The Camel

The camel is a unique creature that demands respect.  Its long lanky legs, the humps on its back and its big protruding eyes give it an unusual appearance.  The hump of a camel has one main purpose.  It stores fat.  This fat is drawn upon for sustenance when food is scarce. Camels can also manufacture water by oxidation of that fat.  They flourish on the coarsest of sparse vegetation and have been known to survive without water for up to 17 days.  Occasional fasting to eliminate toxins from the body would benefit those with this totem.  Camels are masters at survival and hold the teaching of resourcefulness.  They can show us how to make the most out of whatever resources we have.

Camels have double rows of protective eye lashes which shield their eyes from the wind blown desert.  Haired ear openings and the ability to close the nostrils at will enable them to live in harsh conditions.  This symbolizes their ability to see, hear and smell clearly without being distracted by outside influences.  The camel helps us awaken our clairvoyant and clairaudient abilities by showing us how to remain centered in any circumstance.

Although docile when properly handled, the camel is prone to fits of rage if mistreated.  They demand respect and will get it.  Their powerful legs kick dangerously, they can also spit and bite.  Symbolically these actions remind us to honor all forms of life and to treat everyone and everything fairly.

Past life ties associated with the high courts of Egypt and Rome have a strong influence on those with this totem.  In their present life they will not tolerate unjust acts of any kind.  If they maintain a balanced consciousness and keep their tempers under control they can excel in any career that incorporates justice and equality.

The golden orange color of the camel also has significance.  A color of vitality it has long been associated with the emotional chakra of earth and her human inhabitants.  It can transform, purify and heal emotional discord.  The golden ray is believed to be the color of transfiguration.  Transfiguration of cellular structure is possible when this color is applied in personal healing rituals.  Because the camel has clear sight and acute hearing it can be a powerful ally for those willing to go the
distance to transmute all imperfections.

The camel is powerful and strong.  It is focused and determined.  If this is your totem don't expect it to gently nudge you in the right direction.  The camel will shove you into the darkness and demand that you use your inner resources to survive, grow and awaken..

The Cardinal

The cardinal is a power packed bird that transforms and awakens us.  Its color and its voice are its two strongest characteristics.  It is a member of the finch family and is often recognized by its brilliant red color.

The eggs laid by the female hatch in about twelve days.  This, along with the cardinal being a year round resident, reflects the rhythm of the number twelve.  The number twelve often has important significance for those with this totem.  It can indicate a turn of events or a life changing situation.  When the cardinal flies into your life expect a change to occur within 12 days, 12 weeks, 12 months or at the hour of 12.  Because this bird is a year round resident its medicine is available at all times and should be used by those with this totem whenever a need arises.

Cardinals have a loud whistle,  Whistles penetrate the air with sharp distinct tones.  They demand our attention urging us to hear what is carried through the air.  Both male and female cardinals join in the whistling.  This reflects the need to integrate our male and female characteristics into our day to day life.  Feminine energy is linked to intuition.  Male energy is linked to perseverance.  If both are operating within our life our intuitive knowledge has the perseverance and strength necessary to manifest our goals and dreams.

Cardinals eat many decaying weeds and injurious insects.  When a cardinal appears in your life it is telling you to pay attention to your eating habits.  Are you eating things that might be injurious to your health?  IS your diet nutritionally balanced?  Extra care should be given to the blood and circulatory system.  Past life ties to overindulgence or the consumption of poisonous substances is often linked to cardinal medicine people.

The bright red color of the cardinal is very symbolic.  Red represents the blood or life force of the Mystic Christ.  In yoga circles this vital force is known as the kundalini.  The kundalini lies dormant within us until activated by a disciplined spiritual practice.  Once activated spiritual power can be attained.  The cardinal offers safe passage into the world of personal power for those who ask for its help.

When a person with cardinal medicine steps onto a spiritual path there will be no turning back.  Everything else in their life will seem insignificant.  Extra care must be taken here to insure personal happiness, particularly in the area of one to one relationships.  Balancing spiritual ideals and physical pleasure will need to be instated in ones life so harmony on all levels is known.

Cardinals are named for the cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church with their bright red robes.  A great love or a strong dislike for religion and churches is common amongst cardinal medicine people and can indicate a past life connection with one or both.

The cardinals voice is strong and clear and reflects an air of importance.  This power packed bird can teach you how to express your truth, develop confidence and walk you talk.  If you respect its teachings it will lead you home.

The Cat

According to author Ted Andrews of Animal Speaks, cats  wild or domestic have certain qualities in common.  They are associated with myth and lore, magic and
 mystery.  Nine lives, curiosity, independence, cleverness, unpredictability and healing.  Those with this medicine should also study its color, size and breed for a
 deeper understanding.

Cats have more rods in the retinas of their eyes which enable them to see effectively in the dark.  The dark is often associated with mankind's fears.  Since the car is at home in the dark, it serves as a valuable ally into the world of the supernatural and the unknown and can help those with this totem move through their fears efficiently.

The energy field of a cat rotates is a counterclockwise direction, the opposite of a human energy field.  Because of this, cats have the ability to absorb and neutralize energy that affects humans in a negative way.  This is part of the healing medicine that the cat holds.

If something affects you in a negative way place a cat on your lap or find a cat to pet.  Your energy field will immediately realign itself and inner balance will be restored.

Because of their x-ray vision, acute hearing and high intelligence they were used throughout history as guardians and protectors.  In ancient Egypt cats guarded the temple gates and were used to ward off evil.

If cat appears in your life the blending of magic and mystery is at hand.  A trustworthy teacher, the cat will guide you into the world of self discovery and transformation.

The Chicken

Chickens descended from the wild red jungle fowl of India and belong to the species Gallus gallus.  Raised  for the production of eggs and  meat since the early 1930's the chicken symbolizes nourishment. They keep bugs and weeds under control and provide fertilizer for gardens. Chickens are prone to heat stroke and need plenty of water to maintain optimum health. Those with this medicine benefit by living in an environment where water is plentiful.

The chicken has an exploratory inquisitive nature.  They love to scratch around in lush vegetation uncovering every pebble, leaf or blade of grass always looking for a hidden treasure.  Extremely attuned to what lies beneath the surface the chicken holds the teachings of observation, reflection and knowledge.

Personal space is important to the chicken. It requires open space in which to roam.  If confined they can become aggressive with a tendency to pick on each other.  A low ranking hen may be cornered and cannibalized.

Chickens have an uncanny ability to remove obstacles by pecking away tirelessly at anything that gets in their way.  The skills of patience and determination seen in the chicken are often reflected in the personalities of those who hold this medicine. Although able to cooperate in groups chickens have a strong independent character and when the mood strikes they will demand their space, sometimes aggressively.  Those with this medicine need occasional retreat and isolation from others. This need can come about unexpectedly at any time without warning.

Chicken  medicine people are true teachers within the structure of relationships. They remind us not to become too needy of our partners, family or friends. They show us how to maintain a sense of independence in groups and ask us to take appropriate time for inner reflection. Those associated with chicken medicine people must respect that individuals need for personal space or feathers will ruffle!

Known for their hardiness chickens will run quickly and frantically away from danger. When danger is close they take off with a loud explosion which startles their predator. They are mindful creatures that have extreme sensitivity.  Chickens feel the vibrations of mother earth and all life forms that inhabit her. This indicate its empathic abilities.  Because empaths literally absorb the energy of everything around them a high strung nervous system can develop.  If nervous energy isn't expressed in a balanced way sporadic unpredictable behavior can occur. Yoga or any other form of meditative movement can help those with this medicine acquire balance.

Those with this medicine are natural born empaths.  They "feel"  their way through life.  Their feelings are always right and they need to honor and abide by them in everything they think, do and say.

The Chinchilla

A member of the rodent family, the chinchilla has big eyes, round ears and thick silky fur.  Because of their beautiful fur they are captured and bred by the fur industry. It takes over a hundred chinchillas to make one fur coat.  Unfortunately supply and demand could lead to its extinction.

Chinchillas have a persistent undying curiosity and will explore every nook and cranny of their surroundings.  The like sitting high up as if to observe the world below.  Once they feel an area is safe for them to enter they explore it with a sense of adventure and innocence.  Their observation skills are acute.  They instinctively know when to act and when to retreat.  Chinchillas teach us the importance of timing.  Those with this medicine intuitively know the right time to act and the right course of action to take, although caution is advised not to become too analytical.  Balancing observation skills with a sense of innocence is an important lesson.

Naturally robust and hardy the chinchilla has an extremely sensitive yet effective digestive system which is designed to extract the most out of its food.  It does not have a vomit mechanism like other animals and is unable to expel bad food out of its system.  This serves as a warning to those with this totem.  Good nutrition, a proper diet as well as physical exercise is a necessity for optimum health.  Difficulty in eliminating toxins from the body can lead to many health problems.

The chinchillas predominate form of communication is the variety of sounds it makes.  Each sound relays a specific message.  When upset it chatters its teeth, when nervous it lets out a shrill squeal, when agitated or alarmed a sequence of loud high cries is heard.  If it is hungry it will make a rasp like snarl.  It knows how to use its voice to convey a message and teaches us the art of efficient communication.

The chinchilla is an important messenger that demands respect.  It requires us to heed its advice.  If we choose to listen it will serve us well.  If we don't honor its message it will scamper away and find someone else to help.  When it appears in your life ask yourself the following questions.

Do you need to apply more discernment in your life to avoid chaotic situations?  Are you using your observation skills to help you reach your goals?  Do you take the joy out of an experience by over analyzing it?  Does the wonder and magic of life still excite you?  Does your health need attention?  Do you communicate effectively with others?

Although the chinchilla holds a variety of messages one thing is certain.  When it appears in your life something is out of balance that needs to be corrected immediately.

The Chipmunk

Chipmunk, like squirrel, embodies the quality of trust.  They have little fear of people and are often found in rural areas, city parks and in the wild.  Chipmunks are very curious and take the time to explore everything that comes across their path.  They are inquisitive, fearless and playful.  They do what they want to do in their own time frame.  They are quite vocal often drawing attention to themselves.  Chipmunk medicine people will not tolerate being told what to do or when to do it.
They make good leaders and spokespersons.

When a chipmunk is twelve weeks old they have the ability to be on their own.  The symbolism of the number twelve or the combined numbers of one and two should be studied by those with this totem.  Cycles occur regularly in a persons life and those with chipmunk medicine will often find that changes will occur in their life approximately every twelve weeks or twelve months.  Knowing this gives you forewarning and the opportunity for preparedness.

By watching the chipmunks behavior much can be learned.  They appear to scamper to and fro always in a hurry to get somewhere.  Starting in one direction, circling around and arriving back where they started from.  There is no detail that goes unnoticed by the chipmunk as they circle around and see beyond the obvious. Chipmunk teaches the art of observation and appropriate movement.

Chipmunks have an air of independence and certainty about them.  Their inquisitive nature leads them into unexplored territory and their detailed mind leaves no stone unturned.  If chipmunk is your totem pay attention to how your energy is being used.  Are you thoughts constructive or destructive?  Are your fears keeping you from playing and enjoying life?  Are you in charge of your life or have you given you authority over to another?

Chipmunk is the messenger of many realms.  If this is your totem you are on your way to self discovery.

The Cougar

The cougar also known as the mountain lion and the puma is very illusive and hard to find in the wild.  Because of its illusive quality it is often noted as an animal that is independent, shy and withdrawn.  The same characteristics are often found in people with this medicine.

The adult males weigh around one hundred seventy five pounds and are one of the fastest known animals, although it does tire quickly.  This is partly due to the cougars sporadic energy.  When it pounces on its prey it moves with short strong bursts of energy.

Cougar is associated with leadership and teaches decisiveness in the use of personal power.  They are powerful and agile and can leap over forty feet.  They kill their prey with their bite of their claws.  When it attacks it does not hesitate.  When threatened it goes for the most vulnerable place.

Those with cougar medicine should pay attention to how their speech and their actions affect others.  Make sure you are not speaking too sharply or holding on to something too tightly.  Cougar is a difficult totem to have because it continually places you in a position to be a target for the problems of others.  Its power, strength and assertiveness are often misunderstood.  You would be wise to listen to cougar and let it teach you how to balance intention, power and strength in everything you do.

Cougars are very territorial.  The mother will stay with her cubs for a year and teach them to hunt, first by bringing them a kill and then bringing her prey back alive so that they can kill it.  Cougars brings the power of balanced leadership.  In the way cougar teachers her young, in the balance that she has with her environment and in her quiet power, she shows this gift.  Cougar medicine people make excellent teachers, leaders and facilitators.

The other side of cougar is its illusive quality.  It can appear without being noticed and quietly take control of a situation.  Sometimes this can lead to conflict with others over territory.

Those with cougar medicine have past life connections relating to power and leadership.  When the cougar selects you as its student be prepared for the ride of your life.  It can shred you into little pieces (dissolve karma and identity) then put you back together again with a pure heart and purpose.  True leadership through gentle assertiveness is what cougar teaches those with this totem.

The Cow

In Hinduism, dating back from the Vedic period, the cow was associated with certain deities. Though oxen's and bulls were sacrificed and flesh consumed in ancient India, the slaughter of milk producing cows was prohibited.  Killing a cow was equated to the sin of killing a Brahman, a member of the highest priestly caste.

In ancient Egyptian religion the cow was linked to the goddess of fertility and love.   It is strongly associated with motherhood and is a symbol of nourishment because it is able to furnish food for mankind.  The counterpart of the cow, the bull, brought nourishment through slaughtering and is known as an animal symbolizing fertility through sacrifice.

The cow is a strong sturdy animal and knows how to hold its ground.  Determined and steadfast the cow can weather storms easily bunching together in sheltered spots standing like stoic statues. Those with cow medicine need to remember to stand in their truth and not let other people influence their decisions.  In this way they master any challenge efficiently.

Cows are intelligent and incredibly observant.  They respond to their instinctive knowing and have an uncanny ability to sense danger as well as opportunity.  They teach those with this medicine how to develop their perception.  If cow appears to us it is asking us to pay attention, observer and then respond accordingly.

The cow is performing both a duty and a sacrifice for man.  Not only do they give milk and all other dairy products for the consumption of the human race, but they willingly offer their very lives so that man may have meat to eat.  It is believed that the cow decided to make the sacrifice of their own personal bodies in order to allow other animal life forms to be spared, at least to some extent.  The reason the cow has chosen to sacrifice themselves is due to a karmic influence among the species.  Today the cow practices compassion through sacrifice and in so doing advance spiritually as a species.

The big penetrating eyes of the cow have a way of looking right through us.  Their hypnotic stare tears down our personal illusions and awakens love within us.  Anyone who has looked into the eyes of the cow knows the compassion that radiates from them.  The cow is a powerful totem and shows us how to nurture ourselves and honor others.  Those with this totem are usually service oriented and put other peoples needs before their own.  Sacrificing our personal desires for the common good of all is part of its medicine.

The Coyote

For a long time humans have been attempting to shoot, poison and trap coyote into non-exsistence.  Instead, birds like the Condor have been nearly wiped out with poisoned meat, and the clever coyote may be more numerous today than ever.  Despite humanities encroachment and aggression, coyote has found a way to walk its walk and survive.

Coyotes usually mate for life.  They live in the sides of hills or in underground dens where the family unit is well protected.  They prefer open grassland and thinly wooded brush, but can adapt to almost any environment.  Because of this they have been able to survive and grow in numbers.

I once heard a story about a female Coyote who got caught in a trap and gnawed off her own paw---twice.  At last report she was doing fine, hobbling around on her two front stumps, and she had borne a healthy litter.  Coyotes hunt small game not with speed, but by pouncing and snapping with their jaws.  She was able to do this quite well and was fulfilling her role as a mother.  Those with this medicine will go to extreme measures to protect and nurture family members.  Words that rip and tear another to shreds should be avoided.  Sporadic bursts of energy are common and balanced action is required for ones overall well being.  Excellent caretakers coyote medicine people put other peoples needs before their own.  Care is advised however to give to yourself equally.

In some native tribes the coyote is referred to as the trickster.  I prefer to see the coyote as cunning and clever.  There are many stories about the coyote.  He is known as the great one and the foolish one.  Coyote does not consciously try to trick us, he mirrors our own human capacity for displaying cleverness and stupidity.

Like the coyote we can work with others to get what we want in life, or we can dive into a lake to catch a reflection.  We can send troubles away or invite them carelessly.  When coyote wanders into your life you are being asked to look at something you have been avoiding.  Coyote is our mirror for the lessons we need to learn in order to walk a good sacred road.  It will hold up the mirror relentlessly until we finally get the picture.

Call on coyote as an ally for negotiating a difficult situation.  Or thank him for coming and showing you a trap that you are caught in, or a way that you are fooling yourself.  Coyote is an especially powerful teacher with regard to relationships because it is when we are in a relationship that we can fool ourselves the most.  Coyote is not out there to get us, but to teach us, whether we want to learn or not.