My Animal Totems

My animal totems are elephants, owls, bears and snakes.

Elephants have been my favorite animals since I was a baby, when my mother's uncle brought me back from India a small carved wooden elephant. Nelly, Nelly t'nelephant.  I cut my teeth on her.  This same uncle, who was in Burma before the war, sent me a book about elephants working the teak logging in Burma, and " Elephant Bill" who took care of all of them and their mahouts.  

(I met an elephant in person once at South Beach Park at a gathering; she had crusty, flaking skin and even though she snotted on my shoe (pink, fabric, Mary Jane), she was definitely communicating with me, on the order of -get me out of here-I want to go home-real home, home home, not where I live now-I am so miserable. I am so unhappy.  You love me. I don't trust you. You won't take me home, will you?)

Elephants are hard workers, devoted, with wicked senses of humor, very intelligent, and comfort loving.  I aspire to elephant. 

(On another side note, one time in the Pacific Northwest, I can't remember if it was Seattle or Portland, there was a smallish white whale, a Beluga, in a tank. There were glass walls underwater so I could see in. She was going around and around. When I was standing on top she circled near the surface keeping her eye on me.  When I went down the stairs to see through the underwater walls she circled under and kept an eye on me through the underwater window.  I opened myself up to her and heard her.  She said, let me out, oh let me out, oh let me out, let me out, over and over again, around and around the tank. My heart breaks remembering.

Animals should not be captive.)

Owls are wise and beautiful. Soft and fierce. Deadly and comical. I aspire to wisdom, to beauty, softness and fierceness.  I aspire to owl.

Bears are big; no one messes with mama bear. Bears are nurturing. Bears are womanly.  Bears have the very best sense of belonging.  I aspire to bear. 

Snake is more mystical than physical.  Snake is a totem I received from ISH at Guidelines. Snake owns her power. She is all spine, fire flow and divine. She is not the do-er.  She is not the thinker.  She is pure force and forward motion. She yearns to connect with the Most High.  

(A fiercely vocal cluster of parrots is flying overhead as I write this.)