Power animals and personal development

[agorman]

After so many years of trying things, I've noticed these days that what really makes me feel good is to put some power animals on my altar. My intention at the begginning was to use universal archetypes to access the virtues of my own true self, but the effect on my health, self-esteem, energy, etc. it's much higher if I consider them as spirits, gods or aspect of the Great Spirit (i.e. external beings).

But now I wonder, what about releasing my own capabilities? Will I have to keep depending on power animals to go on? (as a devotee depends on his or her god) Or is it that what they really do with their presence is to release energies of my own higher self?

Also, they don't seem to ask for anything in return for what they give me. But would it be better if I'd give them offerings of some sort? (e.g. Do I have to give the tiger 20Kg. of meat per day? LOL). Do shamen give offerings to totems?

 

[Runewolf1973]

You don't need to give anything to your power animal or animals, most people don't even know they are there. I can see people's animals and it honestly baffles me sometimes why they stick around for us humans. I know they serve a great purpose however, because they give us power and protection from illness. The animal's appearance and health is more important than the type of animal it is. The type of animal it is tells me much about a person's overall personality. Your animal will very closely relate to the type of person you are and not necessarily the animal you feel you are most drawn too.The physical appearance of an animal as well as how approachable or friendly or not that animal is will tell me much about the health and emotional state of a person. You can absolutely give offerings and reverence to your personal animal. Doing so will make it more powerful and you along with it.

 

[Runewolf1973]

Btw, if you would like to know what your personal power animal is (without taking some cheesy online quiz which doesn't actually work), all I need is to see is a picture of you. I can give you a description of your animal, it's health, and it's characteristics. Let me know.

 

[SpentaMaynu]

You don't need to give anything to your power animal or animals, most people don't even know they are there. I can see people's animals and it honestly baffles me sometimes why they stick around for us humans. I know they serve a great purpose however, because they give us power and protection from illness. The animal's appearance and health is more important than the type of animal it is. The type of animal it is tells me much about a person's overall personality. Your animal will very closely relate to the type of person you are and not necessarily the animal you feel you are most drawn too.The physical appearance of an animal as well as how approachable or friendly or not that animal is will tell me much about the health and emotional state of a person. You can absolutely give offerings and reverence to your personal animal. Doing so will make it more powerful and you along with it.

This is very interesting! It reminds me a bit of the guardian angels in some other religions. Of course I can see some differences in what you've said here, but do you think it is comparable and similar? Also, just an idea because I'm honestly curious, do you think that what you see is perhaps the guardian angel in the form of an animal or what other see is the animal in the form of an angel? I don't know if shamans believe in angels or angel like beings (do you?), but I'm sure angels can change their form if needed. In this case, can the animals change their form?

 

[Sister Cyber]

You don't need to give anything to your power animal or animals, most people don't even know they are there. I can see people's animals and it honestly baffles me sometimes why they stick around for us humans.

Maybe they are just more sympathetic than Humans and stick around because they know we need the help of their Medicine, and of course, the protection and guidance.

Btw, if you would like to know what your personal power animal is (without taking some cheesy online quiz which doesn't actually work), all I need is to see is a picture of you. I can give you a description of your animal, it's health, and it's characteristics. Let me know.

That is an interesting gift.

don't know if shamans believe in angels or angel like beings (do you?)

What would your definition of an angel or angel-like being be? From my point of view, there are no female angels, but angel-like beings is another entity - male, female, and both in one.

 

[Runewolf1973]

Maybe they are just more sympathetic than Humans and stick around because they know we need the help of their Medicine, and of course, the protection and guidance.



That is an interesting gift.



What would your definition of an angel or angel-like being be? From my point of view, there are no female angels, but angel-like beings is another entity - male, female, and both in one.

Yes, I have seen an angel-like being...it had wings and even a sword. It was actually all black and rather menacing looking though. As far as the stereotypical biblical type of angel, I have never encountered one.

 

[Sister Cyber]

As far as the stereotypical biblical type of angel, I have never encountered one.

Neither have I, because those depictions of "angels" are based on religious mainstream teaching. It just wouldn't do to frighten the public by showing them what a real angel looks like; there'd be no congregation if they did.

It was actually all black and rather menacing looking

I used to dream about these beings and quite frankly, the look of them frightened me until my mother told me this when I was 3 or 4 years old, well, this is a snippit of a poem I wrote about Lucid Dreaming - she didn't rhyme when she explained this to me (ha!):

Sometimes I like to have adventures, or just confront my fears
I learned to do these things and more in dreams through many years
When Mommy woke me from nightmares that seemed ultra-real and spooky
She’d tell me to do things in my dreams that to you may sound plain kooky
“He cannot harm you in your dream, and so you must be brave
“Let him know that YOU’RE in charge, and command him to behave
“Ask him why he scares you, and if push should come to shove,
Just open your arms and hug him and show him all your love
“And you will see the ugly beast will quickly disappear
“And you’ll feel happy when you find there’s nothing left to fear”

 

[Runewolf1973]

Neither have I, because those depictions of "angels" are based on religious mainstream teaching. It just wouldn't do to frighten the public by showing them what a real angel looks like; there'd be no congregation if they did.



I used to dream about these beings and quite frankly, the look of them frightened me until my mother told me this when I was 3 or 4 years old, well, this is a snippit of a poem I wrote about Lucid Dreaming - she didn't rhyme when she explained this to me (ha!):

Sometimes I like to have adventures, or just confront my fears
I learned to do these things and more in dreams through many years
When Mommy woke me from nightmares that seemed ultra-real and spooky
She’d tell me to do things in my dreams that to you may sound plain kooky
“He cannot harm you in your dream, and so you must be brave
“Let him know that YOU’RE in charge, and command him to behave
“Ask him why he scares you, and if push should come to shove,
Just open your arms and hug him and show him all your love
“And you will see the ugly beast will quickly disappear
“And you’ll feel happy when you find there’s nothing left to fear”

Yah, I had a run in with a sleep paralysis demon. It was about the size of an 8 year old kid, strong as 3 grown men and bright glowing red. It jumped on top of me just as I was about to fall asleep one night. Shook the entire bed. Maybe it's not that they're actually strong, they just have this ability to control people.

 

[Sister Cyber]

Yah, I had a run in with a sleep paralysis demon.

Sleep paralysis isn't a demon, lol. It is our body's natural method of preventing us from performing actions we dream we are doing, like flying out a window, walking through walls and stuff that would typically kill or harm us in real life but not in Dreamland. You can "work your way out of" sleep paralysis if you awaken before it naturally dissipates. You encounter it when you wake up because you woke up "before you were supposed to" (for lack of a better term) and your body didn't have a chance to release your limbs unto yourself. So to counter it if it happens again, just begin to concentrate on each part of your body until you can move them.

It was about the size of an 8 year old kid, strong as 3 grown men and bright glowing red.

I believe that what was occuring was that when you woke up before your body did, you may not have been fully conscious but still functioning with some clarity in the fourth dimension, so the being you were dreaming of was clear to you in this 3rd dimension because of your half-awakened state. I may be mistaken, but I recall when I was about 9 having something similar happen - I woke up after "breaking out" of a lucid dream gone wrong, and found myself in sleep paralysis because of the sudden wake-up, and I was staring at a super large Frankensteinish head! Shut my eyes and counted to 50!

It jumped on top of me just as I was about to fall asleep one night.

Seems I misunderstood you then, but sleep paralysis can happen both ways - typically when the body is asleep, so is the mind. Possibly your body was asleep (bringing on the sleep paralysis) but your mind was alert as you fell into your dream. This is called Lucid Dreaming. Of course, only you would know for sure; I'm just trying to understand based on what you wrote....

Shook the entire bed. Maybe it's not that they're actually strong, they just have this ability to control people.

When I was 18 I "dreamed" the devil shook my bed, lifted the foot of the bed off the floor and dropped it. I got up and LEFT my room!

As far as controlling people, I don't believe that's possible except with the persons concent or if the person has a weak mental capacity.

 

[sojourner]

After so many years of trying things, I've noticed these days that what really makes me feel good is to put some power animals on my altar. My intention at the begginning was to use universal archetypes to access the virtues of my own true self, but the effect on my health, self-esteem, energy, etc. it's much higher if I consider them as spirits, gods or aspect of the Great Spirit (i.e. external beings).

But now I wonder, what about releasing my own capabilities? Will I have to keep depending on power animals to go on? (as a devotee depends on his or her god) Or is it that what they really do with their presence is to release energies of my own higher self?

Also, they don't seem to ask for anything in return for what they give me. But would it be better if I'd give them offerings of some sort? (e.g. Do I have to give the tiger 20Kg. of meat per day? LOL). Do shamen give offerings to totems?

I don’t give offerings to totems. But I always give gratitude to my spirit guides and those who come to help me. And, after having called them in, I always release them, so they don’t have to hang around. I do offer gifts to the four elements.

 

[Kiss of Mystery]

I just noticed how old this thread is..lol And runewolf seems to have vacated? Is there anyone else that sees anothers power animal?

 

[sojourner]

I just noticed how old this thread is..lol And runewolf seems to have vacated? Is there anyone else that sees anothers power animal?

I haven’t developed that ability yet. But I believe it’s an ability we all have.

 

[DanishCrow]

My spirit helpers are conventional animals that live in my area of the world. Therefore, I seek out their relatives in the ordinary reality and give them stuff the animal likes. By building good relationship to the helper spirit in this reality, my relationship to it in the shamanistic reality grows as well.

On the subject of seeing, when in the trance state, I can see the power animals of others, unless they are adept at hiding it.