Spirit Lodge - Totem Animals - Page 171

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Totem Animals

Page 171

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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

TIGER
By Mouse

Role: ~The Trailblazer~
Lesson: Balance
Element: Fire/Water
Wind: East ~Illumination~
Medicine: Lunar Magic
~Keywords~
Yin/Yang Principle Passion Insight into Boundaries
Will & Power Sensuality Devotion Stealth
Strength Psychic Adventurous
Solitary Ambitious
Lunar Magic
-----
Tiger! Tiger! burning bright
In the forests of the night:
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?
In what distant deeps or skies
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand dare seize the fire?
And what shoulder, & what art,
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
And when thy heart began to beat,
What dread hand? & what dread feet?
What the hammer? what the chain?
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? what dread grasp
Dare its deadly terrors clasp?
When the stars threw down their spears,
And water`d heaven with their tears,
Did he smile his work to see?
Did he who made the Lamb make thee?
Tiger! Tiger! burning bright
In the forests of the night:
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?
~William Blake~

Will & Power
The Siberian Tiger is the largest of all the big cats with their bodies growing up to twelve feet
long and their tails adding another three feet to their overall length.. Watching these beautiful
creatures, the strength and power they possess is very much in evidence in their rippling muscles.
Large paws carry impressive claws that are usually kept sheathed until either grasping a prey
animal or delivering a lethal blow to an enemy. Such formidable power is contained within a
musculature that has been designed to assure this cat's ranking at the top of their food chain.
***For the two-legged beside whom Tiger stalks, the sheathed claws and defined muscles that
can transform in the space of a heartbeat from fluid, casual movement to a powerful burst of
energy, this is quite symbolic of the human counterpart's same power that is most often kept in
check. These individuals possess an amazing reservoir of energy that is frequently held in
reserve for times when it is genuinely needed, yet when circumstances warrant the release of this
wellspring, they can tackle a problem, crisis or challenge with a focused intensity that can only
be equated to a Tiger's leap.

When very young, the Tiger soul learns to contain such raw power. This contained energy can
present itself as an intense gaze and quietly studious demeanor that may intimidate others, as
though the eyes of the Tiger are capable of peering into one's very soul.

Such intensity can drive others away as the one beside whom Tiger journeys can often appear as
aloof or disinterested. Nothing can be further from the truth however, as although they may seem
insensitive or detached, these are the souls that desire to experience all of life's intricacies and
adventures, yet it is only as they mature and gain confidence in themselves that their more
exuberant side is let free to play and explore.

When operating from Lower Personality, such raw power can be utilized for extremely selfish
ends with the Tiger individual seeking to further his/her own agenda regardless of the cost to
both others around them, and to their soul's own progress. In this scenario, the energy is then
released in volcano blasts and whirlwinds, obliterating all who stand in the path of the tiger. Or
the reverse may be true and the two-legged with this magnificent Animal Spirit may be
intimidated by their own exceptionally powerful emotions and desires, stuffing or denying such
feelings which results in many frustrations and denial of the true Self as an end result of such repression.

As the Tiger Soul grows, matures and evolves, a balance is found between releasing their
indomitable energies and maintaining an awareness of the feelings of those around them. When
the two-legged can embrace without fear their own Power, and utilize it for the benefit of both
themselves and others, the Light Force of their Will shines forth to light the pathway for others
who journey the pathway of Self-Knowledge and Discovery.***

Devotion
The Tiger in the wild will only have a litter of cubs (kittens) once in every 3 to 4 years and her
litter will vary anywhere from a single birth to six offspring. Once making their entrance onto the
Earthwalk, the small tigers will remain with their mother for approximately two years as she
guides them through maturation and teaches them how to hunt and to become self-sufficient.
Watching a female Tiger nurture, protect and teach her offspring, it becomes obvious to the
observer that she is a devoted and loving mother. The gentleness that she exhibits toward her
cubs can turn rapidly to ferocity when her young are threatened, but when it comes to providing
care for her progeny, the Tiger seems to delight in her role of mother.

***For the two-legged with the soul of Tiger, there is an intrinsic undercurrent of fierce devotion
that flows through their veins. When a Tiger individual loves another, be this in this as a friend
or lover, the loyalty, intensity and devotion that they lavish upon their loved ones leaves an
indelible imprint upon the hearts and minds of others. For some less passionate individuals who
find themselves in love with the one beside whom Tiger pads, this red-hot intensity can be
overwhelming and they will escape for "gentler waters," while those who posses a similar fire
and depth within their own hearts will find an eager and willing partner in the Tiger individual.

The challenges for the Tiger soul can be various when it comes to matters of the heart. Some
Tigers may tend to burn with a blazing intensity that is exhilarating in its heat yet, as though such
ferocious passion cannot be maintained indefinitely, the scorching heat of passion will quickly
subside to barely flickering embers that threaten to die out at any moment and just when their
partner has become completely enthralled with the Tiger's intensity. While this first example of
the Tiger love nature may be initially exciting, the Soul of Tiger is all too soon off in search of a
fresh encounter to recapture the blistering bonfire that they find in each new relationship. The
result is that the mate left behind suffers a broken heart and the less-sensitive type of Tiger will
be accumulating a negative karmic balance until he/she can identify this destructive behavior and
learn to operate from a place of more compassion and Conscious Awareness.

The reverse of this will be the Tiger soul that is so ensconced in loving Others and pouring their
entire Self into the chosen mate that they will subjugate their own wants, needs and desire to
appease the partner. In this instance, the devotion is often either completely misplaced in a lover
that is not willing to reciprocate such affection, or the Tiger Soul is so busy attending to the
needs of the mate that there is nothing left over to nurture their own soul. In both this instance
and the previous illustration, the Lesson for the Tiger individual becomes one of learning to
balance between passion and steadfastness, love of Others and a healthy love of Self. Once this
middle-ground is reached, the result is a healthy and giving soul that teaches all whom they
encounter the beauty of true Devotion and love.***

Yin/Yang Principle
One look at the magnificent coat of a Tiger reveals much as the black stripes that are overlaid
against the backdrop of orange/rust coloring suggests a certain duality. In nature when there is
such a significant contrast, this will often indicate a duplicity of meaning and/or purpose.
For the Tiger, this contrasting of patterns and colors suggests the Yin/Yang principle. Yin/Yang
is the concept that all things in life are balanced via opposites and these opposites are equal
halves of the ~whole. Female/Male, white/black, light/dark are all examples of this polarity that
is the basic foundation of this concept. Therefore, when looking at the Tiger Totem and its
beautiful coat of mixed patterns and colors, it becomes evident that this is a creature being that
possesses the balance of energies we may understand best as Yin/Yang.

***As an animal totem Tiger will walk beside the two-legged who is one of extremes in nature,
feelings and temperament. These are the individuals who run either hot or cold, full of passion or
completely detached, there are very few periods of lukewarm for the Tiger Soul.

The challenge for these two-leggeds is in finding the balance between extremes and
understanding that the two halves are not contradictions of one another, but parts of an integrate
Whole. By experiencing first one facet of life, feeling and being then the "opposite, the Tiger
learns the importance of Balance.

Often times, the two legged with Tiger as an Animal Totem will walk through the flames of hell
and back several times during their lifetime. Many painful lessons will be encountered wherein
he/she will expend themselves to the point of exhaustion and utter depletion, to then arise like
the Phoenix out of their own ashes and begin a new cycle of growth and learning. Life for these
souls is experienced whole heartedly and experiences which may discourage other less motivated
individuals are frequently perceived by the Tiger individual as a challenge to be met head on and conquered.

When the two-legged with this awesome Animal Spirit comes to recognize the necessity of
balance and harmony, the result is a wonderfully integrated human being. In so merging with the
higher octave of Yin/Yang energy, the Tiger Soul embraces his/her inheritance of true Power and Integration.***

Lunar Magic
Many myths and animal legends hold the Tiger as a Sister to the Moon, the contrast between her
orange fur and black stripes once more reflecting the polarities of light and darkness which are
symbolic representations of the two complete phases of the New and Full Moon. Such animals
which are closely related to lunar cycles are recognized as possessing a particular form of magic
including enchantments, summoning and assisting those souls who are departing from the
physical plane across to the Blue Road of Spirit.

***When Tiger walks beside a two-legged, the human counterpart will often be imbued with a
particularly strong intuition and sense of timing. This ~inner knowing~ is an unconscious
alignment between the two-legged and the Moon's cycles.

The Moon represents in esoterics represents the past, emotions and all that is "hidden." Hidden
aspects include our subconscious minds, past life memories which exist just below the surface of
conscious thought, past programming, repressed thoughts and the realms and dimensions which
are not visible to the physical eye.

As the Tiger Soul appears to have an uncanny sense of timing, in reality, he/she is closely in sync
with the Full and New Moon. During the three day cycle (build-up, culmination and ebb) of the
New Moon, the two-legged with Tiger as an Animal Totem instinctively recognizes that now is
the time to begin new projects, to leap with full force out into the world in a self-actualizing
manner that will produce positive results. During the three day cycle of the Full Moon, Tiger
Soul recognizes that this is the time to gather, sift through the past to uncover those habits, ideas
and thoughts which have outlived their purpose so that during the phase of the New Moon those
outdated modes can be discarded in favor of new ideas and plans. Also, the Full Moon is the time
in which the seeds planted during the cycle of the New Moon have germinated and are producing fruit.

When operating from Contrary Medicine (Shadow energy), Tiger is impulsive, rash and hurried,
for he has not yet learned the value of appropriate timing or the gift of contemplation. Such
actions will often lead the two-legged beside whom Tiger journeys down a pathway of painful
lessons that are constructed to teach the Tiger Soul the importance of listening to the inner voice
within which instructs them when to leap, and when to lie still.

In so recognizing the essential ebb and flow of cycles, phases and all life, the Tiger individual
aligns him/her Self with the Hanwi (Moon) and inherits much of the magic and magic that is
associated with the moon's silver light. The more in tune with his/her intuitive, receptive and
emotional side Tiger becomes, the more he/she listens to the subtle vibrations of the soul's
directive and responds accordingly, the more developed the abilities of mystical perception and
transformative medicine which are part of the inheritance this beautiful and noble Animal Spirit
carries. Then, two-legged and Tiger blend in perfect balance between passion and calm, pride
and humility, action and contemplation in the splendid dance of a soul unfolding.***

From: wolfs_moon.tripod.com/TigerTotem.html (watch out for pop-ups)

SisterCyber:
The Tiger
www.sayahda.com/cyc5.html

Tigers are magnificent animals that hold an air of independence and confidence. Solitary
animals, males and females come together only during the mating season. The cubs stay with the
mother into their second year partly because they are born blind. To compensate for this their
inner sight is fully operational. This is symbolic for those with this medicine. Children born into
this medicine are natural clairvoyants and prophets.

Mysticism and mythology surround this animal. The Chinese believe that the tigers head often
carries the Chinese "mark of wang," or king, on its forehead. This is can be seen within the
patterns of its fur. One vertical line with three horizontal ones passing through it. Because of this
Tiger is one of the 12 signs of Chinese astrology.

Muscular, powerful and agile the tiger can travel great distances in search of food. The distance
they cover depends on how much prey there is to eat. The less prey the further their territory
extends. Walking on their toes with the back part of the foot raised tigers stalk their prey or lie
and wait and then spring unexpectedly on them. Tigers are nocturnal hunters and hold the
teachings of focus, patience and surprise.

Tigers are also known for their healing properties. Their body parts are sought for use in
traditional Chinese medicine and exotic herbal remedies. Their orange gold coloring symbolizes
vitality and regeneration. Those with this medicine heal quickly.

The tigers sight, smell and hearing is excellent. They have round pupils and yellow irises, except
for the blue eyes of the white tiger. Due to a retinal adaptation that reflects light back to the
retina, the night vision of the tiger is six times better than that of humans. Tiger teaches us how
to see into the world of the extraordinary.

Those with this medicine have a strong sensitivity to touch and make excellent body workers.
Creating sacred space where others cannot enter, spending time alone in order to gather the
energy required to move tirelessly throughout life is advantageous for those with this totem.
When tiger appears get ready for adventure, challenge and change. The power, passion and
vitality of tiger will activate the same components within yourself