Allies and power animals

Allies and power animals are 'tools' used by those working shamanically; in the same way that a builder or doctor has a set of differing tools. And just like mundane tools our spiritual ones must be 'fit for purpose'; it would be no good me having a nice engraved solid silver hammer if I wanted to bang rivets in, nor would I want a rusty old saw to amputate a leg. Yet, I see people on the path who believe their power allies should be the most glamorous creations in order to impress 'someone'. It's nice to think that we all have dolphins and eagles and big cats, but to be honest, they have a very limited range of functions in spirit. The mouse who is preyed upon by many is far more sensitive to danger than the puma who has no real enemies, similarly, common grass is far more in tune with the gastro-intestinal tract than a rose.

If we only look for the impressive or accept only what is in vogue, we miss out on the constant conversation that exists between spirit and us.You sit patiently waiting for your badger to turn up with a message whilst at your feet the lowly earthworm waits patiently for you to listen. Understand?

Allies take time, time to cultivate, and many shamans only have one or two at the most. Certainly, I haven't seen anyone journeying with a menagerie; but maybe that's just me. Just remember that allies don't actually want to be at your beck and call, they have other things to do; so gaining one and keeping it near to hand is a bit like landing a very large fish - you have to play it. Once you have it there is always a symbiotic relationship, the ally always asks something in return and it's not something that will come easily to you.

The same thing is true of power animals, and I have to say that if you believe for one second that you have a power animal because you pulled a card from the deck you are wrong - SO wrong. What you have there is a card with an association by you, a fetish; not a power animal. If you meditate and see an eagle soaring, that is not your power animal; not until it physically comes before you of its own free will (zoo's don't count) and offers itself in service. Then it is your ally!

Here are some true examples, only the names are changed to protect the guilty ...

Dorothy didn't like frogs, but for some reason they loved her. They would turn up in the kitchen, sit on the drive and hop around her house. She was not a happy bunny, and wherever she went they turned up; usually in her tent. Out of sheer desperation she started to learn about frogs, brought books and spoke to those in the know. She realised just how smart these things are and began looking into what they meant in more esoteric circles. Before long she looked forward to seeing them, and missed them when they failed to appear. In fact, she began to see an association between when they appeared and what she was doing/thinking and when they didn't. Dorothy became a frog expert and they became her ally.

Michael was nuts about wolves, he collected everything he could that had a wolf motif and he was convinced it was his power animal and guide; even though he had never met one. Who cares, he thought, if I surround myself with enough of them it might rub off. Michael was also a loner and hated it, but whatever he tried nothing seemed to increase his social interactions. He hated solitude as much as he hated ants. Ants! They were in the kitchen scrabbling about invading his larder and messing up his worktops - ants. Someone told Michael to study the ants because the 'someone' knew 'something' that Michael was missing. With reluctance he did, and soon observed how they work together as one unit. Efficiency through co-operation, social interaction at its peak - perfect. Michael got the message, and realised that ants are far more social than male wolves and it changed his life.

So, you want a power animal; look around you at what is there, the blackbird singing in the garden every day, the goldfish that sits staring at you as you meditate or the spider that seems to constantly evade capture and turns up when you least expect it.

'Someone' knows 'something' - be the someone.