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How Does One Find Their Spirit Guide?

painted wolf

Grey Muzzle
The status of crows or any other animal is dependent on the culture (and the person) through which they are viewed.

There is no single "crow totem".... assigning definitive attributes to an animal spirit is a New Age practice. Western people love to define things so they can keep them organized.

wa:do
 

croak

Trickster
The status of crows or any other animal is dependent on the culture (and the person) through which they are viewed.

There is no single "crow totem".... assigning definitive attributes to an animal spirit is a New Age practice. Western people love to define things so they can keep them organized.

wa:do

I agree wholeheartedly. I was just listing a particular person's view of Crow who identifies with a Shamanistic path. Nothing more, nothing less.

I don't think you can find a totem by reading a description on a page. She seems to agree: About the Animal Totem Dictionary

I was simply contrasting it to the idea that crows were 'harbringers of misfortune'. That's the Judeo-Christian view, and possibly others as well. I'm not about to paint all cultures with the same brush. If it appeared that way, I apologize.
 

painted wolf

Grey Muzzle
Technically/traditionally speaking the only people with Totems are members of the Pacific Northwest Nations like the Haida. They are not spirit guides.

wa:do
 

croak

Trickster
Technically/traditionally speaking the only people with Totems are members of the Pacific Northwest Nations like the Haida. They are not spirit guides.

wa:do

I suppose that depends on your definition of totem.

And I never claimed they were spirit guides. You're right, this is a thread about spirit guides. I simply wanted to show a different interpretation of Crow, and it came under the heading of totem.

Here's a collection somebody came up with: The Mythology of the Crow. I'm not saying any of the listed cultures treat Crow as a spirit guide.
 

painted wolf

Grey Muzzle
I just want to keep New Age concepts from creeping into the discussion. When I hear people mention "totems" I tend to be put on guard.

Crows are awesome both from a scientific and cultural standpoints.

wa:do
 

croak

Trickster
I just want to keep New Age concepts from creeping into the discussion. When I hear people mention "totems" I tend to be put on guard.

Crows are awesome both from a scientific and cultural standpoints.

wa:do

Spirit guides can invite New Age concepts as well. I can understand your reaction, though.

And that they are! I miss watching and listening to the crows... I saw some Hooded Crows recently, though. That cheered me up. :)
 

Comicaze247

See the previous line
The status of crows or any other animal is dependent on the culture (and the person) through which they are viewed.

There is no single "crow totem".... assigning definitive attributes to an animal spirit is a New Age practice. Western people love to define things so they can keep them organized.

wa:do
Good point. I'm trying to train myself to move away from the categorizing habit. I know that categorizing takes away from the depth and understanding of anything, but I suppose some habits are harder to break than others.

I miss watching and listening to the crows...
The crows seem to be calling my name, thought Caw.
 

Azakel

Liebe ist für alle da
I haven't had an experience with a crow, I did though I few years back have one with a Raven. It followed me around for a good hour making this weird noise(not sure what it was).
(also) The other night I had a dream i which (I think it was) a beaver was trying to get me attention(this was i a dream).
One ever know what will appear to them.
 

bain-druie

Tree-Hugger!
It's true, crows are negatively viewed as harbingers of misfortune in Western society largely due to Judeo-Christian influence. This has much to do also with the way we see death.

In the Celtic pantheon, the Morrighan is the goddess of war, death, and prophecy; but also of fertility and healing. Her 'familiars' (for lack of a better term) are crows, ravens, and wolves. Many Dualist Western minds find it difficult to reconcile the goddess of death and war also specializing in healing and fertility; but this is a reflection of the beautiful balance that is life here in this realm. Morrighan is not to be feared, nor is death, nor are crows. It is a part of reality that our ancestors dealt with FAR better than we do, as a rule, in Western society.

Generally the Morrighan - or her crows - brings a message of needed ruthlessness. What I mean is this: crows clear the ground; they are carrion birds. They feast on dead flesh; thus clearing the ground for new life to spring up. When Crow comes to you on a consistent basis, one thought you might explore is the need to clear some ground in your life; are there things hindering you in your life path that you should get rid of? They need to go; it's dead flesh, don't let it rot on the ground.

The Morrighan as a healer is far different from our traditional ideas of healing deities: she is not a nurse, or a gentle sort of physician - she's a surgeon. If she sees something needs to be cut off, she will do it. It will at times hurt like F*** when the Morrighan heals; but it's always necessary and usually an emergency. Crows and ravens are her agents.
 

Eagle

Y'shua follower
Why do people have a desire to be in contact with a spirit?

Is it to get some type of power or are they looking for a genie? I do not see the need for some spirit guide at all.....
 

Klaufi_Wodensson

Vinlandic Warrior
Why do people have a desire to be in contact with a spirit?

Is it to get some type of power or are they looking for a genie? I do not see the need for some spirit guide at all.....

Because you follow Jesus. In a sense, he is your spirit guide. However, you normally would not understand the desires and yearnings of other people, so this wouldn't make sense to you.
 

InChrist

Free4ever
Does anyone here have any concern that a "spirit guide" could be a malevolent spirit or demonic being posing as something good to gain access into a person's life?
 

Klaufi_Wodensson

Vinlandic Warrior
Does anyone here have any concern that a "spirit guide" could be a malevolent spirit or demonic being posing as something good to gain access into a person's life?

I don't believe that there are spirits who are out to get you. I don't think any conscious being of any sort would deliberately pretend to be nice just in order to get close and invade your life. It makes no sense. I believe in the "you respect me, I respect you" sort of thing. The spirits I believe in are nature related, so if you respect nature, the spirits respect you.
 

InChrist

Free4ever
I don't believe that there are spirits who are out to get you. I don't think any conscious being of any sort would deliberately pretend to be nice just in order to get close and invade your life. It makes no sense. I believe in the "you respect me, I respect you" sort of thing. The spirits I believe in are nature related, so if you respect nature, the spirits respect you.[/quot




Thank you for your answer and perspective. Although, I find it hard to understand how you could come to such a conclusion. Each day, we hear or read about in the news, know someone, or experience ourselves conscious human beings who deliberately pretend to be nice or something other than they really are in order to con, scam, steal identity, rape, molest, or other things that are not very nice.

I'm not saying that just because we see this happen among conscious human beings that it means it automatically happens in the spirit realm, but how do you know with certainty? I personally would not want to assume or depend on blind trust that all spirits are good.
 

croak

Trickster
Thank you for your answer and perspective. Although, I find it hard to understand how you could come to such a conclusion. Each day, we hear or read about in the news, know someone, or experience ourselves conscious human beings who deliberately pretend to be nice or something other than they really are in order to con, scam, steal identity, rape, molest, or other things that are not very nice.

I'm not saying that just because we see this happen among conscious human beings that it means it automatically happens in the spirit realm, but how do you know with certainty? I personally would not want to assume or depend on blind trust that all spirits are good.
It depends on the culture. In some, there are spirits that are out to get you. I can't say what the case is for shamanism, however (which isn't just one set belief system, anyway).
 

Klaufi_Wodensson

Vinlandic Warrior
Thank you for your answer and perspective. Although, I find it hard to understand how you could come to such a conclusion. Each day, we hear or read about in the news, know someone, or experience ourselves conscious human beings who deliberately pretend to be nice or something other than they really are in order to con, scam, steal identity, rape, molest, or other things that are not very nice.

I'm not saying that just because we see this happen among conscious human beings that it means it automatically happens in the spirit realm, but how do you know with certainty? I personally would not want to assume or depend on blind trust that all spirits are good.


Well the spirits I believe in are nature based, and nature is certainly not malevolent. It just exists
 

painted wolf

Grey Muzzle
Why do people have a desire to be in contact with a spirit?
No idea.... I never sought anything out.
But if I had to guess, it would the the same desire to talk to a personal god that answers prayers. :cool:

Is it to get some type of power or are they looking for a genie? I do not see the need for some spirit guide at all.....
No.... seeking power is a huge no-no. Most people only get a better view of their own relationship with the divine and their own psyche.

wa:do
 

painted wolf

Grey Muzzle
Does anyone here have any concern that a "spirit guide" could be a malevolent spirit or demonic being posing as something good to gain access into a person's life?
Nope.

We don't believe in "demons" and our "malevolent spirits" are pretty obvious about what they do. They certainly don't help people.

wa:do

ps. No one trusts that all spirits are "good"... spirits are what they are. Most are neither good nor bad, but they can be dangerous if they aren't respected. It seems to be a particularly Christian view that things have to be either "good" or "bad".
 
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Orias

Left Hand Path
ryynänen47;1573234 said:
I would like to find a spirit guide. How do I go about doing that?

Peace and Long Life,


Ryynänen47


I have discovered that the Self has treated me with the utmost honesty.

If One wants to possess their own Spirit, then it can only be grasped onto by the Self. Otherwise it isn't your Spirit, and it isn't your Origin of thought and mind ;)
 
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