Using Animal Energies to Enhance Your Life

by Linda Terhune

Have you ever wished you had the joy of a dolphin, the wisdom of an owl or the feeling of freedom that an eagle has? Have you ever dreamed of an animal "out of the blue" and wondered why? Well, with the wisdom of the ancient Native Americans, you can obtain the unique qualities of chosen animals and also have an understanding of what your animal dream is telling you and what action you need to take.

Ancient Native Americans believed that all animals had special gifts and lessons unique to them. They believed that the animals could teach us their lessons, enlighten us and even heal us. They also believed that when an animal came to them, it was to make them aware of qualities in life that they needed.

Today, many people still use the beliefs of the ancient Native Americans to enhance their lives and obtain the gifts from animals in much the same way as was done so long ago. By paying close attention to animals coming to us in our lives, we can become aware of qualities in us that we do not have but need. Animals can come to us at a time or in a place that is not normal for that animal to appear; appear to us years after the last time we saw the animal or even come to us in a dream featuring. For instance, if an animal comes to you in a dream, a Coyote for example, he may be telling you that you need to be more "..light-hearted" andperhaps see more humor in life as he does.

For those qualities that we want or need in our life, we simply seek the animal that has those qualities and request them. For example, if you are facing a tough situation in the near future and need more wisdom, vision and insight to handle it, you would seek the teachings of the owl. Each day you would take time to meditate with your owl token in hand, ask the owl for help in learning his lessons and then carry the token with you throughout the day.

All you really need to use the animal's energy and gifts is some sort of token or charm with the picture of your chosen animal on it. You can make your own by painting or drawing with a permanent marker the animal of your choice on a smooth stone. You can cut out a picture of the animal or print one from your computer and glue it on a smooth stone or small piece of wood, (Hint: To seal the picture well, let the glued down picture dry and then put another coat of white glue over the picture and let it dry). Purchase a necklace with the animal on a charm and wear it around your neck, or, just purchase the charm to carry with you. You can print a picture of the animal on iron-on paper and iron it on a small piece of cloth or use one of your own creative ideas!

The following is a list of animals and their gifts. If doesn't matter if you have an animal coming to you or you are seeking an animal's qualities, the list is the same for both: