Sometimes a Comanche man dreams and a big bear comes and tells him you do this - you paint your face this way. I help you. If he sees bear in his dreams then he makes medicine that way.
- Quanah Parker, 1852 - 1911, The last Comanche Chief


Our Native American editor, Jane, is a wonderful person and has given us so much joy with her sharing of the lovely Hawks who live in her yard. She gave us the joy of watching two baby Hawks grow from fluffy white little babies peeking at us from their nest, watching them grow, and being part of the thrilling experience of learning how to spread our wings and soar.

The articles I wrote on Animal Guides when I was the editor here gave me so much joy. In honor of Jane and her husband and all the joy they shared with us, I dedicate those articles to them and their beloved Hawks. Thank you Jane and Tim.

Animal Guides

In times of sorrow, troubles, or just daily life, our animal guides can help us so much.

Do you have an animal spirit guide, a totem, a power animal? You do not have to share what that animal is, but it would be fun for us to share how our animal power/guides have helped us in our lives.

Each of our Animal Relations has their own story, attributes, and spirit. The wisdom and guidance of the mammals, birds, reptiles, fish and insects is all around. We simply have to watch and learn. Each animal has their own power and attributes. For instance, the bear symbolizes strength, power, self awareness, and survival.

I have a constant spiritual companion, Puma. He walks with me when I go out in Nature, he sleeps at the foot of my bed, he helps me in times of need by letting me know he is there. His strength and power, his wisdom of Nature and his stability is always a good example for me.

I also have Hawk who is never far away, takes my prayers to Creator, and helps my spirit to soar.

Good Morning Phyllis,

My constant companion has been horse. I only remembered this about 10 years ago, but as a child I used to fall asleep each night "playing" with this horse in my mind's eye. My life was very stressful, and my family was very difficult. I always felt very frazzled and out of control. To fall asleep to our journeys and games was a great blessing.

As a teenager, this turned into a love affair with unicorns (I think many girls may do this LOL). I personally believe that mythical creatures are simply different aspects of animals we already have knowledge of.

Animal Spirit - Hawk to Lion

The Horse is a strong symbolism of freedom, stamina, mobility, the land, travel, power, safety, clairvoyant communication, message carrier between spiritual and earthly realms, loyalty.

The Unicorn is symbolic of bringing harmony through insight and understanding. The Unicorn exists just outside our realm, in the magical lands of mysticism - those who possess a pure and trusting heart may be able to come in contact with this beautiful animal. The Unicorn is attracted to women with a pure heart, like a bee to a flower. It is a sweet mystery to behold.

Mine are Bear and Wolf....brothers who have bled themselves into my reality in the bodies of my 5 dogs and the work I do to rescue Cattle Dogs on the east coast. Before I was married I would always have a wolf with me, when I went out on dates or was having a rough patch, black as night with golden yellow eyes, he sat outside my bedroom door. Haven't seen him in years though.

That being said...I also am part of a roller derby team, in derby a Unicorn is a quintuple grand slam....meaning that the jammer, who scores points in each 2 minute jam, has scored 5 grand slams of 5 points each for a total of 25 points. As in dreams and other lore, unicorns are rare in derby as well.

I love wolves! My nephew has a white wolf - he is so beautiful (the wolf) - and soooo big!

You are in roller derby? I used to watch roller derby on tv all the time. That is a very exciting sport.

I think one of my greatest joys is discovering new BellaOnline editors. Reading through the animal spirits has been a delight and a inspiration.

Jane, our new Native American editor, is a true delight and has brought so much new interest to this forum. The Animal Spirit articles were my last ones before I moved over to the Folklore and Mythology site. Thanks for the compliment, Diana.

I will look forward to everything Jane writes.

This might be a little off topic, but then maybe not. I asked for a spirit visit many years ago and Wolf came to me. The problem, I wasn't ready and sent him away.

This past weekend was horrendous. Traffic was awful and my car died 90 miles from home. Needless to say I was stressed, as I waited at my friend's home for our husbands to return with the car in tow. My friend's wolf "Tundra" loves my husband to death, but I have never been inside with the big girl. It was her supper time and we were a little concerned how she would react to me in the house. Tundra came in, saw me, and immediately walked around looking for my husband. When she realized he wasn't there, she jumped up on the couch with me and I got many Wolf Kisses. She was trying her best to comfort me.

My friend and I had scheduled to get our hair cut this afternoon, and despite my car troubles were able to make the appointment at my stylist's home. She also has a female wolf named "Nikki." I got another round of Wolf Kisses this afternoon.

Wolf Kisses proved very uplifting for my Spirit!

Once I had a dog named Sunday. She was half coyote and half German shepherd. Sunday was the smartest dog that I ever met.

She belonged to a neighbor. When they moved, they left Sunday and her pup. I fed them. One day, her owners came back and got the two dogs. That afternoon, Sunday was back. The rope on her collar had been chewed through. She bacame a neighborhood dog, a free spirit. She mainly hunted for food, and she didn't want to come into the house in the winter. I made a place for her on the screened side porch.

I worked a half mile from home, and she tracked me there. When the dog pound truck would make a sweep through the neighborhood, Sunday would go into a back yard and peek between the houses until they left.

When Sunday gave birth to 8 puppies, she and the pups came to be with me. That was 14 dogs at my house!

Her spirit was so strong.

nothing better than the trust of an animal that has no reason to trust you. (side note as a rescuer, please tell me you had her spayed afterwards)