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My personal spirituality deeply involves nature and all of the animals. Does anybody else here associate himself/herself with an animal (i.e. animal spirit guide, totem, familiar, etc.)? The animals play such a huge role in my spirituality, so I was curious as to what role the animals played in each of your beliefs, if any.

I belive that animals are as important as we are. Thatare also living, nature to.

Though I don't have a familiar as of yet, I do hold animals - any and all - in high regard. Aside from religion, I think animals are just plain smarter than we are. I mean, think about it. They get along and live just fine without electricity and all that - while we put all these pollutants into the air. Honestly - though we may have had the "intelligence" required to develop these things, maybe they're smarter because they DIDN'T develop exactly what was needed to royally f*ck up the Earth.

I've always felt an unusual connection to nature and animals - I came face to face with a cougar once, and it just left. I was scared shitless, but still. It was amazing.

I mostly agree with you, Chaoticpuppet.

My terminology uses the phrase "animal spirit guides." These are the ones who assume an animal form, and play the role of guardian angel, teacher, and friend.

I believe that the animal spirit guides are the same as me, in that we are all the same, in essence, and all of our souls are on an evolutionary path of development. Sometimes these spirit guides teach me, and in other lifetimes, I am the teacher to them; it is a mutual thing, a bond of friendship and more.

I have a specific animal spirit guide, who I call my Soul Guide, and she is the one who has been with me through all of my incarnations (and non-physical experiences as well), and also reflects my "inner self." She is a Wolf named Shalla, and I love her dearly. I cannot begin to do her justice by trying to talk about her here.

I also have other spirit guides, one of which is a snowy owl, and then the list goes on (bee/wasp, eagle, horse, gargoyle, sea lion, etc.).

As far as spirit guides go, I believe that all of the animals (or anyone/anything, for that matter) can act as a spirit guide at one point in life or another. Some appear mainly for specific lessons, others stick it out for the duration of a lifetime, and some even longer than that. These are the bare basics of my beliefs in this respect.

BTW: Did anybody else get to see the Northern Lights tonight? Hooray for nature mysticism! ^_^

I'm a Zen Christian here. No animal guides for me. sad

Although my favorite animal would be spider monkeys.

I like Shamanism. It's what I understand as a more spiritual and sacred and ancient form of "Spiritism". There is Lower World, Middle World, and Upper World in their Spiritual Travels. They obtain a Power Animal to guide them, and communicate with Animal Spirits and Tree Spirits and Nature Spirits while in a self induced Trance State.

I hold a high regard for animals in my life. Ever since I was a child I've had respect for the animals and liked them all on a whole. I believe animals are here to teach us something. Every animal has a teaching:

Animal Spirit Teachings

Check it out. Every animal you see can have a teaching, and it doesnt matter where. The tv, outside, your dog/cat... This is what I believe. Or even in your dreams.

Hooray for two of my favorite things: animals, and meditation wink

And the wolf, too. Cool!

EDIT: Also interesting, the wolf preys upon the stag.