Divine Spirits in Nature

Why do we look to these animals with almost a reverence? We can look at it from a religious viewpoint: God created both man and beast, and all are blessed. Man has elevated to a self-appointed status that says we are better than the animals, but while we have made this claim in one breath we can turn and see the animals have been held in perspective as if they were supernatural, almost deities.

Power Animals

Look at astrology, and you will find animal symbols known as totem animals or power animals. The Mayan calendar also holds many animals in esteem: the eagle, the alligator, the deer. We have a national bird, and our political parties are symbolized by animals as well. Turn to the financial side and you will see the bull market.

Totem Animals

The name totem animal or totemism is not such a global term, and it is fairly recent in its use. Yet mythology speaks out with stories of the animal kingdom, for man sees first its power outside of itself. And so we find many symbols of power and abilities in ancient text, images, and legends.

Divinity in the Flesh – All Around Us?

The totem spirit, the presence of divinity in animal form: the hummingbird, for one, has been a symbol of spirituality. This tiny creature, so amazing in its unique abilities, has been looked upon as the likeness of God in the flesh. Today we may not look upon any one thing, creature, or person, as being the one representative of God. Those who seek to find that spark of divinity in themselves often share as well an appreciation for the simple beauty in even the tiniest of creatures.

© 2011 Estee Taschereau, HummingbirdShaman.com™ See into your own spirit-driven world with a soul-level spiritual reading session. All sessions by appointment, available via Skype, phone and email.

As we rounded a corner there were people standing on the side of the trail, with one climbing down the embankment. “There’s an owl”, one of them said. They tried to point it out, but it took me a while to spot the owl perched on a tree branch. Oh, how well they blend, how still they are. I wondered how many times the owl watched me walk by on other days, when my mind raced ahead of me and I was far too out of sync to notice.

The owl, like many other birds, is honored by many in native cultures. For those simply out for a family walk the owl is still a commanding presence. This bird sat quietly, turning head to and fro every few minutes.

In legend the owl is associated with wisdom. They are most active at night, hunting easily with their keen vision. As a symbol, a totem animal with traits to be admired, the owl does not stand in the spotlight calling out its own praises. This bird waits, and watches. This is a trait of the night, the time associated with stillness. Stillness and wisdom, they go hand in hand. Wisdom is acquired through observation and keen attentiveness.

As I wandered back toward my home I shared the experience with a father and his two children. “Only one?” he asked, for just yesterday he had seen four owls. What a wonderful experience, to see a part of nature so rarely seen.

Estee Taschereau, Hummingbird Shaman, is the author of Being Here Now, a guide to greater awareness and tools for self awareness and personal ownership.

It is an amazing site, watching the vultures drift around the bend, almost as if they followed the highway, as they return to their roost for the night. At times they appear to be playing, weaving around the tall trees in groups, a pattern very different from their typical hunting circling.

The mornings are my favorite time, watching the vultures warm themselves in the morning sun. I stand and watch, then I stand and emulate, bringing my awareness inward, awakening and vitalizing for the day.

In honor of the totem spirit of the vulture I share with you a photo from last year’s trek. This photo is not one of flight, it is one of rest. The question is: how many vultures are perched in this tree? They look almost as if they have been drawn into the picture in a kindergarten style.

This is my version of the “Where’s Waldo” game – enjoy, and give comment as to how many vultures you can see in the trees?

Raccoons are amazing animals. As a totem representation of qualities we hold in our own life, they can be very interesting to observe.

The word raccoon comes from the word Arahkunem, which means “he scratches with the hands.”. In Norway the translation is “wash-bear”. The raccoon is a distant relative of the bear.

The most apparent characteristic of the raccoon is its mask. Is this a symbol of hiding, or a symbol of the stealth-like, night-based pursuits of the raccoon? This nocturnal animal is a master at hands-on manipulation.

Raccoons are smart as well, figuring out how to open containers and get what they want. Raccoons are known for cleaning their food.

When we look at these traits, and hold this mirror to ourselves, what do we see within our own world that carries raccoon qualities?

Life is very “hands on”, and the appearance of raccoon energy in your world can be a symbol for this trait. Patience can be woven into this tapestry as well, for the raccoon will persist to figure out the puzzles in life, in a very hands-on way, and will give their full attention to achieving their goals.

What about the nocturnal side of the raccoon, and that mask? It can be a symbol of hiding, or sneaking around, but it can also be a sign of privacy. Some of us like to work undisturbed by the world around us. Does this trait serve you, or restrict your ability to create the world you seek to create?

Every totem can show you strength as well as an area of life you seek to balance. The raccoon totem gives us a glimpse at several powerful abilities we share with this bandit of the night.

Author Estee Taschereau offers intuitive sessions for recognition of your own abilities and the steps you are taking toward self empowerment and success in life. The Healing Drum Retreat in the Pacific Northwest is an opportunity to learn more about totem animals, energy healing and get hands-on experience with native style crafting.

Where do I Start Today?

From there, where do I go? Where do I start today? This question is one that arises every day in one way or another, but on this occasion it was a conscious one. Within a blink a bird pulled me away from my self-centered attention, and I turned to see what had so gracefully shifted my thoughts.

The Presence of a Thrasher Woodpecker

It was a thrasher, with his light speckled feathers, red patch on his crown and black chest. He landed on the primary branch of the small cherry tree that had been a resting place for the hummingbirds. His head turned to and fro, surveying his surroundings. I don’t often see the thrashers unless there is suet for them, and even then they flee if there is any movement around them.

The thrasher is in the woodpecker family, with a long beak used to gain access to insects deep within the rotting wood of a snag tree. The tapping is reminiscent of drumming, rhythmic and resonant. The motions move beyond what is on the surface, a place we should all venture towards.

I marveled at the coincidence between my thought, “Where do I begin”, and the appearance of the thrasher. Within a heartbeat or two one of my hummingbirds made his own appearance, and while he stayed clear of the thrasher, a bird that far outweighed him, he still took dominance, landing above the thrasher in a position that centered him within the tree.

Where do I begin? What better place than within. Do we actually listen to the beating of our own heart? Even if we treat this reference as symbolic we can still find intuitive or spiritual meaning.

Hummingbird Visit – A Message of Purpose

I turn my head again to focus on the motion seen out the corner of my eye. The hummingbird returns to his feeder, followed by chickadees and sparrows in search of food. I’ve returned home to something I resonate with, and my day’s focus clearly includes reconnecting to my own purpose and direction. Where do I start today? With the beating of my own heart.

Where do I Start Today? © 2010. Estee Taschereau, Hummingbird Shaman, offers individual sessions by phone to clarify and clear your focus and find the beating of your own heart. For more articles on spirituality and metaphysical focus visit IntuitiveMeaning.com