We’ve all heard of guardian spirits and perhaps you’ve even wondered if you have one yourself (or perhaps you know you do!). If you’re interested in learning more about them you might enjoy reading Animal Spirit Guides: Discover Your Power Animal and the Shamanic Path – by Chris Luttichau. In essence, an animal spirit guide or power animal is a guardian spirit and in this book Luttichau tells us that all animals, from the wolf to the ant carry a message of guidance and hope. He tells you how you can find your own power animal and by inviting the spirit of that animal into your life using the traditional rituals of the shaman, you can deepen your affinity with the natural world and learn from the wisdom of your animal guide. With descriptions of more than 60 different animals and the "medicine" they offer along with lovely illustrations, it’s a book well worth looking at.

 

After reading the book I was giving some thought to which animal would be my power animal (or guide) which I assumed to be the dog, working with a dog magazine and all, but I was shown otherwise. While on a quiet pre-dusk walk along a woodland pool at Jericho  Beach Park I saw the surface of the water suddenly ripple. I assumed it was a fish or perhaps a Muskrat, but as the ripple came closer to me I could see that it was a Beaver. Normally very shy animals, this Beaver came within 10 feet of me, dove down, pulled up a reed and then surfaced again to chomp away at the sweet root. I stood there, amazed at how close I was and then came to realize that perhaps I was being shown that this, indeed, was my Spirit Animal. Upon returning home, I took the book out to read again the attributes/medicine of the Beaver and reflect on what I learned.

 

If you would like to read more about this book, I’ve covered it in Connie’s Book Club in the summer issue of Modern Dog.

 

Here’s a picture of the pond where I saw the Beaver. Unfortunately, I didn’t have my camera with me the first time I saw him, but I went back there last night and saw him again, although he didn’t come close enough this time for me to take a photo.