Spirit Lodge - Totem Animals - Page 107

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Page 107

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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

MOUSE
By CinnamonMoon

**Lady Stearn Robinson & Tom Gorbett/The Dreamer's Dictionary:
Discord among friends and/or family is the main keynote in most dreams concerning mice, but
this is altered in some circumstances by the action. If you scared the mice away in your dream,
the indication is that you will overcome your difficulties and/or outwit your enemies; if, in your
dream, you felt a mouse in your clothes, it is a warning that someone you trust is maligning you.
To be frightened by a mouse portends a social embarrassment; to kill one signifies financial gain;
and to catch one in a trap indicates unwelcome news (or visitors) from a distance. If your dream
concerned a mouse (or mice) being chased or killed by a cat, it is a warning not to allow others to
meddle in your affairs; listen to advice but act only according to your own judgment.

*The Wordsworth Dictionary of Phrase and Fable:
The soul was often anciently supposed to pass at death through the mouth of man in some animal
form, sometimes a mouse or rat. A red mouse indicated a pure soul; a black mouse, a polluted
soul; a pigeon or dove, a saintly soul.

Mouse is also slang for a black eye, and was formerly a common term of endearment, like bird,
birdie, duckie, and lamb.

"It's a bold mouse that nestles in the cat's ear." Said of one who is taking an unnecessary risk.
"The Mouse Tower" was a medieval watchtower on the Rhine, near Bingen, so called from the
tradition that Archbishop Hatto was there devoured by mice. Actually it was built by Bishop
Siegfried 200 years after Hatto's death, as a toll-house. The German Maut means "toll" (Mouse is
Maus), and the similarity of these words together with the unpopularity of the toll on corn gave
rise to the legend.

*D.J. Conway/Animal Magick:
A small rodent belonging to the genus Mus, this creature is usually a soft brown color. They
have twitching whiskers on each side of a slightly pointed muzzle and sharp gnawing teeth. They
have keen hearing and eyesight.

Some type of mouse can be found in nearly every area of the world. The most beguiling is the
American harvest mouse, which is found in fields searching for seeds and grass. it has a very
long tail, builds its spherical nest in tall grasses, and swings like an acrobat on the grass.

The common mouse of older European traditions was not always held in low esteem as it is
today. It was believed to be the form taken by a soul when it escaped the lips of a dead person.
The white-footed mouse is an appealing creature with a strong curiosity. It lives in the woods
and eats berries and nuts. it has a very musical voice (totally unexpected in a mouse) and often chirps.

Ordinarily a very shy rodent, the mouse can move quietly and inconspicuously through its
surroundings; it can also move extremely fast if necessary.

The ancient Greek cult of Apollo Smitheus evolved from an earlier cult of the mouse; this
creature is also associated with Zeus/Sabazius. In C.E. 77, Pliny the Elder wrote that roasted
mice mixed with honey would cure measles, colds, sore throats, and fever. In Celtic folklore, the
mouse is mentioned several times, as in the tale of Manawydan and Pryderi where a mouse was
the shape-shifted wife of a magician. Some people have had excellent results in getting rid of
mice by slipping a note in their hiding places, asking them to leave. They only ate my note.

Superstitions: Since mice are underground dwellers, they were thought to be connected with the
Underworld and in touch with the dark powers of the deities there. However, in some cultures
believed that the should too the form of a mouse at death or during astral travel.

There are several superstitions pertaining to the origin of mice. One is that the devil created the
mouse to cause trouble in the Ark. Another says they fell to Earth from special clouds during a
storm. In Germany, the people said that witches made mice. A mouse is considered a sign of bad
luck in most places, especially if it eats your clothing. In the Highlands of Scotland, some people
wear the teeth of mice as good luck charms. They also make charmed water for cattle diseases by
putting the skin, backbone, or teeth of mouse in it. IN Germany, a white mouse is thought to be
lucky and to kill one brings misfortune. the liver of mice gets large at the Full Moon, and smaller
at the New Moon.

Magickal Attributes: Secrets, cunning, shyness; the ability to remain inconspicuous; invisibility.
Often, its appearance signals the need to watch small details, the fine print in contracts, or the
double meaning in words. Watching for deception. stealth, initiative, trust, innocence, change,
discovery, balance, harmony. For guidance before signing any papers or making any promises.

*Mary Summer Rain/On Dreams:
Connotes a negative aspect that has infiltrated one's life.

*Denise Linn/The Secret Language of Signs:
Do you feel insignificant or "mousy"? This can be a sign of timidity and fear. Do you feel the
need for quiet, or a concern about being quiet? Are you being too quiet in your life? Is it time to
let people know who you are? Mice have been associated with paying attention to the details in
life. Attend to the small matters in life and the bigger things will take care of themselves.

*Timothy Roderick/The Once Unknown Familiar:
Key Words: Curious, fidgety
Magical Influences: Finding ways around obstacles, heightening one's hearing, ability to get
beyond closed doors.

Personality:
Mice are not really all that extroverted. They detest surprises and shocks of any kind and prefer
the comfort of routine. They are able to find ways of getting what they want, but they are silent
and swift movers on the job. Once they find a living space they like, they can settle in for the rest
of their lives. Mouse personalities communicate telepathically with other people, and with
animals as well.

*Patricia Telesco/The Language of Dreams:
Frugality and resourcefulness. Saving and recycling even minute things effectively. Someone
overly soft in voice or who lacks backbone (e.g., being "mousy"). The size of this creature may
reflect an underdeveloped sense of self-worth. Aesop's Fables portray the mouse as an emblem
that makes weaknesses into strengths. A secret, well-hidden adversary of whom you should
become aware. Not too that this enemy may be within. Mousetraps have become an emblem of
ingenuity and tackling a difficult problem with creative insight (e.g., "building a better
mousetrap"). They may also be regarded as an alternative cage emblem, where you get caught
by, or caught up in, technology.

*Brad Steiger/Totems:
Among the Rio Grande villages in the Southwest, the Pueblo fear that one of the meanest tricks
of witches is to cause a mouse to grow inside someone's stomach. In old German folklore, it was
belief that witches created mice out of scraps of cloth.

In the Christian tradition, St. Gertrude must have exorcised her mouse, for an old Christian
folktale claimed that Satan invented the tiny four-legged to torment the other animals aboard
Noah's ark. Another legend went that story one better by claiming Satan himself became a mouse
and tried to gnaw through the ark and sink it.

Among many things that a mouse totem animal can bring to you is an appreciation of the
importance of the smallest details. This spirit helper will alert you to the need for introspection
and a careful self-examination of your strongest and weakest attributes.

If you have chosen the mouse as your totem animal, you have probably already learned to
conduct your life in an attitude of trust in the Great Mystery. Although you may at first have
considered the doorway to other dimensions to be too formidable to allow your passage, Mouse
no doubt taught you that persistence and devotion will permit you to squeeze through the
smallest access to awareness.

*Ted Andrews/Animal-Speak:
Keynote: Attention to detail
Cycle of Power: Five to Six Week Cycles

There are many kinds of mice. Most have certain qualities in common. These will be examined
in this section, along with a specific look at the common deer mouse (also called the wood
mouse or white-footed mouse).

The deer mouse has big eyes and ears, and has white gloves on its feet. Most mice are nocturnal,
but this is especially true of the deer mouse. It sees well in darkness, but in sunlight it will act
somewhat blind. This is not true of other mice. The deer mouse will nest in abandoned squirrel
and bird nests, hollow logs, cracks and crevices. Its nest will often be glove shaped, and the
entrance will have a plug or door which can be closed for warmth. The male and female work
together to remodel the nest. Most mice change their nests often.

The deer mouse is fastidious about keeping its fur cleaned and groomed. This is not so with the
more drab house mouse. The deer mouse is good about its appearance, but it is a sloppy
housekeeper. This reflects that, for those with a mouse totem, there will be areas in which
fastidiousness and attention to detail is highly concentrated, while in other areas there may be
neglect. This paradox is often a source of confusion and sometimes irritation to those who live
and work with mouse people.

Most mice store food, as well as search out food all year round. The deer mouse eats seeds,
berries, and bark and is less destructive than the meadow mouse in regard to farmers crops and grains.

All predators feed on mice. to compensate for this, mice will have three or four litters a year.
They survive because of their numbers. the deer mouse mother, as with most mice, will care for
the young about five weeks. Then the young are on their own. Because of this, if a mouse has
come into your life, its energies will be most strongly felt for about five to six weeks.
When mouse shows up as a totem, it is either time to pay attention to details, or an indication that
you cannot see the forest for the trees. You may be getting so locked into details that you forget
the big picture.

Ask yourself some important questions. Are you taking care of the trivial but necessary things in
life? Are you getting so lost in the big dreams that you are neglecting other aspects of your life?
Are you becoming so focused on one or two activities that you are neglecting to see the
opportunities? Are you missing what is right in front of you? Is there something obvious that you
are missing or need to focus on? Are you trying to do too many things at once and thereby
scattering your energies?

Mouse medicine can show you how to focus and pay attention to detail. It can show you how to
attain the big things by working on the little things. Whenever mouse shows up there are lessons
associated with attention.

*Cinnamon Moon:
Mouse is the Spirit Keeper of the South and Fire. It teaches us about the burning sensation of
passion in life, to explore and confront our realities with our ideals. It teaches us to overcome
fear and push past it so that we can grow. Mouse Medicine teachs the skills of examination, trust,
innocence, and faith through trials-by-fire, through experience, through exploration and firsthand
knowledge.

Mouse represents details, scrutiny, introspection, and penetration; telepathy, persistence, and
trust; faith, vulnerability, and harmony.

In the mundane world Mouse is excellent Medicine for those who deal with details or contractual
matters. The importance of legal loopholes will be emphasized and little to nothing will be
overlooked. This will reveal itself in a routine manner of investigations and those who work in
the legal or political positions will find it a most appropriate totem. Mouse will teach you
methods of getting the information or details you want quickly and eagerly for it has high energy
as well as a curious mind. It will point out your own strengths and weaknesses so that you are
aware of them and can make the best of any given situation.

Mouse teaches trust in Spirit and knowing that if you are persistent in your efforts life will
reward you. Awareness of your vulnerabilities is a necessity. To know who your enemies are and
where they dwell will keep you from harm’s way. It teaches that little by little you work your
way to a goal. Sometimes you can run while at others you must wait until the path is once more
safe to move forward and the danger is gone. He will teach you to jump high and see the big
picture now and then, but always, always to get refocused on the details that will complete it.

Our sweet Cedar Rose (Mouse) is one of the finest examples of Mouse Medicine I've ever met.
She is meticulous in all that she does, observant beyond measure, nothing much gets past her I
can tell you! LOL And she's so sweet. If this new attorney walks with Mouse (and that seems to
be the indication here), you couldn't be in better hands for finding the answers. Cedar Rose is a
good example of one who does labor with love of the process itself, and I saw this connection
when I read your post just now, Sweetie. I'm so happy for you! I'd say Spirit just put you in very
competent hands!

SisterCyber:
From Jamie Sams' & David Carson's "Medicine Cards" (Revised, Expanded Edition)
Mouse...
If I could see the world,
Through your tiny eyes,
Maybe then I would know,
How to scrutinize.
Every detail carries weight,
And true to its purpose,
Has its perfect puzzle place,
To stop the "three-ring circus!"

MOUSE: scrutiny
Mouse says, "I will touch everything with my whiskers in order to know it." Paradoxically, this is
both a great power and a great weakness. It is good medicine to see up close. It is good medicine
to pay attention to detail, but it is bad medicine to chew every little thing to pieces.

Mouse has many predatory enemies, including birds, snakes, and cats. Since Mouse is food for
many, it has a highly developed sense of danger at every turn. So-called civilization is a highly
complex set of components which calls for more and more organizational skills and scrutiny to
detail every year. Mouse is a powerful medicine to have in these modern times. Things that might
appear insignificant to others take on enormous importance to Mouse.

Mouse people anger many other medicine types because they appear to be nitpickers. Mouse
people will spot the lint on your coat, even if it matches in color. They will try to convince you
that the simplest task is fraught with difficulty. They are fixated on methodology. They sort and
categorize and file away for later use. They may seem like they are hoarding, but this is the
farthest thing from Mouse's mind. They are merely putting everything in order so that they will
be able to explore it more carefully at a later date.

The chiefs tell us that without Mouse there would be no systemization of knowledge. Mouse
ended Renaissance man and harkened the age of specialization. Mouse knew from the very
beginning that "there is always more to learn." One can always delve deeper and deeper and deeper.

If your personal medicine is Mouse, you may be fearful of life but very well organized, with a
compartment for everything. You should try to see a larger picture than the one staring you in
the face. Develop largesse of spirit. Try to become aware of the Great Dance of Life. Realize that
even though you may be sitting in Los Angeles, there is also a New York, a Moon, a solar system,
a galaxy, and an infinite universe. Jump high, little friend. You will glimpse the Sacred Mountain.

If mouse is in your card-spread, its medicine is telling you to scrutinize. Look at yourself and
others carefully. Maybe that big hunk of cheese is sitting on a trigger that will spring a deadly
trap. Maybe the cat is in the pantry waiting for you. Maybe someone to whom you have
delegated authority, such as a doctor, a lawyer, or even a plumber, is not doing the job faithfully.
The message is to see what is right before your eyes and to take action accordingly.

CONTRARY
Mouse in the contrary position may be telling you that you are spending too much time with
maters of great consequence when you should be paying a traffic ticket or sweeping the hogan.
You may have let yourself become slovenly. You may have developed a disdain for authority and
order. You may be procrastinating about something that needs immediate attention. Bring Mouse
medicine to your life's chaos and you will soon have everything tidy and shipshape.

Another message of Mouse reversed may be that you are "pipe dreaming" about your own
importance in life. Are you wondering why you have not been nominated for an Academy
Award? You can't be recognized if you are not taking care of life's details and walking in
humility. Remember that all good things come to those willing to work toward wholeness. Little
Mouse needs to see the big picture, but only assimilate the information the picture gives a little
at a time. Expansiveness can be overwhelming if you forget to take it step by step. Confusion is a
product of "too much, too soon." Little mouse can conquer any task by using its scrutiny. Slow
down and right the contrary medicine. Stop chasing your tail or being confused by the maze and
start observing the details of your present pathway.