Winter Animal Totems

by Robin Ivy

With the arrival of winter, some of the animals that
inhabit our natural environment show themselves less
often. Migration and hibernation mean some of our
furry and feathered friends will not return until
spring. Still other animals remain or make mainly
winter appearances. In our backyards, daily walks, and
on all our winter travels, we encounter some of the
most adaptable animals. Many make do with stored food,
tree bark, seeds, or whatever they can prey upon
during these colder months. These winter animals are
our messengers while the nights are long and dark and
greenery is sparse. Your animal totem may appear to
you three times or in a group of three or more. Then
again, a one-time visit from a rarely seen creature
may be taken as a sign in itself. If you suspect an
animal is appearing as your totem, meditate on her
qualities and explore how you might learn from him. Do
you need to be more adaptable, more conservative or
assertive? Do you need to be more a productive part of
a group or contribute more to the energy of your
family? Listen as the animals speak to you and you may
bring forth an underdeveloped trait that becomes very
valuable to your experience this season or in the
coming year. Take note of the animals that cross your
path and find out more about their habits. How they
mate, communicate, adapt, interact and survive may
hold a surprising message just for you.

Red Fox

They’re fast and startle easily, so you may only catch
a glimpse of a red fox, perhaps near dawn, as he hunts
for mice or rabbits or as he looms outside a chicken
coop at dusk, hoping for a chance to steal your fowl.
Red fox are curious and sharp witted. Traps may not
fool them. In fact they often make up games of
exposing traps and leaving droppings or other signs
showing they’re not easily outsmarted. Leaving traps
uncovered may also be a way of communicating with
other foxes as a means of survival, decreasing the
chance another could be caught off guard. If the red
fox appears to you, it may be time to outsmart your
competitors or detractors and band together with your
own kind. Using all your senses and being observant
may help you escape traps you could fall into. The red
fox tends to prefer open areas with good visibility.
Their eyesight is excellent and they use their senses
of smell and hearing to avoid danger and find food as
well. You could say the red fox is almost always on
alert. Sharpened senses and quick reactions may also
keep you or a loved one out of harm’s way if the fox
appears to you.

Sexuality and feminine energy are also the domain of
red fox. This creature is long associated with the
female in folk tales and legends. The fox may enter to
stimulate your second chakra, opening you to sexual
energy, the energy of life force and procreation. For
a woman, the fox may also be a sign to bring home and
children back into focus since the female is very
domestic, often returning to and improving the same
den year after year as she prepares to give birth. The
fox is generally monogamous as well, reminding both
husband and wife to honor their commitment and bring
playfulness and spontaneity back into relationship.
Male and female foxes do work together as
father/hunter and mother/caregiver to new litters, so
parents raising young children may take the fox as a
sign of surrender into traditional roles, at least
until their “pups�?are old enough to leave the den.

Geese

The Snow Goose, the Canada Goose, and his salt water
cousin the Brant make winter appearances in farm lands
and at the coast. If geese show themselves as your
totem, consider your role in your family, workplace or
community. Geese form strong family units that stay
together beyond the breeding season, traveling to
winter territory and later returning to familiar
grounds. Could it be time for a visit home? Their
usual flight pattern in the "U" or "V" shape is no
coincidence of nature. The formation conserves energy
as each pulls the weight of the group by reducing
drag. In fact, geese can expend up to 50% less energy
this way! If the goose is your winter totem, it may be
time to reach out for help or support and work
together to accomplish more than double what you can
do alone. Geese travel in groups that can reach the
tens of thousands, so joining a large organization and
striving for the greater good may be your charge now.
Some, like the Canada goose, have a distinctive
marking. The white band on the Canada goose's throat
and face help us distinguish him from other species.
Are you also identifying yourself in a similar way
with a ribbon, armband or other physical
representation of your clan? The message of the goose
is to band together and enjoy the benefits of
cooperation and belonging.

White Tailed Deer

A deer totem signifies a time of blending physical and
spiritual energies. When the deer appears as your
guide, you might consider how you take in food since
the deer is an herbivore and often reduces consumption
in winter to conserve energy. If losing weight or
eliminating animal fats or toxins is one of your
objectives, the deer may appear as a source of
encouragement. Like the deer, being more mindful of
what you eat may help you achieve better health and
energy.

Deer with antlers also represent spiritual attunement.
The white tailed deer sheds his antlers each year, and
for the first five years, he grows a larger and larger
pair with an annually increasing number of points. The
antlers are like antennae, sensitive to signals and
external energies. When the male deer appears you may
be reaching new levels of psychic awareness or
developing a more spiritual outlook. Your heightened
awareness could mean you’ll be more easily overwhelmed
by noise, commotion or tension. At the same time you
can benefit from strong powers of observation and
subtleties in communication. The deer can help you
tune in to what is unspoken and read between the
lines. Could you be gentler with someone’s feelings?
Or do you need to accept and acknowledge your own
emotions? When the deer appears as your totem, pay
attention to the simple things, clear out useless
clutter and chatter, and listen to what your body,
spirit, and relationships really need to grow and
thrive.

Porcupine

Considering their reputation as nuisances and their
sharp quills, the porcupine is probably not the totem
you were hoping for. However, if this rodent takes up
residence or leaves his distinctive path in your back
yard, you may benefit from his lessons. Let’s begin
with that path he retraces every day. The porcupine
finds a simple den and feeding area, and that is all
she really needs. Life is uncomplicated in the
porcupine’s world. He is not particularly fearful, nor
is she especially adventurous. Curiosity and a
savoring of the moment seem to be the porcupine
nature. Their eyesight is very poor, so they may not
see you approach and unless you pose a particular
threat, the porcupine may not pay you much attention.
Observe a porcupine climbing a tree, slowly shuffling
down his usual path, or rocking back and forth in her
distinctive way, and you will see that very little
disturbs him. Do you need to be more like the
porcupine? If you’ve reached a point when every little
thing irritates you or you’re too preoccupied to stop
and smell the roses, the porcupine may appear to
remind you of the joy in everyday routines and
experiences. Porcupines are mainly solitary and
entertain themselves. They use their quills as defense
when threatened. You may want a little more distance
from other’s opinions or interference when the
porcupine is your totem. A time of developing
independence and self-reliance may follow. Finding
your own hobbies and enjoying free time without
intrusions from the outside world are ways of
incorporating porcupine energies.

Robin Ivy is a radio dj, writer and astrologer in
Portland, Maine. She has written for Llewellyn's Moon
Sign Book, Herbal Alamanac, and Starview Almanac, as
well as horoscopes for a variety of publications. You
can find her daily and monthly forecasts and Rock Star
astrology at www.robinszodiaczon e.com.

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