Your Animal Spirit Guides And How They Can Help You

Animal spirit guides are excellent spiritual companions, and they do more than just stay silently by your side.

Have you ever asked the question, “If I were an animal, what would I be?” Or have you ever remarked that your friend is gorutchy like a bear, or stubborn like a bull?

Animal Spirit Guides

That’s because different animals possess unique characteristics that remind us of specific human qualities. The owl, for instance, represents wisdom and intuition; while the bear represents strength and confidence.

You may discover that a certain animal seems to represent your personality, or that you feel drawn to a specific animal for no apparent reason. This could mean that you have a special affinity to that animal, and perhaps, it is your power animal.

What Is A Power Animal?

A power animal, also called an animal spirit guide, is an animal in the spiritual realm whose duty it is to guide and protect you in this life. It can be anything from an ant to an elephant, or from an eagle to a blue whale. Your power animal has qualities that you possess, and it reflects your inner character, along with your own attributes.

Every person has multiple animal spirit guides, and at least one of them stays with you throughout your life, while others may come and go at certain phases in your life. They will help you in different way according to your needs.

Unlike a totem animal which, in the Native American tradition, which protects a group or family, your power animal is your personal guide. Therefore, your family may have an animal totem, but you and your sister may have different animal spirit guides.

Why You Have An Animal Spirit Guide

Other than for guidance and protection, animal spirit guides provide comfort in times of personal trials. Their presence provides you with support, and they will give you an inner sense of companionship. They also share their wisdom during those moments when you need to find enlightenment.

Because each animal represents special attributes, their presence can lead you to a deeper understanding of yourself, of the situation you are in, or of the people around you. For instance, the arrival of a hawk spirit animal during a crisis, may be a reminder that you need to focus, or that you need to view your situation from a different perspective.

The Different Types Of Animal Spirit Guides

As I mentioned earlier, animal spirit guides perform different duties, and they will help you in different ways. Here are some of the most common types of animal spirit guides:

• Life Animal Spirit

This power animal stays with you throughout your life and epresents you more closely than other animals. Learning the attributes of your life animal spirit will allow you to discover your own unique characteristics, including your strengths and your weaknesses. You may have more than one life animal spirit.

• Journey Animal Spirit

You will find this type of animal spirit by your side when you need to make a vital decision, when you are at a certain learning stage, or when you are venturing onto a new life path. It helps you through lessons that you need to learn, and helps you to overcome obstacles that you face in life. Since you embark on different “journeys” throughout your lifetime, a variety of journey animal spirits also accompany you, with attributes suited to help you in your situation.

• Messenger Animal Spirit

This animal spirit guide does not usually stay for long. It may appear once in a dream, or during meditation, or it can will continue to appear until you acknowledge the message that it brings. Its primary duty is to give you a message from the spirit realm, or to warn you of an upcoming situation.

• Shadow Animal Spirit

A shadow animal spirit is not meant to scare you, although you have to be “on your toes” when one comes. Its primary duty is to instill an important lesson that you need to learn – and this may involve tests to strengthen your character. It comes when a part of your life needs a positive change.

To discover what power animal spirit guides you, you can take this short quiz. You and your animal spirit guide have a special spiritual bonding, and by learning its attributes, you will also learn to understand your own inner strengths and weaknesses, and make the most out of the lessons that it teaches you.