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Life isn’t always easy. Nowadays, once you become an adult, you are often thrown into situations you may not know how to handle. There’s also the fact that it’s frowned upon if you appear to not know how to deal with difficult situations.
For many, turning to religion, philosophies, or spirituality gives them the ability to find a sense of peace and to have a guide throughout life. Many cultures have their own embodiment of guides. It can range from deities to spirit animals.
Spirit animals originally come from Native American culture. There’s an idea that spirit animals are a supernatural form that has a spiritual connection with humans. This connection allows them to guide and redirect those to who they’re connected.
There are multiple animals that can be spirit animals. The reason why there’s such a variety is that people in ancient cultures had the belief that certain animals could connect with the spiritual world, making them a sort of medium.
In this article, you’ll learn where spirit animals come from, how to find your spirit animal, and which spirit animals there are, so you can choose yours.
Where Do Spirit Animals Come From?
here’s a consensus that what has been popularized in other cultures as spirit animals comes from Native American culture. In many tribes, people thought there were certain animals that had a deep connection with them.
This connection allowed some people to even have dreams about their spirit animals, which they took as warning signs or messages to guide them. The animal of the dream was important to understand its meaning.
Aside from that, there are other indigenous tribes all around the world that also developed the belief in spirit animals or animal guides. They are defined as totemic animals, and those who believe in them think there’s an animal that’s linked to your soul. Usually, it must have the same virtues as you.
Finding Your Spirit Animal
Your spirit animal is connected to you. They aren’t only guides but also a reflection of who you are as a person. Depending on which is yours, you’ll be able to find things that you didn’t know before. You could even find out what awaits you in the future.
To finally find out your spirit animal, you have to go through a process of introspection where you have to ask yourself certain questions or do certain rituals to be able to receive an answer.
There isn’t a set strategy, so don’t worry if you apply one, and it doesn’t work. Remember to be patient, and to be open to any sign you might receive. Anything could be useful, so keep your eyes open.
Some of the things you can do to find your spirit animal are:
1. Meditating
One of the ways to find your spirit animal is by meditating. Remember that when you meditate, you’re practicing mindfulness, which allows you to connect with your inner self deeply. If you don’t know how to meditate, there’s a lot of information and means for you to achieve it.
2. Asking For the Guidance of a Shaman
If you find it difficult to learn what your spirit animal is by yourself, some recommend visiting a shaman to help you find out. A shaman is a person who has access to or influence in the spiritual world, and they are usually linked to a tribe or community.
3. Introspection
An effective way of finding out your spirit animal is doing an introspection. If you ask yourself “what’s the animal you feel the most drawn to,” “is there an animal you identify yourself with,” or “is there an animal you dream the most about” you could find the answer.
Another strategy that involves introspection is asking the universe for more signs. When you do this, you have to be aware and ponder what might be the hints the universe is sending you.
Can You Contact Your Spirit Animal If You Need It?
Once you’ve found or chosen your spirit animal, you might ask yourself how you can ask for guidance at any given time. The only answer we can give you is that you can try to contact it via meditation.
Practice makes perfect, so don’t let anything deter you if it doesn’t work at first.
You can train yourself to reach a deep meditating state where you can connect to your animal and ask them for help. You might get advice immediately or through other means like dreams.
The Most Popular Spirit Animals
You might be wondering which animals you could consider in your search for your spiritual guide. While there are many animals to which people attribute certain characteristics and virtues, there are some that always come up.
This is why we’ve gathered some of the most popular spirit animals you could choose from. Keep reading to find out all about them.
1. Wolf
Key Characteristics:
- Loyalty
- Communication
- Confidence
- Action-driven
Wolves are a symbol of healthy communication and loyalty. So, if you think a wolf might be your spirit animal, then you’re likely to be a very loyal person to your family and friends. Moreover, you might be really insightful and intuitive.
You’re likely to value loyalty above most things. Aside from that, you’re likely to be someone who can communicate really well, or someone people see as a mediator when they have issues. This is because you’re aware of many things many people aren’t. As a consequence, you can understand people well and give out fantastic advice.
Another important aspect is that if your spirit animal is a wolf, you are likely to be really confident in your physical and psychological abilities. You are a person who likes to take action to see results, rather than staying put and waiting for things to solve themselves.
2. Deer
Key Characteristics:
- Innocence
- Pure
- Kindness
- Intelligence
Deer are a symbol of innocence, intelligence, and kindness. If you think a deer is your spirit animal, then you’re likely to be pure and innocent at heart. It also means one of your most prominent characteristics is how kind you are to others.
Aside from that, a deer as your spirit animal might represent how smart you are, and it shows that you are likely to have a connection with nature. You probably like taking hikes or camping.
3. Fox
Key Characteristics:
- Intelligence
- Guidance
- Creative
Foxes are usually associated with intelligence and with trickster-like behavior in modern-day culture. Though, there are many cultures where the fox is a symbol of guidance. It’s not a negative thing to have it as your spiritual guide because that’s what they are at the core.
Other than your intelligence, there’s also the fact that foxes are related to creativity. People who have them as their spirit animals tend to go for careers in the entertainment industry or develop a career in the arts. Even if they don’t make it their career, they still let their creativity guide them through life.
4. Bear
Key Characteristics:
- Courage
- Strength
- Leadership
- Impatience
- Independence
People in many cultures associate bears with courage, leadership, and strength. When a bear is your spirit animal, you tend to be the one everyone thinks of as a respectable leader. It comes naturally to you.
Though, you’re also very likely to be an impatient person. If it does align with you, it’s something you have to work on. However, this impatience is a result of you being independent of other people.
5. Cat
Key Characteristics:
- Self-reliance
- Confidence
- Insight
- Intuitive
Cats are prevalent in many cultures. People usually associate them with confidence, independence, and insight. If you think your identity aligns with a cat, then you tend to rely only on yourself.
You’re really in tune with yourself and your gut instinct, so you’re frequently right and confident in the impression you get from people or situations. Another of your characteristics is that you probably have a distinctive personality and lifestyle.
6. Lion
Key Characteristics:
- Courage
- Bravery
- Superiority
- Power
- Leadership
The lion has always been regarded as a symbol of power, bravery, and superiority. If your spirit animal is a lion, then you probably carry yourself with a powerful stance, and you don’t find yourself deterred from doing something if you feel scared. You take anything that life throws at you and make it yours.
People who have a lion as their spiritual guide tend to study history, and they take on roles of leadership during their careers. They’re also likely to work as politicians or look for jobs in law enforcement.
7. Owl
Key Characteristics:
- Wisdom
- Intuitive
- Insightful
- Change
- Longevity
- Conflict avoidance
Many cultures associate wisdom and spiritual longevity with owls. When an owl is your spiritual guide, you’re frequently told you’re wise and insightful. People go to you for pieces of advice and trust you enough to follow them.
People think that owls are symbols of change. So, if you’re feeling stuck, and you start seeing owls in your dreams or in real life, then it’s a sign that you need to think about changing the path you’ve been taking.
However, since owls are nocturnal, then that means that if an owl is your spirit animal you might be nocturnal too. It can also mean that you’re likely to avoid conflict and often feel scared of facing your emotions.
8. Tiger
Key Characteristics:
- Strength
- Power
- Impulsive
- Leadership
- Confidence
Throughout history, people have associated tigers with strength, power, and emotional volatility. This is why, if you identify with tigers, you might be a person who roots your actions in what you’re feeling at the moment. That’s something you’ll need to work on eventually.
Despite that, you’re a person that’s likely to be in positions of leadership thanks to your self-confidence and ability to face challenges head-on. No matter how hard something could be, you usually have the need to get it over with to continue with your life.
9. Eagle
Key Characteristics:
- Freedom
- Determination
- Power
- Self-aware
- Honest
- Wise
Eagles are a symbol of determination and freedom. You’re likely to be an advocate for your and everybody else’s freedom. You value being able to do whatever you want, whenever you want. As a result, people who have eagles as their spirit animals frequently go for jobs that allow them to travel or that have flexible schedules.
It also can mean that you’re a person who knows exactly who and what you want in life. You don’t take anything for granted, and you value honesty. This is why you might seem wise to other people.
10. Turtle
Key Characteristics:
- Patience
- Wisdom
- Endurance
- Knowledgeable
People often associate turtles with patience and wisdom. This is because they tend to live a long time. When a turtle is your spiritual guide, you’re likely to have great endurance when you’re going through a difficult time.
You’re also somebody who probably has gone through a lot in life, and thus gathered a lot of knowledge in many aspects. Your wisdom is one of your best attributes, and people praise you frequently for it.
11. Elephant
Key Characteristics:
- Loyalty
- Intelligence
- Strength
- Protective
- Wise
Elephants are a symbol of intelligence, loyalty, and strength. If you find that elephants are your spirit animal, then you’re someone who has a strong will to achieve your dreams. Nothing will be able to stop you.
Another thing is that you know that you can defend yourself and others if it’s necessary. You’re loyal to your friends and family and expect them to be loyal to you too. This also implies the fact that you care a lot about them, and try to make them the happiest you can.
The last characteristic of those who have an elephant as their guide is that they’re usually considered to be wise people. As a consequence, you’re used to being a mediator or being the voice of reason in many situations.
12. Dolphin
Key Characteristics:
- Sociable
- Friendly
- Communicative
- Leadership
People who have dolphins as their spirit animals often are very social and friendly. You probably have a lot of friends, and many people admire you because you can communicate and understand others very well.
This ability can put you in positions of leadership and can lead you to important places, aside from allowing you to receive the help you need to achieve your goals. Dolphins are really charismatic, so you must be too.
Wrapping Up
Spirit animals are spiritual guides anyone can have if they care enough to look for it inside themselves. They describe who you are as a person and are able to guide you through life if you take their many forms of advice.