Animal Energy (often called, Animal Medicine ) refers to the study of the Animals in your part of the world, to learn what spiritual messages they bring to you. I’m using the word ‘animal’ here, but that includes mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and insects. Here are some resources I use on a regular basis:
Websites
The best website is “Shaminism Working with Animal Spirits” at http://www.animalspirits.com/index9.html, . it contains over 300 entries with photos, and in many cases, sound recordings of the animals.
Books on Animal Medicine
“Medicine Cards” by Jamie Sams and David Carson with illustrations by Angela Werneke, comes with a set of cards that you can use to meditate on Animal Medicine. The concepts of medicine are explained. There are 52 animals in the illustrated cards, plus a few blank cards.
“Power Animal Meditations” by Nicki Scully (also illustrated by Angela Werneke), which has a meditation about Vultures (“Intuitive Wisdom,”) is an in-depth study into animal spirits and guides.
“Animal Speak” by Ted Andrews, provides great detail about the differences between ‘totems,’ ‘guides’ ‘messengers,’ etcetera. The book also provides a great level of detail about the animals covered in the work. [My copy is presently on loan to my Daughter Agatha’s Friend, Jacqueline.]
My friends who work with the Celtic Pagan Paths, use a book about the Celtic Animals called, “Celtic Animal Oracle,” by ______. This supports the path they are on.
Books about Animals. It helps to have some good picture books about animals to look at when you are doing your research. I like the series by the “Audubon Society Field Guide to ___” but you may also like the Petersons’s guides. These are wonderful books (whichever ones you get,) and are well worth the investment.
Your Bioregion
We are studying the Florida Earthways Shamanic Path here, which is earth based. That means we are applying archetypes described in the various Animal Medicine books and resources, to what we are experiencing here in Florida. As an example, one of the Celtic Animals is the Salmon, and it represents Wisdom. Although we have a vast supply of Fish here in Southwest Florida, other than books and in your dreams, the only places you will find Salmon, are in fish-farms or in the grocery store. You wouldn’t want to substitute just any Fish for a Salmon, because the Salmon’s wisdom is based upon a whole and rather complete set of stories and culture, (I’m going to call it a mythology, but I don’t mean that in an offensive way,) and deciding to celebrate a Celtic based holiday by eating a Florida Fish like Snook, would be taking the Fish out of context. We’ll be discussing the Mythology of this Continent and in particular, of Florida, as we go along.
So, you may also want to get a book that focuses on your part of the world. I just have picked up, “The Nature of Florida: An Introduction to Familiar Plants, Animals, and Outstanding Natural Attractions,” by Waterford Press, and like it because it covers land and vegetation; mammals; birds; reptiles and amphibians; fishes; seashore life; trees and shrubs; and wild flowers, all in one small light weight book.
Whale Maiden-Suburban Shaman 