# What Are Your Totem Animals?



## Hunger (Jul 21, 2011)

S P I R I T ~ A N I M A L S 
&
Psychology

*T*he ancient shamans had introduced the concept that every individual has an inner animal. Throughout the ages this concept was woven into many cultures, beliefs & metaphysical systems. Modern shamanism & new age spirituality have ran with this concept & today every animal has become a symbol. I have for sometime studied these animal "totems" & I wish to carry forth an experiment. In order to do so I must have willing participants.

What is this intriguing experiment? Well I'll tell you, I take shamanism a step further, into the psychological realms. I'm not asking you to trip on peyote & dwell within yourself to find me an answer. What, am I your shaman or something? No, but in all seriousity, I believe there are easier ways to find out your "spirit" animal than to journey into a wilderness or trip in tepees. It's as simple as finding three animals that you believe represent each part of your self. Usually they are you favourite animals.

One sea creature(water totem), one land creature(earth totem), one creature of the air(air totem). Air represents the mind, mentality, communication, thoughts, & freedom. Land represents the ego, body, instincts, drives, the physical, carnal nature & stability. Water represents emotions, the inner being, intuitions, desires, the emotional nature, depths of being, psyche & feeling.

If you find your three spirit animals I'll give you an interpretation. It would be preferred if you posted pictures of your animals.

I'll give you an example.

_Air Totem_ - Bat








_ Earth Totem_ - Lion 








_Water Totem_ - Octopus







​


_This thread serves purpose as a discussion of the correlation between animals & psychology._


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## Fleetfoot (May 9, 2011)




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## ShadoWolf (Jun 5, 2012)




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## Jennywocky (Aug 7, 2009)

Air: Raven









Earth: Grizzly Bear









Water: Humpback Whale








(I also really love Great White Sharks, but personality-wise I'm not much of a shark.)


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## Bardo (Dec 4, 2012)

Air - Magpie

View attachment 78402


Earth - Jaguar

View attachment 78403


Water - Octopus

View attachment 78409


Yeah I think I've got octopus too, seems to fit.


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## PaladinX (Feb 20, 2013)




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## Kittynip (Mar 24, 2013)

*Water - Sharks nom nom nom
*









*Earth - Cats
*









*Air - Hummingbirds
*









Andddd all together, they form... Captain Planet?!


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## clear moon (Feb 7, 2010)

Air - owl










Earth - rabbit










Water - sea turtle


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## Animal (May 29, 2012)

Land: Tigress









Air: White Phoenix









Water: Dolphin


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## Thief Noctis (Jan 6, 2012)

Air: Owl
Earth: Wolf
Water: Seal.

I don't know how to remove the extra attachment below, but it's just an alternate pic I was gonna use for the wolf.


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## rosegeranium (Apr 1, 2013)




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## Jennywocky (Aug 7, 2009)

here's a site with some animals dictionaries in it for totem animals.... (all three categories are represented, on various places on the site)

Animal Totems Dictionary of Animals - Animal Totems A-Z


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## TwistedMuses (May 20, 2013)

Air - Mindanao Bleeding Heart Dove









Earth - White domestical cat









Water - King of Herrings


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## killerB (Jan 14, 2010)




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## DomNapoleon (Jan 21, 2012)

*Water*











*Air
*











*Earth*


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## The Hungry One (Jan 26, 2011)

I like this thread because of the cute animals.


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## Spades (Aug 31, 2011)

All *cats*, especially the Lynx.





























Edit: I didn't read the OP. I have to wait for the air and water animals to "come" to me.


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## The Wanderering ______ (Jul 17, 2012)

How do you find your totem animal? I thought the whole point of the totem animal was to let it find you, if you choose your totem animal out of favouritism doesn't that defeat the purpose?


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## Scootaloo (Mar 18, 2013)

These three have always been very obvious to me.

Air:









Earth:









Water:


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## INTP2 (Jul 25, 2013)

Shetland pony, niseag, eagle. But did consider a youthful hedgehog/panther, oyster, hummingbird.

And too incompetent to post artistic renditions!


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## Animal (May 29, 2012)

The Wanderering ______ said:


> How do you find your totem animal? I thought the whole point of the totem animal was to let it find you, if you choose your totem animal out of favouritism doesn't that defeat the purpose?


Do your preferences not come from your heart?
Do they not speak of your character?


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## INTP2 (Jul 25, 2013)

Well I have been doing Jungian artwork for quite a while, and some totems emerged. I'm pretty old now, and ptsd is around. In my childhood I was a hedgehog, nowadays I feel like a panther/Cheshire cat.
I am in the field.


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## The Wanderering ______ (Jul 17, 2012)

Animal said:


> Do your preferences not come from your heart?
> Do they not speak of your character?


Well first things first. You cannot be sure you aren't subjugating yourself to bias when you are choosing your spirit animal. Even if you try to go by an irrational feeling such as your heart. If you sit and meditate on what your totem animal is you are most likely going to choose the first one that pops into your mind, which is most likely the one you like the most. Thus a bias.

Second thing second. How do you truly know if the animal totem connects with your spirit or not when the only description you have of the animal totem is from the internet, and the internet isn't exactly the greatest nesting ground for finding where you connect spiritually. The internet is a grandiose and never ending ocean of information, but it is pretty useless when it comes to spiritual matters because the internet can't evaluate your soul, thus while certain characteristics can belong to a certain animal based on what you have researched on the internet, how do you know if those characteristics really belong to that animal?


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## Animal (May 29, 2012)

The Wanderering ______ said:


> Well first things first. You cannot be sure you aren't subjugating yourself to bias when you are choosing your spirit animal. Even if you try to go by an irrational feeling such as your heart. If you sit and meditate on what your totem animal is you are most likely going to choose the first one that pops into your mind, which is most likely the one you like the most. Thus a bias.


Well that depends on how you define 'bias,' and whether you believe that in order to have merit, a thing must be unbiased.

There is also merit to things we cannot fully understand. Unexplainable things. Can we explain and break down why we fall in love with certain people and not others; why certain music speaks to us and not other music; why art or nature might move us? Must everything fit into a rational system in order to have value?

The things that come from our subconscious, that we do not understand, may communicate some aspect of who we are that is different from what is communicated by those things we have consciously broken down and of which we are aware.



> Second thing second. How do you truly know if the animal totem connects with your spirit or not when the only description you have of the animal totem is from the internet, and the internet isn't exactly the greatest nesting ground for finding where you connect spiritually. The internet is a grandiose and never ending ocean of information, but it is pretty useless when it comes to spiritual matters because the internet can't evaluate your soul, thus while certain characteristics can belong to a certain animal based on what you have researched on the internet, how do you know if those characteristics really belong to that animal?


Personally, I did not look on the internet for any meanings. I follow my gut and the meaning follows. Thus the meaning speaks for itself, and reveals something about myself to me.

I sometimes imagine I am a tiger, or I imagine myself with stripes. I feel everything in my body - I feel every muscle, every bone, every moment. I imagine myself being a tiger, moving around the way they do... or having a tiger companion, or riding on the back of a tiger. I am fascinated and compelled by the way they move in videos... everything from the flow of their muscles to the way their tail carefully curls around the grass when they're going in for the hunt, so they won't be heard. The way they look compels me. I also love that they're the only cat who swims. I love breaking boundaries, testing limits, pushing myself harder to expand my strength; and as a species they expand what we would usually think of as 'cat behavior' by swimming and being comfortable in the water. In my dreams I fly - so much like the tiger, I venture where many of my human cousins do not. Tigers use both paws to fight, unlike other cats who balance on one paw: thus they are resourceful. I also have good balance, and I am also resourceful with my body, drawing on any strength I may have to achieve my goals. When I was sick and told I might never walk again, my response was "I will." When I lost my professional singing voice to an illness and ended up speaking in a whisper, my response was to develop that into an ethereal singing voice. So once I break it down, it turns out the tiger had a lot in common with me after all - being a cat who swims to chase its prey and stands on its hind legs to win a fight, and me being a whisperer who sings to express myself the way I dedicated my life to doing, and being very in shape and strong and fast when I was told I'd never walk. Nothing stands between me and my goals, and the same goes for the tiger. Yet it all started with "wow, that animal is beautiful." 

Similarly I was turned on by any phoenix I've seen depicted in a drawing or a movie, and what can I say.. fire can be terrifying and destructive, but I can not look away - it compels me. Destruction precedes creation and creation precedes destruction. I relate to the phoenix because when I complete a long project or release a song that has been building in my subconscious, self-expression makes me feel I have blown up in flames and been reborn; I feel rejuvinated. I also feel this way after a confrontation. Something builds up for a long time and grows and grows and grows, but if you resolve it and look it in the face, it might blow up, but it will leave you with a clean slate and a fresh rebirth. But what I love is that they're not transformative. They retain their shape, their feathers, their sense of self. Nothing inherently changes except that they face whatever is inside them and embrace their hell-fire and their flames only to be reborn into their own innocence. 

[I have also recently come to understand that vengeance, a trap of type 8, is about trying to correct the past. Letting go of the past would help an 8 to overcome this vice and become innocent, and so, the idea of being reborn back into my own form but without carrying my past along may be appealing to me because it would signify spiritual growth. That is probably why I feel most in touch with the phoenix as an artist, but not as much in the rest of my life. My music & writing & art is what helps me to integrate. I confront my past and work it out in the context of my work; I allow myself to reveal my vulnerable side to myself, and I face it all, thus letting go of the past and feeling innocent and reborn. To put this another way, as a kid, I used to have a repeating nightmare that my house was burning down. This thought still plagues me to this day. It is not that I care about "my possessions" or my money, but what bothers me is losing diaries, old songs, photos of old friends, letters from exes. I am afraid of letting go of my past, and the fear is visceral. I store bits and pieces of my past in physical form in my house, and it is only fire which can take that away from me. However when I released my first album, I suddenly felt like there was so much stuff I could get rid of. Photos, demos, big stacks of notebooks. I had dealt with these personal issues and released the journey through music and felt rejuvenated. So, you see, the puzzle fits together. And to tie it a little more neatly, I love the idea of a white phoenix. I associate white with my innocence, and this is the state in which I would be reborn.]

I've always liked dolphins too, because they are cute, and for similar reasons to the tiger - they break boundaries by jumping out of the water and playing with humans. They're extremely intelligent and while I am not as social as dolphins and I don't travel in groups, I relate to the fact that they are very sexual. They are known to be sexual with other animals and even toward humans - and my nature, in truth, is very sexual. When I am with people I love I can also be very playful. I knew I liked dolphins because when I go on a boat in the Caribean I look forward to seeing them jump. I've never scuba dived so maybe if I did I would find something else, but I did not think about this too much and stuck to my impulse and posted dolphin. After I posted, someone showed me a wikepedia article that said dolphins were sexual, aggressive, nurturing and formed lasting relationship bonds and were highly intelligent. At that point it did not surprise me that I chose them instinctually.


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## Annwuzhere (Jul 23, 2013)

Air:








Earth:








Water:


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## The Wanderering ______ (Jul 17, 2012)

@*Animal*

You still proved my point all of that stuff sounds like favoritism based on certain qualities that you see in yourself, but isn't that what the totem animal is? A reflection of one's self.


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## Animal (May 29, 2012)

The Wanderering ______ said:


> @*Animal*
> 
> You still proved my point all of that stuff sounds like favoritism based on certain qualities that you see in yourself, but isn't that what the totem animal is? A reflection of one's self.


What else could it be?

It can reveal qualities about yourself that you might not have seen plainly, but your instinctual choice of that animal may reveal something about yourself to you if you accept your instinctual choice, and then take the time to analyze it in retrospect. For instance, knowing that my totem animal for the sky was a phoenix lead to many thoughts about letting go of my own past, and the nature of my relationship with creative arts.

Beyond that, it is communication. Not all communication must be logical or spelled out in words. Your animal will invoke a specific feeling in another person, and may unconsciously lead them to absorb more of your deeper nature without even realizing why.


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## Nostalgic (Jul 20, 2010)

I'd say mine would be:

Air:









Land:









or










Water:


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## RainbowSprinkles (Jul 17, 2012)

Not all into spiritual stuff at all but I adore animals and thought this would be interesting nonetheless. 
The site linked before, the animal totem dictionary, was a bit too spiritual for me in description.
Oh well, not expecting an interpretation here just felt like posting.

*Air: Steller's Sea Eagle*









*Land: Bengal Tiger*









*Sea: Orca or Killer Whale*


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## Meekers (May 30, 2013)

*Air: Blossom Bat*









*Land: Maine ****
*








*Sea: Sea Otter

*








EDIT: Ignore the attached image :frustrating:


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## killerB (Jan 14, 2010)

killerB said:


>


There it's all fixed now! LOL


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## an absurd man (Jul 22, 2012)

Air Totem: Peregrine Falcon









Land Totem: Brown Bear









Water Totem: Blue Whale









I await my interpretation, shaman. Thanks in advance.


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## Sonny (Oct 14, 2008)

Earth: Melanistic leopard, aka panther











Water: Ducks











Air: Draco (if gliding counts)


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## Hunger (Jul 21, 2011)

killerB said:


> There it's all fixed now! LOL


The Otter
Otter Symbolism
✣Curiosity
✣Playfulness
✣Craftiness
✣Enthusiasm
✣Nurture
✣Agility

The otter teaches us to glide through emotional ups & downs with ease. The otter teaches us to let go of the worry & care, it shows us how to navigate the complicated realms of emotion with craftiness. The otter says "Embrace the world with an open heart, with curiosity par none & with the enthusiasm!". The otter has a nurturing nature & will sort anyone out with their They are light-hearted creatures, merry & jolly as any. Crafty as they are agile. 

They offer us the gift of laughter, merriment & trust.

The Wolf
Wolf Symbolism
✣Loyalty
✣Endurance
✣Willpower
✣Cunning
✣Intelligence
✣Communication
✣Spirit

The wolf is a survivalist, a creature of high intellect & strategy, which it applies to hunting, migration & habitat. Many people perceive the wolf as fierce & vicious creature, a cold hearted killer & hunter. The truth is that the wolf is in fact a very misunderstood creature. The wolf is a most loyal & noble amongst beasts. Wolves have a very sombre & solemn energy about them. Listen to their beautifully haunting song to the moon, how it waltzes with the stars in yearning for freedom. You may not tame a wolf, for they possess a fiercely wild & independent spirit which they wear proudly their entire lives. Wolves pair for life, their's is a love most loyal even iconic in the animal kingdom, they have soul mates. The wolf is also a creature of hierarchy, painting a variety of different shades of wolf.
The Alpha, a magnificent beast most revered, he calls the shots, he's the one in charge. An authorities nature is his, indeed he is very commanding in presence & leads his pack with honour & fearlessness.
The Beta, a pack animal, this animal is most in tune with the social frequencies of the pack & it is of the Beta that can be said she or he is the symbol of Loyalty & Communication.
The Omega, right at the bottom of the hierarchy we find the Omega. A symbol of outcast & misfit.
The Lone Wolf, a lone wanderer wandering through life's wilderness. The Lone is a symbol of independence & survival. She goes her own way, getting by any way she can.


The Bat
Bat Symbolism
✣Intuition
✣Voyeurism
✣Vision
✣Rebirth
✣Depth
✣Journeying
Vision in darkness, voyeur into the unknown. The bat is a creature of the night, of life's hidden forces, a traveller between worlds. Bats are a migratory creature, journeying great distances. The bat dances of the whims of darkness, navigating with it's sonar frequencies. Likewise a person's whose totem is a bat is person founded on intuition, they can find their way even through the darkest of realities, thanks to their almost psychic intuition.
There is usually something profoundly obscure about this person, like the raven, it is a common totem amongst shamans & those in touch with the nether realms of this world, but incredibly rare amongst day to day folk.



> The bat is a symbol of rebirth and depth because it is a creature that lives in the belly of the Mother (Earth). From the womb-like caves it emerges every evening at dusk. And so - from the womb it is reborn every evening.


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## Hunger (Jul 21, 2011)

The Wanderering ______ said:


> How do you find your totem animal? I thought the whole point of the totem animal was to let it find you, if you choose your totem animal out of favouritism doesn't that defeat the purpose?


In many practices yes, the animal is suppose to find you. However that animal may simply be a passing totem, appearing only as an animalisation of a certain subconscious drive in a problem. The truth is spirit animal have to be a re-occurring image/encounter/theme within your life. One does not have to meditate to find it, this is a misconception. Meditation is simply a shortcut to the subconscious mind. The subconscious mind is not as diluted & or driven by the pretentions of the external realm. Therefore shamans "journey within" to find their spirit animal, rid of the ego or conscious thought. The truth is your spirit animal is encountered throughout your life, in images, words, encounters, etc. You will just feel "drawn" to it, over & over again. Meditation simply provides a more "intimate" environment, devoid of the distractions & desires that may deter connection to one's spirit animal.

The "spirit-animal" connection will over the period of one's life survive favouritism. People may well here post the animals they wish to be, that's not my problem, if you want to be dishonest with yourself, who am I to judge? Your spirit animal will be the creature that you are constantly & inescapably drawn to over the period of your life, even though you may at times identify with another.

Besides this thread is less about spirit animals & more about animal totems, symbols & the relation between them & man.


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## INTP2 (Jul 25, 2013)




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## INTP2 (Jul 25, 2013)

Sometimes the symbolism of the animal can change through the processes of individual change, but what your connection is with in terms of 'self' is also about identity too. A collective unconscious derives from multiple cultures, and different nuances could offer slightly differing things if taken as an historic gestalt.
I belong to two very different cultures, both historically sanctioned. My current culture imposes belief systems the same as my previous culture. Totems in indigenous systems of thought are first nature, - not second. It is pure and natural like inspirational creative thought is. We are so unbalanced we might fall over.
Our metaphorical pyramid seems to be upside down, as in transactional analysis universally.
I would also add that to rate myself as having any special powers of transformative meaning - is an exceptionally important factor as a wounded healer. I rely on it.
Being a funny off kilter person has been my life, I was naturally drawn to philosophy and depth,
but was dropped in a nest by a cuckoo bird, who just left me there.
Now the concept of 'motherlands' takes on a whole new meaning.


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## The Doc (Nov 10, 2011)

Air: Penguin








Earth: Penguin








Water: Penguin









If this isn't the correct format, I'm open to suggestions :tongue:


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## Helios (May 30, 2012)

Air: Owl










Earth: Sun bear (because @wisterias showed me this)









Water: Piranha


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## The Doc (Nov 10, 2011)

Ananael said:


> * *
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I can totally see piranha.


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## HellCat (Jan 17, 2013)

I am very curious as to what you have to say. Thankyou and much obliged. 






















Peacock. Liger. Lionfish


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## Animal (May 29, 2012)

@_LeoCat_ 
my oh my what gorgeous peacocks, befitting a helplessly striking beauty such as yourself. roud:


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## Hunger (Jul 21, 2011)

Spades said:


> All *cats*, especially the Lynx.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


What a beautiful creature is the Lynx.

*The Lynx *
Lynx Symbolism
✣Intuition
✣Secrets
✣Mystery
✣Intrigue
✣Survival
✣Hunter
✣Vigilance

The Lynx is a keeper of secrets, lord of that which time has hidden. He is the mystical guardian of all that is hidden, knowing the ancient secret of this earth. She is a mysterious & elusive creature, believed to be gifted with clairvoyance, being able to see into people, situations, & even through solid objects. As a result this mythical cat symbolises the unravelling of hidden truths & psychic prowess. The Celts believed the Lynx to have keen sight & suspicion to uncover arcane secrets & shamanic mysteries. The Lynx is also a keen hunter & will often take down prey much larger than itself. She is also a survivalist - braving the cold winters, hunting her prey, becoming one with the earth & it's secrets, using her keen eyesight & clairvoyance to survive. She find her grace in the solace of snow. What a beautiful beast is the Lynx.



> Lynx is the name of a constellation in the northern sky, defined by Johannes Hevelius in 1687. The name is said to have been chosen because the stars which make up the constellation are so faint that only those with the eyesight of the lynx can perceive them


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## Noctis (Apr 4, 2012)

*The test was rather weird. I think I identify most with the bear. *







*
Or even this one:
For 5 % you are: You are...A BEAR! You're laid back, rather easygoing, and compassionate. You are rather unorganized, like to eat, and may be overweight. You cry over trivial matters, often, but are also there when a friend needs a laugh.*


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## Hunger (Jul 21, 2011)

Bluity said:


> How would you find your totem animal if you're not drawn to any animal?


Get out in nature more, reconnect with the Earth. Technology, cities, routine & ambition has separated the human race from Mother Earth. It is not uncommon for people not to relate to animals. Many of our kind have been severed from the natural world, we've been turned into products of our own ambitions. Take a couple of years to re-align yourself with the natural world. Take trips out into the wild, wander through the woodlands, camp by the sea, travel to the mountains ever so often. It should come to you eventually.


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## Fish Launcher (Jan 14, 2013)

MBTI: INTJ
Enneagram: 8w7
Disorders: OCD, schizoid
Air Totem: Falcon
Earth Totem: Opposum
Water Totem: Dont know. Perhaps brittle star. @Oak?


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## heaveninawildflower (Feb 5, 2012)

*Air:* 










*Earth: *










*Water:*


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## Mouse222 (Jun 29, 2011)

Air Totem- Falcon








Earth Totem- Tortoise








Water totem- Dolphin


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## Daeva (Apr 18, 2011)

This thread is picking up 

Land: the Spider









Air: Swan or Goose









Water: Otter (counts as water, right?)


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## monemi (Jun 24, 2013)

Air totem:








Blue Jay symbolism:


Energy 
Clarity 
Vibrancy 
Advantage 
Curiosity 
Faithfulness 
Intelligence 
Communication 
Determination 
Assertiveness 
Loquaciousness 

Earth Totem:








Monkey symbolism:


Honor 
Instinct 
Community 
Dominion 
Swiftness 
Distance 
Mobility 
Protection 
Good Luck 
Playfulness 
Aggression 
Intelligence 
Energy/Action 
Seriousness 
Untamed Nature 

Water Totem:








Shark symbolism:


Calculating 
Perceptive 
Primal 
Instinctive 
Ancient 
Knowing 
Powerful 
Focused 
Mystery 
Dynamic 
Curious 
Effective 
Innovative 
Superior 
Efficient 
Equipped 
Unique Vision 
Perpetual Motion 


I just put in my favourite creatures.


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## kareem (Jan 30, 2013)

i don't think i feel any relation any water animals, i feel sometimes so close to some kind of a bird, some bird that doesn't fly, long lanky legs, think medium-length neck, walks more than it does fly. 
I hate to think it's peacock, peacocks resemble pride, showing off and arrogance (for me).


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## Tater Tot (May 28, 2012)

I just pick my favorite animal from each element?

Air Totem: Owl









Earth Totem: Fox









Water Totem:









I think a seal counts as a water totem...


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## Christie42476 (May 25, 2012)

Air Totem: _Peregrine Falcon

_








Water Totem: _Dolphin

_








Earth Totem: _Wolf

_


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## monemi (Jun 24, 2013)

My husband's picks:

Water: Mermaid
Air: Dragon
Land: Human Being

I looked up the symbolism and told him he's a dick with "untamed femininity" according to his totems.


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## Hunger (Jul 21, 2011)

Sonny said:


> @_Oak_ are you able to give insight into mine?


The Panther
Panther Symbolism
✣Transformation
✣Magic
✣Mystery
✣Seduction
✣Power
✣Stealth

Seductive as the mysterious night. The panther is a powerful shamanic symbol. She is a symbol of the night, of mystery & magic. This ancient enchantress has seduced the intrigue of many men over the ages. She moves as the night, clothed in mystery & stealth. She is said to be protector of the universe, guardian of the night, seductress & old wise woman. She represents transformations & rebirth. A totem for times of death on some level & the process of rebirth, awakening, moving between poles & to transcended levels of unrestrained existence. A mastery of dimensions, an immanent awakening, a transcendence - The Panther totem of transformative & transcendence. The panther is a solitary creature & a child of the night. She represents the night & the feminine energies, a yin force to which the Leopard is the yang. She is sleek & mysterious, moving like a spirit through life. Embodied night, dark realms, & mysterious magic, the ancient peoples of southern Americas believed that the panther had the power to eclipse the sun.

Michael Jackson used the panther at the end of his music video _Black or White_ to symbolise his "death" & transformation from the puppet he'd been turned into by the industry. The Panther is a symbol of power & freedom, it does not have a master. 

The Lizard
Lizard Symbolism
✣Dreams
✣Perception
✣Intuition
✣Detachment 
✣Change
✣Ease

A contemplative soul lazing motionless for hours in the sun. A day dreamer. To the peoples of ancient Australia the lizard was a symbol of Dreamtime, which was to them an alternate reality. A soulful dreamer, a easeful lounger. In Egyptian hieroglyphs the lizard is used to depict plentiful & to the Greeks it was a symbol of good fortunes. In some sense a symbol of luck, the lizard embodies prosperity. A humble searcher for enlightenment. The lizard is also a cold-blooded reptile & symbolises detachment & distance. He teaches us to separate from ourselves & others in order to progress, to invite new perspectives into our lives, to step outside of ourselves & welcome the strange. 



> One of the most interesting traits of the lizard is the ability to break off their tails to escape predators. The tail is left behind writhing, to take the predators attention off them, in order to flee. However, they are only able to perform this feat once, as the new tail which grows to replace the old one consists of cartilage instead of vertebrae. Lizards power lies in the quality of being able to rescue himself from danger by leaving a part of himself behind. As lizard only has the ability to lose his tail once, you need to make any choices wisely as the consequences may be experienced for a very long time hereafter!


Jim Morrison, "The Lizard King", self proclaimed shaman, poet & sensuous dreamer was fascinated with the lizard. He famously sung in the iconic 60's band "The Doors" which he named after Aldous Huxley's book "The Doors of Perception". Perception & dreamlike reality was second nature to the acid-tripping, mind bending, profoundly psychedelic Lizard King. 

The Duck
Duck Symbolism
✣Care-free
✣Pacifism
✣Nurturer
✣Day-Dreamer
✣Go-with-the-Flow
✣Gracefulness

Ducks are far more psychedelic than people realise. They are everywhere in your bathtub, on your television, at the park. There's actually a real phobia of being watched by a duck called Anatidaephobia. The reality is far from the horror inspired by these seemingly terror-inspiring fowls. Ducks are infact symbols of pacifism. You may have heard of the saying "like water from a ducks back" in context to letting problems roll off of you. Ducks teach us to allow life's "water" to roll off of our backs & just take it easy. They are care-free & graceful creatures. Take a walk down to the park in a sunny afternoon to watch how they dance across the pond, gliding upon the glassy surface like dancers caught in a day-dream. How they mesmerize you with their grace & agility. See the mother duck protecting her ducklings, teaching them how to fend for themselves & see how the clumsily follow her guidance. The duck is also a totem of motherly nurturance.... or world domination you decide.


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## LaTortugaChina (Apr 8, 2013)

Land: A Gazelle
Water: A Beaver
Air: A Finch


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## dotMute (Sep 27, 2011)

Due to not knowing which to allocate a frog water or land ill leave it out, but would be my first choice for either. 

Land: tortoise 
water: turtle
air: moth (if insects not allowed blackbird)


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## Hunger (Jul 21, 2011)

LeoCat said:


> I am very curious as to what you have to say. Thankyou and much obliged.
> 
> View attachment 79643
> View attachment 79644
> ...


The Liger doesn't have any traditional symbolism as, if my memory serves me right, it is a recent cross-breed. I would assume that it is simply the marriage of Tiger & Lion symbolism.

*The Peacock*
Peacock Symbolism
✣Beauty
✣Artistry 
✣Nobility
✣Glory
✣Royalty
✣Arrogance
✣Guidance

What is a palace without a peacock? An emblem of royalty, nobility, holiness & glory. A divine fowl blessed with grace & great beauty. A sacred symbol who is ever watchful a guardian & guide to the spiritual evolution of mankind. In Japan the Peacock is associated with Kwan-yin a deity of love, watchful compassion & good-will, she denied her immortality to aid & teach mortalkind on their divine & spiritual path. See the peacock's magnificent display, he is a showman, a performer & an artist. Proudly & arrogantly wearing his royal crest. The peacock is also a symbol of luck.



> In Greco-Roman mythology the Peacock is identified with Hera (Juno) who created the peacock from Argus whose hundred eyes (seen on the tail feathers of the peacock) symbolize the vault of heaven and the “eyes” of the stars who watch all life unfolding.



*Lionfish*
Lionfish Symbolism
✣Ferocity
✣Dramatic
✣Graceful
✣Beauty 
✣Passion
✣Toxic

If looks could kill... Revered amongst the ocean's wonders is this graceful fish. Rightly named, for indeed it is a lion amongst fish. The Lionfish is a deadly beauty. This fish has a similar temperament as a scorpion - leave it alone & won't sting you. This fish can pack one hell of a punch. Emotionally unpredictable, you wouldn't play with a loaded gun, likewise the Lionfish is best admired from afar. The Lionfish is a mysterious symbol. In the Pacific Islands it represent life & the passion thereof. 



> Lionfish are perhaps one of the most dramatic and symbolic of all salt water fishes. Their graceful flowing fins, slow deliberate movements, and poisonous spines seem to embody many of the attractive and mysterious features of the sea.


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## INFJAnimal (May 5, 2010)

I relate to the air more than any other animal. So my totems relate to the important parts of my inner character as a whole









{c} 2013 FalconRose Photography, Serpentine Fen, July 25, 2013. D300s/AF-S II 600mm f/4 D IF-ED

Here's two of my totem animals. I still think it's pretty amazing that I managed to capture them in one image. 

The bald eagle - the noble side of my character (the side that seeks justice, that tries to stay morally upright)
The crow - the prankster side.









{c} 2013 FalconRose Photography, Serpentine Fen, August 1, 2013. D300s/70-200mm f/2.8 VRII+TC-20EIII @ 400mm f/5.6

The Great Blue Heron - the compassionate side. Ever seen a heron take care of its young? 

The other one is the wolf (earth totem) for which I have no image for. It is the side of my character that I don't let loose unless my family is in danger.

I have yet to make a trip up to Northern Lights Wolf Sanctuary...but I do plan to go there one of these days with the 600mm f/4. Maybe I'll get some wolf images for my portfolio. The other option is Banff National Park.

And if I really wanted to bring in a water totem: It would have to be the Great White Shark. It demonstrates the tenacity in my character and the utterly supreme viciousness and thoroughness of my attack if I feel my family is threatened. 


14-06-2008_blacktipped_reef_shark_rs by h_chikamori1970, on Flickr

Since I doubt that I will ever have the opportunity to photograph a Great White... Y'all are just going to have to be satisfied with a black-tipped reef shark that I photographed on my trip to the Vancouver Aquarium.


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## DomNapoleon (Jan 21, 2012)

@Oak 
Do you know the meaning/symbolism of Jellyfish and Parrots? Apparently they aren't very used as totems...


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