Totem Pole:
When trying to choose animals, consider the following:
Have you ever felt drawn to any animal instinctually? This could be animal, including birds and insects.
Does a certain kind of animal consistently appear in your life? This doesn’t necessarily have to be a physical appearance, it could be represented in other ways such as unexplainable dreams of a particular animal, watching television and seeing the same animal featured time and time again, or, actually having the animal show up.
When you go to the zoo, a park, wildlife area, or forest, what are you most interested in seeing?
Are there any animals that you find to be extremely frightening or intriguing?
Is there a particular animal that you see frequently when you’re out in nature?
Alligator: Maternal and Vengeful
Ant: Group- minded, patient, active and industrious
Antelope: Active, Agile and willing to sacrifice
Armadillo: Safety oriented and cautious
Badger: Courageous, aggressive, healing and energizing
Bat: Regenerative and long- living
Bear: industrious, instinctive, healing, powerful, sovereign, protective of the world and strong
Beaver: determined, strong- willed, constructive, and protective
Bee: Organized, industrious, productive, wise, social, celebratory, and enthusiastic about life
Buffalo: Sacred and Strong
Butterfly: metamorphic and transformative
Cat: Protective, detached, sensual, mysterious, magical and independent
Cheetah: swift, insightful, and focused
Cow: nurturing and maternal
Coyote: stealthy, intelligent, tricky and mischievous
Crane: Solitary, just, enduring, independent, vigilant, intelligent
Crow: law enforcing, shape shifting, changeable, creative, spiritual, energetic, and just
Deer: intelligent, gentle, kind, caring, subtle, graceful, feminine, and innocent
Dog: noble, loyal, protective, trainable and guiding
Dolphin: kind, prudent, wise, capable of deep emotion, happy
Dragon: enduring, infinite, wise, powerful and fiery
Dragonfly: carefree and strongly imaginative
Eagle: divine, sacrificing, intelligence, healing and caring
Elephant: strong, powerful and wise
Elk: strong, agile and proud
Falcon: adventurous, passionate and leading
Fish: graceful
Fox: cunning, agile, quick-witted, diplomatic and wild
Frog: cleansing, transformative, sensitive, powerful
Gazelle: aggressive
Goose: self-demanding, reliable, prudent, rigid, productive
Hawk: informative, intuitive, victorious, healing, noble, cleansing, visionary
Horse: Independent, enduring, mobile, terrestrial, and powerful, and free
Hummingbird: Confident, timeless, healing and combative
Jaguar: chaotic and shape shifting
Lion: family-oriented, strong, courageous, energetic and protective
Lizard: conversational and visionary
Llama: comforting to others
Lynx: discrete, protective and guiding
Moose: headstrong, steadfast and wise
Mouse: Observant, orderly, organized and detailed oriented
Opossum: Diversionary, strategic and deceptive
Otter: playful, friendly, dynamic and joyful
Owl: deceptive, clairvoyant, insightful, informative, detached, wise
Ox: sacrificing and self-denying
Peacock: immortal, dignified and self-confident
Porcupine: Innocent, companionable, and trustworthy
Rabbit: Fearful, timid, nervous, humble, intuitive, and balanced
Raccoon: Curious and Clean
Raven: Introspective, courageous, self-knowing, healing, protective
Salmon: Proud, intense, confident, wise, inspiring and rejuvenating
Seahorse: confident and graceful
Seal: loving, imaginative, creative
Shark: enduring and adaptable
Skunk: noticeably strong and present
Snake: impulsive, healing, energetic and wise
Squirrel: organized and gathering
Swan: balanced, graceful, loving, soulful
Tiger: strong, powerful and energetic
Turkey: generous, life-giving
Turtle: nurturing, shy and protective
Weasel: strong, ingenious and stealthy
Whale: wise and giving
Wolf: loyal, persevering, successful, intuitive, trainable, and ritualistic
Woodpecker: sensitive, protective and loyal