For Native Americans, medicine is anything that connects us more deeply to the divine -- The Great Spirit -- and to life, in general. Healing of our body-mind and our spirit is part of that and so is personal power.
Usually there are one or two animal totems that stay with us all of our lives. Other animal totems come in and out of our lives to lend us their gifts of power and healing as we need it.
I have been told by a gifted healer friend that there are seven animal spirits working with us at any given time. There is one animal at each of the points of the medicine wheel: north, south, east, west, above, below, and at the center.
If you meditate on the animal in your life that enthrall you, that you dream of, or that you love or fear you will begin to see the working of your animal totems.
Some native traditions assign totemic animals to the western zodiac, giving a totem spirit to the individual born under that birth sign. The attributions are as follows:
Otter: Jan 20 - Feb 18
Element – Air
Stone/Mineral – Silver or turquoise
Colors – Silver
Personality traits – Independent and friendly
Compatible with – Falcon, crow and deer
Western zodiac sign – Aquarius
Wolf: Feb 19 – Mar 20
Element – Air and water
Stone/Mineral – Jade or turquoise
Colors – Blue-green
Personality traits – Gentle and generous
Compatible with – Woodpecker, brown bear and snake
Western zodiac sign – Pisces
Falcon: Mar 21 – Apr 19
Element – Fire
Stone/Mineral – Opal
Colors – Yellow or green
Personality traits – Powerful and spontaneous
Compatible with – Salmon or owl
Western zodiac sign – Aries
Beaver: Apr 20 – May 20
Element – Fire and air
Stone/Mineral – Hematite, jasper
Colors – Yellow or blue
Personality traits – Stubborn and methodical
Compatible with – Woodpecker, brown bear or goose
Western zodiac sign – Taurus
Deer: May 21 – Jun 20
Element - Earth and fire
Stone/Mineral - Agate
Colors – Yellow or blue
Personality traits – Moody, good communicator
Compatible with – Crow or otter
Western zodiac sign – Gemini
Woodpecker: Jun 21 - Jul 21
Element – Water
Stone/Mineral – Rose quartz and carnelian
Colors – Pink
Personality traits – Sympathetic and protective
Compatible with – Snake, wolf and beaver
Western zodiac sign – Cancer
Salmon: Jul 22 – Aug 21
Element – Water and fire
Stone/Mineral – Carnelian
Colors – Red
Personality traits – Proud and confident
Compatible with – Owl and falcon
Western zodiac sign –Leo
Bear: Aug 22 – Sep 21
Element – Water and Earth
Stone/Mineral – Topaz
Colors – Brown and purple
Personality traits – Modest and practical
Compatible with – Goose and beaver
Western zodiac sign – Virgo
Crow: Sep 22 – Oct 22
Element – Earth and air
Stone/Mineral – Jasper
Colors – Blue and brown
Personality traits – Charming and friendly
Compatible with – Otter and deer
Western zodiac sign – Libra
Snake: Oct 23 – Nov 22
Element – Earth and water
Stone/Mineral – Amethyst
Colors – Violet or orange
Personality traits – Ambitious and impulsive
Compatible with – Woodpecker and wolf
Western zodiac sign – Scorpio
Owl: Nov 23 – Dec 21
Element – Earth and fire
Stone/Mineral – Obsidian
Colors – Gold or black
Personality traits – Adventurous and independent
Compatible with – Falcon and salmon
Western zodiac sign – Sagittarius
Goose: Dec 22 – Jan 19
Element – Earth and air
Stone – Quartz or peridot
Colors – White and silver
Personality traits – Serious and reliable
Compatible with – Beaver, brown bear and crow
Western zodiac sign - Capricorn
I have seen many people attempt and fail to describe what "medicine" truly is, you did a great job. Also, I didn't know that Natives had a zodiac, thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteHi, just thought I'd let you know a couple of things, although this post is rather old:
ReplyDeleteThe medicine wheel is only specific to certain Native nations, not all of them. The same goes for totem, which is an English translation (if it could be called that) of doodem, which is the Anishinaabe nation (although west coast nations like the Haida have them as well, but they have their own word for it in their own language); neither of which have to do with personal animal spirits that you connect with, because it's all about family.
There is also no such thing as a Native American zodiac; it just simply does not exist in our culture and was not created by us. While I am aware there is astrology done in regards to the moon cycles and individuals, that sort of thing has, to my knowledge, never been written about and is strictly kept oral. It's also only done within particular nations.