bird as a Crane.
Suddenly it spread its wings and I was amazed at the span of them.it did strike me as strange, this unusual bird I my friends garden.

I mentioned it to Great Bear and he suggested that I journeyed to spirit to find out if in someway it was connected to me.

I was told by spirit that it was indeed another power animal to help me in the net phase of my life!!

I researched the qualities of Crane as a power animal and feel they are very appropiate to me at this point in my life.

Crane / Patience - Perseverance. Crane is said to be one of the first birds to greet the sunrise and to have the ability to predict rains and storms. In human sense, it teaches us to predict the 'emotional' storms of human nature. Cranes dance in circles and their dance has long been associated with underworld (Otherworld) guides; leading souls in and out of incarnation. Crane teaches us patience, it stands perfectly still for endless hours observing until the moment is right. It teaches us to remain focused - to concentrate without distraction. Color Brown. In healing, represents time and patience of the process. Keeper of sacred tools, and associated with its attribute in shapeshifting. Teaches the heart to open and shift into other worlds.
· Symbol of spring and light
· New knowledge
· Astral travel
· Seeing all things associated with secrets
· Longevity
· Elegance
· Seeks to help others on their paths
· Wisdom
Crane helps us to find the magic in nature. Her gift of healing is time and patience. Her color is brown and and she teaches the heart to open to the Tree of Trees and the OtherWorlds.

Meg

Thanks for that Meg.

Something I need to read up on more, about the way Animals have some sort of meaning for us, on the life we are travelling.

Luv n
Crystalnights
xx

Hi MM,

My earlier topic wasn't aimed at putting power animals down in any way, so apologies if this is the impression it gave.

I only raised the point as in a reiju I took part in recently I was told "you need to learn the poison of this animal".

Lets say for arguments sake that my power animal was a Lion. Not only would I try to draw courage from it, in a positive but I would also look to working on pride and arrogance, which in moderation can be beneficial, but too much can be detrimental.

In both Animal Speak and Animal Medicine cards, (my bibles for animal medicine) the books talk about "contrary" meanings. Like if the medicine cards appear upside down in a reading, that is asking you to look at working on some negative aspects.

I have absolute faith in my own power animals as I have faith in my guides and angels that they are here with unconditional love for me, and here to help me all they can.

Love & Light
Lioness

MM,

Thanks for the post..

I was confuddled as you know after speaking to you..but as I have only just started on the Shamans path,thought it best for you ,my ickle to go have a word with your teacher to clarify things... hence I didnt reply at first

I know that in cards they have reverse meanings,but with the journeys I have had since starting the path,the power animals only show for the positive side.

Yes like everything in life..heads n tails / ying and yang...there are two sides to things.But in my short journey down the Shaman path,the power animals that have come too or been brought to me are very relevant to me at that paticular time.

I have had many stay with me,they seem to *drift* in and out as nessasary. I know now to take particular heed to a journey I may carry out if they are ALL there at the same time as has happend recently Its a real *HEADS UP * message normally. Really strange to see them and hear them gathered around the Teepe or the village I normally go to though

So much more to learn,but what a journey to start out on!

Lioness,

QUOTE

I have absolute faith in my own power animals as I have faith in my guides and angels that they are here with unconditional love for me, and here to help me all they can.

Thats the one

Hi there all

firstly - a disclaimer - I know very little about the shamanic ways - so I'm speaking here from instinct rather than knowledge. I feel that the animals that have come to me - especially in the last while have come to guide me towards the right direction for me at that time. In order to do that, they have sometimes advised me against something I am doing. twice recently I have had sudden, frequent sightings of a particular bird and a snake (not together I hasten to add). when I eventually got the message that this was significant, I looked up the meanings of these animals in a number of places - and just couldn't identify with the "positive" features listed for them - however, amongst the "negative" were listed two behaviours that I had unfortunately adopted in the last few months. I have made an effort to amend these behaviours recently and the sightings have stopped. so my learning in this case has come from the "poison" of the animal - so I relate to this Lioness.

these threads are specific to power animals/shamanic teaching so I don't want to go too far off topic, but I'm wondering about the simply symbolic influence an animal can have ie separate from the notion of power animals in a shamanic sense. animals appear in the tarot in a symbolic way, as they do in certain rennaisance paintings or in egyptian hieraglyphics - or even in fairy tales.

but mostly I think animals are here to teach us about achieving balance in our lives - whether that be by a visit from our power animal or a divination/oracle reading that uses animal archetypes to illustrate a viewpoint. when we are balanced (or centred) we can see more clearly and progress down our paths more smoothely.

I feel that message I receive to learn the poison of an animal was so that I can benefit and help others along the way.

I also feel that I must clarify that the animal in question was not my power animal, nor the power animal of anyone else I was with in the reiju vision. It was simply there to help make a point.

I have given this a lot of thought, because at the time I received this message I did my usual "well what's that supposed to mean?" when I *came back to earth*.

The animal in question was in actual fact a Rat. And the message I actually received was "You need to learn the poison of this vermin!"

I have not used the words "Rat" or "Vermin" in previous posts for fear of insulting anyone who does have a rat for their power animal, because I am confident this is not what the message I received was aimed at.

OK so in modern day life *Rat* is a slang term used for someone who has stabbed someone else in the back (i.e. Love Rat is something we often see used in the media).

So could it be that by learning the poison of Rat, I am being directed to stop being such a softie with people who take the mickie out of my good nature? Is it being suggested that I should do a bit of a turnaround on occasion, even if it is just to learn to say NO when I normally would say "Yeah - alright then..."

Or could it be that by learning about why people do such things to others I can help someone who has been on the receiving end of such an act with more balance and empathy?

Or could it be that I am being guided to find out the motives of the person who did the back stabbing in the first place to maybe help them see the errors of their ways and possibly made amends for it?

Afterall - why does medical science research poisons, if not to find an antidote?

Love & Light
Lioness

My limited knowledge of Shamanism will be highlighted in this post I should imagine, so many apologies in advance if I am talking a load of noodles.
GB and I talked last night about the negative and positive aspects of power animals. To me, every thing has to have a yin/yang to be in balance, so why should a power animal not be negative and positive thing,? And as GB confirmed this for me, it then raises some questions.
There has been a lot of discussion about taking on the positive aspects of power animals, but this seems seems to centred around peoples own power animals. What if you were guided to a power animal that was not your own, would the negative aspects then be more dominant?
I can hear the response from some saying "but you wouldn't be guided to something which was not yours" but why not? Why is the Shamanic world so different from the "real world" where people are "guided" to take things which are not theirs, believing it is for thier good. How do we know that on journeys we undertake we are not being given false messages to "test us out", these tests given to us by "imposter power animals". The saying "without dark there would be no light" applies to most things holistic, surely the same must apply to shamanism. There will be those that work in the light for the highest and greatest good of everyone and those that work in the dark using negative energies to be destructive. I can remember threads on other discussion boards about the "dark and light" side of Reiki which incited much discussion, some heated..I would certainly not wish this to become the same, but for those who know me well enough, will know I do have ask questions, it helps me learn and understand the path I am walking.

You aren't talking noodles SA, its a very valid point! :yes:

I don't know enough about shamanism to profess to be any kind of expert, so I can't really comment on being led to power animals that aren't your own, I wouldn't know if that is even possible.

In answer to your post SA, I do know that whether it be shamanic journeying or any other form of Spirit communication, a very fine line exists between imagination and what is.

And it is completely understandable and to be expected that it would raise doubt in the mind, just like yourself. It is only with experience that we can distinguish between the two.

As for being misled by the living who have questionable intent, or who walk a darker path, well, I can comment on that as I come across them often. It goes right across the holistic and esoteric world. There are so many of them out there, and they are initially hard to identify, so it is easy to be duped. There's no shame in that either. The expression "wolf in sheeps clothing" is a perfect analogy, outwardly friendly and unassuming, but inwardly calculating whats in it for them!

It is all too easy for those who are starting out on a new and unfamiliar path to be misled by those who profess to be experts. I get a lot of people contacting me who have been duped by so called "gurus" who have no thought at all for the greater good of their protogees and no inclination to undo the damage caused (and would have no idea how to begin anyway!)

Thankfully though, just as in the Spirit world, dark can often be briefly concealed with light, but it will out in the end. If you shine a light into the darkest corner, you will see what is truly there, it cannot hide can it?

Imposters always show their true intent once their intended target's trust is gained absolutely, they have no reason to hide it anymore. Thankfully this is the point where most people smell something fishy and do something about it!

The best advice I could give anyone in that situation is to start listening to gut instinct, look to what is for the greater good, and to look for proper guidance from someone who has a proven track record or good word of mouth references.

To go all Yoda for a second, the work of the Dark Side can (nearly always) be undone!

Thanks for that SA,

keep in mind what you learned in your short weekend here in Ireland...

Think back to the power and positive energy that you felt when journeying to meet your power animal.

How they help us feel 'in control' and how they teach us to take back the 'power' we unwittingly give to others. Power animals are helpers and by defination they are here to help not undermine us or take us on a "wild goose chase" as can be done by other methods of divination.

When i first came upon Shamanic healing I was at an all time low in my life. Through Shamanic counselling with a trained Shamanic counsellor and Shamanic training with an experienced antropologist ,Shaman and highly respected teacher, I turned my life around.I have managed to combine a successful career, wife, motherhood and now have my own successful spiritul healing business. So i am speaking from experience when i talk about the positive and powerful aspects of Shamanism & power animals.. like you, i question everything and have put my Shaman teacher through the mill with endless questions and a true Shaman would accept no less!!

I have really enjoyed reading these posts and it is great to see a livley debate on different subjects

now for the bad news.. My son is taking the PC to university to work on his exams and daughter is taking the laptop away with her!!! You know what that means??? will have to get hubby to take me out instead Will probably get the housework up to date as well..

Meg

SA,



As my Dad always tought me "If you don't ask - you'll never know." So a big to you for having the courage to ask! Many would just accept with no question out of fear of looking silly.

I'm always asking "......yes that's great - but......" myself. It's not always easy, but my path, like my life, is my own. I will only get one crack at this incarnation of my soul, one chance to learn as much as I can and get as much right as possible. It's not like a video tape I can rewind and edit till the end product is a seamless and perfect film.



Can totally relate to this Rach! I was bullied all through school, by people who started out as my best friends!!



My sentiments exactly! My little saying to someones face when this side of their nature starts to come out is a "Starting to show your true colours now are you? Couldn't keep up the act any longer?" The reactions are quite funny and varied! It goes from complete denial and "I don't know what you mean!" to a sheepish dumbstruck expression followed by that person avoiding me like the plague!



Rach :notworthy: couldn't have said it better myself! Life is one big game of "Goodies and Baddies" at times, and the bad guys always lose in the end! And as for the good guys, well they come out stronger, better, and get to take the good looking girl / guy home by riding into the sunset!

I know I have my power animal and gatekeepers firmly by my side and they are there to guide and protect me, but I also know through meditation that they have as much of a personality as I do. My gatekeeper animal loves to play, he also loves hugs from me. He has been by my side in many meditations and there have been times I've laughed at his antics. My power animal is very precious to me indeed. She is there through thick and thin. Strong, dependable, faithful but with a naughty sense of humour. She's the "Hey! Girl Power! They didn't see that coming did they?!" one. She and I have been together both in medi's and dreams and she always makes me feel very loved and protected, but above all, she makes me smile.

My Angels, Guides, Gatekeepers and Power Animal all have personalities, just as we all do, I mean lets face it - for those guys to silently be with us 24/7 we have to be compatible right? It wouldn't do to have a guide you constantly argued with! OK you might bicker lightheartedly like I've done, but in the end the underlying love and good intent always prevails.

Love & Light
Lioness

Wild goose chase??

The ancient Shamans spent a lifetime of prayer, fasting and meditation before they could truly call themselves Shamans.

No one gets the hang of this in a few weeks or months.

Worth remembering.

Crystalline,

QUOTE

No one gets the hang of this in a few weeks or months

So true...

Like all the different paths we tread...do we ever stop learning?

well said crystalline and GB