Totem Horse Spirit Guide
Symbolism of the Horse as Familiar or Power Animal in Shamanism
Oct 12, 2009
The grace, speed, strength, wisdom and vision of the horse make him a worthy companion on the most challenging of shamanic journeys. To American Indians the horse is associated with inner journeys, including those that brush with death and rebirth.
Horse Power Animal Symbolizes Independence
Despite millennia in the service of man, the wild untamed spirit of the horse is still latent in the nature of the most docile looking beast. However contented and settled he or she may seem, the horse shaman who is too closely bound to domestic duties or routine responsibilities will, sooner or later, hear the call of open ground and feel an overwhelming need for freedom and independence.
Those with a totem horse spirit guide are often very intolerant of authority and hierarchies, and for good reason. The intelligence and swiftness of mind shared by the horse and his shamanic companion leads to an intolerance of slower-witted leaders!
Symbolic Freedom of the Horse Shaman
It is important for the shaman with a horse power animal to ensure he or she has an outlet for this fundamental need for freedom. Symbolic freedom may be offered by wilderness camping trips, wild salsa dancing or any other pursuit that lets the untamed side of the shaman shine through.
Failure to address this need for freedom could result in a sudden, and potentially dramatic, need to escape.
The Horse Spirit Guide is Kind Hearted and Sociable
Compassionate and kind-hearted, shamanic practitioners with a horse spirit guide need a close-knit group of friends and family, as, despite his independence, the horse is also a herd animal.
The horse shaman is well able to carry heavy burdens when the need arises if the burden is of his own choosing and is not imposed by others.
The Self-Confidence of the Totem Horse
The horse radiates self-assurance, and he shares this noble quality with his human familiar. What a wonderful trait to share on inner shamanic journeys which often present very unfamiliar and disorientating imagery.
The shamanic practitioner who leans on his or her totem horse is sure to draw much comfort and quiet confidence even during the the most un-nerving of experiences.
The Horse Animal Familiar Offers Broad Vision
Swift, intelligent, determined, and with incredible stamina, the horse spirit guide has so much to offer! His beauty and grace help cope with the challenging situations that may be encountered on shamanic journeys, and anyone who has ridden a horse will attest to the wide open view that is offered when mounted on his back.
Shamans fortunate enough to have a horse power animal enjoy a wide, and wise, perspective in their company on shamanic journeys.
Related Articles on Shamanism
Readers may also enjoy How to Find an Animal Spirit Guide, along with How to Work with an Animal Spirit Guide. Those new to shamanism may also find Discovering Shamanism useful.
Sources:
- Discovering your Spirit Animal by Lucy Harmer.
- The Complete Illustrated Encyclopedia of Witchcraft and Practical Magic, by Susan Greenwood and Raje Airey.
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