By Danelle Devi
The native people in the Pacific Northwest speak of their helping and compassionate animal spirits. These are known as power animals.
This is not implying they are powerful physically, yet the power here is from spiritual power that is from inherited knowledge, information, and wisdom that the animal shares with its chosen human companion. Every animal has power by virtue of its being part of nature. It’s a necessary player in the game of creation.
No matter what animal (Fox, Panther, Ant, Seagull) the shaman believes that a particular animal spirit seeks out a particular individual to befriend because there is something of a mutual need between them. Each offering support in his or her journey. Keep in mind if you don’t support your power animal as much as you’re supported, they can and will leave. Over my journey I had neglected mine unintentionally (due to what I deemed as busy life events) and wen I journeyed to my power animal, he told me he would leave if I didn’t devote more time to him.
When I journey for people to retrieve their power animals some are surprised at what comes back. While some have an affinity for a specific animal, that one may not be what returns to the person. This comes as a disappointment to many people, but this may or may not be your power animal for shamanic practice. When I had my power animal retrieval I was sure it would be a dog. I was surrounded by them and had a love for dogs since childhood. Much to my surprise it was the ant eater. Yet sure enough, ant eater appeared for exactly what I was going through in my life and helped to deep root myself further into shamanic healing.
This isn’t to say your favorite animal or family totem will not be your power animal. It only means that you must begin with an open mind and heart to allow the compassionate healing spirits to decide which power animal is what is needed at this time in your life. The animal that becomes your first power animal may seek you out because it’s own spiritual needs are compatible with yours. Be confident that your power animal and you are destined to work together for both individual and mutual goals and for co-creating the universal kinship animals and humans once had.
With an animal companion, this is your first step in re-entering the outside of time that exists in nonordinary reality-beyond our normal state of consciousness. Your power animal will help you navigate through the mysteries of the Earth. Connecting with your power animal is one of the first steps your path to shamanism.
Mitakuye Oyasin,
Danelle Devi is a Tera Mai Seichem Reiki Master, Dar’Shem Master, Tarot Card Reader, Animal Communicator, Numerologist, Psychic Intuitive Empath, and Shaman. For more information about Danelle or to contact her, visit her website http://www.devimangohealing.com
