Lynx Totem Medicine

Lynx is actually a family of cats that include the Bobcat, Canadian Lynx, Eurasian Lynx and Iberian Lynx. They vary in color from pale grey and silver to a deep amber gold with darker brown or black markings. The Lynx is characterized by the tufts of hair on their ears and the short tail. The word Lynx means ‘Shine’ and is thought to be a reference to their eyes which flash and reflect light.

A medium sized predator cat, the Lynx eats all types of rodents, small mammels like fox, turkeys, birds, goats and even deer, but the mainstay of it’s diet is usually rabbit, especially the Canadian Lynx who dines mostly on the Snowshoe Hair.

Lynx usually lives in areas with plenty of shrubbery and ground cover and where caves, and rock crevasses are available for them to live in. The Lynx is a solitary animal who will travel in packs and pair up to mate, but spends most of it’s time independently. The Lynx mother is fiercly protective and will give her life for her cubs which are usually a litter of between 2-4 each year. Gestation is 10 weeks and the Mother teaches the young to hunt for about 9 months before setting them off on their own. Various Lynx species have been on and off the endangered species list for most of the past century.

Lynx Totem Medicine brings with it a connection to the mystery and unknown side of life – there is always something hidden and a mystery to penetrate when the Lynx shows up. the abbreviated tail of the Lynx represents the ability of Lynx people to operate in the unseen realms of life, to see what isn’t seen, and to hear what isn’t said.

Lynx Medicine is strongly associated with clairvoyance, and Lynx people have extra sensitive perception, which is often misunderstood by others. Many times Lynx people will find that other people are frightened of them, or reject them for no fault of their own. This is part of the Lynx lessons. Lynx teaches those who have it as a totem how to keep their own counsel and maintain the secrets of the ages that others aren’t ready to hear. You see, people are sometimes scared of the Lynx person’s ability to see right through them as if with X-Ray vision.

Lynx people must learn to trust themselves above and beyond anything that the outside world values or teaches. Lynx will always know what is best for him or herself. Lynx people also need to recharge themselves by being alone. And, conversely, they also enjoy time spent with groups of people – in moderation.

The Totem animal Lynx is very closely related to the Sphinx who is the keeper of all unseen mysteries and secrets. Lynx has access to these mysteries and secrets – all they need to do is look inward. The eyes of Lynx people are usually intense and it is sometimes hard for other people to hold their eye-contact. Lynx is also a master of reading mysteries and kundalini voyaging through eye-contact. If you have Lynx medicine you may have found other people both fascinated by staring into your eyes, and frightened of it at the same time.

Different Lynx medicine is represented by the coloring of your Lynx. The silver and greys represent moderating the extremes of life. The reddish, golden coloring of the Bobcat is closely associated with the Kundalini and it’s power and mysteries. But Lynx also knows how to keep these mysteries a secret and will not reveal a truth to you until you are ready for it. It is possible to live with a Lynx person for years without them sharing all that they know about you with you. There is nothing mean in this attitude. Quite the opposite, the Lynx will silently ‘see’ your best qualities and help you through the challenges you create for yourself. Lynx simply knows that people are not usually ready to see the whole truth about themselves all at once. That’s ok, Lynx will wait. Lynx is patient. Lynx knows when to make it’s move. And Lynx is agile, taking out the problem with lightning quick speed once the timing is right.

Lynx as at Totem can be a shape-shifter. This is why they are so connected to so many, many animal totems throughout their lives. There is another girl on the Internet who has Lynx Totem and writes about Animal Medicine, like myself. We both have Lynx as our personal Totem. For me, Lynx has made me a chameleon throughout my life. I can blend in anywhere. I have also been around all manner of animals all of my life, having spent half my chidhood in the Zoo while my Artist father sketched.

If you want to understand the deepest of mysteries, or transform yourself or your life in some way, then call on Lynx. The Totem Medicine of Lynx can help you and heal you at the very core level of your being.

Eagle Medicine, Eagle Totem

Eagle Medicine can be life-changing

“And the day arrived when the security of the familiar was supplanted by a desire for change, notwithstanding the risk and fear of the unknown – and, miraculously and without effort, the bud yielded to the blossom.” -John A. Price

The Eagle as a totem is one of the most recognized images of raw power, dignity and fierceness of any animal. Eagle medicine is something that many aspire to, or are captivated by.

To understand the medicine of the Eagle Totem we want to understand the life and habits of the eagle. Eagle is a predator bird, who soars higher in the sky than any other bird, going to such heights that it will actually disappear from view. It is associated with the Sun and the heavens for this reason and thought of as a bird who can bring messages from heaven to the earth.

As a totem Eagle is associated with the awakened kundalini as well. The Eagle mates for life usually and the mating ritual is so intense and dramatic that it’s almost frightening. The mated pair will soar up into the air and then free fall toward earth during the mating process, break apart and then repeat the whole scene over and over again. Eagle totem represents the deepest and most spiritually awakened form of relationships, often requiring the complete surrender of a previously held way of life or attitude.

In essence Eagle medicine relates to RIGHT RELATIONSHIP – relationship with self, god, partners, nature, society. Eagle calls forth our integrity and requires us to live up to the highest ideals.

Eagle has incredible eyesight and can spot prey from a mile above the ground. If eagle medicine has visited you, then there is a need to look at things from the long-view and see the tiny details waaaay of on the horizon.

The Eagle, along with a few other raptors goes through an amazing transformation when they reach about the age of 40. By this age, their talons, feathers and beak have become so heavy and long that they literally cannot hunt anymore. So the Eagle will go off to a cave or safe area and rip out all of it’s feathers, rip off it’s own talons and smash it’s beak down to a small nub. Then the eagle lives off of insects and other small prey that it can easily catch on the ground until a new set of feathers and claws has grown in.

This is why eagle medicine is considered to be SO very powerful. It represents nothing less that the complete transformation of the life force. When I was 41, Eagle flew into my life through a conscious connection and then literally, in the form of Challenger – the Eagle pictured above. At that time I left a 7 year relationship because it wasn’t going anywhere and I wanted to have children.

Within 6 months of this, I was pregnant with my Son. And within 2 years my entire life had changed dramatically. I moved across the country, to a place steeped in nature, changed my work and career completely and awakened a deeper sense of love and fulfillment in everything that I do. I let go of an old identity – one that had kept me limited, and embraced a new and exciting life that allowed me to fully express the shamanic side of my nature – my full power.

I definitely went through an Eagle initiation during those two years, but I came out the other side in a deep and profound connection to nature, spirit, my son and the meaning in my life. And everything was different. If Eagle Medicine is calling you, then it is quite likely that you are also ready to experience the profound and far reaching changes that call you home to the highest ideals of your soul.

Eagle Medicine as an Animal Totem sends you a message that no matter how much your life changes, how difficult the transition you find yourself in, that there WILL be regrowth and a new beginning. The dignity that the Animal Medicine of the Eagle Totem comes, not from pride or arrogance but rather from overcoming and rising above challenges. This is what Eagle Medicine and Eagle Totem teaches.

Dog Totem

As many varieties of Dogs as there are, this is how many varieties of Totem energy the Dog can share with you. I will try to cover the basics, but Dog medicine has a very wide application, this is probably why so many people have dogs as pets. Dog also has a lot to do with creature comforts, which is also why they are so popular as pets in the Western world. With Dog totem you find the contrast between living with and by the wits vs. the lazy, easy domesticated life. Environment will do a great deal to influence this.

Dog totem isn’t exactly ‘one size fits all’ but close. Dog is a very all-around kind of totem to have, and your specific breed, coloring and temperament will give you a lot of detail about the wisdom your animal has to share with you.

Also, remember that some totems come and go in our lives, while others are permanent or lifelong. This brings me to one of the main qualities of Dog as a totem – loyalty. Dog medicine is loyal, it is unconditional and generally unfussy (but this can vary by breed). Dog is a pack animal and there is a distinction between the different roles that Dog can play within his natural tribe. If you live with a lot of dogs – like I do, 8 Tibetan Mastiffs – it is very different that living with just one. Living with a pack is all about society, managing many different agendas and keeping the crowd in check. When you live with a group of Dogs as a human, your ‘Alpha’ skills will be put to the test, since, with so many personalities to contend with, there is always someone who will find the cracks in your attention span and wiggle through! Totem Dog as pack is about finding and creating consensus, it is also about paying attention and managing the needs of a lot of beings.

The meaning of an individual Dog has a great deal to do with having a loyal, committed and devoted relationship. Dogs, and dog people are certainly devoted. Some can allow themselves to be misused because of this, but it is usually a choice. Dog will let you know if you’ve crossed the line, as all Dogs have a bark and the ability to make their displeasure known.

Dog totem medicine will be reflected in the type of breed that enters your life. A small hunting dog, like a Yorkie is very different than a Hound. Each category of dog medicine teaches something about the way in which that type of dog operates in the world. Hound for example may be teaching you a great deal about tracking things, remembering details and hanging in there until all the pieces fall into place and you are able to find what you are after. It’s a great totem for a detective.

Small hunting dogs like Yorkies and Terriers are all about focused determination and getting something accomplished no matter what obstacles come in the way. This is true also for the dachshounds, but being a hound there is more focus on the process than the goal.

Family style dogs like retrievers and labs are ‘fetchers’ and bring a sharp focus to the household on what is being ‘brought’ or bought. Often these dogs belong to people who are endless shoppers, after all, the focus is on getting things and bringing them home.

Mastiffs are hunters and more restrained than most other breeds. The medicine of the Mastiff teaches us how to go out and do what needs doing and ‘make the kill.’ Don’t let the sweet disposition of this type of dog fool you! Hunters hunt, and those with Mastiff totem must also hunt to survive. This dog will sharpen your survival skills and put you squarely in touch with your instincts. They can also teach dignity and confidence. After all, hunters don’t need to jump around for approval, they have all the skills they need to take care of themselves with our without you.

At the other extreme; the poodle is the only dog bred purely for fashion. As a totem though, Poodle is very useful in teaching us about human games, social graces and expectations. Poodle is probably the smartest of all the dog families and helps to teach those who have it as a totem how to properly use the mind, the intellect and mental faculties. Poodle with sharpen your wits, make you use them and teach you how to fight fairly.

Running dogs, like the whippet on the other hand, are very much about mental energy. As a totem this dog brings you into contact with a very high level of sensitivity, a finely tuned radar, intelligence and even psychic ability. But be aware that such a nervous type, needs soothing and comfort, which this dog totem teaches by virtue of making you aware of nerves and stress. This is a Dog that will teach you how to be calm! On the other hand, the runners are almost mystical in their ability to aid their owners on vision quests or other soaring flights of the spirit.

All dog medicine can, to some extent help you get in touch with your instinct, and also with the ability and need to quest for meaning and visions in your life. The Dog mind wants to do it’s own thing, and isn’t naturally inclined to obedience. Instead, Dog totem teaches about negotiating, training and gently guiding the self and others towards a desired goal or outcome. Of course this is a preference of training – but I never recommend being harsh or mean to an animal, it simply isn’t necessary and will create more problems in the long run.

In the end, the dog totem teaches us all about creating alignment, agreement and getting to a place of instinctual comfort and oneness with the self, the environment and the totem dog as well.