Animal spirit guides have been a feature of many different traditional cultures. Animism, in fact, was the religion of many early humans. Animism is the belief that plants, animals, and objects have souls or spiritual qualities. Part of that believe can include the idea that animals have supernatural abilities or that spirits can take on animal form. Thus, animal spirit guides have been with us since the dawn of civilization.

Animals as Symbols

Every religion has symbolic animals. In Christianity, Christ is the Lamb and the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. The Holy Spirit is the Dove. In Yazidism, there’s a peacock angel. The Egyptians had many gods that were animals. The degree of animal characteristics can be symbolic or literal. Human-type gods and goddesses were often described as having animal familiars or sacred animals.

Is it any wonder? After all, we share the Earth with other animals, and even the most urbane of us are affected by other animals. Animals mean something to us all. We have pets. We eat animals, we share our backyards and homes with animals (whether we want to or not). They have abilities we do not, and they have ways of communicating we can’t mimic. They remind us of qualities we hope to see in ourselves.

It doesn’t matter if we don’t like the animal. Spiders, for example, remind us to be creative and patient. Rats remind us to be quick and adaptable.

 

Sometimes, however, the animals cross our paths in order to remind us of the qualities we need to develop. When they do, we know that they intend to give us a spiritual message. Consider that in this uncreative, impatient world of ours how much people fear spiders instead of look at them with fascination.

How to meet an animal spirit guide:

#1: Spend time in nature.

It’s hard to cross paths with animals if you’re removed from them. Even a city park can put you in touch with squirrels and pigeons, but there’s more! Look closely and be present when you walk around. A city park can have chipmunks, butterflies, grasshoppers, mantises, rabbits, and sometimes hawks.

Sometimes simply being outside and aware is enough. Remember when people used to go shopping outside their homes? I remember a time when I was visiting a relative in Indiana. A red-tailed hawk visited me as I was walking out of a post office. I just looked up and there it was, not moving, staring straight at me. At the time, I was mulling over a major life decision, and when I saw the hawk, I realized the universe was telling me to take off and set sail.

#2: Turn off your electronics.

Cellphones and earbuds are like horseblinders and iron masks for the modern age. Everyone is disconnected and not paying attention. Sure, it helps shield you from strangers and block out the sounds they’re making, but it makes the world implode. It’s amazing what people can miss with their ears covered.

The thing is that in no animal, human or not, are the eyes and ears supposed to work separately. This can be used to one’s advantage if they’re an artist, but everyone else, creating a disconnect between what one sees and what one hears is a handicap. Sure, your beats headphones may make the music sound amazing, but you’d never see something right in front of your face, even with your eyes open.

Besides: don’t many animals make noise? How will you know a bird before you see it if you can’t hear its song?

Spirits come to those who are open to receiving the messages, and those who purposely go out into the world shutting out other people shut out the animals and the divine beings who sent them your way.

#3: Think about a problem you have. 

Another way to attract a spirit animal is to ponder a problem. Perhaps it stems from a trait you lack, or it relates to something you need to do. Don’t criticize or judge yourself. Think about it in a proactive way. What can you do? What might work? Would you be open to whatever comes up? Will you adapt and change in order to meet the challenge?

This kind of magick or prayer can attract a messenger from the gods.

Just be sure that you’re open to whatever message you’re sent, because it may not be the one you thought you were going to get. Not every problem is solved in a hawk-like fashion. After all, sometimes, it takes the serene, subtle touch of a cat.