What Are Spirit Animals?

Power or spirit animals are a kind of guide, helper, or friend. They can be both a kind of spiritual representative for a whole species and an individual with a strong, individual personality simultaneously.

Across all traditions and cultures and over many, many centuries people have worked with power animals to receive guidance or to help them take on the qualities of particular animals such as strength, keen senses, clear sight, courage, or balance.

People generally have at least one spirit animal that will stay with them for many years, maybe even a lifetime. However, there will also be spirit animals that may come and go during different periods of your life - when you have need of their abilities and attributes.

There might be times when you want to call upon a particular power animal for its strengths; if you are walking on a mountain path for example you might want to call on a mountain goat to ensure you are sure-footed.

I often act as guide, taking people on inner journeys to meet their spirit animals.

Do You Know What Your Spirit Animal Is?

People sometimes find that the power animal that appears to them is not altogether unexpected. Sometimes the animal that appears to them in their inner journey is on their mind often, they seem to encounter them a lot or in times of need, or in dreams, or they just feel drawn to them.

On the other hand you might be totally surprised.

In many traditions your power animal will approach you in 3 or 4 times in different ways if it is your primary spirit animal. But some of these may have happened at times you don’t recall or didn’t yet associate with your power animal presenting itself to you.

I was surprised when one of my main power animals showed herself to be a Jaguar, though looking back I have been obsessed with ‘big cats’ being at large in the English countryside since I was very small, collecting articles about them and asking people for any stories on them and I always look for signs of them - footprints etc. So I think I knew, deep down that there was one with me all along!

What Messages Do They Have For Us?

The species of power animals do have particular meanings but they will also have a specific message for you.

My jaguar friend encourages me to be more confident and to ‘live my life with more bite’ - her words.

She also supports me to embrace and utilise my power and guides me on my ongoing and ever evolving spiritual journey. Jaguars are often said to appear to those who are or should be following the Shamans path, something I took up following her 'appearance' which has been enlightening but at the same time felt like I was being reminded of things I already knew.

Someone who experienced a powerful meeting with her spirit animal during one of my inner journeys had this to say...

'I thought my spirit animal was a phoenix. Nope

My phoenix told me she would always be with me, but the panther walks with me now. My Panther spoke to me:

"You don't have to be afraid anymore"

I feel safe, brave, courageous, and more alive since "forever"'

Are you curious to meet your spirit animal and see what messages they have for you?