Signs, Symbols, and Totems

The Universe employs many guises to provide us with guidance, validation, and warnings. The Greek messenger goddess, Iris, for example, delivered messages from the gods and goddesses to mortals by shape shifting into the form of someone familiar to the person receiving the message. 

As a shaman and author, my subconscious constantly scans for signs, symbols, and totems, including during a recent pilgrimage to Wales. In a country steeped in magic and myth, I researched the Welsh tradition of the goddess in the landscape. Not surprisingly, She delivered an array of symbolic messages. Some were directed at our group of sixteen men and women. Others were intended for specific individuals.

Animal Totems

On the third day of my pilgrimage, we hiked to a reputed fairy pool and falls. I had learned during an earlier trek to England that digital cameras reveal magical activity not immediately apparent to the naked eye. So, after a solid look around, I began to train my camera on the falls.

I expected to see fairies, not a dragon.

But there it was, peeking around the waterfall, in plain sight. "Do you see the dragon?" I asked. No one did. So I showed them the image I had captured. Ah! It turned out I wasn't the only one at the fairy pool who had worked with dragon magic. But I was the only one who needed to receive validation from a dragon. I was about to submit the manuscript for book three in my Teen Wytche Saga. The story departed from Books One and Two in many ways, and I was nervous about it. Unlike the first two books, this one involved a dragon. I interpreted the dragon's presence as validating the new storyline.

On day four, our tour group visited a healing well and chapel overlooking Saint Bride's Bay. Bride (or Bridget, Brigantia), is the Celtic goddess of fire/smith craft, poetry, healing, unity, and childbirth. One of her totems is the adder, a poisonous snake. The moment the group began hiking single file along a meadow path to the well, an adder crossed the path of the first person in line. Thus, the goddess welcomed us and alerted us to her presence. Her snake totem symbolized the shedding of what no longer served us, and invited us to transform our lives. Transformation, is a key goal in any pilgrimage.

Observe the Symbols and Totems Around You

One needn't travel to distant lands to interact with animal totems. Begin by Observing animals that appear around your home or work. Since moving to the desert, I've been beset by hummingbirds (shamanic medicine animal), butterflies (transformation), ants (patience, discipline), ravens (magic, healing, & creation), a tortoise (grounding, self-reliance, determination), and a jackrabbit (movement by leaps and bounds/check on plans). An excellent online source for animal totems is www.linsdomain.com. Ted Andrews and D. J. Conway have both written excellent books on the subject.

Be mindful of coincidences, for there are no coincidences. Things happen for a reason. Ask yourself "What is the message," or "What is the lesson?"

Ask the Right Question

"What do I need to know now?" is always a good question. The Universe will provide an answer. You may not like or understand the sign or symbol you are given. If you understand but do not accept the answer, then remember that the Universe's knowledge is infinite. What seems horrible in the moment may later appear to be the best thing that could have happened. If not, then acknowledge the lesson learned. It may come in handy later.

If you do not understand the symbol or sign you are given, ask the Universe for more clarification, or ask that the answer be given in way you can understand. (Failing that, you can always email me.)

Application in Your Daily Life

Work, relationships, creativity, and spirituality — all aspects of your life can flow with greater ease and grace when you open yourself to the messages the Universe provides.