Originally published in Portland Family Magazine, October 2005
You Otter Have a Totem
©2005 Ellen Notbohm. Please contact the author for permission to reproduce in any way, including re-posting on the Internet.
One memorable year I had that birthday with a big zero on the end. My family surprised me, not with a party, but with 40 gifts, all having something to do with otters. There were otter books and T-shirts, otter key ring, switchplate, stationery and lithograph. Otter figurines, stuffed animals, snow globe and bookmark. All this cool stuff came my way because the otter is my totem. If you don’t have an animal totem, you otter consider adopting one. OK, bad puns aside. What’s a totem?
Animal totems were an important part of Native American culture and belief. An individual, family or tribe might choose a particular animal or animals as totem(s) to represent their values and serve as a spirit guide through life. The qualities different animals embody can offer us something to revere, admire and remind us that we all share the same planet and cannot escape that connection.
So how do you go about choosing a totem? There are no rules. You may have more than one totem; and totems can change throughout life. Think about the animals, birds and bugs in your life. Which ones interest you? Which ones scare you? Which ones make you laugh? Which ones do you look for when hiking, fishing or camping, when at the zoo, on PBS or Animal Planet? Is there one that seems to cross your path more frequently — the dragonfly that seems to follow you or the raccoon that keeps showing up in your yard? Think about books, movies or artwork that may have moved you. Maybe you’ve seen your totem in your dreams.
I chose the otter for several reasons. Otter value playfulness above almost everything else, a quality that frequently goes AWOL in the rush and pressure of working and parenting. They are clever, loyal and undeniably adorable. They are monogamous, like to stick to their own neighborhood and seem to enjoy the rhythm of their lives.
Who speaks to you? There are hundreds of animal totems, but here are just a few:
TURTLE symbolizes patience, the ability to sl-o-o-o-w down and give ourselves the time we understand just what we need to both protect and nurture ourselves.
EAGLE encourages us to hold to high moral standards, to soar to the place where vision is clear and dreams are achievable.
HORSE is faithful and devoted, but also characterized by great power, endurance and the need to run free and fast.
DEER brings us gentleness and the awareness that sensitivity to our environment is necessary to survival. They are nature’s ultimate “good listeners,” keen to all sound and movement around them and ready to react instantly with both intensity and grace.
BEAR hibernates in the winter, reminding us that a balanced life requires periods of both productive work and restorative rest. “To everything there is a season,” and Bear knows when it is time for fun and games and when it is time to be aggressive.
RABBIT often evokes an association with fear, but in doing so Rabbit encourages us to confront and work through our fears, rather than letting them fester and multiply. Rabbit’s quiet and unassuming ways remind us that lashing out and fighting back isn’t always the solution; sometimes turning away — quickly — is the best defense.
Bringing images of your totem into your living and working space surrounds you with the essence of their messages to you. My father’s den was wall-to-wall with orca images. I thought it was because of his devotion to swimming — and maybe it was — but orca’s spiritual message couldn’t be clearer: a magnificent, mighty animal clad in brilliantly contrasting black-and-white tells is that there is great power to be had when opposites can exist side by side.
And speaking of opposites. Sitting here among all my otters, it occurs to me that having a totem is the perfect marriage of the sacred and the profane. Having a totem enriches your spirituality and your connection to the natural world, but it is also a kindness to your family and friends.
They’ll never again be stuck for a gift idea for you.
Originally published in Portland Family Magazine, October 2005
YOU OTTER HAVE A TOTEM
-©2005 Ellen Notbohm. Please contact the author for permission to reproduce in any way, including re-posting on the Internet.
-
One memorable year I had that birthday with a big zero on the end. My family surprised me, not with a party, but with 40 gifts, all having something to do with otters. There were otter books and T-shirts, otter key ring, switchplate, stationery and lithograph. Otter figurines, stuffed animals, snow globe and bookmark. All this cool stuff came my way because the otter is my totem. If you don’t have an animal totem, you otter consider adopting one. OK, bad puns aside. What’s a totem?
Animal totems were an important part of Native American culture and belief. An individual, family or tribe might choose a particular animal or animals as totem(s) to represent their values and serve as a spirit guide through life. The qualities different animals embody can offer us something to revere, admire and remind us that we all share the same planet and cannot escape that connection.
So how do you go about choosing a totem? There are no rules. You may have more than one totem; and totems can change throughout life. Think about the animals, birds and bugs in your life. Which ones interest you? Which ones scare you? Which ones make you laugh? Which ones do you look for when hiking, fishing or camping, when at the zoo, on PBS or Animal Planet? Is there one that seems to cross your path more frequently — the dragonfly that seems to follow you or the raccoon that keeps showing up in your yard? Think about books, movies or artwork that may have moved you. Maybe you’ve seen your totem in your dreams.
I chose the otter for several reasons. Otter value playfulness above almost everything else, a quality that frequently goes AWOL in the rush and pressure of working and parenting. They are clever, loyal and undeniably adorable. They are monogamous, like to stick to their own neighborhood and seem to enjoy the rhythm of their lives.
Who speaks to you? There are hundreds of animal totems, but here are just a few:
TURTLE symbolizes patience, the ability to sl-o-o-o-w down and give ourselves the time we understand just what we need to both protect and nurture ourselves.
EAGLE encourages us to hold to high moral standards, to soar to the place where vision is clear and dreams are achievable.
HORSE is faithful and devoted, but also characterized by great power, endurance and the need to run free and fast.
DEER brings us gentleness and the awareness that sensitivity to our environment is necessary to survival. They are nature’s ultimate “good listeners,” keen to all sound and movement around them and ready to react instantly with both intensity and grace.
BEAR hibernates in the winter, reminding us that a balanced life requires periods of both productive work and restorative rest. “To everything there is a season,” and Bear knows when it is time for fun and games and when it is time to be aggressive.
RABBIT often evokes an association with fear, but in doing so Rabbit encourages us to confront and work through our fears, rather than letting them fester and multiply. Rabbit’s quiet and unassuming ways remind us that lashing out and fighting back isn’t always the solution; sometimes turning away — quickly — is the best defense.
Bringing images of your totem into your living and working space surrounds you with the essence of their messages to you. My father’s den was wall-to-wall with orca images. I thought it was because of his devotion to swimming — and maybe it was — but orca’s spiritual message couldn’t be clearer: a magnificent, mighty animal clad in brilliantly contrasting black-and-white tells is that there is great power to be had when opposites can exist side by side.
And speaking of opposites. Sitting here among all my otters, it occurs to me that having a totem is the perfect marriage of the sacred and the profane. Having a totem enriches your spirituality and your connection to the natural world, but it is also a kindness to your family and friends.
They’ll never again be stuck for a gift idea for you.
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