During a trip to visit my grandfather this week, talked turned to our Native American heritage. Specifically, some of our animal totems. Remember when I first told you that mine was the snake?
Mine is the snake, Lex's is the cougar, and Connor's is the woodpecker. But you already knew all that.
What you didn't know yet was that my father's animal totem is the bear, and my mother's is the flamingo. Okay, my mother isn't Native American, but I am the daughter of a shaman, and I know that is her animal totem anyways.
After all that, I dug a little deeper into my snake totem. Here is what I found:
The Snake
Most medicine men and shamans are born under the Native American animal sign of the Snake. (What about daughters of shamans? That would be me.)
The Snake is a person with deep spiritual ties to both nature and the spirit world. They are a bridge that spans heaven and earth.
A Snake person has the ability to make things that are wrong into things that are right. Their insightful nature can heal both spiritual and physical ills.
To some the Snake is a difficult person to understand. This Native American animal sign dwells in a netherworld that only a few others can observe.
The mysterious nature of the Snake hides a soul that cares deeply and a heart that strives for the welfare of their fellow men.
The shedding of Snake's skin symbolizes the transformation of the life-death-rebirth cycle. (This has always been so grotesquely fascinating to me.) They are compelled toward evolution and transformation, driven to discard the past and emerge with new 'flesh'. It is the energy of wholeness, cosmic consciousness and the ability to experience anything willingly and without resistance. It is the knowledge that all things are equal in creation, and that even things experienced as 'poison' can be integrated and transmuted with the proper state of mind.
Good Times
Although the Snake can appear to be aloof at times, in a loving environment this facade gives way to a loving and caring nature.
They can be a source of inspiration, laughter and support to those that they love.
Bad Times
When the Snake is in a negatively charged environment or when attacked he/she will strike out with deadly force.
Adverse conditions can create an unbalanced emotional state for the Snake and can lead to their downfall.
1 comment:
I still believe Angel Girl's totem is the Wolf--as the wolf used to come to her in her dreams, esp at ages 2 and 3--unfortunately it scared her. My little one---she announced to me it's the kangaroo:D (she does LOVE to jump, afterall:) They both told me to ask you what their totems are--as I was reading this outloud in the car driving through the Smokies:D cool post! Would like to hear more of your dad's background as a Shaman someday--if that's more appropriate for "in person" I'll wait:)
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