3 Spirit Animal Meditations
Whether you’re seeking your power animal or you’ve already found these spirits, meditation is a powerful tool to contacting with your animal guides. These three in particular are great ways either to establish that connection or strengthen it, thus adding valuable guidance to your life and direction.
Regardless of which meditation you need, it’s a good idea to have pen and paper ready to go to record these encounters; a journal is preferable. Write down the images, feelings and sounds as much as you remember while it’s still fresh. This will help establish the connection similar to lucid dreaming. The more often you meet with your animal guide, the more you will feel their presence in your conscious state, thus eventually lessening the need for meditations.
Want to read more about your spirit animal? Here are a few characteristics of the top five most common animals, each with their own personalities, strengths and weaknesses.
Lastly before you get started, remember a few things. You may not see your spirit animal right away, even in the first few times that you try. This is a process, and like any other process, it may take a little time and patience to get underway. Plus, we must respect the animal spirit world and their timing, even while knowing that our animal spirits are just as eager to communicate with us are we are. Lastly, don’t feel the need to stick TOO closely to these steps. The journey is obviously very personal, so no one will know better how it works for you other than you.
Meditation for Initial Connection with Your Spirit Animal
(This meditation is adapted from whatsyoursign.com)
- Meditate around the same time of day or night in order to train your subconscious into allowing easier relaxation and smoother connection with the spirit world.
- Create a relaxing, calming environment free of distractions and disorder. In order to help your subconscious’s love of order, it is a good investment to have your ducks in a row without cluttered space.
- Begin your meditation session by setting your intention. It’s important to set forth a firm directive to both your subconscious mind and your spirit, as well as the animal spirit realm that you wish to contact your animal totem. Silently to yourself, repeat your affirmation to meet your animal spirit in your dreams. You can use the following phrase, or create your own:
“This moment, I receive the gift of animal sight.
This moment, my animal spirit takes flight.
Reveal to me what I must see.
This moment, my animal totem connects with me.”
Repeat this until you are in alpha state of meditation. Relax to aid your subconscious and the connection with your spirit anima. Wait and be patient, listening for contact.
- Upon stopping your meditation, write down your experience in your animal totem journal. This is critical. We record our experiences so that our minds can further digest the events surrounding our animal symbol. Writing these events also gives us a point of reference when determining the characteristics of our animal symbol, and helps us interpret the messages our animal is conveying to us.
- Be sure to write each detail. For example:
- What was your animal doing when you saw it? Flying? Swimming?
- What exactly did it look like? Healthy? Sick?
- What color was it? Natural color? Unusual?
- What were the surroundings? Rain forest? Desert? Murky water?
- Take a break. After awhile, a few hours, or even a day – come back to your animal totem journal and read what you wrote for that session. Begin to do research on the animal that revealed itself to you. Begin to piece these characteristics together, along with the other details surrounding your animal’s appearance during sleep/meditation. Eventually, you will begin to piece together a beautiful tapestry of deeper understanding of yourself, your life and your reality.
- Repeat this process for continuous messages, and deeper understanding.
By continually following this guideline, you will become stronger in your interpretive abilities, and trust your intuition more in working with you animal totems. Furthermore, as you grow in this process, the animal spirits will show themselves more frequently, as they will sense your confidence as well as your respect for their presence.
Meditation for Communicating with Your Spirit Animal
- Relax your mind and body in a calm environment.
- Close your eyes and take two long deep breaths, breathing slowly in through your nose and holding the breath as long as is comfortable for you. Breathe out slowly through your mouth. Still your thoughts.
- Set your intention similarly to the process above.
- As you are still, open your receptiveness to any and all images of shapes, colors and so on. As things become more clear, silently or aloud ask your spirit animal to show him or herself to you at this time. Watch what comes into view. Be patient; you are engaging your Third Eye, which, if you are not regularly maintaining, may be a little rusty or slow.
- Wait until your spirit animal shows up, and again, be receptive and free of preconceptions. It may or may not be the animal you were anticipating, or it may be more than one animal. It may even be a mythological animal. Once you see the animal, watch it carefully to see what it does. Open your spiritual ears to any and all messages, whether they are feelings or words.
- Note the details of the scene; the colors have significance.
- Wait until the image fades or until you are ready to stop. Write or draw what you have seen.
Meditation for Journeying with Your Spirit Animal
- Relax your mind and body.
- Close your eyes and take two long deep breaths, breathing slowly in through your nose and holding the breath as long as is comfortable for you. Breathe out slowly through your mouth.
- Connect with your power animal through images as you open your third eye. If you can see the animal in movement – follow the animal to see where it takes you and what messages it wishes you to learn. If you are having trouble following the animal, first visualize the animal, then see it moving away. Be open to where it goes; it might be through an ordinary Earth scene, or even though time and space!
- Once you have connected with the animal, mentally tell the animal that you wish it to take you on a spirit journey so you can learn more about your soul journey at this time.
- Keep your mind open and willing to go on the journey. We can’t tell you specifically what will happen, as each animal is very different, but be prepared to go someplace that the spirit animal wishes to show you. Pay close attention to everything that happens.
- Make notes about your journey when you return.
What Is My Spirit Animal or Totem: The Complete Guide
Embarking on a journey to uncover your spirit animal or totem guide is a fascinating exploration into the realms of self-discovery and spirituality. Rooted in Native American culture and various ancient traditions, the concept of spirit animals holds that each individual has a unique animal guide representing their inner essence and life path. This connection offers profound insights and a deeper understanding of oneself, nature, and the universe.
In this guide, we delve into the significance of spirit animals and provide you with valuable insights on how to find, connect with, and embrace your own guiding animal spirit.
Table of Contents
- What Are Spirit Animals or Totems?
- How to Find Your Spirit Animal
- How Do You Know Your Animal Spirit Guide is Around You?
- 5 Most Common Spirit Animals
- What to Do Once You Have Found Your Spirit Animal
- Assignment: Hone Your Observation Skills
What Are Spirit Animals or Totems?
Animals are ever-present in our lives, whether they’re our beloved household dog or the roaming coyote that we glimpse every now and then. Yet, we often lack an understanding of their symbolic nature and the key characteristics that define them.
Traditional shamans believe that spirit animals or totems are revealed to guide and protect their charges throughout a journey. They offer influential insights into our subconscious mind and carry meaningful messages if you are willing to listen. Your spirit animal is meant to serve as a guide and bring attention to parts of your real life that need acknowledgment and exploration.
Listening to your spirit animal‘s guidance can bring a wealth of benefits. By tapping into their wisdom, you can unlock hidden reservoirs of personal power, gaining insights into your strengths and potential. These animal messengers often offer guidance on nurturing relationships with loved ones and seizing opportunities for new beginnings. Their symbolism can illuminate your path, helping you navigate challenges and make aligned decisions that resonate with your authentic self.
How to Find Your Spirit Animal
Your spirit animal is the embodiment of your subconscious mind and, therefore, cannot be chosen. It must choose you. In most cases, your spirit animal will present itself during a time when your mind is relaxed and able to wander internally, such as during dreams or meditation. However, spirit animals may also reveal themselves in physical form, often displaying unusual behavior or showing themselves several times in short succession.
Here are different ways to find your spiritual animal:
Observe Nature
Get outside, take your headphones off, and see the abundance of the world around you. Notice the direction of the wind and the patterns of the birds above you. This step is essential in preparing you for a spirit animal connection. Your ability to find your spirit animal, and receptivity to their guidance, depends on your ability to observe the natural world and identify signs and symbols.
Take Note of Animal Encounters
Be open and attentive when animals appear in your life. Do not be afraid or dismissive. Instead, make it clear that your heart is open, especially if an animal behaves out of the ordinary. Take note of repetitive encounters with animals. Whether in physical or symbolic form, such as an object or an image. Repetition may be a sign.
Ceremony
Conduct a ceremony to call in your spirit animal. Ceremonies may involve the burning of medicinal plants, such as sage and palo santo, as well as chanting and creation of altars. During your ceremony, ask for your spirit animal to show itself in a vision, dream, or live form. Do not question or overthink their appearance. Rather, ask for their support and guidance.
Research Animals of Interest
Research animals that interest you. If you remember the influence of certain animals during childhood, research traditional knowledge or scientific information about that animal. Reflect on why certain animals stand out to you and try to identify traits and characteristics that resonate with you. Explore their movements, interactions with other animals, habits, and cycles.
Meditate
Channel your inner guide to find your spirit animal. If a specific animal keeps coming to mind, don’t dismiss or overthink it. If it’s not what you imagined or hoped for, that animal still bears wisdom that deserves reflection. Sit with your thoughts and use your active imagination for an inward journey. Coax your animal out of your subconscious with tenderness. By opening your heart and focusing your mind, you’ll be more receptive to the energy and wisdom of your spirit animal.
Document Your Dreams
Dreams are often the subconscious mind’s way of processing complex emotions, as well as manifestations of unconscious imagery and guidance. Write down your dreams and as many details as you can remember. You might be surprised to find a reoccurring animal present. Pay close attention to the messages your dreams deliver and to the specific situations in which animals are present. Animals in dreams may symbolize deep-rooted feelings not fully acknowledged in waking hours, a feeling that you find “wild” or hard to control, and/or your most basic instincts and emotions.
Journey
Embrace the process of journeying. The shamanic tradition believes that journeying allows you to view your life from a deeply connected and spiritual state, often revealing your true inner self. Once you find your spirit animal, your journey together begins. Study your spirit animal and its core traits and characteristics. Reflect on why this particular animal chose you and how your spirit animal connects to your own personal experiences.
Express Gratitude
Your spirit animal is a powerful ally. Always thank your spirit animal for their guidance and support. They may help you navigate life, to transform, and to see your experiences and relationships in a new light; in turn, express your recognition and deepest thanks. Like any relationship, a spirit animal connection requires cultivation.
How Do You Know Your Animal Spirit Guide is Around You?
By becoming familiar with the archetypal traits and behaviors your spirit guide embodies, you’ll start to understand which signs you should look out for to know when it’s around you. When you invoke your spirit guide through meditation, mindfulness, or prayer you can ask for it to show a sign. You can also set an intention for your dreams before bed to encourage your spirit guide to show itself to you and provide guidance.
Sometimes signs of your animal spirit guide may be subtle, presenting itself to you in more of a symbolic form, while other signs may be more blatant physical forms. Spending more time in natural environments will undoubtedly help you connect with your spirit guide. Disconnecting from technology and reconnecting with the Earth is necessary to establish this bond.