Animal Medicine

Law There is a medicine story that tells of Crow’s fascination with her own shadow. She kept looking at it, scratching it, pecking at it, until her shadow woke up and became alive. Then Crow’s shadow ate her. Crow is Dead Crow now. Dead Crow is the Left-Handed Guardian. If you look deeply into Crow’s eye, you will have found the gateway to the supernatural. Crow knows the unknowable mysteries of creation and is the keeper of all sacred law. Since Crow is the keeper of sacr

Magic Throughout time, Raven has carried the medicine of magic. This has been true in many cultures across the planet. It is sacred, in the medicine way, to honor Raven as the bringer of magic. If the magic is bad medicine, the carrier may be honored out of fear rather than out of respect. Those who fear the Raven may do so because they have been dabbling in areas in which they had no knowledge, and a spell may have backfired on them. Rather than analyzing the dark side of so

I came to a startling discovery today. I had seen glimpses of it previously but dismissed it as not possible, yet here we are. Growing up anything metaphysical, or spiritual, or otherworldly was taboo. Now-a-days not so much it's everywhere you look. But that's the point. When something needs healing within us it persists growing in intensity each time until we acknowledge it. I've had the persistent thought lately that "People should not mess with things they don't understan

Joy Hummingbird is associated with the Ghost Shirt religion, which taught that a certain dance done properly would bring about the return of the animals, and that white people would disappear. Once again the Original People would know the joy of the old ways. In Mayan teachings, Hummingbird is connected to the Black Sun and the Fifth World. Hummingbirds can give us medicine to solve the riddle of the contradiction of duality. The song of Hummingbird awakens the medicine flo

Stealth Weasel has an incredible amount of energy and ingenuity, yet it is a difficult power totem to have. It is not without significance that ermine or weasel pelt is worn by royalty. Weasel ears hear what is really being said. This is a great ability. Weasel eyes see beneath the surface of a situation to know the many ramifications of an event. This too is a rare gift. The chiefs sent Weasel to the enemy camp to smoke them for power. "What are the medicines of the enemy?"

Leadership Mountain Lion can be a very difficult power totem for you to have, because it places you in a position to be a target for the problems of others. You could be blamed for things going wrong, or for always taking charge when others cannot. You could become the perfect justification for the insecurities of others. Mountain Lion medicine involves lessons on the use of power in leadership. It is the ability to lead without insisting that others follow. It is the unders

Generous Protector Raccoon carries the medicine of the protector of the underdog and provider for the young, infirm, and elderly. Often called "little bandit" by southern tribes, this Robin Hood of the animal kingdom teaches us about generosity and caring for others. When Raccoon comes your way, you are being asked to contact your inner warrior, to become a protector and generous provider for those in need. Raccoon medicine people have the uncanny ability to assist others wit

Trickster There are thousands of myths and stories about Coyote, the great trickster. Many Native cultures call Coyote the "Medicine Dog." You can be sure that some kind of medicine is on its way - and it may or may not be to your liking. Whatever the medicine is, good or bad, you can be sure it will make you laugh, maybe even painfully. You can be sure that Coyote will teach you a lesson about yourself. Coyote has many magical powers, but they do not always work in his favo

Action When time was just beginning and the "Tribe of Man" was small, Antelope saw that the two-leggeds were naked, hungry, and in danger of extinction. The Ancestors would soon vanish from Mother Earth if action were not taken. Antelope took action and came into the camp, calling all the two-leggeds together for Council. "Great Mystery sent me to teach you a lesson. The lesson is to do. You have no need to be fearful if you know what to do and then you do it," Antelope sai

Integration The powerful gift of Alligator medicine is to fully appreciate and integrate all that life offers. Gator shows us the value of thoroughly digesting both the pleasures and pains of life. In many ways, Alligator's medicine is reflected in its behavior. When a Gator rolls under water with its prey, its message is to roll with the punches when being attacked by life's circumstances. Carefully storing its prey under a log until the meat is tender teaches us about pati

Teacher Wolf is the pathfinder, the forerunner of new ideas who returns to the clan to teach and share medicine. Wolf takes one mate for life and is loyal like Dog. If you were to keep company with Wolves, you would find an enormous sense of family within the pack, as well as a strong individualistic urge. These qualities make Wolf very much like the human race. As humans we also have an ability to be part of society and yet still embody our individual dreams and ideas. In

Transmutation Serpent medicine people are very rare. Their initiation involves experiencing and living through multiple snake bites, which allows them to transmute all poisons, be they mental, physical, spiritual, or emotional. The power of Serpent medicine is the power of creation, for it embodies sexuality, psychic energy, alchemy, reproduction, and ascension (or immortality). The transmutation of the life-death-rebirth cycle is exemplified by the shedding of Serpent's ski

Secrets It is said that if you want to find out a secret, ask Lynx medicine. Unfortunately, it is difficult to get the silent Lynx to speak. To be confronted by the powerful medicine of Lynx signifies that you do not know something about yourself or others. Lynx is the keeper of the secrets of lost magical systems and occult knowledge. Lynx has the ability to move through time and space, and to go into the Great Silence for unraveling any mystery. Lynx is not the guardian

Mother Earth In Native American teachings, the Turtle is the oldest symbol for planet Earth. It is the personification of Goddess energy, and the eternal Mother from which our lives evolve. We are born of the womb of Earth, and to her soil our bodies will return. In honoring the Earth, we are asked by Turtle to be mindful of the cycle of give and take, to give back to the Mother as she has given to us. Turtle has a shell which is similar to the protection that Earth has empl

Deception Owl medicine is symbolically associated with clairvoyance, astral projection, and magic, both black and white. Owl is called Night Eagle on several medicine wheels used by Amerindian teachers. Traditionally, Owl sits in the East, the place of illumination. Since time immemorial, humanity has been afraid of the night, the dark, and the unseen - waiting fearfully for the first crack of morning light. Conversely, night is Owl’s friend. Owls hunt their prey at night.

Boundaries Armadillo wears its armor on its back, its medicine a part of its body. Its boundaries of safety are a part of its total being. Armadillo can roll into a ball and never be penetrated by enemies. What a gift it is to set your boundaries so that harmful words or intentions just roll off. Your lesson is in setting up what you are willing to experience. If you do not wish to experience feeling invaded, just call on Armadillo medicine. A clue to how to proceed is to m

Spirit Eagle medicine is the power of the Great Spirit, the connection to the Divine. It is the ability to live in the realm of Spirit, and yet remain connected and balanced within the realm of Earth. Eagle soars, and is quick to observe expansiveness within the overall pattern of life. From the heights of the clouds, Eagle is close to the heavens where the Great Spirit dwells. The feathers of Eagle are considered to be the most sacred of healing tools. They have been used f

Gentleness One day Fawn heard the Great Spirit calling to her from the top of Sacred Mountain. Fawn immediately started up the trail. She didn't know that a horrible demon guarded the way to the Great Spirit's lodge. The demon was trying to keep all beings of creation from connecting with the Great Spirit. He wanted all of the Great Spirit's creatures to feel that the Great Spirit didn't want to be disturbed. This would make the demon feel powerful, and capable of causing the

Integrity & Impeccability Since the death of Sky God, the god-like being who had come from the stars and led the Maya to prosperity and a golden era of spiritual understanding, his teachings of love, integrity, impeccability, and the power of a compassionate heart had been perverted. The distortion of his Jaguar teachings had degenerated to where the priests were sacrificing human beings, foolishly cutting out the victims' hearts to reclaim the power of the golden days of the

Fear A long time ago - no one really knows how long ago it was - Rabbit was a brave and fearless warrior. Rabbit was befriended by Eye Walker, a witch. The witch and Rabbit spent much time together sharing and talking. The two were very close. One day Eye Walker and Rabbit were walking along and they sat down on the trail to rest. Rabbit said, "I'm thirsty." Eye Walker picked up a leaf, blew on it, and then handed Rabbit a gourd of water. Rabbit drank the water but didn't sa