Compliment to Your Birth Totem Animal

As we build the Sitting Place Wheel of Allies of each earth astrology sign, we now know that your birth totem animal sits in the south of your wheel, your clan animal sits in the west, and your spirit keeper totem sits in the east.  The North animal on your wheel is the COMPLEMENT TO YOUR BIRTH animal.  As you look across the wheel of birth totem animals, you receive an opposite reflection of who you were born to be.  This opens us up to multiple viewing points and assists us in evolving.

   

If you are a Snake (Scorpio), your Opposite Reflection Totem Animal is the Beaver, and vice versa.

 

Elk – Deer

 

Snow Goose – Flicker

 

Otter – Sturgeon

 

Cougar – Brown Bear

 

Red Hawk – Raven

If you would like to learn more about Earth Astrology, visit the DTMMS bookstore or the Sweet Medicine Shoppe.

Birth Sitting Place Totem Animals

According to the teachings in the Sweet Medicine SunDance Path, each of the animal totems have their own give-away, particular gift or teaching, which is called its medicine. The following brief descriptions will assist you as you learn to establish your own relationship with your animal totems.

According to SunBear’s Earth Astrology, your BIRTH TOTEM sits in the South of your Wheel of Allies.

Snake – West Totem
The Snake, especially the rattlesnake, is the teacher of the nagual enemies of fear and death, the snake holds the secrets of spiritual sexuality, of Quodoushka. Protector of all the teacher plants and the healing herbs. Teacher of the Twenty Count (along with the raven and crow) in that the sigils of the Twenty Count and the four Worlds are carried on its back. Communicates telepathically with other animals. Protector of women’s lodges. Warns when you are out of alignment with the plant and mineral world. Keeper of alignment with Grandfather Sun as it sheds its skin yearly.

Elk – West-Northwest Totem
Master teacher and healer, the Elk is also the awakener of the unconscious. This keeper of thunder and lightning teaches us to “hear the lightning and see the thunder”. Helps bring us from fantasy into the light of knowledge. Master of rules and laws; teaches us to resolve our karma circles. Guardian of the gateway into the unknown (the nagual or spirit world). Master of physical sexuality and orgasm.

Snow Goose – North-Northwest Totem
Snow Goose is the bringer and keeper of the earthly, personal and tonal dream. Keeper of mirrors and the masks of self, our Book of Life. Translates the screenplay as we wrote it in our Book. Brings clarity to our awake dreaming.

Otter – North Totem
The Otter carries the ability to cleanse and purify the sacred waters, that is, all emotional states, blood, and lymphatic systems of humans. Teaches us how to play in our child shield and give with our heart; protects men as they learn to deal with the energy of women’s moon cycles.

Cougar – North-Northeast Totem
The Cougar, which includes all big cats like the puma, panther, mountain lion, is the keeper of balance and harmony on one’s Path with Heart. Teaches how to have balance in movement and change; how to awaken the aura, increase orende and make death an ally. Helps to design and bring in what’s needed for our Path with Heart. Balancer and healer of muscles, bones, joints. A supreme survivalist, it teaches us to stabilize and learn how to do any physical act without injury. Keeper of choreography.

Red Hawk – East-Northeast Totem
The keeper of relaxation and focus is the Red Hawk. Messenger of the tonal world and its organization as exemplified by how it builds its nest. Teaches flexibility within structure and form and is called the Architect of Spirit. Communicator and interpreter of language, it helps us to hear the inner dialogue between our higher and lower selves. Sees its own circle (that is, its pattern) both from nearby and far away.

Beaver – East Totem
The Beaver is the keeper of the sweat lodge; protector and teacher of all watches or circles; carrier of the rainbow and our concepts of self and life; teacher of the medicine of women. The beaver awakens in some women the power of their spiritual sexuality (their Quodoushka potential); healer of all physical health problems in women.

Deer – East-Southeast Totem
Keeper of magick, magickal law and alchemy., the Deer is the teacher of natural law and of swiftness. The mule deer is the image maze dancer as it knows how to enter our maze, where we are wandering around lost in our patterns; knows the earth and can identify danger as far ahead of time as twenty-four hours. The white-tail deer is the keeper of softness and the teacher of beauty, soft power and respect for feminine power (gentleness = strength).

Flicker – South-Southeast Totem
Similar to the woodpecker, the Flicker is the little awakener of unconscious knowledge, the creator of beauty, and the Little Artisan. This teacher of self-concepts knows healing medicine of all bundles, connections to the world of ancestors and the little people and alignment with ecological balance (especially via the insects).

Sturgeon – South Totem
The Sturgeon is the oldest of all living clean water fish and is thus known as the Keeper of Old Age. Teacher of longevity who dances with memories of the Water.  Cleans the depths of emotions.

Brown Bear – South-Southwest Totem
Because the Brown Bear usually has its tonal world in balance, it is the keeper and teacher of the everyday, tonal or personal dream.  Like the grizzly, it can help with introspection and teach you to step into the silence of your inner stillness.

Raven – West-Southwest Totem
The Raven is the keeper of magickal law and teacher of natural law. It dances with civil and social law in such a way as to teach us to see its foolishness. The raven cannot be deceived by religious law. The raven and crow both know the secrets of the Twenty Count, the power of light and our communication with nature. They are the messengers for sorcerers and shamans. They know Sacred Law.

If you would like to learn more about Earth Astrology, visit the DTMMS bookstore or the Sweet Medicine Shoppe.

Earth Astrology: Spirit Keepers

According to SunBear’s Earth Astrology, the East animal on your Sitting Place Wheel of Allies is called your SPIRIT KEEPER. It guides your spiritual self-growth and development.

Coyote – South Spirit Keeper
A gentle trickster who teaches you about illusion and tricks people into the light by showing them their dark side with humor. Teacher of trust, innocence, humor and love. Teacher and protector of children. Master of disguise, camouflage and imagination. When you put on a coyote robe you can “see the world with a different eye”.
The astrology signs that have Coyote as a Spirit Keeper are Flicker (Cancer), Sturgeon (Leo), and Brown Bear (Virgo).

Grizzly Bear – West Spirit Keeper
The Keeper and Teacher of the Sacred Dream, called the “sleeper-dreamer”, teaches us to know ourselves through introspection of the dream and teaches us to sleep dream and actualize our reality. A great dream interpreter, the grizzly bear teaches us how to survive turmoil and trauma. Teaches protection of home, loved ones and possessions. Teaches us to stand and walk tall: how not to give power away to tyrants and how to pace our physical body.
The astrology signs that have Grizzly Bear as a Spirit Keeper are Raven (Libra), Snake (Scorpio), and Elk, (Sagittarius).

Buffalo – North Spirit Keeper
The Keeper of wisdom and logic teaches pure science and natural law. It is the great provider, the give-away to the people. Teaches survival, alignment, harmonic resonance, wisdom, balance. Protector of Earth Mother, the spiritual energy of the plant world (i.e. water, earth and plants). Carrier of the sacred Medicine Pipe.
The astrology signs that have Buffalo as a Spirit Keeper are Snow Goose (Capricorn), Otter (Aquarius), and Cougar (Pisces).

Eagle – East Spirit Keeper
The teacher of individual autonomy, free will and freedom. Carries the messages of the heart of the Medicine Pipe. Carrier of enlightenment, motivation and illumination. The highest flyer, it sees farthest of all winged ones. Communicator of the Great Spirit to us and is called the Holy Ghost by Christians. (The condor is called the peace eagle; wild turkeys are called ground eagles).
The astrology signs that have Eagle as a Spirit Keeper are Red Hawk (Aries), Beaver (Taurus), and Deer (Gemini).

If you would like to learn more about Earth Astrology, visit the DTMMS bookstore or the Sweet Medicine Shoppe.

Earth Astrology: Clan Animals

The West animal on your Sitting Place Wheel of Allies is called your CLAN ANIMAL, according to SunBear’s Earth Astrology. It identifies which animal clan you belong to and guides you to see your greatest weakness as a strength and your greatest strength as a weakness. Its focus is your physical mastery.

Frog – Water Clan
A cross-cultural symbol as a totem for the shaman, this “shield-jumper” helps us to integrate all the teachings of the different powers into our own system of knowledge. (A shield is a body of knowledge.) The frog is the keeper of the great memory clans, secret societies and magickal lodges.
The astrology signs that have Frog as their Clan Animal are Snake (Scorpio), Cougar (Pisces), and Flicker (Cancer).

Turtle – Earth Clan
Sigil of Grandmother Earth, the turtle is the keeper of the teachings of shields and carrier of teachings of humanity.  The turtle teaches the sacredness of the Earth Lodge (including our bodies) and is the protector of the lodges of women, keeping both our home and womb sacred. The turtle also brings alignment with the mineral world, especially that of the crystals.
The astrology signs that have Turtle as their Clan Animal are Brown Bear (Virgo), Snow Goose (Sagittarius), and Beaver (Taurus).

Butterfly – Wind Clan
The keeper and protector or beautifier of all power spots, the butterfly holds the secret to metamorphosis, shapeshifting and all change. The butterfly does not come near negative energy and, in this way, reveals evil.  It teaches us how to live life with intensity. Keeper of the dream of Beauty, it teaches the secrets of woman’s beauty and mystery.
The astrology signs that have Butterfly as their Clan Animal are Raven (Libra), Otter, (Aquarius), and Deer (Gemini).

Thunderbird – Fire Clan
The bringer of thunder, lightning and rain; awakener of the voice of our Hokkshideh; keeper of memory. The thunderbird is the over-soul of all winged ones and thus is able to communicate with all the winged ones. It teaches mastery of elemental alchemy. The thunderbird is the mythological equivalent to the phoenix, the dragon, the peyote waterbird and is a cousin to the roadrunner.
The astrology signs that have Thunderbird as their Clan Animal are Sturgeon (Leo), Elk, (Capricorn), and Red Hawk (Aries).

If you would like to learn more about Earth Astrology, visit the DTMMS bookstore or the Sweet Medicine Shoppe.

Earth Astrology: Wheel of Animals

Each Sitting Place has a wheel of eight animal allies (see previous page). In each direction is seated a Sweet Medicine totem guide who is a master of that particular energy for you. This ally or spirit guide is “on call” for you, ready to assist you in gaining mastery and balance.

Your BIRTH TOTEM sits in the South of your Wheel of Allies.

The North animal on your Sitting Place Wheel of Allies is the COMPLEMENT TO YOUR BIRTH TOTEM.

The East animal on your Sitting Place Wheel of Allies is called your SPIRIT KEEPER. It guides your spiritual self-growth and development.

The West animal on your Sitting Place Wheel of Allies is called your CLAN ANIMAL. It identifies which animal clan you belong to and guides you to see your greatest weakness as a strength and your greatest strength as a weakness. Its focus is your physical mastery.

The allies seated in the non-cardinals deal specifically with the way you run your patterns on the Wheel of Life. Since the non-cardinals of any wheel keep energy moving, these allies carry the medicine in those directions that will keep you out of pattern, out of the dark side favored by the “one who will not see”, your Shideh.

If you would like to learn more about Earth Astrology, visit the DTMMS bookstore or the Sweet Medicine Shoppe

Earth Astrology

We have just entered the month of the Snake according to Sun Bear’s Earth Astrology (or the sun sign of Scorpio).  Every month or sun sign has a corresponding Earth Astrology sign.  According to the teachings in the Sweet Medicine SunDance Path, each of the animal totems have their own give-away, particular gift or teaching, which is called its medicine. Each of the animal totems below are called birth totem animals and they are a master of the direction they sit in on the wheel.

The Spirit of the Animals is our communicator with our Higher Self.  Getting to know and calling on your animal totem will help you reach for your potential and assist you in actualizing what you have come into this body to accomplish.

Snake: October 24 – November 21 (Scorpio) sits in the West

Elk: November 22 – December 21 (Sagittarius) sits in the Northwest

Snow Goose: December 22 – January 19 (Capricorn) sits in the Northwest

Otter: January 20 – February 18 (Aquarius) sits in the North

Cougar: February 19 – March 20 (Pisces) sits in the Northeast

Red Hawk: March 21 – April 19 (Aries) sits in the Northeast

Beaver: April 20 – May 20 (Taurus) sits in the East

Deer: May 21 – June 20 (Gemini) sits in the Southeast

Flicker: June 21 – July 22 (Cancer) sits in the Southeast

Sturgeon: July 23 – August 22 (Leo) sits in the South

Brown Bear: August 23 – September 22 (Virgo) sits in the Southwest

Raven: September 23 – October 23 (Libra) sits in the Southwest

Within Sun Bear’s system, each birth sitting place also includes a wheel of seven other animal totems that guide and inform each person’s way of being in the world.  We will discuss your wheel of animals, the energy of their sitting place on your wheel and the medicine of the animal itself over the next week or so.  Make sure you don’t miss these upcoming posts!

If you would like to learn more about Earth Astrology, visit the DTMMS bookstore or the Sweet Medicine Shoppe.

Happy Birthday Snake People!

Happy birthday to the Snake! For those not familiar with SunBear’s Earth Astrology, those born from October 24 to November 21 have the Snake as their birth animal totem, which corresponds to the sun sign of Scorpio.

We can learn so much about our natural selves from the animal world, including how to be more efficient and balanced with our everyday energy.

Snakes are very adaptable to their environment, sometimes changing their color to blend more closely with landscape. They are highly sensitive to touch and vibrations. Snake is also the keeper of alignment with Grandfather Sun as it sheds its skin yearly.  Snake totem people are also highly adaptable and able to shed their old skin of thoughts, perceptions and philosophies when it’s time to transform into a new phase of life. Change may not come easily to a snake person, but when it does, it’s usually a permanent one.

Snake, especially the rattlesnake, is the teacher of the nagual (spiritual) enemies of fear and death.  Calling on the medicine of the Snake can assist the movement through fear and the many deaths that occur in life as a part of change and transformation.

Snake is also the protector of all the teacher plants and the healing herbs, and holds the secrets of spiritual sexuality, of Quodoushka. Snake totem people, contrary to a snake’s cold blood, can be highly sexual beings. Snake, along with the raven and crow, is a teacher of the Twenty Count, in that the sigils of the Twenty Count and the four Worlds are carried on its back. Along with communicating telepathically with other animals, snake is the protector of women’s lodges, and warns when you are out of alignment with the plant and mineral world.

Did you know that, throughout the world, there are approximately 2500 species of snake!  Living snakes are found on every continent except Antarctica, and on most smaller land masses; exceptions include some large islands, such as Ireland, Iceland, Greenland, the Hawaiian archipelago, and the islands of New Zealand.  Most species are nonvenomous and those that have venom use it primarily to kill and subdue prey rather than for self-defense.

What do you think? Where can you add a little snake medicine to your life?

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Reflections: Seasons, Summer

All dressed up in a vibrant expression of life at its peak
Hotly passionate, her seduction is irresistible
An all-consuming expansion

Within the embrace of this woman
One is consumed and forever transformed
What is of ill burned down to the ashes
What is of good altered forever

Summer is fun
Life is good
To be in the sun
Is good fun

Here are some suggested ways help embody the reflection of this season:

• Pick a day when the sun is full, bright and just hot enough.
• Find a space where you can safely sit or lie in the sun – be fully naked if you dare.
• Allow the sun to touch every part of your body.  Feels its heat.
• Notice how it does not hold back any of its light.
• It gives it ALL to you.
• Now, got to the mirror, take in all of who you are in this moment.
• Celebrate yourself.
• Get dressed up to express the full delight of being alive – in the sun, having fun, nothing to hide, noting to be ashamed of,
• Just being fully who you are.
• Walk through your home in this delight, or go where you will and enjoy!

 

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of Journeys into the Mirror: A Journal for Women written by Janneke Koole, Illustrated by Mukee Okan, you can find it at DTMMS.

Reflections: Seasons, Spring

Awakening as from a deep sleep
Pungent and dank as the forest floor
Emerging fresh as first flowers

Like a spring-fed stream, she restores a promise
Of new life – a titillating pulse stirring within

Life beckons, entices, arouses
Blossoming fertility
Glowing pregnancy
Anticipation

Here are some suggested ways help embody the reflection of this season:

• Lying in your bed as you awaken each morning, know it as the spring of a new day.
• Take a breath and smell the potential of life in the making.
• Feel deep down in your belly – what new life is stirring within?
• What is your heart’s desire for this new day?
• See yourself emerging from the cocoon of the night as a fresh butterfly into the day.
• Stretch your whole body, deliciously sensuously.
• Listen within,
• A promise awakens.
• Place your hands on your belly and give yourself the pleasure of living within this intent –
• just for this day.

 

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of Journeys into the Mirror: A Journal for Women written by Janneke Koole, Illustrated by Mukee Okan, you can find it at DTMMS.

Reflections: Seasons, Winter

Still
Within
A breath held longer than you’d think

Dreaming that which cannot yet be named
Waiting for a movement not yet begun
Anticipating new life not yet stirring within

Our depth is unfathomable
Our silence impenetrable
Our ways not reproducible

Even before conception, we carry the unspoken until ready for words
Even before birthing, we surrender to the forces much greater than our small voice
Even before dying, we know the time is complete

Still, within the winter, we know without knowing how we know.

Here are some suggested ways help embody the reflection of this season:

• One day this winter, enter into the still night without turning on any lights
• Don’t turn on any music; turn off all the phones, radio, TV, etc.
• Instead, sit quietly and feel the approach of darkness.
• As night falls, observe its movements and hear its call.
• Stay totally quiet and utterly still.
• Notice how the sounds all around you change.
• Notice how, deep within the silence, life is unfolding without definition or form or name.
• Know you are holding indescribable potential within.
• Name three ways in which you can deepen your inner silence and visit your potential.

 

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of Journeys into the Mirror: A Journal for Women written by Janneke Koole, Illustrated by Mukee Okan, you can find it at DTMMS.