The Animal(s) In Me

I recently received a deck of Medicine Cards. These cards are primarily used for self reflection, though the box that they come in claims that they are tools for divination. Each card pictures a different animal which represents a particular quality which is based on traits of the animal. For example, the dog embodies loyalty while the butterfly embraces transformation. How the lesson of the animal is applied varies depending on whether the card was pulled right side up or upside down. There are a number of ways to use the cards for reflection, my favorite being just a random draw for the day.

I was first introduced to Medicine Cards over 10 years ago when a friend helped me create my totem. I drew 9 cards from the deck of 52 and each of the 9 represented different aspects of my being, i.e. spiritual side, child within, etc. I was frustrated when I chose the weasel as my inner animal since that was and still is my brother's nickname for me since I used my stealthy weasel nature to get my way. I spent many years disassociating myself from the weasel (think Pauly Shore) and I feel that I've achieved it. Well, at least when I redid my totem, the cards told me I had.

While the book that comes with the Medicine Cards says you should only do your totem once, I feel like enough time had gone by and, besides, I was a kid then and now I've transformed into my adult self.

Funnily enough, my inner animal this time was a bat, the animal of rebirth. And of course this carries more relevance to me than just the death of my weasel ways. Though the cards contain all sorts of animals, from insects to birds to reptiles, 4 of my 9 animals were canines - the dog, wolf, coyote, and fox. Though it seems pretty random, I think my totem actually reflects who I am. And, yes, I know it's possible to read into anything like this and find a way to apply it to your life. It's amusing to think that the playful dolphin and scrutinizing mouse are part of my totem since those are major defining traits for me, as is the trickster coyote who sees humor in all.