MishMosh

Introspection and truth seeking. They hibernate to think on the year's experience and help them accomplish goals and dreams. Female receptive energy; intuition. Perhaps internal chatter needs to be quieted and reclaim the power of knowing. To achieve happiness, know yourself. Protective of their young and when attacked will often stand to tower over the opponent. In some countries, they are sacred and thought of as teachers. They represent wisdom, strength, and bravery. The bear moves between the Heavens and the Earth along the pathway of the tree. The polar bear is the most aggressive and an outstanding hunter who is used to being at the top of the food chain.

Magickal attributes: Strength, stamina, patience, defense, wisdom, death and rebirth, transformation, intuition and introspection. A guide to peace and harmony in one's life.

Myths/Folklore:
The two bears sacred to Artemis cared for infantile Zeus and later they were changed into the constellations Ursa Major and Minor.
Among the Norse, the bear belonged to Thorr, Odhinn, and lunar water goddesses.
In Celtic myth, she is considered a lunar creature.
In Native American lore, she was number one in herbal knowledge.

The colour change of Chameleon is influenced by light, temperature, and emotional agitation and is used to blend in with its surroundings. Its eyes move independently of each other. Colour changing symbolizes inconstancy of life and the uncertainty of fortune, while its eyes were said to see into both the past and future. African Bushmen considered it to be the bringer of rain.

Read more about brother Lizard.

The hawk has very keen eyesight and can strike quickly. His call pierces unawareness. Hawk is a messenger, protector, and visionary. Males and females look similar, though females are larger because they protect the nest. Many mate for life. They live in all environments and the behaviors of each species can be revealing. The red-tailed hawk is a soaring hawk and is able to glide on the currents. Its tail red tail is symbolic of the kundalini (base chakra), seat of the primal life force. Perhaps visions are being fulfilled. Occassionally they are harassed by smaller birds, attacking the ability to soar. Red-tails tend to be permanent residents. It's diet is mostly rodents, rabbits, and snakes, but is adaptable. Lighter feathering represents more joyful and social energies while the darker feathering reflect a time to be alone. The Pueblo use its feathers and energies in healing ceremonies. To the Ojibwa, it represents leadership.

Birds stimulate hopes and new ideas. Be open to new ideas. Help others be open to the new.

Observe and listen. One can overcome the situation; grab the opportunity. Examine your own life and situation.

Magickal attributes: Observant and clear-sighted. Excellent memory, able to recall past lives. A hawk's cry during meditation is a warning of something to come requiring boldness. Courage, defense, wisdom, creatitivity, truth, and experience.

Myths/Folklore:
Associated with the Egyptian deities Horus and Amenti and the Persian gods Ahura Mazda and Mithras.
Hawk is said to have been one of Apollo's messengers and associated with Circe.
The Celts thought Hawk to be a messenger between the realms.

The lizard is an expert at subtle perception. They are sensitive to vibrations in the ground, their sharp eyes can detect the slightest movement, and they have excellent hearing. One of their interesting characteristics is the ability to break off their tails to escape predators.

The tail is left behind writhing to distract the predator while the lizard makes its escape. They can do this only once since the replacement tail they grow is made of cartilage instead of vertebrae.

Through myth and legend the lizard is associated with the Dream Time. Dreams contain some of the subtlest perceptions of the mind of which we may not be conscious and Lizard reveals hidden messages through the dream state.

Those with this totem have the ability to utilize all aspects of psychic perception and should pay attention to the symbolic messages received in dreams. Listen to your own intuition above anyone else’s. Pay attention to your dreams for they show us what we do not perceive when awake like fears and hopes. Keep a dream journal and look for symbols and reoccurring dreams.

When Lizard appears in a person’s life it suggests the need for immediate change in one or more areas of their life. This change represents letting go of outdated ideas, actions, or lifestyles because they now endanger you in some way. Since Lizard can discard its tail only once it advises you to make decisions wisely for what you decide can follow you around for a very long time. If something isn't working for you it is time to let it go. Lizard’s medicine suggests one should awaken their own abilities by making choices that honor every part of one’s life. Go within and analyze your present reality and then move with confidence and conviction into the world of new beginnings. Lizard reveals one’s weaknesses, strengths, subconscious hopes and fears, the very thing one is resisting, how to break away from the past, and prompts the energy of change. It may be time to look and see what is following you- your fears, your future trying to catch up to you, or the part of you that wants to ignore your weaknesses and humanness. These need to be faced, no matter how difficult. Ask for guidance when afraid of a situation. Lizard medicine is the shadow side of reality where one’s dreams are reviewed before one manifests them physically. Lizard can teach you to become more detached in life and sometimes it is necessary to separate yourself from others to accomplish what is necessary. Nightmares usually show one is having inner conflicts. One may need more dream time or have a lack of dreams for the future. Imagination is the door to all new ideas and creations, look to it for new experience when life becomes dull. Lizard’s medicine may apply to those who dream too much and refuse to use dreams as tools to manifest the same vision in their lives.

Magickal attributes: Dreams and mental creations.

Myths/Folklore:
Egypt and Greece portrayed the lizard as signifying wisdom and good fortune. It was an emblem of both Hermes and Sarapis.
The Zoroastrians classified it as an animal of the evil Ahriman.
It appeared in Roman art as a symbol of death and rebirth. Sometimes it took the place of snakes as the genii of a house. If lizards lived under a house, they were fed on milk and crumbs. Their appearance was greeted with happiness, for it meant that good luck was coming.
Among the Polynesians, Moko (king of the lizards) was worshiped as a god and the protector of fishing- a prime source of food.

Rabbits and hares are quick to react, changing their course accordingly. Hares are faster and have longer ears than rabbits. They take great leaps while rabbits move in shorter hops. Rabbits are adepts at dodging. The usually brown jack rabbit (hare), turns white in winter. They are very fertile and may produce several litters within a year. A litter is ready to leave the nest after 28 days.

Like Rabbit's movements, life occurs in varying hops and leaps. They are connected with the moon so you may find things occuring in 28-day cycles. Take advantage of opportunities, but plan for different possibilities and escape routes. Recognize signs. A vegetarian diet, even temporarily, can heal and strengthen. Your fears may be materializing so you have to face them until you are no longer fearful. You cannot control the future so do not try. If an issue cannot be resolved, perhaps it is time to rest and wait or re-evaluate how you are going about things and your feelings.

Magickal attributes: Fertility and sexuality.

Myths/Folklore:
Connected with the goddess Hecate.
In Teutonic legend, Eostra transformed the hare from its original bird form. During Ostara, the hare laid eggs in thanks to the goddess.
The rabbit was sacred to the British lunar goddess Andraste and its movements were used for divination.
Hermes used a hare as a messenger.
Frejya along with her cats, was accompanied by hares.
In Japan, it is a symbol of long life.
In the Chinese zodiac, people born under this sign have powers of the moon and are sensitive, artistic, ambitious, virtuous, and full of finesse.
There is a rabbit's face on the moon.
They are most visible at dusk and dawn, time associated with the faerie realm. One may even lead you to the fae.

Spider is a strong, but gentle warrior. She is agile, able to walk upon the very threads she weaves. Represented by the number 8, she is the symbol of infinite dreams. Her eight legs represent the four winds of change and the four directions of the medicine wheel. It is believed in many cultures that she brought forth the world through her dreaming and gave humans the very first alphabet. Because of this she is guardian and teacher of language and alphabet. She is the bringer of creativity. She is associated with death and rebirth. Some spider species, like the Black Widow, eat their mates. Spiders are seen as a lunar symbol.

Spider has much to say. Create your own fate, if one way is too dangerous then look for another. Don't let yourself become trapped by your own web of fear and limitation. Don't try to plan your life so hard that you miss opportunity. Stay focused on a goal and don't scatter yourself in all directions Maintain balance in your life: past & future, physical & spiritual, male & female. Each of us is in the center of our own worlds.

Magickal attributes: Creativity and wisdom. New life or new projects.

Myths/Folklore:
Called Grandmother by Native Americans and considered the link to the past and future.
Represents the Great Terrible Mother in her fate-weaver aspect.
Weaver of the World: Neith (Egypt), Ishtar and Atargatis (Babylon), Athene and the Fates (Greece), the Norns and Holda (Norse).
Hindus say the spider weaves life from its own body and is the creator of illusion.
Japan has two spider goddesses: Spider Woman and Goblin Spider.
The Ashanti from Africa say that Anansi, the Great Spider is creator and a trickster.