Meeting Your Power Animal

I was looking for some inspiration for my blog when I saw a picture of my power animal, Anunya, the tiger, and I knew that she would be able to help me.

I met Anunya, and remet Lila, my other power animal, a chimpanzee, in a meditation during Billie Dean’s Animal Shamanism Level 2 online course. I learned that Anunya was there to help me with my courage, confidence and assertiveness, whereas Lila was there to help me learn how to have fun, and to use my intellect. They truly complement each other. Tiger is a solitary animal, whereas chimpanzee is social. I am getting the best of both worlds with their association.

I had met Lila before, during another guided meditation. If you would like to try this meditation yourself, just record it for yourself and play it back when you have the time to meet your power animal or animals. Don’t forget to leave a blank to allow for your conversation. Alternatively, you can listen to my recording or download it just above the pictures at the bottom of this blog. Be sure to have a notebook handy to write down whatever you learn during your meditation. You can use a similar meditation to meet your spirit guides.

The Meditation

“Sitting comfortably, close your eyes and take a deep breath in. Then breathe out all the air in your lungs. Take 5 more deep breaths in, and exhale fully. As you continue to breathe deeply, focus on your breathing, and on the peace that your breathing is bringing you.

You are walking through a forest pathway. You are barefoot, and the fallen leaves are soft and damp under your feet. It is a warm day, but the sun is filtered through the forest canopy overhead. You see it twinkling as you walk along. You look up and there is a soft breeze in the canopy, but it doesn’t reach you on the pathway. As you are looking up, you see a small bird flit from one tree to another. Then you notice the birdsong, first from one direction and then another. You notice the smell of the trees, and as you look around, you see orange coloured fungi growing on a fallen log. You notice a great sense of peace and love, and you realize that this is the energy of the trees you are passing. You send them peace and love in return. You are tempted to linger in this peaceful spot, but you know that your power animal awaits you in the clearing up ahead.

The path winds its way around a bend, and up ahead you see the light of the clearing. As you approach the clearing your eyes adjust from the dark of the forest to the light of the clearing, and there in the middle of the clearing you see your power animal. You know that, no matter what sort of animal it is, you are safe in its presence.

Your power animal leads you forward towards another forest path on the other side of the clearing. It waits for a moment as your eyes adjust to the filtered light again, before proceeding along the pathway. After a short walk you come to another small clearing, and there in the clearing you see a cabin. There is a small verandah on the front of the cabin and you sit on the steps there with your power animal in front of you, or make yourselves comfortable in the rocking chairs on the verandah.

You can ask your power animal if it would like to tell you its name.

And whether it has any messages for you.

When you have completed your conversation, your power animal will gladly take you back to where you came from. Thank your power animal for all its help.

Remember that you can connect to your power animal at any time.

You start to bring yourself back to your present place and time. You wiggle your toes and your fingers. You feel the seat you are sitting in. And when you are ready, you can open your eyes.”

When I did this meditation, I was greeted by Lila, and she led me by the hand towards the cabin.

A similar meditation allowed me to meet Anunya, and she has been making her presence felt in my life since then.

A couple of days after I met her, my husband received a birthday card with a close-up picture of a tiger on the front. A week later, I saw a man, who I’d never encountered before, selling 3D tiger pictures in a shopping centre. My logical mind told me I didn’t need a 3D tiger picture, but the following week the man was at a different shopping centre selling tiger pictures again. I figured I needed to buy one.

One thing Anunya has helped me with, is expressing my anger. I sometimes growl like a tiger for a minute or two, but then it’s gone. Far better to express it, than to squash it down and store it somewhere in the body. That is a sure-fire recipe for ill-health.

Thank you Anunya. Thank you Lila.

I would love to hear about your power animals, and if you have felt their presence in your life.