Symbolic Animals Within

Something fun to try:


From the dawn of human time people have looked at animals as guides, guardian spirits, and inner forces in their own lives. From the Druids and Scots of Britain to the Fang of West Africa; from the Ute, Blackfoot, and Crow Indians of America to the Samoans of the Pacific, people have sought answers to their lives in the spirits of animals.

Here is a vision quest game to play that is unusual - it focuses on finding the symbolic animals within, and what they have to say to us!

Take your time with this exercise. You may decide to spend time with each animal separately before bringing them together. Discover what feels the best. The key to playing is to relax. Don’t judge.

1. Focus on your heart. This is the area of love, intimacy, friendship.
2. Place your hand over your chest.
3. Let your hand feel the warmth of your chest. Let your chest feel the warmth of your hand.
4. Ask for the first animal to come to you through the heart.
5. This is the animal for your heart.
6. Place your hand over your throat. This is the area of communication.
7. Close your eyes and let thoughts and images come into your mind’s eye.
8. What animal comes through your throat?
9. Put your hand over your forehead. This is the area of creativity and intuition.
10. Close your eyes and let whatever picture comes.
11. What animal comes through your forehead?
12. Put your hand over the indentation right below the ribs in the center of the chest. This is the solar plexus or power center.
13. What picture comes to you? What animal?
14. Close your eyes and picture all four animals.
15. How would they stand with respect to each other in real life?
16. How do they stand with respect to each other inside of you?
17. What conflicts exist among the animals? Which ones get along with which? Which ones do not?

[Pilar]

oooo, this one sounds interesting. I will have to try this one. It makes me feel comforted to think of associating animals with my energy centers.

thank you!

Pilar

[Inx]

this sounds interesting. though I had some problems with it, because I have associated myself with a specific animal for quite a long time now, so it was quite pointless having the same first thought at each chakra... :D

though it has a very good idea!

[Pilar]

Let me guess...

it's your avatar?

(now if it isn't, that will be confusing) :D

Pilar

[CFTraveler]

I had a kitty in my heart, a bird in my throat, a snake in my forehead, and a cheetah in my solar plexus. Interesting combination. I'm sure a psychologist would have a field day with this.

[Mishell]

Hey CF, thanks for reintroducing this thread.

Ummm, mine didn't turn out like I would have thought...

HEART...wild horse
THROAT...butterfly
FOREHEAD...wolf and hawk (they seemed to be working together, and they wouldn't let me split them up)
SOLAR PLEXUS...tiger

[Mishell]

I have a friend in another forum who works with interpreting animal symbols, and animal guides. This is what she had to say about my animal guides.


HEART...wild horse - Horse is strength/power. I mighty thing placed at the heart and with your other animals appearing here, that you may have a new relationship or life situation forming now or soon. So you will need to use Horse to help you find the strength to let go of old issues/relationships and make rooom for new and healthier excitement.

THROAT...butterfly- Butterfly also speaks of strenth and joy. Think about she has to trust when she is in crysallis form to completely let go of the old to be reborn into the new. And at the throat when communication often gets blocked up, you can use Butterfly to help you release all that good stuff you have to say. She is a harbinger of change and b/c she is light and airy, you can adopt her persoanlity to get through any rough spots.

FOREHEAD...wolf and hawk (they seemed to be working together as a team.)- Wolf is Teacher, Hawk is messenger. So at your forehead I would interpret that as you are in a time when you need the message from Spirit to know where to turn and the nurturing/teaching that Wolf can bring. Pulling into what Butterfly and Horse have indicated, you have two very powerful guides in Wolf and Hawk to help you discern where and what you need to focus on.

SOLAR PLEXUS...tiger- Here in the center of your being Tiger is about focus. I would think too that Tiger is speaking to a healing of you - perhaps even physically since he is presenting himself here. Passion is coming into your life one way or the other so you might want to get ready!


:shock:

[whitewave]

interesting!

heart- giant jellyfish
throat- song bird
forehead- some type of wide-based tree
solar plexus- grizzly bear

i did it twice to make sure. on the second time i questioned the jellyfish "is this really my animal?" and a bunch of other jellyfish appeared. =D