Spirit Lodge - Totem Animals - Page 69

SPIRIT
LODGE

LIBRARY

Totem Animals

Page 69

(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

GORILLA
By Pathwalkah

The first time I tried that mirror exercise I saw a primate. Didn't realize until after the fact that it
was a juvenile gorilla. The second time I tried the exercise the gorilla was an adult silver-back.
And yesterday I was staring into a calcite sphere I just bought and the gorilla appeared againthis
time as an afterimage (think that's what it's called). Those were the only times I've seen him.
So does anyone have any ideas why he only seems to appear when I do the mirror thing? Also
anyone have any ideas where I can go and look him up? There's nothing here that I could find.

Mouse:
The Gorillas have excellent memories and a keen sense of observation. They are found in groups
and are quite social. If a person tries to harm anyone in their group the gorilla remembers that
person and will have a tendency to charge that person every time he or she approaches. This
indicates their undying loyalty to family and loved ones. Respect is very important to the gorilla.
Gorillas have acute hearing and respond to unusual sounds that are not part of normal activity.
For those with this totem this indicates clairaudient abilities. Gorilla medicine people can hear
vibrations and frequencies that others cannot. Hearing is one of their main gifts. They are great
listeners and really hear what others are saying and respond accordingly.

Gorillas are conservationists eating only a few leaves from each plant always leaving several
leaves so that the plant can replenish the leaves quickly. Those with this medicine care about the
environment and need to have access to nature and its elements to maintain balance and
harmony within themselves.

Gorillas have a gentle strength, patience and clarity of vision. Once they create a goal they stick
with it until accomplished. They are extremely intelligent. Gorillas have been taught to use sign
language to communicate words and have even been know to form simple sentences, this
indicates an ability to utilize sound to its fullest. Many Gorilla people choose professions
working with the deaf and dumb and are compassionate insightful healers.

(from: www.sayahda.com/cyc2.html) (no longer active)

Gorilla's Wisdom Includes:
• Intelligence
• Gentleness
• Maternal instinct
• Use of speech
• Benevolence
(from: www.geocities.com/~animalspirits/index24.html)

Gorilla: Family oriented, mother nurturing, intelligent, strength, useful of the environment,
gentle, protector, guardian of loved ones. (had this one in my notes - not sure where it came
from)

Ape/Gorilla animal totem
The great Chippewa Medicine Teacher Sun Bear once teased me by pointing out the great
diversity of totem and clan animals available to traditional Native Americans.

"But the poor white folks seem to have only one totem animal, only one clan animal the ape," he
said, smiling broadly. "White people believe that they were all descended from the hairy ape. But
it doesn't make any difference if some of us native people believe that we were descended from
wolves, deer, or bears and you believe your ancestor was an ape. We should still all be able to
get along in peace and harmony."

There were no apes or primates on the North American continent, hut it is recorded that when
the early missionaries showed the Delaware tribe pictorial representations of apes, the people
concluded that the evil spirit had fashioned the creatures to mock the Great Mystery's creation of
humans.

Many African tribes believe that the great apes are really capable of speech and that secretly
among themselves, they converse freely with one another. They refuse to do so in the presence of
humans for fear that they might be put to work and made to live in villages with their hairless
brothers and sisters.

A Jewish tradition maintains that God transformed some of the arrogant people who sought to
stretch the Tower of Babel to Heaven's door into apes as punishment for their misdeed.
In Christian symbology, the ape represents unrestrained lust and the lowest and basest aspects
of humankind's bestial nature. One tale even has Satan creating the ape as his corporeal
counterpart to God's fashioning of the human.

On the other hand, Hindu folklore often portrays the ape as a compassionate and helpful
creature, such as the character of Hanuman in the Ramayana.

The ape, although tremendously powerful, is, unless provoked, a gentle animal. As a totem
animal, the ape may represent self-control, self-discipline, and the confidence to express strength
through gentleness and kindness. If you have chosen the ape as your spirit helper, be assured
that you will begin to notice a new respect from your fellow workers and in your family
environment.

While you are experiencing new physical accomplishments with the help of your totem guide, be
certain that you do not neglect taking time to enter the Silence for your spiritual growth.
(from: www.fortunecity.com/greenfield/ecolodge/197/ape.html)