Many people are aware of the existence of spirit guides; often known as  guardian angels, but  are unaware that we also have an animal guide, also known as an animal totem too. Those of us who work with animal guides, find them useful for entering different realms and planes of existence during Shamanic workings and also meditation, that we would otherwise be unable to access by ourselves.

Animal spirit guides can appear in many shapes or forms. They each have their own unique way of imparting wisdom, to motivate and inspire us. Through meditation and when the time is right for you, you can also meet and learn to work with yours. You may already find yourself drawn to a particular animal; this could well be how they are making themselves known to you. If your totem animal is one which appears below then to learn more about your power animal/creature and to help strengthen your connection and aid communication you may find one of the following attunements listed below helpful.

Alpaca  - Ant - Armadillo - Bat - Bear - Buffalo - Butterfly – Chipmunk – Cougar – Coyote – Crab – Crocodile – Deer – Dog - Domestic Cat – Flamingo – Fox – Gannett - Great Blue Heron – Hawk - Heron and Egret - Honey Bee – Horse – Meerkat – Owl - Prairie Dog -  Puffin – Raccoon – Raven – Rhino – Seagull – Snail – Swan – Turkey – Turtle – Vulture – Wolf – Yak – Zebra

The following meditation will relax and open you to new ways of thought, and allow you access to insights that can inspire, motivate and guide you through your life journey.

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Meditation to meet your animal guide

1 Prepare your meditation area, you may wish to play relaxing music, none vocal is best as it is less distracting. You could burn some incense or essential oils, light candles; anything that will make your room feel relaxing, inviting and cosy. Turn off your phone; and make sure you won’t be disturbed.

You may prefer to meditate seated, or to lie down, either is fine as long as you are comfortable and not likely to fall asleep!

Close your eyes and focus on your breathing, long slow deep breaths; feel your body growing heavier and more relaxed. With each breath you take feel yourself sinking further down into your couch, chair or bed.

As you breathe more deeply, feel yourself sinking further and further down, down through the ground, feeling and smelling all the roots of trees and plant caressing you on your way past, floating through underground streams and rivers, down ever down, until you reach the centre of the earth. Breathe deeply absorbing all the energy of Gaia, the very essence of life on this world, feel it flowing through your body, feel yourself becoming one with her.

2 As the Gaia energy pulsates through you, you begin to feel lighter and lighter. Now you are floating back up to the surface, lightly and gently as a bubble of air passes through water. You emerge in a clearing in a beautiful forest; the sunlight is gently streaming through the branches, you feel more alive and invigorated than ever before. As you walk through this clearing embrace all your senses, what can you see, hear, smell, feel or taste?

In front of you is a fallen tree, sit down and close your eyes, feel yourself relaxing further. Count slowly back from 10 – 0, with each breath you take and number you count you are becoming even more relaxed. When you reach 0, ask in your mind or out aloud for your animal spirit guide to make themselves known to you.

3 Count slowly to 3 and then open your eyes. When you open your eyes you could be anywhere; any country, any terrain. It could be day or night time. You could be swimming safely through the ocean, basking on the beach, walking through a jungle, or climbing a mountain, be open and expect the unexpected!

4 When your animal spirit appears, move towards it and greet it respectfully, as in these realms there are no communication barriers, you will be able to converse freely and easily. They may impart wisdom to you or take you on a journey. Over time and with further meditation and meetings, and the time is right they will shape-shift by merging with you. You will take on their shape, and will then be free to travel to many different realms and dimensions. This takes a high degree of trust, respect and unconditional love. When the journey is over you will return to the forest clearing, where you will both separate and be free to go your own ways again.

5 Thank your animal spirit guide and sit down on the fallen tree as before. Close your eyes, and slowly with each breath, count your way back from 0 – 10. With each breath you will feel more wide awake. When you reach 10 open your eyes. As soon as you feel able, write down everything you can remember about your meditation. As time goes by new insights will come to you, and any messages or teachings given may become more relevant at a later date.

6 Now your session has finished it is important to break state, close and ground yourself. You can do this by visualising all your chakras gently closing down to a normal size, and by visualising a large black cloak wrapping itself around you as a signal to the spiritual realms that you have finished working with them. If you don’t do this, you are at risk of leaving yourself open, and connected to other dimensions. You may continue to see and hear things, not good if you are trying to work or sleep! It can help to eating a light snack or go for a walk in the fresh air, anything that will ground you in the physical world.