Skip to main content

TOTEMS


Most young people who come across “our home” have tattoos these days. Lots of them were chosen intuitively. Yet, when they find out that we (in our home) live traditionally (shamanism) they are often curious about the meaning behind the animals that are etched on their skin. One young man (a friend of my daughter’s) had this great big Eagle on his back and a Roman armour on his chest. When I asked him if he had any big story or experience to share relating to the tattoos, he was all excited. He explained that every since he was a little boy he knew deep down that he had been a warrior in another life and that the Roman armour was intimately related to him. The Eagle always seemed to be a messenger for him (and so he said). Today, he chose the Military as his life’s career.

“A gift from the Eagle,” he said.

I always find it incredible that people live SHAMANISM without consciously understanding the meaning of the word. It seems to be at the roots of our human experience. Animalism has been a hot topic for at least a thousand years – sometimes driving people to horrible violence and other times, impressing a certain deep contemplation. Where some societies view these topics as rubbish; other societies have made aggressive, political decisions to bring to extinction anything and everything playing in these fields of magical power. Is it real or not – has never really been the question but more so – how much power can these societies exercise on others? Magical, Religious or non-Religious have all had their turn at the helm of Society.

When my daughter and my son decided on their tattoo they wanted to be clear that it represented a big part of them and that it would also grow in power along with them. Often when tattoo are discussed amongst people of a certain age there’s a lot of judgment towards staining our human skin (so to speak) with images that no longer have any kind of meaning with time. I think that the young people today are very careful with their tattoos. Most will choose symbols that are connected to important life stories and that are meant to motivate or inspire them for the rest of their life.

My daughter chose to explore one of her totems and I have to admit that she often finds herself exploring the insect that is tattooed on her skin in a very practical way. The Bee queen is demanding and always gets what she asks for but she doesn’t do it without considering the whole hive. I noticed that my daughter expects a lot out of the people around her but she’s the first to give what she asks for. K also has attributes that we often relate to the Bee. She’s hard working, perseverant and definitely works for the well being of those she loves. My son on the other hand decided to tattoo a “music key”. He’s a drummer and this tattoo reflects him in every thought and every emotion. There’s nothing in his life that isn’t filled with music and the understanding that all things come together: A concert of details.

This past weekend we were giving a workshop in Kingston and one of the participants discovered that she had a Bat as a totem through an exercise that demanded that she test her “echo-vibration” abilities. She was quite impressed at how she was able to feel people, furniture and even the energy that was emanating from places before bumping into them. After half an hour she didn’t doubt the fact that she had Bat on her personal Medicine Wheel and that this animal was a part of her somehow… It will be interesting to see how she explores this totem deeper.

There’s so much that can be written on this topic. Tonight it seemed important to discuss it, even though it’s superficial information; because a young woman called me with a question. She asked if a mother could feel the totem of her child before the child was born. It brought me back to my own pregnancy experiences. I remember running through grass as a wolf along side my cub when I was pregnant with my son. The first totem that he recognized for himself as a toddler was WOLF. With my daughter I was stung a few times when I was pregnant with her and the Bee is the totem she tattooed on her shoulder. There’s no doubt that we can feel the totems of our children when we are pregnant with them.

I remember meeting this woman once who had this birth mark on her thigh. It was the shadow shape of a mouse. She said that her mother was afraid of mice and that was probably why she was born with that image. After talking about their relationship as mom and daughter – we came to find out that her mother had given birth without a shred of a doubt to her worst nightmare: A mouse!

Totems can be fun to play with and to explore but they can also be serious business. I have countless stories on this topic but for tonight, I’ll leave it at this!

LISA

Comments

Change said…
I really enjoyed this topic, just learning about totems myself. I find it difficult to find my totems, but that may be because I am jumping the gun, and need to explore the one I already know, the chipmunk, I am also trying to figure out where it is on my wheel, and am having a hard time understanding how the totems are connected to each stone.
I have always loved tattoos, and got one of a pixie sitting ontop of the world, I always have a hard time answering peoples questions about it, finding that it looses meaning when translated into words. My tattoo is not complete. The world has yet to be colored or shaded. I am glad that I did not get this part of it done right away, because my view of the world has changed drastically from befor, and I find it continues to change. Every now and again someone will say I should go get it finished, but I know it will get done when it is time.
I am currious about my sons totems, and helping him discover his, how can I guide him through this discovery.
Ok, I'm going on and on,,, Thanx for your entry.
Michelle said…
Your comment about the magic is so significant in this day and age there are so many causes that people are trying to find meaning for and if we allow that magic to flow through what an amazing place this world will be.With so many times in history where fear overtook people,societies I think we have a chance to really reconnect and I do think people young people feel that energy and calling....Just my thoughts :) beautiful post.
Lisa F. Tardiff said…
I've been trying to post a comment for the last half hour.... Hopefully this one will work. I was saying -- that I really enjoy the feedback. It helps me return to my blog entries with new perspective. Your presence and comments are incredibly appreciated. Thank you for being here.

Lisa
Change said…
when you say totems can be serious business, what exactly do you mean?
Lisa F. Tardiff said…
I left you a blog entry as an answer to your question. Thank you for the feedback.
LISA
RavenWolf said…
i really really enjoy reading your blog entries. im kind of reading 'backward', but the messages still are recieved the same way. im right now doing some contemplation on what my totems are, trying to see if they are totems or just gates i keep having to pass through. im new to all this and find your entries very helpful to fill in my lack of knowlewdge. im thinking i have a mouse totem, a buffalo, and i think the wolf... but im still looking for confirmation.
thanx again!

Popular posts from this blog

Drums and Rattles.

Lately I’ve received a few e-mails and letters from people asking questions about drums and rattles. I don’t think I’ve written a blog on this topic yet. JB wrote in his e-mail: “I often read that Drums are connected to Shamanism and often the tool of choice for Shamans. How do Shamans use drums differently than anyone else who’s in Shamanism?” I thought it was a great question. For starters, one of the reasons why a drum is an interesting tool in Shamanism is because it can mimic a heartbeat and induce a state of trance. A rapid heartbeat can trigger nervousness, excitement and even aggression. A very slow heartbeat can help in relaxation, sleep and dreaming. Every rhythm can inspire an emotion and can bring about the memory of a past experience or a parallel reality. In Shamanic circles the drum can be instrumental in healing, teaching, ceremony or ritual, expansion of consciousness as well as dreaming and journeying. Almost a decade ago I participated in a Mohawk namin

Authentic Shamanism

I brought up the topic of “authentic Shamanism” at one of my classes / circles this week. I’ve noticed especially in the last three to four years that when people speak to me about Shamanism, they often make a distinction between what they are doing and what “is out there.”  These days if you are not into Ayahuasca you are not authentically into Shamanism.  So what is “Shamanism” if it changes its appearance every decade?  Is it about altered states of consciousness through hallucinogens? Is it about ceremonies and rituals; or about soul retrieval, dreaming and healing?  Since Shamanism isn’t a Religion and doesn’t have set doctrines, then how can you anyone be clear on what makes it “authentic?” When I brought up the question this week, I received a few interesting comments.   Many of the individuals in our circles have struggled with addictions and it’s because of the Medicine Wheel teachings that their lives are full and healthy again.   The idea of defining Shamanism as a j

The Seven Clans

Wow! I can’t believe that in the last three years, I haven’t written a single blog on the topic of “the seven clans” of the Medicine Wheel. For the last two months our Montreal circle has been exploring the subject. I think it’s the first time in fifteen years that I ask my students to go out into the World and experience the clans first hand. “Look at people and see which clan they can belong to; or look at behaviors and attitudes and try to connect them to one of the Clans.” We often speak of the clans as the seven faces of Creator. In Christianity or Judaism God can be angry, impatient, judgmental and destructive; but he can also be merciful, compassionate, forgiving and loving. The Medicine Wheel may not personalize Creator in the same way many Religions do, yet in many ways it accomplishes the same end result where we can see ourselves as children of divinity. Often in non-traditional circles the seven clans are understood as archetypes. Each clan holds particular att