Spirit Lodge - Totem Animals - Page 151

SPIRIT
LODGE

LIBRARY

Totem Animals

Page 151

(Main Links of the site are right at the bottom of the page)
Some of the links for the 197 pages in this Totem Animals section are below. For the rest please go HERE

Bear Medicine	Birth Totems	Coyote Medicine	Dragon Ranks	Dragonfly Medicine	Eagle Medicine	Four Animal Helpers	Grey Wolf Medicine	Hawk
Heron Medicine	Horse	Magpie	Raccoon	Salmon Medicine	Spider Medicine	Swan Medicine	Thunder Being Medicine	Totem Loss Disc

SLUG TOTEM
By StarDreamer

Today I was outside on break asking Spirit to show me some guidance regarding some particular
issues in my life right now. I heard/felt one of my guides whispering in my ear, but I could not
make out what he was saying…just a mumbling sort of whooshing noise. I needed to go back
inside, so I said thank you and turned to go back in. Something caught my eye on the ground - a
triangular piece of white paper up against the foundation. Upon it, smack in the middle of it, was
Slug - about 2 ½ inches long and just sitting there, moving its head back and forth, its antennae
waving in front of it. It brought me up short. As I watched it, I remembered all the times in the
last year I've referred to myself as a Slug because I've had such low energy, things in the
mundane have moved so slowly for me, and I don't feel like I'm getting anywhere (particularly in
the last 6 weeks while being sick with bronchitis!).

Slug…I wondered if Slug was just like Snail, with the exception of the wonderful shell Snail
retreats to for safety. So I looked up Snail and, yes, there are similarities, but the lack of that
shell seems to make Slug something else entirely.

Slug seems very vulnerable, yet that vulnerability can be its strength and protection. Slug can
curl itself up or make itself long and skinny to get into whatever space it needs at the time. Slug
is a bit of a shapeshifter! Flexible and molding itself into the moment, sometimes disappearing
into the woodwork if need be.

Here's something I found on Slug Medicine:
Slug's Medicine
A Slimy Spirit Animal
velvetdragon.com/spirit/slug.html

Slugs are gastropods and mollusks with a soft body and no shell, or only a rudimentary shell
inside the body. The Slug spoken of here is the terrestrial slug, such as the banana slug or garden
slug; not the Sea Slug, which would be looked at separately. Slugs are hermaphroditic, and the
gender-neutral pronouns "sie" and "hir" will be used for this page. Slug is a very "mystical" sort
of Spirit Animal. While animals like mountain lion or raccoon are very earth-based, Slug has a
more ethereal quality to hir teachings. Slug leaves trails that are iridescent... seemingly magical.
These trails are often interpreted to be signs and totems left by Slug, and can be interpreted. Slug
is a great communicator, both mundane and spiritual. Slug is nocturnal and has ties with the
moon. Slug Medicine is in its most primal basic form that of a healer. Not too long ago, Native
Americans used to let Banana Slug crawl around in their mouths when they had a toothache,
because Slug's mucous is an anesthetic. Slug's wisdom includes that of healing body, mind, and
spirit, and represents the connections that must be healthy between these for overall well-being.

Slug can cling to glass, upside down, yet to the touch, the "slime" is slick and is used to rid
hirself of gunk... like anything wet and sliming around in the leaves and dirt would collect. It just
slides off of Slug (you can see it at the end of their tails sometimes). This is another part of Slug's
wisdom -- letting go, or leaving behind the "junk" and garbage of life... rumors, bad feelings,
stories, material ties, attachment and so on. Slug is of balance, represented by sticky mucous to
help hir hold on when it is important -- a solid base -- versus slick slime to help hir shed the
trivial things. Slug is not very connected to the physical world. Slug may lose part of hir body
during mating; this is for the continuation of the species and is not mourned (it does in fact help
slugs in the long run). Slug sheds hirself of all material things. Sie eats on the move. Sie shelters
wherever there may be shelter.

Slug's medicine also includes incredible strength. Particularly hidden strength. It may not seem
like it, looking at that little squishy critter with no bones and only a rudimentary shell inside. But
Slug is almost pure muscle. Sie moves by tiny ripples of those muscles. The foot muscles are the
most evidence of this... you can see them moving watching a slug on a piece of glass, from
underneath. Slug also has the Wisdom of self-protection and hiding. Slug can pull hirself almost
entirely under hir mantle, protecting most of hir vital organs. Sie protects hirself from predators
in this way. Sie also protects hirself from the harsh sun and dryness by hiding under a stone or
piece of wood or in a crack, emerging in the gentle night.

Part of Slug's teachings include simplicity. Slugs live simply (survival --
food/shelter/reproduction) and are simple organisms. Also, Slug's wisdom is that of seeing the
world of spirit and shadow -- seeing beyond the mundane and clairvoyance. Slug can't "see" in
terms of shape and color. They see in pure light and shadow. Slug has a great deal to teach us
about gender and sexuality. Slug may be considered to be a combination of both male and
female, or an independent gender. They can reproduce with any other Slug (and suffer no
sexism!), and also by themselves if a suitable partner can't be found. Slug, like many other living
things, challenges the duality of deity. Exceptionally fertile, many slugs lay hundreds of eggs at a
time.

I also found something that was really cute:
Slug Totem Any additions or thoughts would be appreciated.

CinnamonMoon:
Slug from Ted Andrews "Animal-Wise”
Keynote: Movement to the light; increasing fertility and divination.
The slug is a member of the snail family, but without the shell. They are essentially snails that
have lost or almost lost their shells. The internal organs that are usually housed in the shell of a
snail are packed into the body of a slug. The slug is an ancient tool for divination, often
considered sacred. It's slimy trail was guidance in life and in decisions. When placed within a
flower, it's trail was the sacred writing of a future marriage partner. It is a symbol of the male
seed, the origin of life, the silent slow tendency of darkness to move toward the light.

The slug is related to the yod in the Hebrew alphabet, both being very similar in shapes. In
Qabalistic traditions, the letter yod stands for the occult faculty of touch and of the sexual union.
It is shaped like the sacred seed. In the Qabalistic Tree of Life, the yod is associated with the
path of the Hermit, the Wayshower or the Adept.

When the slug appears as a totem or messenger, we are opening to higher vision. A new path is
opening: "This path (the Hermit Path) and its symbols and imagery place before us opportunities
to become a new person. On a spiritual level this path stimulates a greater commitment to the
spiritual life. We are setting energy in motion that proclaims to the universe, "I am ready to
accept change in my life!" {From Ted Andrews book: More Simplified Magic.} The slug's
appearance reminds us that we will soon recognize and realize the illumination that is always
present within us.

Slugs vary in size and they live in damp places. Some live entirely underground. They are most
active at night or after a daytime shower. They move through hydraulics. This means rather than
moving through the work of muscles against joints, they move through the interaction of muscles
and fluid movement. The body fluids contract the muscles, causing the slug to stretch and push.
As it relaxes, it becomes smaller, until the fluid advances once more through the muscles.
Remember that the slug moves slowly but steadily, a reminder there are no shortcuts. For those
to whom the slug is a totem or messenger, care of the body joints will often be important.
Exercising in pools and in activities that are not hard on the joints will be most beneficial. On a
spiritual level, the slug is a reminder that the Biblical phrase, "Ask and it shall be given..." is
active within our life. The slug reminds us that if we know the proper way to ask, we will begin to
manifest that which we need or desire.

In the slug is the deception of appearances. Most lugs feed near ground level, eating decaying
plant matter and even some worms. Many are excellent climbers, and this unexpected ability is a
reminder that we can often do much more than what we may have thought physically and
spiritually possible. Let others think what they will and then let them be surprised at what you
accomplish and the heights you reach. The slug reminds you the magic to do what you wish is
already present in spite of what others might say.

Slugs are hermaphrodites, containing both male and female organs, but they do require
interaction with other slugs. There is a two-way exchange of sperm between the mating pairs and
the eggs are laid soon afterwards. The eggs hatch almost a month later. Hermaphrodites have
both male and female sexual organs. Even though humans don't have both sets of organs, we are
all a combination of male and female energies on other levels. Whenever the male and female
are brought together on any level, a new birth results. When we do this within ourselves, we give
birth to the Holy Child within. The slug reminds us that we are on the path to giving birth to our
inner Holy Child.

Ask: Are you staying cloaked, afraid to come out and express your inner talents?
Ask: Are you trying to do too much too soon?
Ask: Are we not moving out on our own path?
Ask: Are we locked into the paths of others, rather than pursuing our own?
Ask: Are we ignoring our own illuminations?