Spirit Animal Guides Mine is Raven, what is yours?

I believe we receive different animal guides at different times depending on what we need on our journey. I believe my main guide is an owl (wisdom) but have also had encounters with snake guides aswell.

a reply to: Darkblade71

oh what a great thread!! I love this kind of thing.

I have guides but they change. They are always animals/insects.

s & f from me. Glad I saw this.

a few years back I got Crow, Recently got Raven!

a reply to: Thurisaz

Animal guides do that over time depending on your situation.

Long ago I had porcupine.

a reply to: AquaAscending

Owl is an awesome guide!

a reply to: kodasaufa

Kindred Soul!

My spirit guide is a slug.

I'm hoping to trade up to a tortoise soon.

a reply to: Astyanax

Slug's Medicine A Slimey Spirit Animal

Slugs are gastropods and mollusks with a soft body and no shell, or only a rudimentary shell inside the body. The Slug spoken of here is the terrestrial slug, such as the banana slug or garden slug; not the Sea Slug, which would be looked at separately. Slugs are hermaphroditic, and the gender-neutral pronouns "she" and "her" will be used for this page.

Slug is a very "mystical" sort of Spirit Animal. While animals like mountain lion or raccoon are very earth-based, Slug has a more ethereal quality to her teachings. Slug leaves trails that are iridescent... seemingly magical. These trails are often interpreted to be signs and totems left by Slug, and can be interpreted. Slug is a great communicator, both mundane and spiritual. Slug is nocturnal and has ties with the moon. Slug Medicine is in its most primal basic form that of a healer. Not too long ago, Native Americans used to let Banana Slug crawl around in their mouths when they had a toothache, because Slug's mucous is an anesthetic.

Slug's wisdom includes that of healing body, mind, and spirit, and represents the connections that must be healthy between these for overall well-being. Slug can cling to glass, upside down, yet to the touch, the "slime" is slick and is used to rid herself of gunk... like anything wet and sliming around in the leaves and dirt would collect. It just slides off of Slug (you can see it at the end of their tails sometimes). This is another part of Slug's wisdom -- letting go, or leaving behind the "junk" and garbage of life... rumors, bad feelings, stories, material ties, attachment and so on. Slug is of balance, represented by sticky mucous to help hir hold on when it is important -- a solid base -- versus slick slime to help her shed the trivial things. Slug is not very connected to the physical world. Slug may lose part of her body during mating; this is for the continuation of the species and is not mourned (it does in fact help slugs in the long run). Slug sheds herself of all material things. She eats on the move. She shelters wherever there may be shelter.

Slug's medicine also includes incredible strength. Particularly hidden strength. It may not seem like it, looking at that little squishy critter with no bones and only a rudimentary shell inside. But Slug is almost pure muscle. She moves by tiny ripples of those muscles. The foot muscles are the most evidence of this... you can see them moving watching a slug on a piece of glass, from underneath. Slug also has the Wisdom of self-protection and hiding. Slug can pull herself almost entirely under her mantle, protecting most of her vital organs. She protects herself from predators in this way. She also protects herself from the harsh sun and dryness by hiding under a stone or piece of wood or in a crack, emerging in the gentle night.

Part of Slug's teachings include simplicity. Slugs live simply (survival -- food/shelter/reproduction) and are simple organisms. Also, Slug's wisdom is that of seeing the world of spirit and shadow -- seeing beyond the mundane and clairvoyance. Slug can't "see" in terms of shape and color. They see in pure light and shadow. Slug has a great deal to teach us about gender and sexuality. Slug may be considered to be a combination of both male and female, or an independent gender. They can reproduce with any other Slug (and suffer no sexism!), and also by themselves if a suitable partner can't be found. Slug, like many other living things, challenges the duality of deity. Exceptionally fertile, many slugs lay hundreds of eggs at a time.

spiritlodge.yuku.com...

That is not a bad guide to have!
Interesting and the first slug on the thread!

Would you happen to have any info in regards to the praying mantis as an insect guide? I have always found them very fascinating. Yesterday I was sitting outside smoking a cigarette and one was flying around. It landed on an object that was sitting on my table (A gas cylinder used for portable grill(Obviously already spent lol)) I was going to turn the cylinder towards me to catch a closer view when the mantis leaped off and started flying. It got itself stuck in a spider web where a huge spider comes at night (doesnt like spiders lol). I helped the mantis free from his entanglement and he flew away.

a reply to: AquaAscending

Praying Mantis Meanings in the Realms of Animal Symbolism

The mantis comes to us when we need peace, quiet and calm in our lives. Usually the mantis makes an appearance when we've flooded our lives with so much business, activity, or chaos that we can no longer hear the still small voice within us because of the external din we've created. After observing this creature for any length of time you can see why the symbolism of the praying mantis deals with stillness and patience. The mantis takes her time, and lives her life at her own silent pace.

A Quick-List of Praying Mantis Symbolism

Stillness
Awareness
Creativity
Patience
Mindful
Calm
Balance
Intuition

Symbolism of the Praying Mantis

These traits have lead the mantis to be a symbol of meditation and contemplation. In fact, in China, the mantis has long been honored for her mindful movements. The mantis never makes a move unless she is 100% positive it is the right thing for her to do.

This is a message to us to contemplate and be sure our minds and souls all agree together about the choices we are making in our lives. Overwhelmingly in most cultures the mantis is a symbol of stillness. As such, she is an ambassador from the animal kingdom giving testimony to the benefits of meditation, and calming our minds. An appearance from the mantis is a message to be still, go within, meditate, get quite and reach a place of calm.

It may also a sign for you to be more mindful of the choices you are making and confirm that these choices are congruent.

www.whats-your-sign.com...

That is very interesting because my mother and I were looking for a church to visit last night. We kept showing up to ones that had already started and were for the most part about to end. Then we saw there was one close to our house on the way home. We went in and the sermon was on the book of james(which happens to be my first name). It was talking about having patience and waiting for the correct timing etc. So this all very well correlates with seeing the mantis. I forgot to mention that a few weeks ago an owl would come visit in my yard every night. One night we were giving each other a good old fashioned staredown and he swooped down right in front of me to catch some critter. I thought it was pretty interesting. Another thing I have noticed lately is butterflys landing on my and even coming up to "kiss" me on my nose. I know it sounds dumb but I found it to be quite nice.

I was told long ago by my granny (she was half Cherokee) that I had a spirit guide of a bear. I see bears a lot where I live and hike.

a reply to: hillbilly4rent

Bear Meaning

The bear has several meanings that will inspire those who have this animal as totem:
The primary meaning of the bear spirit animalis strength and confidence
Standing against adversity; taking action and leadership
The spirit of the the bear indicates it’s time for healing or using healing abilities to help self or others
The bear medicine emphasizes the importance of solitude, quiet time, rest
The spirit of the bear provides strong grounding forces

www.spiritanimal.info...

There is a lot more information on the link!


And a message from Bear:

a reply to: AquaAscending

I've received butterfly visits before.

Messages from the creator, signs all will be ok.
Also I have read other reports of after death contact in the form of butterflies.

for many years I had a beautiful bird as a guide:



now...since 2004, I have another beautiful flying creature:

a reply to: Thurisaz

Bat came to me a few years ago.
Strange Bat Experience
A lovely and misunderstood creature.

Also a very good teacher!


What is the bird?
Beautiful, but am unfamiliar with it.
It almost looks like a black parrot of some kind.

My spirit guide is the Oil bird, also known as the guacharo native to south america. I met it doing a meditation to meet my spirit guide. a flock of them came flying out of the darkness over and around me.
My inner temple and 'happy place' is a cave.
My ancestry is all from England and Scotland btw.

a reply to: Darkblade71

Wulfe