Wicca Spirit Newsletter Column: Totem Spirituality & Animal Medicine

Wicca Spirit Newsletter

Vol. I Issue 5

In This Issue:

Samhain

Meet Our Columnists!

“Evn”

“Lady Wystira”
“Aura Elise”

Pagan Saints

Everything Herbal

“Herbal Teas”

Animal Medicine & Totems:
“Native American Zodiac”

“Ask Aura Elise - Q&A”

Element Correspondences

Magickal Glossary

Working With Chakras:

“The Root Chakra”

Witch-Crafts

“Corn Dollies”
Featured Article:

"Recalling the Song:

   How Communicating
   with Animals will Change
   Our World”

Text Box: The Beauty of the Totem Animal The Native American Zodiac & Your Birth-Rights Copyright © Aura Elise Ireland 2007 All Rights Reserved Totem Animals have been a belief in Shamanism and Native American practices for centuries. Although working with totem (power) animals is a strong force in Shamanism and in Native-American traditions, one does not have to walk those spiritual paths to learn from non-human teachers. It is said that even a stone is a teacher if one opens the minds eye and heart to the knowledge therein. It is my experience that when an animal comes to you in dreamtime, meditation, or your visioning, then that animal is asking you to connect with its wisdom and allow it to strengthen you on your life path. It comes bearing medicine you need during this phase in your life. If you find yourself fascinated by or drawn to a particular animal, it is because your soul recognizes the animal’s spiritual medicine. It is also my experience that some our Totem Animals are not so subtle as to come to us in dreamtime, meditation or visioning alone. Sometimes they appear repeatedly in our daily life. I find when they do this, it is normally because their more subtle call to us has gone unanswered, unnoticed, or ignored. Different Totem Animals come to us throughout our life. However, it is not uncommon to have an animal stay with you, guiding you, and watching over you for the totality of our existence on this plane. These very special creatures come to us with their medicine. Each has it’s own wisdom. As we walk through life, we need different medicine at different times. Our Totems represent what that medicine is. Birth / Astrological or Zodiac Animal Totems: At birth, we are assigned animal totems. Just as you find in customary astrology signs (Aries, Scorpio, Sagittarius, etc.). The ruling factors of Native American birth totems are assigned under a like principle. Below I have shared a basic Native American Zodiac to introduce you to your birth totem(s). At the end of the birth totems list, I will give definition of each topic herein. FALCON PEOPLE - March 21st - April 19th Earth Influence: The Awakening Time Totem: Eagle Direction: North-East Influencing Wind: The East Winds Element: Fire Elemental: Hawk Clan (Fire) Function: To Initiate Birth & Animal Totem: Falcon Plant Totem: Dandelion Stone Totem: Opal Polarity Totem: Crow Affinity Color: Yellow/Green Musical Vibration: C Sharp Personality: Active, Forceful, Impetuous Feelings: Quickly Aroused Nature: Impulsive Intention: Activity, New Beginnings Positive Traits: Enterprising, Pioneering, Adventurous, Affable Negative Traits: Selfish, Egotistical, Impatient Sex Drive: Easily Aroused, Quick, Fiery and Passionate Compatibility: Salmons and Owls Conscious Aim: To initiate and to lead Subconscious Desire: Knowledge through personal experience Life Path: Establishment of individuality through discernment Spiritual Alchemy: Yang Predominates Should Cultivate: Patience, Persistence, Compassion Should Avoid: Vanity, Conceit, Intolerance BEAVER PEOPLE - April 20th - May 20th Earth Influence: The Growing Time Totem: Eagle Influencing Wind: The East winds Direction: East Element: Earth With Fire Elemental: Turtle Clan (Earth) Function: To Consolidate Birth & Animal Totem: Beaver Plant Totem: Wild Clover Stone Totem: Jasper - Bloodstone Polarity Totem: Snake Affinity Color: Yellow Musical Vibration: D Sharp Personality: Determined, Resourceful. Opinionated, Methodical Feelings: Highly strung Nature: Industrious Intention: Possession Positive Traits: Strong-willed, Business like, Persistent Negative Traits: Possessive Self-indulgent Sex Drive: Demanding Compatibility: Woodpeckers. Brown Bears, Geese Conscious Aim: Security through possession Subconscious Desire: Freedom from attachments Life Path: Discover and possess that which has lasting value Spiritual Alchemy: Yin Predominates Should Cultivate: Adaptability Enterprise, Compassion Should Avoid: Possessiveness, Inflexibility, Stubbornness DEER PEOPLE - May 21st - June 20th Earth Influence: The Flowering time Influencing Wind: The East wind Totem: Eagle Direction: The South East Winds Element: Air with Fire Elemental: Butterfly Clan (Air) Function: To Observe Birth & Animal Totem: Deer Plant Totem: Mullein Stone Totem: Agate Polarity Totem: Owl Affinity Color: Orange Musical Vibration: E Natural Personality: Quick, Alert, Talkative, Congenial, Moody Feelings: Sensitive but superficial Intention: Versatility Nature: Lively Positive Traits: Friendly, witty and intellectual Negative Traits: Inconsistent, Restless, Lazy & Despondent Sex Drive: Titillating Compatibility: Crows and Otters Conscious Aim: To bring together Subconscious Desire: Mastery of the mind Life Path: Coordination Spiritual Alchemy: Yang Predominates Should Cultivate: Concentration, persistence, sympathy Should Avoid: Moodiness, inconsistency and superficiality WOODPECKER PEOPLE - June 21st - July 21th Earth Influence: The Long days time Influencing Wind: The South wind Totem: Mouse Direction: The South, South-East Winds Element: Water Elemental: Frog Clan (Water) Function: To Merge Birth & Animal Totem: Woodpecker Plant Totem: Wild Rose Stone Totem: Rose Quarts Polarity Totem: Goose Affinity Color: Rose Musical Vibration: F Natural Personality: Emotional, Sensitive, protective and vulnerable Feelings: Maternal/Paternal. Romantic Intention: Devotions Nature: Exacting Positive Traits: Imaginative, Tender, Thrifty & Sympathetic Negative Traits: Possessive, Moody and Unforgiving Sex Drive: Needful Compatibility: Snakes, Wolves and Beavers Conscious Aim: Emotional Growth Subconscious Desire: Timeliness Life Path: Assimilation Spiritual Alchemy: Yin Predominates Should Cultivate: Intuitiveness, Resourcefulness, Forgiveness Should Avoid: Self-pity, Envy, Possessiveness SALMON PEOPLE - July 22nd - August 21 Earth Influence: The Ripening Time Totem: Mouse Direction: South Influencing Wind: The South Winds Element: Fire with Water Elemental: Hawk Clan (Fire) Function: To do Birth & Animal Totem: Salmon Plant Totem: Raspberry Stone Totem: Carnelian Polarity Totem: Otter Affinity Color: Red Musical Vibration: F Sharp Personality: Proud, energetic, confident & enthusiastic Feelings: Passionate & intense Nature: Demanding Intention: To Rule Positive Traits: Generous, magnanimous, creative Negative Traits: Domineering, arrogant, dogmatic & intolerant Sex Drive: Insatiable Compatibility: Owls and Falcons Conscious Aim: To Rule Subconscious Desire: Emotional Stability Life Path: To find purpose Spiritual Alchemy: Yang Predominates Should Cultivate: Tolerance, Sound Judgment & Emotional Stability Should Avoid: Arrogance, egotism, indolence & pomposity BROWN BEAR PEOPLE - August 22nd - September 21st Earth Influence: The Harvesting Time Totem: Mouse Influencing Wind: The South winds Direction: South, South-West Element: Earth With Water Elemental: Turtle Clan (Earth) Function: To Modify Birth & Animal Totem: Brown Bear Plant Totem: Violets Stone Totem: Topaz Polarity Totem: Wolf Affinity Color: Brown and Violet Musical Vibration: G Natural Personality: Industrious, unassuming, practical, & fastidious Feelings: Warm and analytical Nature: Considerate Intention: Practicality Positive Traits: Modest, discriminating and meticulous Negative Traits: Faultfinding, finicky, hypocritical, & fussy Sex Drive: Moralistic Compatibility: Geese and Beavers Conscious Aim: Sifting and Striving Subconscious Desire: Perfection Life Path: Discrimination Spiritual Alchemy: Yin Predominates Should Cultivate: Optimism and Tolerance Should Avoid: Skepticism, faultfinding and procrastination CROW PEOPLE - September 22nd - October 22nd Earth Influence: The Falling leaves time Influencing Wind: The West wind Totem: Grizzly Bear Direction: Southwest Element: Air with Earth Elemental: Butterfly Clan (Air) Function: To initiate ideas Birth & Animal Totem: Crow Plant Totem: Ivy Stone Totem: Azurite Polarity Totem: Falcon Affinity Color: Blue Musical Vibration: A Natural Personality: Charming, Friendly, Good natured & Tolerant Feelings: Sensitive Intention: Justice Nature: Cooperative Positive Traits: Idealistic, Romantic & Diplomatic Negative Traits: Indecisive, Frivolous, Gullible and Resentful Sex Drive: Strong Compatibility: Otter and Deer Conscious Aim: Partnership Subconscious Desire: Harmony and Beauty Life Path: Harmonization Spiritual Alchemy: Yang Predominates Should Cultivate: Decisiveness, constancy, impartiality & inspiration Should Avoid: Indecision, uncertainty, inconsistency...

Wicca Spirit
Discussion Group

Totem Spirituality & Animal Medicine

by Aura Elise Ireland

“In this life, I’ve been called by my ancestors to practice their old ways of spirituality. In honor of those who came before me, I’m devoted to shamanic practices with major influence in Native American Cherokee, blended with Hoodoo & Celtic Ireland spirituality. I practice an eclectic blend of world-wide Shamanism, Hoodoo & Witchcraft, with major concentration in the ways provided by Celtic Ireland, as well as the Red & Green paths of witchery. I also teach & read Tarot and am a Master of Reiki. Animal Totems are a life long soul-pull. I specialize in spiritual counseling, dream analysis, and understanding psychic ability.’
Visit Auralise’s discussion group