What Are Animal Spirit Guides?
In order to understand ‘what are animal spirit guides’ you must first understand that every living being on the planet, be it human, plant, insect, or animal, possesses spiritual energy. With that understanding, I am going to talk about what are animal spirit guides, and how they can help you.
What are Animal Spirit Guides?
Animal Spirit Guides
Animal spirit guides are also called animal totems, or power animals, and Native Americans were the first to recognize the power of animal spirit guides. They were the first people to pay tribute to them. To establish a link to the spiritual world, ancient Native Americans would imitate animals in ceremonial rituals and dances.
When you were born, one or more animal spirit guides have been assigned to you. Animal spirit guides act much in the same way as a guardian angel does. Their main purpose is to provide you with a sense of alliance, guidance, protection, advice, and the power to overcome any obstacles that you may encounter during your mortal life.
Some animal guides stay with you through the course of your life, while others may just be occasional visitors. Your animal spirit guides can help you through life’s challenges.
Animal guides are grouped by their habitat. For example, there are land animal guides that represent how grounded you are, physically and emotionally, and they are linked to your vigilance and intuition.
Bird spirit guides symbolize your strengths, along with your desires for freedom. They play an important role in helping you achieve a higher spiritual consciousness.
Water animal guides connect you to your spiritual self, and reveal your innermost fears and desires. Reptile spirit guides allow you to adapt to a changing environment, and assist you in being independent. Insect spirit animals help you to become patient, persistent, and determined.
How Animal Guides Help You
Animal spirit guides each have very specific purposes to play in your life.
- They can provide support and comfort in times of despair.
- They will be there when you feel alone and need a companion to talk to.
- They will guide you to make the correct decision when you are unsure about something.
- They will protect you when you are feeling afraid or vulnerable.
- They will use their wisdom to teach you great life lessons.
- They will provide clarity when a situation seems ambiguous.
- They will send you inspiration in times of mental blocks.
- They will heal your spirit when you are low.
The 4 Types of Animal Spirit Guides
There are four types of animal spirit guides that are symbolic of the four seasons – Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter.
1. The Messenger Animal Guide
This guide comes into your life when there is a message to be delivered. Once the message has been passed on, this guide leaves. These messages can be spiritual in nature, or they could be a warning or wake-up call.
2. The Shadow Animal Guide
A shadow guide is extremely powerful ,and comes to you to urge you to change certain areas of life that need a metamorphosis. The usually do this by representing an inner fear, and they will continue to appear to you unless you make positive changes in your life.
3. The Journey Animal Guide
A journey guide will appear to you when you need to make a tough decision. It will help you decide which course of life would be more beneficial to the overall growth and development of your spiritual self. If you are lost, your journey guide is sure to bring you back on track. They will remain by your side for days, weeks, months, or even years. They will remain with you as long as it takes to complete your journey.
4. Life Animal Guide
A life animal guide is one that comes into your life the day you were born, and stays with you until your mortal journey ends. It symbolozes your inner spiritual self, and will connect you with your strengths and capabilities. You can have one or more life animal guides, and they will serve as a mediator between your spiritual world and physical world.
Contacting your Animal Spirit Guides
You do not choose your animal spirit guide. Your animal guide chooses you. Here are a few techniques you can use have your animal spirit guide reveal itself to you.
• Meditate
Relaxing your mind, and calming your mental activity, puts you in a receptive state where you can call on your animal spirit guide for assistance. As you awaken your spiritual consciousness, your animal spirit can more easily establish contact with you.
• Dreams
Many animal spirit guides manifest themselves in your dreams. Keep a dream journal and write down your dreams. Try looking for repeating patterns such as dreaming frequently about one particular animal. This is a sign that this is your animal spirit guide.
• Look for Signs
There signs are everywhere, once you understand how to recognize them. For example, do you find yourself gravitating towards a particular animal? What animal has always fascinated you? Does the same animal often seem to pop up everywhere – on the TV, in a book, in your dreams, etc? These are some of the signs that show that your animal spirit guide is trying to make itself known to you.
It is important to honor your animal spirit guides, thank them for the gifts they have given you, and acknowledge their help and guidance in your life. You can honor them by decorating your home with memorabilia dedicated to your animal spirit guide, or you could help protect and preserve the habitat in which they live. By honoring your animal spirit guides, you establish an even deeper connection with them.
When you discover ‘what are animal spirit guides’ you will never find yourself alone again. As you come to comprehend the true meaning of ‘what are animal spirit guides’ and the role they play in your life, you will find that they will always be there, walking beside you in even the toughest of time.