Animal Guides: Birth Animal Spirit Guides, Transient Animals, & Familiars

I wasn't sure what my first blog post  for Fox & Bear Healing should be about, so I picked the most relevant topic for me at the moment, Animal Spirit Guides, of which there are so so many opposing & confusing definitions. These terms are used interchangeably by many, and that's ok, because honestly, it's your personal journey and experience, and the animal spirits are so evolved they really don't care about labels as long as you respect them and listen when they come.

I will break them down according to my personal experiences & some of the teachings of tribes of Europe Ok, so let's get started:

Birth Animal: 

A Birth Animal is an animal spirit guide that is with you since either you entered this world or even before your incarnation into this life. You may have more than one also. Your Birth Animal will guide, protect, and give you their medicine when you need it or when you call upon them.

Transient Animal:

A Transient Animal Spirit Guide is an animal guide that will show up when you need them most for a life lesson or when you are need of their medicine to support you in your journey. Transient Animal Spirit Guides are sent by other higher beings that are connected to you or sometimes they just know you need them and they will appear. They are not with you since the time you were born and they are not YOUR spirit guide and protector like Birth Animal Spirit Guides are.

Familiars:

A Familiar is literally a living non-human animal spirit guide in your life that has chosen to be your protector and guide in the physical world, generally this animal will live with you as a family member, like your dog or cat. Familiars are in tune with their human’s needs and will often will be a very emotional support in your life. Some believe that familiars are sent by other guides as representatives of themselves in the physical plane. I personally feel that that this belief is again humans pushing their belief in their superiority to other living beings, that non humans are incapable of making their own decisions and only a guide who takes human form can make a decision for them when they themselves are a guide and can decide for themselves.

Messages from Animal Spirit Guides:

Finding and receiving messages from your Animal guides can become very easy over time. With Animal Spirit Guides, since they are trying to teach or help you with something happening right now they will send you multiple signs until you recognize the signs. For example you keep seeing a Fox or hearing the word over and over again. A recent experience I had was, I saw a kid wearing a Fox tee, I met a woman with the last name Fox, I received a random post about an art show that is supporting Fox farm rescues, all within a couple of days of each other, and I already know Fox is one of my Totem animals but if I didn’t, I certainly recognize that a Spirit Animal has something to teach me.

In my case I have been feeling a little bit of a crazy energy buzzing in my body & mind plus I have been feeling confrontational because of one individual in my life, but Fox teaches me that there are solutions to prevent confrontation and Fox also teaches me to use laughter to move past a tricky situation not to dwell on the negative aspects just laugh at the ridiculousness of the situation and the individuals on insecurities causing the problem. Fox is a great problem solver and I am glad she appears when I need her most.

I have found that through dream work and meditation anyone can meet their animal spirit guides. Generally when dreaming or meditating and an animal visit you, they will show you something and provide comfort or protection and that to me is the most important difference in finding you totem animal they will display acts of physical or emotional support via a dream or meditation. Another way of coming to the realization of your Totem animal is, do you happen to have a huge collection of owl figurines? or is your bedroom bear themed? This is big clue as to who your totem animal is, you are attracted to a specific animal because they are already with you all the time.

Another way to find your animal spirit guide is to go to your favorite place in nature, that could be the wooded area in your local park, or the beach, or a river, anywhere in nature even in an urban area like Brooklyn where I live, I find pockets of nature. In these place you can sit and reflect or meditate and think of the animals that might live there, do any of them resonate with you? Many times we have an affinity for things or habitats our animal spirit guides have, or you may share a physical trait, like excellent sense of smell, or incredible hearing, you may like to collect sparkly things or you like to be surrounded by seashells and maritime themes, all these things are clues.

I will have more on working with and finding your animal spirit guides in my next video & blog post

When working with your Animal Spirit Guides please remember to be as respectful as you would any other guide.

Please check out my youtube channel for more information on Animal Spirit Guides