76 SECRETS OF SHAMANISMerally speaking, power animals are wild animals, not domes-
tic ones. Shamans feel that domesticated animals have lost
their power in large part; They serve people in more physical
ways than spiritually.
For the shaman, physical animals are just the outward
form of the great spirit of that animal species. So the sha-
man's totem or animal ally is the bear, not this or that bear.
Even so, the outward form of the bear spirit may be revered
and honored. If you do not have the relationship with a
power animal, or you have lost yours through neglect, the
shaman would say you are in a very vulnerable and weak
position. You have lost touch with your own animal nature.
Is that not the case with modern urban dwellers today?
Yet even in a highly technological and in many ways
alienated culture, the power of the animal expresses itself in
ways that we often ignore. Automobiles, political parties,
athletic teams, and clubs often have animal names, or totems
if you will. The language is fraught with animal metaphors
such as "sly as a fox," "quiet as a mouse," or "strong as a
bull." Children are raised with stuffed animal toys and
stories with animal characters. Wild animals are used fre-
quently as emblems and symbols in every form of advertis-
ing. To the shaman, this is only natural. We cannot ignore
the power of the animal spirits.
How do shamans find power animals in order to gain
mastery? First of all they do not select an animal and then go
about establishing a relationship with it. The contact is made
in the reverse. The spirit of the animal selects the shaman.
Historically, if a shaman survived the attack of a wild animal,
it was felt that that animal was actually the shaman's totem
spirit, testing him or her for strength and endurance. The
animal demanded a sacrifice; through the wounding, the
shaman proved his or her dedication and capacity to handle
the power of the guardian animal.
Not all power animals come to the shaman in this dra-
matic fashion, however. Typically shamans discover their
power animals by allowing them to emerge through a sponta-
neous dance or by seeing the animal in a vision. Other power
animals show themselves in dreams. Children, usually natu-
rals at shamanism, will often have recurring dreams involving
an animal who will sometimes appear frightening and some-
times masterful and protective. They may also be inexplic-
ably drawn to that particular animal at the zoo.
Pat threw her bags into the taxi as Louie directed the
driver to the airport. Both of them were sunburned but