Category: Animal Spirits/Totem Animals

Simple Passing Ceremony for a Pet

Simple Passing Ceremony for a Pet

Supplies:

One purple candle, holy water, Oreo cookie, one favored pet toy, stalks of fresh mint. NOTE: Purple is the color associated with the dead. The Orea cookie, with its white and black coloring stands for the darkness before the Fire Mother and the Light of Spirit. (It also happened to be my pet’s favorite food). Mint is used to banish negative energy as well as provide protection for the spirit of the deceased during his or her journey to the Summerland.

Instructions: Band the stalks of the mint together with string or a rubber band. Lightly crush the mint, once, in your hand. Dip the leaves in the holy water and sprinkle over the altar, then sprinkle around the area in a clockwise direction. Return to the altar. Sprinkle the candle (avoiding the wick). Hold the candle in your hands and close your eyes. Think of your pet being happy in an environment that he is or she loved. In your mind, surround your pet with favorite toys and food. Know that your pet is safe and in the arms of the Goddess and God. Focus loving energy into the candle. Take a deep breath, relax and open your eyes. Place the candle back on the altar and light, saying:

 

“I love you and I release you to the happy,

loving place where Your Spirit belongs.”

 

Allow the candle to burn completely out. Bury mint, candle end, food, and toy on your property, or place on the grave.

The day after you pet has passed away, you may not feel so good physically, which is to be expected.

Excerpt from:

“Rite of Passage”
The Ultimate Book of Shadows
for the New Generation
Solitary Witch
by Silver RavenWolf
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Pet Passing Rituals

Pet Passing Rituals

I posted Silver RavenWolf’s Pet Rite today for a reason. The reason it was the first Rite as far as a beloved animal passing I had to do. I always had my family around me and they would do the Rite for my animals. I also watched them do their own.

The first time I had an animal pass on me, I was all by myself.  It was my first hybrid wolf dog, Rocky. He died with me holding him in my arms singing to him. I felt his Spirit leave but I wouldn’t let go of him. Finally I put him gently down and said my good-byes to him. After watching my mother, aunts, uncle, grandmother, I knew he needed a proper burial. I knew bits and pieces of the ritual but I didn’t know the whole thing. So I found Silver RavenWolf’s book and I used that exact passage when my first wolf passed on.

Since that time, I adapted that Rite to my needs and hopefully made it much more formal.

Mine differs quite a bit. Let’s take a look at it……

Before you arrive, the men will go and dig a final resting place for the animal. Then like Egyptians, we wrap the body up.. When the body is securely wrapped, it is solemnly transported to the grave site.

We now all have on our ritual attire. I am gathering up what was special to the animal in the refuge. If the animal was close to me, I will include something from me on the altar. I do gather up the same amount of candles, the mint, lavender, food and a purple sash. I put all this in my wicker basket, pull my hood up and we walk up to the grave in a silent procession.

When we reach the grave, the procession surround the burial site. I take my place at the altar. I arrange all the items on the altar. I proceed to light the candles. I light the mint. I do not light the lavender and you will see why in a moment.

Next, I ask the Goddess to guide this poor creature to a happier life. Let him/her be by the Goddess side continuously. Show him/her love, love they did not know on this plane. (If it is one of our personal animals that last part is changed.)

Now I walk over to the grave, I raise the lavender to the sky. I ask it to give this creature peace. Let them know nothing but peace from now on out, in the next plane and in his/her next life. My she/him reincarnate into a world of love and nothing but peace. I gently lay the lavender across the creature.

Next, I pick up the purple sash. I raise it to the sky. I ask for blessings of protection on this simple sash. I ask the sash protect the animal to he/she reaches the love and security of our Goddess. Then let the sash be a constant reminder that he/she is part of something bigger than all of us. He is a child of the Goddess. No more cruelty, no more mistreatment, just love and comfort. I then lay the sash across the animal’s chest.

I then return to the altar and ask anyone if they have any blessings they would like to send. If so, their blessings are said.

Afterwards it is time for the Rite to end. I pick up a clump of dirt and say,

“For the earth you came,

to the Earth you shall return.”

So Mote it be!

The others are now allowed to leave if they like. I stand solemnly at the head of the grave. I chant softly as the grave is filled in. Once the gave is filled in, I give a final blessing and the leave.

Personally I think the way we do the Rite is very beautiful and has a true meaning to it. The first Rite I gave you today was to inspire you the way it did me. You see now what kind of Rite we perform. Frankly it doesn’t even resemble Silver RavenWolf’s rite at all anymore.

I always tell you to use the spells and rituals found on this site as examples. Learn to write your own. See what a difference it makes. See how beautiful they can turn out.

Animals as Spirit Guides

Animals as Spirit Guides

 

(excerpted from Animal Spirit Guides by Dr. Steven  Farmer)

Those spirits that are in animal form that teach us, guide us, empower us,  and help us heal are called animal spirit guides or spirit  animals. In shamanic and indigenous cultures they’re usually called  totem animals or power animals. Often these terms are used  interchangeably, although there are subtle differences in meaning.

The term totem animal has two meanings. First, a totem animal is  typically one that is shared by a family, clan, or group. In indigenous  cultures, the family you were born into all have a totem animal in common. In  modern societies, various groups also have communal totems, such as sports teams  or clubs that identify with a totem animal. A second meaning of totem animal is  a representational object of a particular animal, like a small tortoise, owl,  raccoon, or hawk figurines. We often give our children totem animals, like teddy  bears or bunny rabbits to give them comfort.

The term power animal has its origins in shamanism. This is a  specialized animal spirit guide the shaman or shamanic practitioner acquires  early in their initiation into their practice. Their power animal travels with  them whenever they go on a shamanic journey, which is an altered state of  awareness in which the practitioner sends his soul or consciousness into  non-ordinary reality—another term for the spirit world—to receive teachings,  guidance, and healings. You can, however, have a relationship with a power  animal even if you’re not a shaman or shamanic practitioner. They may come to  you in meditations, visions, dreams, or shamanic journeys. It’s a highly  personal and specialized relationship with an animal spirit guide, one where the  personality and characteristics of the particular power animal that you have  attracted to you are reflective of your own personality and characteristics.

Although every creature on the planet can be an animal spirit guide, in some  traditions domesticated animals can’t be power animals because they’ve lost much  of their wildness and are removed from the natural world. Likewise, some  traditions believe that insects are to be excluded from being power animals  because of their size and nature. I have, however, included both domesticated  animals and some insects such as butterfly and dragonfly my book, and even two  mythological animals, dragon and unicorn, to account for those who have enough  of a special relationship with them to call them power animals.

However to experience the tremendous value of working with animal spirit  guides you don’t need to be a shaman, have any interest in shamanism, nor be  associated with an indigenous culture. For most purposes you don’t even need to  be concerned as to whether an animal spirit guide is a totem or power animal.  Instead, consider these wonderful beings as spiritual allies that want to reach  out to each and everyone one of us who are open to their guidance and, when  called with sincere intent, will respond.

One of the great advantages of working with animal spirit guides is that the  actual animal is physically and symbolically present in so many ways throughout  every society and culture on earth. Because of their abundant representations in  third-dimensional reality, they’re continually in our consciousness. Depending  on how and in what way they show up in the material world, whether in the flesh  or as a symbol, their appearance can be  a representative of the spirit of  that animal. When an animal shows up in an uncommon way or repetitively as  spirit guide, that animal isn’t just the single animal, but is representing the  entire species. The hummingbird that flits about and then hovers for several  seconds directly in front of you isn’t just a hummingbird but is carrying with  her the essence of all hummingbirds, and is therefore Hummingbird with  a capital “H.” That’s also why when we speak of an animal spirit guide, we leave  out the “a” or “an” as a way of recognizing and honoring that spirit animal. The  hawk that visited me wasn’t only a hawk, but in those instances was representing  the essence of all hawks, and was therefore Hawk.

Not only do these spirit animals help us in many ways, but another positive  effect is that you’ll deepen your appreciation for the magic and mystery of all  animals, whether they are of the air, water, or the land. Every being on this  beautiful and majestic planet has its place in the web of life, and as we  develop our consciousness and awareness of the unique quality of animal spirit  guides, we enhance our relationships with all of our animal brothers and  sisters.

 

Power Animals: Connecting with Your Animal Spirit Guide

Power Animals:  Connecting with Your Animal Spirit  Guide

 

What Are Power Animals? Power animals are spirit guides  in animal form, valuable allies who can help you navigate through life’s  challenges and transitions. Perceptive and trustworthy oracles, you can turn to  them for advice and counsel on any questions or concerns. They’re exceptional  teachers who’ll help you learn about both the spirit world and the natural  world. Working with them on a regular basis will enhance your personal life and  expand your spiritual capacities immensely.

Power animals can appear in meditations, visions, dreams, shamanic journeys,  or on the earth in their physical form. They can be mammals, birds, or reptiles.  Even so-called mythical animals such as unicorns or dragons can be power  animals, although they have no physical representations in the material world.  Since a spirit animal’s power is drawn from their instinctual and wild nature,  it’s uncommon, however, for purely domesticated animals such as pets to be power  animals.

The source of power for your animal spirit guide is not just a single animal,  but the entire species. For instance, if your power animal is Bear, it’s not  just any particular bear, but an animal spirit guide that’s representative of  the entire species of bears.

Another positive effect of working with your power animal is that you’ll  develop a greater appreciation for that species, and likely extend that care and  respect to the entire animal kingdom. If Dolphin is your power animal, for  example, your love and appreciation will likely go out to all creatures of the  sea and naturally expand to include those of the land and the air. Your power  animal will also teach you to use this power compassionately and in service, to  heal and empower yourself and others.

Spirit Guides and Power Animals

The term, Spirit Guides, also called guardian spirits or helping spirits,  describes any spiritual being that helps us in a positive way. They protect us,  guide us, and provide encouragement and inspiration. We may have any number of  spirit guides throughout our life, whether or not we’re consciously aware of  them. Some have been with us since childhood, while others have appeared at  various periods in our life, perhaps to help us through a difficult transition.  Spirit guides can be religious figures, angels, ascended masters, ancestors,  faeries, or, for our purposes, animal spirits.

Animal spirit guides, familiar to indigenous and shamanic cultures, are  called either power animals or totem animals. Typically these terms are used  interchangeably, although there are some subtle differences in meaning. Totem  animal is the more widely used term, and this concept is universal to all  cultures. Indigenous cultures typically have a tribal totem, another one for the  “clan,” and another for the family you were born into. Contemporary cultures  also have totem animals, such as ones for clubs or societies like Lions Club or  the Loyal Order of Moose. Sports teams often carry animal totem names, such as  the Chicago Bears or the Philadelphia Eagles. Even Christianity has the totems  of the lamb and the fish.

Parents often give their child a special protective totem animal, such as a  teddy bear, telling the child that it will protect them. The child believes  this, and by their belief in the animal they hold in their hands they’re  unwittingly calling in the spirit of that animal and its associated powers. The  bear becomes a personal totem, or power animal, for the child, and this animal  spirit guide may remain with them into their adult lives.

Power animals, rather than being associated with a family or a group, are  specific and personal for each individual. Like totem animals, they are guardian  spirits that empower us in our everyday lives. They also protect and guide us as  we explore non-ordinary reality-the realm where spirits reside, just across the  veil of our usual and ordinary perceptions.