A totem is an object that is considered a revered symbol. Totems also served as an emblem of a family or clan. Often people used the totem to serve as a reminder of their ancestry. With the level of the totem being so strong as to have it sacred to the person, it brought much energy into that person just from the thought of having this totem on them. You see, all in Spirit is contrived through Thought. We are much the same down here with the thought being the first event, then followed by the action. So thoughts could be quite influencing if there were strength derived from an additional source to "enhance" it.
Having a totem meant many things to many people. It brought "luck" which is much like a placebo effect without injesting it. What it did actually was make the person more receptive to having good feelings which translate to having more vibrations radiating into them. Totems were something which was taken from an animal, plant or natural element of the earth and usually worn on the person, and were objects of which the person felt strongly akin to what it represented.
Many cultures felt good about having a totem, as they derived their satisfaction from having it. It waylaid fears basically, which in truth is where it all originated from. Fear. Fear of the unknown, and thus by having a totem this would alleviate that which is your worst fear, this fear of the unknown. If the person wore the totem which could be just about anything, they felt it would bring them luck, support and blessings, however, did it? Or was it really the person's own Higher Self coming into the situation with them here feeling less worry, which does indeed block the Love Energy.
Let's start from the beginning here. Generally speaking, totems worked in order to make the person feel more "at ease", more protected by this unknown fear. A totem of someone's ancestry showing their tribal beliefs, too, meant that they were to use the energy of their ancestors also to alleviate their fears and be protected thus being supported by them. Being superstitious people, they worried about such things as spirits possessing them, animals attacking them, etc. Many would carry around in this totem bag slung around their necks or midriff, objects that they felt had a positive effect. It was all meant to have a positive effect on the person. For example carrying a tooth or claw of an animal such as a bear would thus have the animal's spirit protecting them from attacks by another bear. Now we know that this really can't happen, actually, as that is all in God's divine hands, but having this bear claw or tooth would aid the person's own worries and anxiety about it, thereby making them more clear-minded. You see, if you cloud your mind with anxiety over anything, that anxiety blocks the Love and Light Vibrations, and thereby makes the person more apt to make a mistake. Outdoors in rugged country, even if there aren't wild animals in close proximinty of the person, there is always other dangers, as well. If the person was surefooted, for example, then they would be more safe. Having an item of a "sure-footed animal" would make them also feel "sure-footed". But being distracted with this anxiety however, would cause them to be distracted with fear. When you are distracted like that, you are prone to a higher chance of making a mistake, which of course could also be fatal being in a hostile environment. It was a "cause and effect" type situation going on for many, many years. So you see, by having a totem that protected you from something meant you were at ease and feeling more like there was a higher protection going on inside that little pouch you carried. You can imagine with such thoughts about how their totems worked, losing their totem pouch meant serious anxiety over it. Shamans would have to recreate another totem assembly to make that person feel wholly protected and good again.
A second reason why a person carried a totem in their medicine bag on their person was also to have "more" of what they themselves felt they needed. Courage would be represented for example with the claw of a bear or a violent predator, or perhaps a tooth of that type of animal in their totem pouch. Also if they felt they needed keener perception, they would carry around an eagle or hawk's claw or perhaps a feather. If they wanted "more" wisdom, (and again here, this is just a basic example, they would have owl's feathers in this pouch. You can see that the object was a type of "reminder" to them about the basic necessities that they were lacking in their personality, so that by having these things in their totem bag, it could cause them to have more of what they needed. In that respect, again, it did work to a degree, because of having a reminder alongside of them of their need to be better in any given area, that caused them to think more about it, and then do something initially themselves, as this reminder gave them the impetus to show that this totem was "working", which in effect it was their own minds doing the clearing of their fears, and the sharpening of their minds.
Often if a person had a vivid dream or was going through a crisis in their life and had a vision of a certain animal which represented symbolically something that would aid them in this circumstance, they would seek out what they saw and place a token of that animal in this pouch. For example if they witnessed an eagle soaring in a dream, it would bring them good vibrations to seek out an eagle's feather to have as a token. These people could be guided in dreams to go a certain path just through the use of totems. It put them in the mindframe of making choices in their life whereby they would learn and grow in wisdom and perception. Eventually, if they were decidedly adept at making good choices, others, too, would notice this, thereby making these people good candidates to be Elders in their tribe later in life.
Imaginary totems:
I am reminded when I was a child in grade school, and the teacher would tell us all to "put on our thinking caps now" and figure something out for her. I remember imagining just what she told us about this "thinking cap" that made our minds sharper. For many grades these fine teachers told us, as a type of standard procedure teaching aid to "put on our thinking caps", but you can sense that the mentioning of this also is a type of "invisible totem" that we were doing, as we had been told this so often, that we really felt it worked, and I know for a fact that when I did this mental visualization as a child, I really felt more alert and keener of mind. So basically, with having that type of "invisible totem" we do have better results if we are influenced by this type of proceedure of creative visualization.
Modern times we still do have "totems" of sorts - symbols. How often have we seen a crucifix hanging from someone's rear-view mirror, or a rabbit's foot which was quite popular in the last generation? I know when I was around 8 years old I received a rabbit's-foot key chain. Even though I was quite little, I just never believed that this cut-off foot of a rabbit could bring "luck" to me, as I felt it didn't bring any so-called luck to it's prior owner--the rabbit. It bothered me to hold it and I got rid of it, but it was a common thing to see hanging on a rear-view mirror when I was a child.
What about symbols, how are they considered totems as such? It depends on your own attitude while you are wearing it. For example wearing a cross around your neck. Do you feel when you wear this cross that you will be protected from all harm, or do you wear it to display your faith openly? Do you get a feeling of inner peace just from the wearing of it, regardless of whether or not you will be protected while wearing the cross? I know personally I like wearing my cross. It makes me feel reminded of God's love and protection, so there again I have that same vibration showing inside my Auric Field, however, I have still had many a problem crop up in life while wearing my cross. But the point of these questions is to ascertain whether you derive a certain comforting feeling from wearing a cross. People often feel just by sensing their cross around their neck a kind of reminder of God's eternal love and protection. Even though they are not constantly thinking about their cross, they just know that it gives them this good feeling and that carries them throughout the day with this welcomed feeling. So there again, the person is feeling better with having the cross on, and subconsciously there is this knowingness of that they are connected even more with God as they have a cross around their neck. With this giving the person a reaction on both the conscious and the subconscious level, the benefits are even greater. I know this is a debatable subject, but just sense that when a person wears something displaying their faith no matter what denomination it is, or whatever or symbol it is, it reinforces their commitment and that reflects in their Auric Field.
Totems, whether they are religious medals, crosses, or totem medicine pouches, all represent that which is outside ourselves influencing that which is inside ourselves, our character and our personalities. So it is the attitude one takes with the whole situation of cause and effect. If by wearing your cross you feel at peace, or carrying a totem, each seems to do something to your Auric energy, thereby causing you to feel better, soothed, comforted, loved and/or protected. We may be guided to symbolic emblems along life's path and you can see that they are but teaching tools, aids for us to grow in Spirit, in inner strength, and support, ultimately reaching the end of your spiritual path. In essence, it is God's Divine Will that will bring forth the total Oneness of Spirit linking Himself to you and that is the ultimate conclusion of your spiritual path towards Enlightenment.
Related Article: SIGNS www.geocities.com/hopefrombeyond/signs |
