SPIRIT GUIDES

traditionally, a totem animal is an entity which watches over or assists a group of people, such as a clan, family or tribe. although i am non-religious, a part of me resonates to the concept of animism, in which spirits or souls reside not only in humans, but also in animals, plants, rivers, mountains, and other entities in the natural world.

more recently, individuals have adopted one or more totem creatures as their own spirit guides. a disclaimer -- i do not subscribe to most new age "spirituality", finding it to be mostly smoke and mirrors designed to enrich a few individuals at the expense of the gullible or emotionally needy. even so, i pay attention to those people, animals and plants which draw me to them, for whatever reason -- aesthetics, perceived positive qualities, or personal values. here is a representative sampling of my totem creatures.

MAMMALS

wolf -- land predator, family groups (packs).

tiger -- land predator, solitary except during mating.

orca -- sea predator, family groups (pods).

BIRDS

peregrine falcon -- predator, stoops (dives) at speeds up to 240 mph.

hummingbird -- nectivore, can hover or fly backward, wingspeed 12-90 beats per second.

INSECTS

dragonfly -- preditor to other insects.

ladybug -- predator to smaller insects or larvae.

FISH

sea horse -- predator to shrimp and plankton. the male receives the female's eggs in his pouch, where he fertilizes them and carries/protects them until they hatch as free-swimming young.