THE POWER OF ANIMALS

In the Native American tradition, man communicated with the Creator through interaction with nature; the birds, the forest, the animals.... Many chose or were given symbolic "power animals" whose strength or character reflected the human character traits of the individuals claiming the "power" of that specific animal. Much of this attitude has carried over into modern society. For example, you may remember advertisements picturing tigers with gas tanks (speed and power) or the United States use of the bald eagle at its national symbol (power from a lofty position).

Consider these animals as described in Native American culture and see if you recognize yourself and other people you know well (or not so well):

DEER

Graceful gentleness and Sensitivity.

Although there are many types of deer, they all have on thing in common - gracefulness. Deer blend very well with their environment but are very sensitive to every sound or movement. Often twins, even triplets, are born in the spring. Does and bucks live in separate groups until mating season. The white-tailed deer are moderately gregarious, and family members forage food together along with other family groups, giving the appearance of a large herd.

People with "Deer Medicine" are often described as being swift and alert. They are intuitive, often appearing to have well developed, even extra sensory perceptions. Some times their thoughts seem to race ahead, and they appear not to be listening. Deer Medicine brings beauty and grace to any surrounding. Just as the deer bounds from one place to another, a person with Deer Medicine often moves quickly from one situation to another, often never staying long enough in one place to get a "full meal."

DOG

Loyalty and Protection.

Man's best friend... One of the tribal stories said that when the Spirits got ready to leave the Earth, they drew a line in the dirt. On one side was man and on the other the spirits from the Upper Worlds. Just then a great fissure was created by the line, and man was no longer able to cross over to the spirit realm. As they stood there, the fissure grew and widened, and at the very last minute "dog" jumped across to stand with man.

All of the Southwest tribes had dogs. It has been reported that all breeds of dogs are descendants of the wolf, but even though the early dogs were considered part "wild", they were fiercely loyal to their owners. Historically, dogs have been portrayed as the guardians of ancient secrets, hidden treasures, and infants.

Volumes have been written about the dog, but someone touched by the healing energies of loyalty can tell you of the "power" of Dog Medicine.

COUGAR

Power, Swiftness and Balance.

By watching the swift movements of the cougar, one is keenly aware that no movement is wasted, no footing unplanned, in their quest for the item they desire. The cougar never wastes anything, but the grace of this hunter provides the young with nourishment and security. Cougars mark their home range, which differs from a true territory because the home ranges often overlap.

The juveniles may establish a home range of from six to ten miles away. Within that area, the cat maintains a small resting range for its exclusive use while sharing the remaining hunting area with its neighbor. The cougar scrapes together a pile of leaves along well-traveled trails and marks them with urine. Any wandering lion respects the "No Trespassing" sign and turns away to avoid conflict.

Someone with "Cougar Medicine" is likely to be very sure of his or her goals or purpose. They often prefer solitude, and have little regret in taking the easiest prey.

HORSE

Power.

The horse has been pictured as an animal with supernatural power in many cultures. In the Native American tradition, Shamans fly to other realms on mythical horses. Before horses were introduced by the Spanish, the life of the plains tribes was much more earth bound, having to carry all of their belongings from place to place. With the arrival of the horse, they were free to move and travel great distances with these beasts of burden.

People with Horse Medicine often carry the burdens of other people. They are strong and able to "bear up" under the strain of difficult circumstances.

EAGLE

Courage, Spirit, and Bravery.

Eagles have long been associated with the highest pursuits. In 1969 a voice rang out to the world, "The eagle has landed." What better symbol for a landing on the moon than the "eagle"? From the time that the Persians and Romans carried eagles into battle, these majestic birds have symbolized courage, strength and bravery. As aerial hunters, eagles are the undisputed masters of the skies. Many tribes have identified the eagle as the one closest to the Creator.

The wings of the eagle are an engineering marvel with feathers that can act as little winglets to reduce turbulence, increase lift, and prevent stalling at low speeds. With a grasp much stronger than a human hand, the eagle’s talons have legendary power. It uses its powerful back talon to kill small prey instantaneously while its front three grasp its prey securely. Eagle feathers, revered by Native American Healers as having powerful medicine, are now regulated by a "feather bank", insuring that eagles are not killed for their powerful medicine. Eagle Medicine is the power of the Great Spirit. It is the spirit of tenacity.

People with Eagle Medicine often have "high ideals", and need space to spread their wings. It is no accident that men in many tribes adorned themselves with eagle feathers given for acts of courage and bravery, and that a healer gingerly wraps his eagle feather in his medicine bundle after a ceremony.

BEAR

Gentle Strength and Dreaming.

The brown bear, common to areas of the Southwestern US can grow from 4 to 5 feet and weigh as much as 400 lbs. Although they have great strength, their gentleness makes the bear's behavior almost "human like". They are relatively good natured, but don't plan on making them mad. They have a serious side!

Bears hibernate in the winter, which may explain their association with "dreaming the Great Spirit" or retrospection. The symbolism of the bears cave being like returning to the womb of Mother Earth also suggests a strong feminine aspect, one of nurturing and protection. Bear cubs, born in the early spring can spend as many as 7 years with the mother bear before reaching maturity.

People with "Brown Bear Medicine" are considered by many as self sufficient, and would rather stand on their own two feet than rely on others. They are often considered "dreamers". Many have developed the skill of visualizing new things, but as a result can get caught up in the "dreaming" making little progress in "waking" reality.

RABBIT

Fear.

How many times have your heard someone say the phrase "breeds like rabbits"? The story is told how Rabbit was once a brave warrior who was befriended by an Eye Watcher, a kindly spirit who gave it water to drink and food to eat. Rabbit followed her faithful friend up the mountain, glancing away for just a moment causing Rabbit to tumble down the mountain. When Eye Watcher ran toward Rabbit to see if she was hurt, Rabbit tried to hide for she was afraid. When Eye Watcher asked Rabbit why she was hiding, Rabbit said that she was afraid because following Eye Watcher had caused her to fall. Eye Watcher was furious with Rabbit and cursed rabbit to be the "caller of fear" who is often startled by its own shadow. Rabbit reminds us not to be afraid. Fearful thoughts reproduce (like rabbits) and bring the very thing we fear.

COYOTE

Trickster.

Different tribes assign different meanings to each animal, but the association of the Trickster to that of the coyote is by far the most predominant popularized today. Studying the traits, habitats, and surroundings of any animal can give one an insight into its spiritual significance. Coyote is said to trick the learner into the lesson, almost giving one the notion that things are not as they seem, until the lesson is done and the wisdom gained.

Coyote medicine is powerful. In moving from one disaster to the next, Coyote tricks himself into moving through spiritual quests in such a way that lessons learned from his antics cannot be ignored. It has been said that humor is a great medicine; maybe that is why it is associated with Coyote. If we can learn to laugh at ourselves, then we have indeed been blessed with understanding Coyote medicine.

TURTLE

Protection.

Many tribal creation stories say that earth was born on the back of Turtle. Since it carries its home on its back, it has also been recognized as having the ability to "manage" in difficult circumstances. Some folk tales say that if a turtle is flipped over, it cannot right itself and will eventually die. This however is not necessarily true; the strong neck muscles that Turtle possesses can flip Turtle upright. Turtle has good hearing and can sense movement in the water through the membranes in the skin. Turtle even has a sense of smell and pretty good eyesight, reminding us not to judge any of our relations by outward appearances.

SNAKE

Transformation and New Beginnings.

Many believe that Snake medicine people to be very rare. In some cultures, to have Snake medicine means that the initiate has probably been bitten numerous times by poisonous snakes and survived. The power of Snake medicine is creative. It is being able to shed the old and create the new, just as the snake sheds its old skin and emerges as a whole new creature. As the snake crawls away, it leaves its old "life/skin" behind, never looking back and thus creating a new beginning. This medicine can serve as a powerful metaphor for those wishing to break free.

SPIDER

Weaving.

Spider is another medicine that varies greatly from tribe to tribe. One tribe has associated the white man with spider medicine. Their prophecy says that when the white man (Spider) has connected all of his power (electrical) lines and forms a great web over the earth, then his world will burn and he will be destroyed.

Another tribe however, speaks of the Spider Woman who weaves existence together like great strands of a web. Learning the stories of the Spider Woman can help one understand that we are all connected. By dishonoring one, we dishonor ourselves.