Finding your animal totem

[Boadicea]

Hi everyone,

I JUST bought the DAO and I have a couple questions for those of you who are more familiar with this deck... First, what are the three blank cards for? Second, do you think that asking the question, "Which animal is my totem and spiritual guide?" and then pulling a card would produce an accurate answer? I've always known my animal spirit guide to be the dolphins and whales and have a close connection with them. Is it possible to have more than one species of animal as your totem? Perhaps one from the Druidic tradition and another one from either personal experience (my situation) or another tradition? All info and opinions would be much appreciated

Thanks!

[Crinia]

Hello

Firstly; the blank cards are for you to get creative, they are spares. Maybe you could make one a dolphin and one a whale.

I do not yet know if I have an animal totem. I just know animals come to me if I need guidance. A the moment I know to ask the owl in my inner sacred grove for ways to find answers.

I had not considered using DAO to find particular totem animals as the number of species in their are limited. If your totem animal is a dolphin for example you are not going to find one in the deck (unless you add them in using the spare cards). A couple of years ago I worked with a Koala in my inner sacred grove and I know I'm not going to find one of those in the deck.

There are some interesting forum posting under the Shamanic Druid section titled Power Animals. Donata has posted a link to an article well worth reading it may help you to answer your question.

Crinia

[Lily]

Your totem animal, as I understand it, is different from a power animal. The totem animal is one that is "like you".
a power animal is one that helps you in the otherworld, bearing messages for example.

mine are 2 different animals.

[Halen]

Hi,
I would suggest that you journey to the lower world to find your power animal or animals. When you meet an animal ask politely if they will help you, if they decline or dont speak to you, thank them and move on till you find your power animal that will help you. Once you have met your power animal ask if he or she will accompany you back to your every day life. If they refuse, thank them and again look for another power animal. When you have found your power animal that will help you and will return with you to your everyday life complete your journey and return to ordinary reality briging your power animal with you.
Work with your power animal daily and get to know him or her, what is he/she called etc, just as you would when you meet someone and build a freindly, honest relationship. If you dont work regularly with your power animal they might return to the lower world thro neglect. Use the DAO to give you information on your new found friend and slowly build your relationship which might last a short period to assist in a specific task or it could be a bond that lasts years or even a lifetime. The DAO is very powerful and full of insight in our life journey, you might even be drawn to a particular card, then again I would suggest you journey to the lower world to meet your power animal in Non Ordinary Reality and again build your relationship in everyday life.

I hope that this is of some assistance on your path. I have found this method works very well for me, but there are always many paths to the same destination.

In Peace, Halen.

[Boadicea]

Thank you! That's extremely helpful