Animals and Their Symbols

Taking Total Advantage of Your Totems

All animals have different characteristics; however, for the purpose of understanding the meanings of different totems and interpreting the basic message of our animal guides, we can divide them into the following main five categories:

• Air Totems
• Reptile Totems
• Water Totems
• Insect Totems
• Land Totems

Remember that even though we have broken down the animal kingdom into five categories, each animal when you are working with their healing and transformational energies will be unique to you and your experience. Below is a brief overview of each of the five categories to help get you started with working with the animal totems.

Air Totems

Air totems refer to figures of birds. If your animal guide is a bird, it brings the message that in your present state you need to stay confident, live in the moment and trust yourself to make the right decisions. Remember that not all birds fly, so when reviewing the air totem birds which may be present for you, take this into consideration when learning to interpret their representation in your life.

Reptile Totems

Reptiles are known for adapting to whatever environment they are in without losing their intrinsic traits and independence. The message of reptile guides is similar in that they generally come into our lives during difficult periods with the message that we need to adapt to our external circumstances without compromising on our integrity and independence.

Water Totems

If your animal guide is water animal, then the message that it brings is that life is not meant to be treated like a burden; rather, it’s meant to be enjoyed. Water animals bring the message of cheer, and if we welcome them openly they can also reveal new paths of emotional and spiritual fulfillment to us.

Insect Totems

Insect guides bring the message we need to draw on to their energies to tide over the present problems in our lives. The general message of insect guides is that the present situation requires us to adapt to changing circumstances without halting our progress.

Land Totems

As the name suggests, Land Totems refers to animals that walk on land. These animals have strong bonds with nature and Mother Earth; the message of these animal guides is that the present situation requires us to stay grounded and keep our egos in check. They may also suggest that we need to develop a closer bond with nature for our spiritual growth and development.

These broad categorizations will help you understand the basic meaning of the presence of a certain animal guide in your life. To understand specifics you would need to study the characteristics of your guide and keep your eyes, ears and mind open so that you can receive their loving guidance.

Until next time, embrace your inner wisdom.

Namaste,
Karen