note: Nvwoti is Cherokee word as are the marriage customs mentioned which while pretty normative may differ slightly from tribe to tribe.
Totems
From the Ojiibwe "dododem"; Totems refer to ones clan, family, community or some other notion of group kinship and lineage. They primarily define marriage customs. One is not to marry from their clan(mothers) nor from their fathers.Doing so is considered marrying your cousin. It is sometimes recommended that a women marry someone from her grandfather's or great-grandfathers clan. These custom bring certain nvwoti (medicine) back into a family. It also helps keep that nvwoti balanced and from becoming too potent. Totems are defined communally and therefore it is never strictly a personal animal. However it is not uncommon for those far from their traditional communities, having to find their path alone, to have a spirit animal or guide which is a variant manifestation of their families totem. Totems are akin to the group egregore or collective spirit of a coven personified in animal form. However not all totems are brought into personification, being only symbolist. Totems are not always animals, but often and a family or community may have more than one in representation of various kingdoms: be it mineral, plant, animal or craft. In that a person may be a collection of communal agencies within, or in that journeys can be archetypal; their power animal or guide may be considered a totem. There is much wisdom to be gained in contemplation of this.
Spirit Animals
Not to be confused with animal guides that are considered "spirits", spirit animals, also called power animals, are representative of the genesis and nature of ones spirit in whole or in part; and are therefore of the attainment and building up of personal power. Your power animal is, naturally the seat of your power, revealing therein your inclinations, aptitudes, affinities; all aspects and manners of your nature. It is the personification of your Kundalini or spirit-force as well as the vital force that sustains your physical body. It is possible to have more than one, especially if one is bi-natured; otherwise there is usually a primary dominant power animal exalted over other aspects of the self which may or may not be personified as a power animal. Though spirit animals are representative of ones primal base nature, they are at the same time the essence of ones mediating intelligence and are integral to the proper application thereof. Taking a form of an animal of this plane they are a link to the here and now; keeping the various bodies safely grounded to physical body should there be danger of psychosis or disconnect leading to mortem. A spirit animal is the Ba living in flux within and through the Ka; though not to the degree to which the Akh has emerged yet the spirit totem can be understood to be a lower manifestation of the emergent Akh. Thus the spirit totem is the dynamis, volition, orientation, direction and ultimately the will of the practitioner and that through which Heka, that is, Magick is achieved. The spirit animal arises, as all beings possessing spirit, from the primordial waters of Yesod upward along the path therefrom where it's nature is formed along the journey until it reaches critical mass in Tiphereth, gaining Nous, the ability to contemplate the self and evolve there-from. All constructs are brought from the depths of the subconscious and exalted through the process of Tiphereth in order to manifest; however only those entities capable of self-contemplation are able to bring themselves into a particular state of manifestation at will. Entities that are not capable of this but come to fruition are aspects generated, knowledgeably or in ignorance by a creator entity. This is what makes a spirit animal more than an animal guide, for it is imbued with a shard of divine fire. All power animals are animal guides but not all guides are power animals. Thus is it that humanity is co-creator with divine agents and is him and/or herself such an agent. Let it also be realized thusly that the spirit animal is the key to generating all things from ones own spirit and the exploration of said spirit through journey-work in which ones spirit animal is ones guide. It is from this magnum opus that the stone of the wise is constructed, the threads of ones life turn golden and from which one ascends as Enoch, to a higher plane of existence.
Journey Animals & Animal Guides
Those that are there to guide you but aren't spirit animals, are known as animal guides. Some animal guides are called Journey animals; they come to your aid when undergoing a specific journey, which could be a certain chapter in your life. Most of these are short term but sometimes they stay as long as they are needed. Ones life-force itself begets the journey and so one's power animal can be considered a permanent journey animal. It should also be noted, regarding this fact that spirit totems often reveal themselves in the role of a journey animal before they are finally realized to be power animals. Tricksters are especially fond of this behavior. The people in your life are also part of your journey, and their power animals may come to your aid as a journey animal. This is a powerful connection that can bring great nvwoti to that person and oneself. However, it is of a very personal nature and should not be done without consensuality. The nature of animal guides means that to do so is to affect how they interface with certain things through said guide or in the case of their power animal, to affect the the generation and exaltation of their life-force and psyche. Thus one should approach this nvwoti as they would the most intimate of energy work and sex magick. When ones path is to cross another's on such a level of interaction, the animal of the other person will come hither to them. As in all relationships it is best to let nature take it's course, and only if there be a need most dire to the survival and sanctity of any of the four bodies should the practitioner need to seek out this nvwoti without consent.
Tricksters
While any spirit animal or totem may come to you as a guide for any period of time there are certain ones entrusted with teaching the heart of mankind; known as the tricksters. Among them are Coyote, Rabbit, Hare, Raven, Fox, Spider and others.
[needs expanding]
Shadow Animal and Vera Forma
thee "Vera forma" trans. "true form"
Blood And Ancestral Totems
Enhanced Communication through Visualizing ones Power Animal
If you are aware of it, visualizing the the animal of a person when talking to them strengthens the connection greatly aiding in communication. You are better able to feel out what they are trying to express. You may even pick up on things they are not consciously aware of. This technique can either be used to build a healthy relationship or to manipulate.
Animal Guides and Totems I work with.
I'll give examples of the ones I work with. Some of these are both totems and power animals. Hopefully it will give you a good idea of where overlap occurs. Everything in our natural world is, after all, a mix of attributes.
The Squirrel - connection to the Ceremonial grounds in Oklahoma. I surround myself with the squirrel when I am seeking guidance and wisdom from that fire.
The Panther/Big Cat - A friend of mine is from that clan. That totem has come to guide me before, as he does. I've seen it watching me.
As it represents his clan this is a totem, though because it aids me through my relationship with him, when this animal appears it me it denotes his presence just as much as his clan. Cherokee inherit the the animal of their clan in this way, and normally do not normally have animals of their own individually, separate from clan identity.
Bird - Representative of the bird clan, appears in numerous forms. My animal guides are variant manifestations of this totem. Again it is not uncommon for the family animal to manifest in some form as your personal animal if said family totem is built up but not operating strongly on the immediate family level. Birds are also known to have much diversity. My grandfather's is the Eagle, mine are the Hummingbird and Crow.
Serpent- this is a correspondence to a clan that arguably no-longer exists. It is also the totem of the old priesthood of medicine people, long before Turtle Island was colonized by Europeans. It is also a totem of adeptship, and of Uktena.
Owl - Not one I normally work with anymore. The owl as the animal of a clergy member whom moved out of state a couple years ago and whom is not currently active within my life but whom I am very much on good terms with. Owls are preferred by certain malicious practitioners in Cherokee Tradition. They are as Incubi and Succubi.
One of my grandmothers was a Dolphin. Also a very close friend of mine is also a Dolphin. so there are two dolphins that come to me, and sometimes it's not easy to tell the difference admittedly... sometimes I question if there is a difference...
I'm also friends with a duck and a mouse and know a few squirrelly people though that has nothing to do with the grounds.
Beyond this we also have animal guides associated with the directions which tie into our ceremonial formulas. The Western mystery Tradition also has its set of four animals which are the power animals of the watchtowers and they would also be the totems representing all within the particular elemental realm. Aligned with the Watchtowers these animals guide forces from plane to plane. The animals of the Cherokee round guide me to each those realms as so I call on them to go someplace and those of the western tradition to guide forces here, or to some other place.
My Power Animals in Life and Journey Work
Being Asegi Udanvdo (two-spirit) I have two distinct spirit animals. Each is an integrated whole, yet halve of a higher notion of self. While many people have more than one animal, the others are often parts or aspects of one or otherwise sub servant to a dominant or exalted animal. Neither Crow nor Hummingbird are dominant though they certainly have their domain in which case they switch positions though normally they are evenly balanced.
The Crow represents my feminine side, myself as the experience. Nuit.
The Hummingbird the masculine side, myself as the experiencer. Hadit.
In Cherokee when we want to get someones attention we Ka!
When I'm on a journey quest, spirit traveling, when I hear Ka! I know to pay attention and with a Ka my guide can change my surroundings and I'm somewhere else.
The hummingbird partakes of every flower just as I seek to be in relationship with and to know every monad. The Crow is the Stage and the Hummingbird the Fool, or explorer.
In truth I have a third yet it is a half truth, for in truth I have but one. When my spirit animals come together they become a Dragon. This is not an animal "guide" in the normative sense nor is it of any journey filled with various roles. It is the an animal symbolic of the true form or "Vera Forma" of what one would call "The Holy Guardian Angel" (see: Thelema and Abramelin) or "True Will". When it appeared to me it led me to my first experience of Samadhi, representing "me" on that level of experience beyond Maya. It does not come or interact with me in the same way as Hummingbird or Crow do. That's all I will say about it, other than it's always there on that level and either wouldn't be so accessible if the other two weren't so equilibriated or, perhaps the the Dragon is the reason they are. ninja
Finding your Power Animal or Animal Guide
here really are no easy answers here.
You can try meditating- guided or otherwise, various techniques for entering a vision, divinatory practices to yield insight, asking a pendulum or even creating a ritual for that purpose. There's a whole gamut of things you can do but what you shouldn't do is try too hard.
You have to be ready to receive, to let it happen. You don't want to be so obsessively focused that you can't see what is trying to make itself known to you right before you. Awareness is key, being able to be aware and keep track of recurring patterns and instances in your day to day life is important. If you aren't paying attention but then mention of something shifts your attention- don't forget that because it's your subconscious bringing you into a point of focus.
Ultimately though, and this is the most important thing: Ask yourself, "would I teach me?", "Am I in the right place in my life where I am able to be a good student of the mysteries?", "Am I open to spirit, am I able to see the spiritual within my day to day life?" If not, maybe you need to get to that place first. It doesn't matter what you call into your life if you can't see it. We make ourselves miserable that way. It takes work like that of a Gardner. Sometimes you have to prepare the soil in order for a certain plant to grow.
Though if you do that, if you get into the right mindset for it and ask genuinely for guidance it will come. That sounds like a huge claim on my part and it is, but I have never known that statement to be untrue. Though sometimes that means instead of dwelling on the animal, you have to focus on knowing your needs, your nature and how that affects how you see your world and let that manifest to you as your animal guide.
You will never find your power animal without finding yourself.
(Journey animals are the transitional nature of that)
I know that sounds cliche but it's the most important thing that I can tell you. How you get there is going to be different than how other people get there.
Also, ask a close friend which animal they remind you of and why. Don't take that as final but you may be surprised at the answers you get. Especially if their animal is a mouse.
