"Shamanic Animal Helpers" by Norman Wilson
A shaman will often have an animal spirit guide to help him when he journeys to another realm. Often, such guides have knowledge about the location of a lost soul or its parts and will guide the shaman to that location.
Power animal significance varies from tribe to tribe and from geographic area to geographic area. Nonetheless, whatever tribe or geographic area of their association, they play a genuine role in the life of the shaman and his efforts to serve his patients.
The belief that all things are alive and have a spirit or a soul is the basis for the belief in animal spirit helpers. These helpers have supernatural powers and function as guardians or patrons. All animal helpers may come and go or may be replaced by others, but, yet, there will be one animals spirit that will remain as a permanent guardian. Animal spirits encompass spiritual energy of their earthly counterparts but that energy is greater than the actual animal itself.
Even though they inhabit the Lower Realm, they can travel to the Upper and Middle Realms.
Animal spirits reveal themselves during sleep, through dreams, the subconscious, and vision quests. They may make themselves known in other ways. A shaman friend told the following story. She was sitting in her backyard and a crow alighted on a tree branch some distance from where she sat and put up a loud squawking. It flew around, swooped down and up, and re-alighted on the same tree branch. She heard a thud next to her feet. The crow began bobbing up and down on the tree branch. She looked down and there was a crystal. She had been debating if she should go into crystal healing. She said the crow gave her, her answer.
The arrival of an animal that demands your attention is one to which you should listen and observe. The message may not be apparent or arrive as quickly as in the story above, but it will become clear to you.
There are dozens of animal spirit helpers. Here are ten and the quality they represent.
Bear represents instinct, courage, and being protective
Buffalo stands for life, sacredness, and gratitude
Coyote represents intelligence and stealth
Crow stands for focus, swiftness
Eagle represents divine spirit and connection to creator
Elk demonstrates the qualities of strength and agility
Falcon represents a new beginning
Fox stands for cunning and agility
Hawk represents intuition and vision
Wolf posses the qualities of loyalty and perseverance
Whatever becomes your animal spirit, always be respectful. And yes, you may have more than one.
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