"When you remove love and try to replace it with monetary things, you've got nothing ... get him to understand that he has to love himself before he can love anything else."

---- John Peters (Slow Turtle), WAMPANOAG

"We cannot escape remembering the important things that have happened, and we cannot escape the awareness of the important things that have not happened."

---- Ralph Salisbury, CHEROKEE

The Butterfly (*Story)

A man found a cocoon one day and he decided to take it home to watch the butterfly emerge.

One day a small opening appeared, he sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through the little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could and could go no farther. Then the man decided to help the butterfly.

He took a pair of scissors and snipped the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged easily. Something was strange. The butterfly had a swollen body and shriveled wings. The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time. Neither happened. In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and deformed wings.

It was never able to fly.

What the man in his kindness and haste did not understand, was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the small opening of the cocoon are Nature's way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon. Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our life. If we were to go through all our life without any obstacles, that would cripple us. We would not be as strong as what we could have been.

Not only that, we could never fly.

-Author Unknown

I love Animal Speak by Ted Andrews though I do not have the book.


Animal Magick by D.J. Conway sits on my bookshelf and is well worn over the years.

Walks Tall Woman ---- Jamie Sams


'You walk in beauty, Mother,

Allowing all to see

The glory of Great Mystery

That sets your spirit free.



Guided by the bliss inside you,

Walking it through your deeds,

Never needing another's approval,

Your heart's truth takes the lead.



With focus and directness

You teach me how to walk,

Balancing thought and action

Instead of misusing talk.



I stand straight in your presence,

I hold my head up high,

With my feet rooted in Mother Earth,

My arms embracing Father Sky."


~ Wan-Tanna-Hey: "Walk In Peace With Spirit"~

"It is a native tradition to sit in a circle and talk-to share what is in your heart."

---- John Peters (Slow Turtle), WAMPANOAG

The Fast Runners - A Blackfoot Legend

Once, long ago, the antelope and the deer met on the prairie. At this time both of them had galls and both dew claws. They began to talk together, and each was telling the other what he could do. Each one told how fast he could run, and before long they were disputing as to which could run the faster. Neither would allow that the other could beat him, so they agreed that they would have a race to decide which was the swifter, and they bet their galls on the race. When they ran, the antelope proved the faster runner, and beat the deer and took his gall.

Then the deer said: "Yes, you have beaten me on the prairie, but that is not where I live. I only go out there sometimes to feed, or when I am traveling around. We ought to have another race in the timber. That is my home, and there I can run faster than you can."

The antelope felt very big because he had beaten the deer in the race, and he thought wherever they might be, he could run faster than the deer. So he agreed to race in the timber, and on this race they bet their dew claws.

They ran through the thick timber, among the brush and over fallen logs, and this time the antelope ran slowly, because he was not used to this kind of traveling, and the deer easily beat him, and took his dew claws.

Since then the deer has had no gall, and the antelope no dew claws.

"There are two wills available for us: self will and God'��s will. Our choice is: figure it out ourselves, or have the Creator involved in our lives. If we are honest with ourselves and look at past experiences, what are our lives like when we try to figure it out ourselves? Is there fear, confusion, frustration, anger, attacking others, conflict, fault finding, manipulation, teasing others, belittling others or devaluation? If these things are present, they indicate that we are choosing self will. What is it like if we turn our will over to the Creator? What are the results if we ask the Great Spirit to guide our life? Examples are: freedom, choices, consequences, love forgiveness, helping others, happiness, joy, solutions, and peace. Which will I choose today, self will or God's will?"

---------------------

"Creator, I know what my choice is. I want You to direct my life. I want You to direct my thinking. You are the Grandfather. You know what I need even before I do. Today I ask You to tell me what I can do for You today. Tell me in a way I can understand and I will be happy to do it...."...

----------------------------

"They must give themselves to Wakan�� Tanka and live a spiritual life. They will have the peace that frees them from fear."

---- Frank Fools Crow, OGALA-LAKOTA Holy Man

"A man should rely on his own resources; the one who so trains himself is ready for any emergency."

---- Oral Tradition, OMAHA

"Power is not manifested in the human being. True power is in the Creator."

---- Oren Lyons, ONONDAGA

"We're sitting on our blessed Mother Earth from which we get our strength and determination, love and humility, all the beautiful attributes that we've been given. So turn to one another; love one another; respect one another; respect Mother Earth; respect the waters-because that's life itself!"

---- Phil Lane, Sr. YANKTON SIOUX

"Do not grieve. Misfortunes will happen to the wisest and best of men. Death will come, always out of season. It is the command of the Great Spirit, and all nations and people must obey. What is past and what cannot be prevented should not be grieved for..."

---- Big Elk, OMAHA Chief

"A sundance woman is like the morning star, filled with spiritual beauty, wisdom and knowledge. Men and women are the most powerful of the polarities. We walk beside men as equal partners. It takes men and women who have respect and love for one another to live within the embrace of Father Sky and Mother Earth."

---- Dr. Henrietta Mann, SOUTHERN CHEYENNE

"Many religions have been brought to this land. And the way my religion is, they teach me, and they taught me, and told me to respect all religions. And I still do that."

---- Horace Axtell, NEZ PERCE

"Those who live for one another learn that love is the bond of perfect unity."

---- Fools Crow, LAKOTA

"Our true enemies, as well as our true sources of strength, lie within."

---- Willaru Huayta, QUECHUA NATION, PERU

"The first factor in the revolution of consciousness is the mystic death of the ego - the death of negative thinking, negative personalities. We must purify the soul of the inner enemies. Every time a defect manifests - envy, gluttony, anger, lust, whatever - that impulse to the heart. Ask, `Do I really need to invoke this?' And then honor the heart."

---- Willaru Huayta, QUECHAU NATION, PERU

BLACK PANTHER TOTEM / MEDICINE

*Ted Andrews/Animal-Speak:
Keynote: Reclaiming One's True Power
Cycle of Power: Dark of the Moon--New Moon--Winter

The panther is a very powerful and ancient totem. The name panther is more generally associated with a particular species of leopard or jaguar, although in the Florida area, the cougar is also referred to as panther. for the purposes of this work, we will explore it as part of the leopard and/or jaguar family and not of the cougar.

As with most of the large cats, the panther is a symbol of ferocity and valor. Like the tiger and the lion, it embodies aggressiveness and power but without the solar significance. In the case of the black panther, there is definitely a lunar significance.

As with any totem, a study of the individual characteristics can provide much insight into the energies being awakened within those who align with this animal. Panthers of the leopard familiy are found in Africa, Asia Minor, China, and India. Those we associate with the jaguar family are found in the southwest United States (rarely anymore), throughout Mexico, Central America, and parts of South America. Meditation upon this totem, when it reveals itself to you, will help you determine whether it is part of the leopard or the jaguar family. Regardless, there are still traits that both embody and reflect.

The panther, in general, is smaller but more fierce than lions or tigers. They have over 500 voluntary muscles that they can use at will. This reflects a lot about an indivdual who has such animals as a totem. It reflects an ability to do a variety of tasks as he or she wills. It is simmply a matter of deciding and putting to use those particular "muscles"--be they physical, mental, psychic, or spiritual.

As a whole panthers are loners (solitary) though they do associate with others, they are most comfortable by themselves or within their own marked territories. They are drawn to those individuals who are likewise often solitary.

The panther is an enchanting combination of beauty and utility. They have a wonderful gracefulness, with an ability to move with ease or freeze entierly. They are quiet when they are stalking, hunting, or pursuing. Those who have a panther as a totem will find their greatest power in silens as goals are pursued. Revealing too much or speaking too much about pursuits can counteract some of the effectiveness.

Panthers are excellent sprinters, but they are not great long distance runners. From a health perspective, those with a panther totem must learn to pace their work, allowing time to rest and play. They must not push too far or too hard on any one task. If they do, they are more susceptible to imbalances. In times of trouble--in any environment--those with panther totems are often the first and fastest to respond, and especially in the work environment they respond effectively to deadlines and to pressures.

After mating, the panthers only stay together for a short time. The female handles the rearing of the young, disliking intrusions from the outside. This is often similar to women who have panthers as totem guides. They do not like others--even their mates--interfering with how they feel the young should be raised. The female panther almost always raises the cubs alone, and women with panther totems often find themselves doing likewise--whether out of divorce or simply through asserting dominance in that area of the couple's life.

All cats have binocular vision. Each eye can work singly, providing greater depth of vision, magnifying images, and facilitating judgment of distances. Thus anyone who aligns with the panther will begin to develop greater depth of vision--of their life, of events, or other people. This is more than just psychic sight. It is an inner knowing.

Often people enter the metaphysical field, taking up exercises and meditation to have their inner lights "clicked on." Individuals with panthers as totems are usually individuals who came into the world with the lights already on. Thus they should not be discouraged when they do not experience what others describe when their lights turned on. They should trust their thoughts and their inner visions (imaginings) for there is probably a strong foundation in reality.

To those with whom the panther links comes the ability to develop clairaudience, to hear the communications of other dimensions and other life forms. The panther has very strong hearing. It can move its ears to locate the direction of sounds.

The panther also has extremely sensitive hairs on the body, especialy the face. Those with a panther totem will find their own sensitivity to touch increasing, from the time the panther enters your life. The skin is our largest sensory organ, and we experience much more of the world through it than we realize. Those with panther totems should pay attention to how they feel when someone touches them or when they touch someone else.

The facial hairs of the panther are especially sensitive, and those with this totem can develop a special form of psychometry. Rather than holding and "reading" an object's vibrations through the hands, placing it against one's cheek or forehead will bring strong impressions.

This skin sensitivity--the touch faculty--will heighten responses in the overall body. Things--such as foods--that are generally revolting will be more so to individuals with these totems. Touches that are sensual and erogenous will intensify as well when the panther enters one's life. The arrival of the panther initiates a time of awakened sensuality and passion, two powerful tools of the feminine powers.

It is in the hours of darkness that panthers find its greatest element of power. This is even more true of those who have as a totem a black panther. The season in which their power is greatest is the winter. The lunar cycle most powerful is the dark of the moon through the new moon.

It has been noted mythically that a panther of the leopard variety hae a distinctive sweet breath by which it lures animals to it for food. Leopard varieties kill by biting the back of the neck. They do not attack from the froont, they pounce from behind. Those with a panther totem who are angered will not confront another individual head on--and are better off not doing so. They must stalk patiently, waiting until close enough to strike strong and hard. They don't play when they hunt. These individuals will go for the throat, so to speak.

The jaguar variety of the panther will also stalk, but they are more powerful. Because of their position and power they will simply bite through the temporal bones of the skull. They have also been know to shear the heads off of animals with a single swipe of their claws. Because of their sensitivity, individuals with the jaguar panther as a totem will instinctively know how best to attack if placed in such a position--and they can do so lethally whether in defense or in response to anger. Because of this natural ability, individuals with this totem must learn to temper their responses, or they may unintentionally wound others more deeply than they mean to.

Of all the panthers, probably the black panther has the greatest mysticism associated with it. It is the symbol of the feminine, the dark mother, the dark of the moon. It is the symbol for the life and power of the night. It is a symbol of the feminine energies manifest upon the earth. It is often a symbol of darkness, death, and rebirth from out of it. There still exists in humanity a primitive fear of the dark and of death. The black panther helps us to understand the dark and death and the inherent powers of them; and thus by acknowledging them, eliminate or fears and learn to use the powers.


In China there were five mythic cats, sometimes painted like tigers or leopards. The black reigns in the north with winter as its season of power, and water its most effective element. This is the element of the feminine. This is the totem of greater asertion of the feminine in all her aspects: child, virgin, seductress, mother, warrioress, seeress, old wise woman.

When the black panther enters your life as a totem, it awakens the inner passions. This can manifest in unbridled expressions of baser powers and instincts. It can also reflect an awakening of the kundalini, signaling a time of not just coming into one's own power. More so, the keynote of the black panther is Reclaiming One's True Power.

In mythology and scripture, the panther has been found in all parts of the world as a dynamic totem. it has been a symbol of the "Argos of a Thousand Eyes," who guarded the heifer IO who was love by Zeus. After his death, the eyes were transferred to the feathers of the peacock. The panther always brings a guardian energy to those to whom it comes.

The panther has also been attributed to Jesus. In the Abodazara (early Jewish commentaries on the scriptures), it is listed as a surname for the family of Joseph. It tells how a aman was healed "in the name of Jesus ben Panther." Because of this the panther often signals a time of rebirth after a period of suffering and death on some level. This impolies that an old issue may finally begin to be resolved, or even that old longstanding wounds will finally begin to heal, and with the healing will come a reclaiming of power that was lost at the time of wounding.

The panther was also a symbol associated with Bacchus/Dionysus. One story tells how Bacchus was nursed by panthers, and he is sometimes depicted riding a chariot drawn by them. The myths and stories of Dionysus are very symbolic. He is, to many, a symbol of unleashing desires, and thus the awakening of the kundalini forces. He--and thus the panther--symbolize a time of moving from mere poles of existence to new life without poles or barriers. The panther in a Dionysic manner awakens the unconscious urges and abilities that have been closed down. It signals a time of imminent awakening.

The panther is a symbol of awakening to the heroic quest. All of the Greek heroes were born from the union of a god and a mortal mother--the linking of the great fire and the great femininity. The heroes thus had the seeds of the divine force, that would eventually provide impetus to reach beyond the normal bounds and restrictions--to negotiate new stages in progression and purification. The heroic tales tell s that no matter the depth of degradation--whether self-inflicted or inflicted from outside forces--there is always the promise of light and love to lead us back. When the panther enters your life, the path leading back is about to begin.

Dionysus had to overcome many years of wandering, plundering, madness, destruction, and suffering before he could take his place within the heavens. His is the lesson of overcoming negative tendencies and sufferings inflicted upon ourselves by ourselves, or by others to attain our divinity. His story is that "we are gods and goddesses in the making."

Usually in the lives of those with a panther totem, there either already exists or will soon arrive upon the scene an individual who will serve as teacher and nurturer and guide upon the heroic path. For Dionysus there was the centaur Silenus and the satyrs. They symbolize the alternate realities that do exist around us and the increasing ability to view them at will as we become the initiates of the heroic path.

These alternate realities will open to those with panther totems. These alternate realities, the beings within them and the energy of the panther all have ties to powerful sexual energies. It may reflect a time of resolving old sexual issues, or it may simply reflect learning to embrace these energies as a true power without being judgmental. We must recognize and learn the transforming nature of the sexual energies and how to direct them consciously.

Dionysus was a god of life and rebirth, passion and resurrection. He was twice born. The panther reflects a coming time of opportunities to become twice born ourselves. This often means we may have to face offending malignancies of our life--a process similar to what has come to be known as "Meeting the Dwellers on the threshold"--those aspects of ourself or our life that we have painted over, glossed over, shoved to the back of the closet or pretended didn't exist. Sometimes this means we must suffer the loss of what we think we love the most.

The panther holds the promise of rebirth and guardianship throughout. It is the extra protection we need in those times. It is the symbol of power reclaimed from whatever darkness within our life has hidden it. The panther is the promise that whatever is lost will be replaced by that which is greater, stronger, and more beneficial.

In the myth of Dionysus, the hero bears the magical thyrsus, a wand entwined with vines, upon which rests a pine cone. It gives the individual the ability to create delusion and illusion. There awakens within the individual upon this path and with this panther totem an ability to cause people to see and think as you desire them to. This ability is earned and strengthened through self-discipline. Like the black panther, you can blend into your surroundings with ease and to whatever degree you desire.

To the Indians of North and South America, the jaguar especiallin the form of the black panther--was endowed with great magic and power. The jaguar panther climbs, runs, and swims--even better than the tiger. Because it could function so well in so many areas, it became a symbol of immeasurable power to the Latin American natives. It was a symbol of mastery over all dimensions.

To the Tucano Indians of the amazon, the roar of the jaguar was the roar of thunder. Thus the black panther was the god of darkness and could cause eclipses by swallowing the sun. This reflects the tremendous power inherent within the feminine forces. To those with the panther as a totem, this power will increasingly be experienced.

The Arawak Indians say that everything has jaguar. Nothing exists without it. It is the tie to all life and all manifestations of life (thus ties to the eternal feminine within all life). To them, becoming the man-jaguar was the ultimate shapeshifting ritual. The Olmecs created monuments to the jaguar, and the Aztecs and Mayans spoke and taught about the power of becoming half-human and half-jaguar. One who can become a jaguar is shorn of all cultural restrictions. the alter ego is free to act out desires, fears, aspirations.

The Indian shamans would perform rituals to borrow jaguar power. One who could do such could do great good or great ill. Stories abound of revenge, abductions, and great cures of disease through use of jaguar power among the Latin-American indians.

Even in Egyptian rituals, a panther tail was worn about the waist or knotted about the neck to help protect and strengthen. It was used in a process called "passage through the skin"--their own version of shapeshifting to engender themselves with the panther's power.

Nietzche once said that "that which does not kill us makes us stronger." It is this same idea that is awakened in the lives of those who open to the power of the panther totem. Those things of childhood and beyond that created suffereing and which caused a loss of innate power and creativity are about to be reawakened, confronted and transmuted.

The panther marks a new turn in the heroic path of those to whom it comes. It truly reflects more than just coming into one's own power. Rather it reflects a reclaiming of that which was lost and an intimate connection with the great archetypal force behind it. It gives an ability to go beyond what has been imagined, with opportunitu to do so with discipline and control. It is the spirit of imminent rebirth.

WOLF TOTEM

Keynotes: Guardianship, Ritual, Loyalty, and Spirit

Cycle of power: Year round, full moons and twilights.

Contrary to public perceptions, they are friendly, social, and highly intelligent. Their sense of family is strong and loyal, and they live by carefully defined rules and rituals. They are the epitome of the wild spirit. Their positive characteristics are so numerous that it is no wonder that Native Americans nearly deify them. Many believe the true test of America's sincerity about protecting the environment will revolve around whether or not the wolf remains protected and is allowed to be reintroduced into areas of the country where it has heretofore been eliminated. The wolf is the true spirit of the free and unspoiled wilderness.

Wolves have a complex system of vocal communications. They howl, whimper, whine, growl, and even bark. Even the howls for which they are famous have a variety of meanings. The howls may serve as a signal to call others of the pack or to locate the other members. They may be a social expression. They are used to greet one another and to define certain territories. They even howl just for the joy of it.

The alpha male and female often mate for life. Breeding season is usually in late winter, with the female birthing about two months later. All members of the pack show great care and affection toward the playful pups. They are extremely tolerant. If a mother or father is unable to care for them, then another member will adopt the young. Some wolves will even serve as babysitters. Adult wolves are friendly and amiable towards pups, and wolf medicine teaches respect and honor for family and for children. Wolves become sexually mature at about the age of 22-24 months. For those who have a wolf totem, look for it energies and influence in your life to take this same possible time pattern.

Wolves usually consume all that they capture, gorging themselves. For those with wolf totems, this can indicate a need to make use of all that is available to you. Sometimes wolf totems show up to remind us not to waste, as much as to keep our spirits alive.

It has extreme intelligence. It goes out of its way to avoid trouble or danger. Some believe that wolves even use Raven as an aerial spotter for possible food sources. The raven has a connection to the moose in Eskimo lore, and since Moose can be a prey of wolves, raven is linked to them as well. Ravens will often follow wolves. They will fly ahead, land in a tree and wait for the wolves to pass, and then fly on again. A playful behavior is sometimes displayed between wolves and ravens. Ravens should also be studied by those with wolf totems.

Wolves have extremely keen senses, particularly that of smell. It is said to be one hundred times greater than that of humans. The sense of smell endows it with great discrimination, and the sense of smell has often been associated with spiritual idealism in metaphysical circles.
The wolf also has an excellent hearing sensitivity. Its hunting depends strongly upon its sense of smell and hearing. this would be a reminder to those with this totem to listen to their own inner thoughts and words. The intuition will be strong.

The wolf has a capacity for making quick and firm emotional attachments. Learning to trust your own insights and to secure your attachments accordingly is part of what wolf medicine teaches. The wolf can help you to hear the inner and guard you from inappropriate actions. It will guard you as it teaches you—sometimes strongly, sometimes gently—but always with love. When wolf shows up, it is time to breathe new life into your life rituals. Find a new path, take a new journey, take control of your life. You are the governor of your life. You create it and direct it. Do so with harmony and discipline, and then you will know the true spirit of freedom.

---- Ted Andrews, Animal Speak

HORSE TOTEM / MEDICINE

*Ted Andrews/Animal-Speak:

Keynote: Travel, Power and Freedom
Cycle of Power: Year-round

The horse is rich in lore and mythology. An entier book could e written on the significance of the horse alone, for no one single animal has contributed more to the spread of civilization than the horse.

It has been associated with both burial rites and birth--with individuals riding into and out of the world upon it. The Norse god Odin rode upon an eight-legged steed. In the Hindu tradition, the chariot of Surya, the sun god, is pulled by stallions, as is the chariot of Apollo in Greek Mythology.

In Chinese astrology the horse is associated with appeal and persuasiveness. Horses are symbols of freedom--oftentimes without proper restraints. Horse people in Chinese astrology are friendly and adventurous, and they can be very emotional.

Before the horse's domestication the distances between peoples and societies ws great, and there was little interaction. It served humanity in travel, war, in agriculture, and in most other major areas of life. Today the horse is limited mostly to recreation and agriculture, but its energy is expansive. Because of it, the world has been brought closer together.

The horse enabled people to explore and find freedom from the constraints of their own communities. This enabled them to travel and thus discover the multiplicity of life and all of its powers. Horses have great appeal to most people. We are fascinated by them, and riding one raises us above the mundane, and renews our sense of power. Riding horses has been likened to flying by more than one poet through the ages. They signify the wind and even the foam of the sea.

Horses were given powers of divination. More than one legend speaks of the clairvoyance of horses and their ability to recognize those involved in magic. They are symbols that can express the magical side of humans.

The symbolism of the horse is complex. It can represent movement and travle, or maybe it showed up to help you with movement. It has been a symbol of desires--especially sexual. The stallion was often used as a symbol of sexuality. The taming of a stallion would then be the taming of sexuality and dangersous emotions.

As with many domesticated animals, there are a wide variety of horses--each with its own unique abilities. Riding, plowing, pulling--the horse still serves a variety of functions. To understand your own particular horse totem, try to determine which kind it is. Horses, like dogs, are bred today for specific purposes and determining that can help you define the purpose of it within your own life.

Take your totem and examine it in regard to yourself. What is its color? Its kind? How does it appear to you? Does it run? Is it always perceived standing? Do you see yourself riding it or watching it?

If a horse has shown up in your life, it may be time to examine aspects of travel and freedom within your life. Are you feeling constricted? Do you need to move on or allow others to move on? Is it time to assert your freedom and your power in new areas? Are you doing your part to assist civilization within your own environment? Are others? Are you honoring what this civilization has given you?

Horse brings with it new journeys. It will teach you how to ride into new directions to awaken and discover your own freedom and power.