Spirit Lodge - Totem Animals - Page 44

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Totem Animals

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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

DOLPHIN
By CinnamonMoon

Dolphin represents wisdom, intelligence, and communication; clarity, messages, and change;
freedom, truth, and magic; breath, rhythm, balance, and creation.

Dolphin speaks of the wisdom in learning to control your breath by spouting your stress or
negative emotions as it leaves your body. That popping of the breath forces expulsion and allows
for deep cleansing of the entire system. The playful nature of this creature-teacher shares the
lesson that life is to be enjoyed; that you need to rise to the surface now and then to breathe the
air and relax. The curiosity and creativity of Dolphin will serve to encourage you to explore and
do it joyfully.

Dolphin will take you to the depths of the sea to reveal mysteries and answers. You will come to
know altered states of reality in a soothing and healing manner. It is the rhythm of the Water she
swims in that teaches you to ride the cosmic seas of your emotions and know that tides that draw
the negativity from you. Her sonar is the heightened states of psychic abilities, intuitive powers,
and spiritual enlightenment. You will learn that through breath control you can tap into cosmic
forces beyond your current comprehension. She will show you how to enter sacred space and the
silence of meditation so you can receive the messages of Spirit. She can take you into states of
trance and communication where you will still yourself, instructing you to quiet your mind's
chatter, and learn how to listen so you can receive those messages.

The changing rhythms of the sea are the dances that Dolphin performs to each day. The agility of
this creature-teacher speaks of the ability to maneuver through the rise and fall of life's waters
with little effort--once that rhythm is recognized and attuned to consciously. She teaches the
internal harmony reflected through your actions bringing a sense of balance to situations. She
urges you to recognize the patterns you encounter making the most of them. Learning to
recognize patterns, breathe properly, and play with life are the gifts of this teacher.

Articulating your words clearly will allow for greater communication skills to be expressed. This
is important to Dolphin since she is a highly social animal demonstrating that great things can be
accomplished in numbers. She brings good luck in health or success in achieving goals. This
beneficence allows her to sense when others are in need and come to the rescue. Highly
empathic, she will teach you that service is an honor and one that should be genuinely offered
without strings attached. she asks nothing in return other than the satisfaction of knowing she has
lent a hand to a given situation. Dolphin speaks of the instinctive sense of right action that
surfaces in all of us and the need to pay attention to it.

*Ted Andrews/Animal-Speak:
Dolphin/Porpoise.
Keynote: The Power of Breath and Sound
Cycle of Power: Year-round

The dolphin is a mammal of the sea. Many people think of dolphins and whales as being fish, but
they aren't. They nurse and contain most of the qualities that separate mammals from other
animal species. The largest member of the dolphin family is the killer whale which also
embodies the quality of patience.

The fact that dolphins make their home in the sea is very significant. many myths speak of how
life began in the primordial waters of life. Water is the symbol of creation, passion, and even
sexuality. It is the element of all life. It is a symbol of new dimensions and forces.

Dolphins can open new creation and dimensions to a great degree. Water is essential to life, but
so is breath. Many techniques for breathing exist that teach how proper use of breath can be used
to induce altered states and align oneself with new dimensions of life. Learning techniques of
breathing can help you to become more passionate and sexual, and to heal the body, mind, and
spirit. For example, tension and stress can be released by simply imitating the spouting breath
that dolphin uses upon surfacing. People with lung and breathing problems can benefit greatly by
aligning themselves with dolphin medicine.

Dolphin has a rhythm to its breathing and to its swimming. Learning to breathe like a dolphin
can be beneficial. Breath control is the key to the power of the dolphin. When you can align
yourself with dolphin through breathing you can have dolphin take you to all the places and
times that existed before the great seas covered most of the world. Dolphin can lead you to
underground caverns and the primordial beginnings of yourself.

Dolphin also has a sonar ability. It uses a series of clicks and responds to the feedback of those
clicks as the sound reverberates. Sound, breath, and water are all considered the sources of all
life. Sound is the creative life force. Sound came forth out of the womb of silence and created all
things. Learning to create inner sounds so that you can create outer manifestations is part of what
dolphin an teach.

Sound requires breath, and water is the unformed creative element that we can shape into any
manifestation, if we know how to combine breath and sound. The sacredness of sound and breath
has been taught in many societies. In the Babylonian cosmology, the gods formed by the goddess
Tiamut in the waters of life did not come into being until she called them forth.

Dolphin can show you how to enter into the waters of life and then with breath and sound call
forth from the waters what you most need or desire. There are breathing techniques and sounding
techniques essential to manifestation. If we don't use them properly, we find that our prayers are
unanswered and our affirmations manifest in an obtuse manner. Dolphin can show us how to do
it properly. (You may wish to refer to my earlier work Sacred Sounds for further information on this.)

The dolphin was a symbol of salvation to the early Christians. To the Greeks it was a sacred
messenger of the gods, a dynamic blessed symbol of the sea. Because of this it was rarely killed.
The dolphin often displays an altruistic behavior. It has a large brain and great intelligence. Even
today, rather than be wary of humans who would kill them, they enjoy the company and their
curiosity draws them close.

If dolphin has shown up as a totem, ask yourself some important questions. What are your words
and thoughts creating for you? If unsure, when dolphin arises, you will soon discover. Are you
getting outside and enjoying fresh air? Are you holding in tensions? Are others? When dolphin
shows up it is time to breathe some new life into yourself. Get out, play, explore and most of all
breathe.

*Brad Steiger/Totems:
Demeter, the ancient Greek goddess of fertility, chose the dolphin as her totem animal, thus
representing her position as Mistress of the Sea. The serpent symbolized her majesty as Mistress
of the Earth.

Since the earliest days of sea lore, dolphins have been credited with saving the lives of
shipwrecked humans. In both old Roman and early Christian art, the dolphin was depicted as the
guide that would bear souls of the dead across the waters to the Blessed Isles.
For Mediterranean Christians, the dolphin, King of the Fishes, came to represent Christ, King of
Heaven. A rather common Christian image is that of the dolphin together with an anchor,
representing salvation firmly anchored on faith in Christ.

For the Native American tribes located on coastal regions frequented by the dolphin, the aquatic
mammal was identified as a special messenger of the Great Mystery.

If the dolphin is your totem animal, you are allied with a spirit helper that has come to you from
another realm of being. There is a playfulness associated with this totem animal that can be
misleading for those who would be satisfied with superficial teachings. Always ask this spirit
helper to take you deeper and deeper into the mysteries of the other realm from which it
originates.

You will quite likely find that the dolphin will increase your respect and love for all living things
and assist you in developing new levels of compassion. Be prepared to begin looking at the
world from a very different perspective as your "dolphin eyes" consider all beings around you as
elements in universal harmony.

*Bobby Lake-Thom/Spirits of the Earth:
Porpoise/Dolphin
These animals are good signs and very good powers. To see a Porpoise near the shore is a good
sign, meaning good luck or protection is coming. The elders who live by the ocean say, "If
someone is sick in your family, or if you are having bad luck, or if someone is threatening you,
then go to the ocean and make prayers to the Porpoise. Tell it what you want or need, ask it for
help. If he stands up and laughs, then dances backwards, your wish will come true."

I have talked to older Indian men who were in the Navy during WWII and they have told me
stories about how the Dolphins saved their lives. In one situation a pilot was shot down and
under attack in the water by Sharks. He prayed and asked the Great Creator for help. Shortly
after he sang his song the Dolphins came in and chased away the Sharks. They pushed him all
the way to shore. In another story an Indian fisherman's boat caught on fire and he had to jump
into the ocean. Once again the Sharks came in just before this happened (a bad omen and a
forewarning); then they waited while he desperately tried to swim to safety. He said the
Porpoises came in and formed a circle of protection around him until another boat came up and
pulled him out of the water. For some Native tribes, it is also a good sign to see a school of
dolphins or porpoises come by during fishing season. It means the fish runs will be prosperous.

*Patricia Telesco/The Language of Dreams:
According to Pliny, this creature represents the need for swift movement with regard to a
decision or opportunity. A guide. Many fables tell of dolphins aiding shipwrecked sailors. From
what reef is this creature offering to liberate your mind, body, or spirit? Native American: A
messenger between the worlds, dancing above and below the waves. The dolphin is the essence
of the Great Spirit and the wind of life itself. Breathe deeply of its symbolic messages.
Playfulness. Dolphins speak directly to the child within and urge it to come out more regularly.

*Timothy Roderick/The Once Unknown Familiar:
Key Words: Sociable, articulate, progressive, scientific, detached
Magical Influences: Increase of intelligence, clarity of speech, peace for the self and for others.
Personality: Dolphins are naturally curious beings. They want to be fair in their dealings and
actually go out of their way to find balance. Since they are quite social, they depend on the
company of others to make them feel complete. They usually either come from or create large,
extended families.

*D.J. Conway/Animal Magick:
Dolphin/Porpoise
Dolphins and porpoises are a smaller species of Cetacae, an order of aquatic mammals which
includes whales. Dolphins can be distinguished from porpoises by the beak which projects
forward from the head. Types of dolphins are: the bottle-nosed, the common, and the spotted.
Types of porpoises are: the common and the white-vented. The vast majority of dolphins and
porpoises are marine animals, although there are a few living in rivers and fresh water.
The dolphin, with its antics and friendliness, probably attracted the attention of the first men to
sail in boats. Dolphins make a wide variety of audible sounds and are able to communicate with
each other in this way. The common dolphin is known as the Arrow of the Sea, sometimes
traveling at a speed of thirty knots.

The Sumerians knew of the dolphin and said it was connected with Astarte and Istar. The ancient
Egyptians thought of this creature as a symbol of Isis. According to classical writers, dolphins
were harnessed to sea chariots and acted as carriers to sea deities. The ocean Nereides rode on
dolphins, and the Titaness Thetis sometimes journeyed on them naked. Dolphins were called the
King of Fishes and the Arrow of the Sea. Their usual symbolic meaning was power and
swiftness, but they were also considered to be guides of souls into the Underworld.

Dolphins were sculpted on the walls of Apollo's temple at Delphi. In his aspect of Apollo
Delphinos, this god could take the form of this creature. The Greek word delphinos means both
dolphin and womb, and is seen in the title Delphi, or World Center. When painted on funeral
urns, the dolphin symbolize the passing of the soul from one world to another.

The dolphin was an emblem of Minoan sea power, so powerful in the Mediterranean at one time.
These sea creatures even appear on Celtic coins and in their art, usually ridden by a male figure.
For some reason, they were associated with well worship. Dolphins were known to the coastal
Native Americans as very powerful and magickal creatures. Because these animals breathe air,
but live in the water, they were considered to be keepers of the sacred breath of life.

Superstitions: Dolphins will rescue drowning swimmers by pushing them back to shore; this is
one superstition that has some truth to it. Dolphins or porpoises swimming along with a ship or
playing in its vicinity are a prediction of good weather and good luck on the voyage. River
dolphins cut up the belies of crocodiles with their fins.

Magickal attributes: The sea, wisdom, eloquence, freedom, magick, change, discovery, truth,
communication, trust, balance, harmony. Create a rhythm in your life. Learn to release intense
emotions through breathing. Water Element magick, especially for releasing negative or
debilitating emotions.

*Jamie Sams & David Carson/Medicine Cards:
Manna. Dolphin speaks to us of the breath of life, the only thing that humans cannot go without
for more than a few minutes. We can live without water and food for days, but oxygen is the
source of our sustenance. Within the breath we encounter the rhythm of energy that all life emits.
In changing the rate or rhythmic texture of our breath, we can tap into any other lifeform or
creature. This is a very easy way to connect with divine energy coming from Great Spirit, as well
as with your own personal rhythms.

Dolphin is the keeper of the sacred breath of life, and teaches us how to release emotions through
Dolphin breath. Dolphin creates rhythm, swimming through the water and breathing before
submerging, then holding its breath for the duration of underwater travel. As Dolphin comes
above water again, it blows its breath out in a manner resembling the popping of a cork. We can
use this same technique to pull the stopper on our tensions and create total relaxation. This is a
good exercise to use before entering the silence.

Manna is life force. Manna is present in every atom, and is Great Spirit's essence. Dolphin
teaches us how to use life-manna through our breath. It revitalizes each cell and organ, and
breaks the limits and dimensions of physical reality so that we may enter the Dreamtime.
Dolphin was traveling the oceans one day as Grandmother Moon was weaving the patterns of the
tides. Grandmother Moon asked Dolphin to learn her rhythms so that he could open his female
side to her silvery light. Dolphin began to swim to the rhythm of her tide weaving, and learned to
breathe in a new way. As Dolphin continued to use this new rhythm, he entered the Dreamtime.
This reality was a new and different place from the seas he had known.

Dolphin came to discover underwater cities in the Dreamtime, and was given the gift of the
primordial tongue. This new language was the sound-language that was brought by Spider from
the Great Star Nation. Dolphin learned that all communication was pattern and rhythm, and that
the new aspect of communication was sound; he carries this original pattern to this day. Dolphin
returned to the ocean of the Great Mother, and was sad until Whale came by and told Dolphin
that he could return to be a messenger to the Dreamtime dwellers anytime he felt the rhythm and
used the breath. Dolphin was given a new job. He became the carrier of messages of our
progress. The Dreamtime dwellers were curious about the children of Earth, and wanted us to
grow to be at one with Great Spirit. Dolphin was to be the link.

If Dolphin has appeared to you today, frothing through the waves in your spread, you are to be a
link to some solution for the Children of the Earth. This can be a time when you are to link with
Great Spirit and bring answers to your own questions or to those of others. In addition, this can
mean a time of communication with the rhythms of nature. You are put on notice to be mindful
of your body rhythms and the patterns of energy being fed to you from the Creator. Imitate
Dolphin and ride the waves of laughter, spreading joy in the world. Breathe and experience that
manna so freely given. Break existing barriers and connect to the Dreamtime or Great Star
Nation. Know that we are whole in the eyes of the Ever-living One.

Contrary: If Dolphin appears reversed, know that you are forgetting to breathe. You may be
under stress, and your body may need manna. You may be starving your cells and organs no
matter how many vitamins you are taking. Your natural cycles may be fouling up. Pay close
attention to your health and your feelings. If you are on edge or just tense, take time to relax and
breathe the life force in your muscles. Focus on releasing old breath at the bottom of your lungs
and refilling your respiratory system with regenerative manna. Breathe from the diaphragm and
fill the lungs to capacity. Then exhale from the chest to the belly, allowing your body to totally
relax as you breathe out.

Another message of contrary Dolphin is that many signals are carried through universal tides or
waves, and you may be failing to use you sonar. To detect these wave-patterns you may need to
realign yourself with natural rhythms within your body. Then it is necessary to use the dolphin
breath to connect to universal awareness and signals.

Dolphin says to dive deeply into the water, to play by the coral reefs, and to discover the beauty
of the rhythm of breath.

*Denise Linn/The Secret Language of Signs:
This is a significant symbol. Dolphins are signs of unharnessed joy, playfulness, spontaneity, and
even of spiritual enlightenment. They are superconscious, intelligent beings who have learned to
live together in harmony and joy. Do you need to play more and be more joyful in your life?

*Mary Summer Rain/On Dreams:
Dolphin reflects spiritual companionship.

*Zolar/Encyclopedia of Signs, Omens, and Superstitions:
According to the ancients, dolphins loved music and also saved those who had been
shipwrecked. It is generally thought among seamen a good omen to encounter a dolphin. Should
it approach near the coast, however, it is thought a storm is not far away. Should it go back out
towards the north, good weather is indicated; should it turn south, the weather will be rainy and
cold. Dolphins were believed to transport on their backs the souls of sailors who had died at sea.

*Lady Stearn Robinson & Tom Gorbett/The Dreamer's Dictionary:
These amusing, intelligent mammals are a sign of advancement through your own mental vigor,
but other details of your dream should also be considered, such as the condition of the water, the
location and/or action of the dolphin, etc.

Mouse:
Role: ~Healer~
Lesson: Unconditional Love
Element: Water
Wind: South ~Recalling the Child Within~
Medicine: Universal Harmony

Wisdom shines from within the tranquil pools of large dark eyes,
a Knowing that transcends the barriers
of language and differences of flesh and form.
What vast and glimmering depths do you swim,
not only of the Ocean,
but of the Soul?
May we ever know
the secrets you hold within that remarkable mind,
and reflected within your enigmatic and enchanting
Dolphin smile?
And what would you tell us,
if we could learn your language,
the subtle nuances and inflections of tone and pitch?
Would you tell us that All Life is to be loved,
that no matter the ~differences~ of body,
the Soul is the Unifying thread that binds All Together?
Perhaps you would tell us to listen to our Mother,
feel her breath as the ocean surely does,
inhaling in great. deep breaths to then exhale
in crashing crescendos against sandy beaches and craggy rocks,
filling the Air with Her loving

Rhythm of Life.
May your beauty and intelligence
long grace this place we all call Home,
and may we learn to breathe as you breathe,
at one with our Mother,
learning to revel in the joy of simply ~Being.~

Keywords
Healing Unconditional Love Wisdom Change
Breath of Life Universal Harmony Creativity
Compassion Spiritual Insight Joy
Sensitivity Balance
Freedom
Healing

Recent studies are confirming what indigenous peoples have known for centuries, that Dolphins
possess an innate healing ability. One of the most remarkable examples of this, is the work that
is currently being done providing interaction between dolphins, and children who are autistic or
mentally/physically challenged.

There exists numerous programs that link children and dolphins in a mutually stimulating
environment. When the child enters the dolphins` tank, the dolphins are immediately drawn to
the child, surrounding that child in what can only be described as a nurturing impulse.
Initially, it would seem that it is the youthful energy, size, or movements of the smaller human,
that arouses the dolphin`s curiosity, yet the behavior of the dolphins when they are with nonchallenged
children (compared to their behavior with the challenged individuals), is quite
different. Upon many occasions, the dolphins will blast the autistic or mentally/physically
challenged child with sonar, reading from the information that travels back to them, that there
are special needs within the child`s small form. The result is that the dolphins are exceptionally
gentle with these children, and will often emit gentle clicks, squeaks, and occasional sonar blasts
in a regular pattern.

With autistic children, parents often report that their child blossoms after "dolphin therapy,"
reaching out to the environment around them and to other family members, where prior to the
~unconventional~ therapeutic intervention, they are unable to facilitate interaction with their
environment.

Studies with terminally ill children who are receiving ~Dolphin Therapy~ have shown the
Dolphins blasting cancerous cells, glands or tumors with sonar. These children appear to
receive deep soul healing, and are often much more at peace with their own, eventual
~transition~ as a result of their time spent with these magnificent creatures.

Is this because the Dolphin is able to communicate Soul to Soul to these children, unconditional
love, peace and ultimately, spiritual healing? Though this may never be gauged ~scientifically,~
the results of the studies would appear to point to the fact that "something" truly remarkable and
healing (at least on a soul level) occurs.

***Dolphin Totem will swim beside one who has the Soul of a Healer. The manifestation in
which the healing takes place may be physical, emotional, mental or spiritual. Yet in whatever
form this innate ability to heal Others expresses itself, one who has Dolphin beside him/her, will
be compelled to be of assistance to their fellow Earth dwellers.

Because of the ability and drive to Heal the wounds and suffering of all Life, these individuals
will often be found in the professions of physician, nurse, therapist, psychologist, energy worker,
aroma therapy/massage therapy, etc. Additionally, many involved in healing animals (such as
veterinarians), will also have Dolphin as either Power Totem, or Theme/Mission Totem.
Until one who swims with Dolphin discovers this inherent healing ability, there will be a certain
loss of direction to their life, as though they are floating aimlessly in a vast and tumultuous
ocean. However, once this ~Soul Directive~ is uncovered, recognized and adhered to, the lost
quality to these individuals transmutes into a powerful focus upon healing, aiding, and guiding
their fellow Earth Travelers.***

Unconditional Love
Love is thought to be one of the strongest forces of the Cosmos, its energy capable of
transcending all barriers, both material and non-material, including those of Life and Death
itself. Yet, what is this non-physical phenomena whose beauty is refracted as a myriad of Rays?
And how is it experienced so clearly in the "physical realm" when Love itself is ~Pure Energy?~
Many philosophies view Love as a multifaceted light that is transmuted into separate Rays of
Manifesting ranging from Love of Self to Love of ALL.

The Love of ALL is the Ray that is ALL encompassing, the Sun from whose blazing core
Unconditional Love shines forth. Unconditional Love asks nothing in return for its radiance and
warmth, but like an infinite waterfall, flows endlessly from an eternal/never ceasing Source. It
sets no conditions or boundaries, neither limits nor confines, for it is simply, brilliantly . . .

LOVE.
While wearing the Robe of Physical Life, we may find it challenging to express Unconditional
Love, as so much of the "human experience" is subject to, and built upon, boundaries, limitations
and conditions. Yet it is also an integral part of our Souls evolutionary process to learn to
operate in the Earthwalk from a standpoint of Unconditional Love, although this will take many
lifetimes to achieve. It is the ~Christ Consciousness~ or the ~Divine Within~ that lies within ALL
of us and is expressed easily in the pure energy state of the soul prior to, and in between,
physical incarnations, and only finds difficulty in expression or manifestation while that energy
is encapsulated within flesh, blood and bone. We can bear witness to how Unconditional Love
manifests itself by watching the Animals. Looking at "domesticated" animals such as dogs and
cats, one may witness how that animal loves their human companion regardless of their physical
looks, sexual preference or religious/ethnic or economic background, they just love.
When we can learn this lesson from our Animal Companions, as well as those in the wild and
how they nurture and love their own offspring, we will have taken a large step closer to
integrating the ~Divine Within.~

***One with Dolphin as Totem will have a loving heart that is capable of tremendous depth and
awareness. Generally speaking, these individuals will enter their Life Path with an intuitive
grasp and ability to feel and express Unconditional Love, yet they will encounter many situations
along their Earthwalk that will challenge this ability to operate from the ~Christ
Consciousness.~

These challenges are of course Lessons established to test, hone and perfect the ability to
operate from a center of love. Consequently, some may become lost and embittered in the pain of
the difficulties faced, not yet recognizing the opportunity for growth and increased
compassion/sensitivity for the pain of others. Instead, the experiences may have been
internalized such that mistrust may ultimately sour the clear waters of the soul.
If one with Dolphin soul then departs from that walk around the Sacred Hoop not having
overcome these trials and tests, he/she will simply reincarnate to once more face the same
challenges, until the Lessons have been truly absorbed.

Yet there is nothing more inspiring to the Human Consciousness, or as warming to the eternal
spark of life, than to see one who has perfected this Lesson, for these individuals will leave an
indelible impression upon the hearts and minds of ALL those who bear witness to the Light of
Unconditional Love that shines from the center of that Soul.***

Compassion
From ancient times, tales have been handed down from the Ancestors, of Dolphins saving the
lives of two-leggeds cast adrift at sea. Many a sailor lost in shark infested waters, has been
known to find himself surrounded by a pod of protective Dolphins, and ultimately rescued, by
being carried safely to land.

What motivates such displays of apparent protectiveness toward a species that has been
responsible for slaughtering hundreds of thousands of these intelligent and wise creatures? Is it
merely chance or happenstance, or is there a deep underlying thread of compassion that exists
within our brothers and sisters of the sea?

Certainly, to watch these beautiful mammals with physically or mentally challenged children,
there appears to be an intrinsic tenderness and genuine compassion. And as Dolphins are known
to have active intelligence stemming from a brain that is larger than the human brain, with a
frontal lobe (the area of the brain attributed to deductive reasoning, logic and possibly psychic
abilities) covering a greater area, one would gather their actions are not only rooted in
instinctual response, but in the understanding of the challenges their two legged companions
may be facing, and accompanying thought as to what their own actions toward these individuals
should be.

***Like their Animal Totem, Dolphin Soul individuals will have a deeply rooted sense of
compassion for their fellow earth travelers.

As they begin their life as a youngster, these individuals will feel deeply for those who are
underprivileged or are otherwise in need, and the Dolphin Soul will thus feel compelled to offer
aid in whatever form they can contribute.

While this compassion will continue through their journey around the Sacred Hoop, these souls
must learn the distinction between compassion that can genuinely assist another, and taking on
another`s pain for them. While the former is a true blessing and can lead these individuals to
make a worthy contribution where there is a genuine need, they must also experience the lessons
that come with the later . . . to realize that they are not here to soak up ALL the worlds woes like
a ever willing sponge.

Dolphin individuals are here to provide the guidance, compassion, love and support to their
fellow travelers, not to take another`s lessons from them. And therein lies the greatest challenge
for these sensitive souls. Due to this challenge, these individuals may often experience a bit of a
"Christ Complex" feeling driven to take the burden of pain from others to save those individuals
from feeling the pain themselves. This often manifests itself in the form of the one who swims
with Dolphin taking in partners with chemical or alcohol dependency issues, or other
debilitating conditions, with the firm belief they can heal that wounded soul.

Yet neither the Dolphin soul, nor the one for whom they are absorbing the pain, is ultimately
served by such actions, as we are ALL here to walk our own Path, and no other soul can do this
for us. Of course, this is ALL a part of the lesson for one with Dolphin Totem, as often these
experiences end in great emotional pain which reinforces the lesson of achieving a requisite
amount of detachment, or that one can only help another who desires to help him/her Self.***

Breath/Universal Harmony
The Dolphin is a truly amazing mammal that dwells simultaneously within two ~realms,~ one of
water (emotions/soul) and one of air (intelligence/mind). When we look at creatures such as
these that have dual existence, from an Earth Medicine perspective, it is very significant as we
consider the lessons that these Totems have to teach us.

Many creation legends hold that ALL life sprang from the Sea and that the Ocean is our
Grandmother. Additionally, from watching Dolphin we see him/her existing in the two
environments that we, as two-leggeds, must have in order to survive . . . water and air.
Native Americans understand that ALL life has rhythm. The oceans waters are the life blood of
the Mother, the incoming and receding tides her breath. By watching Her cycles of life, death
and rebirth, we understand that everything we encounter has a purpose, and that to live in
Rhythm and Harmony with ALL Life, is to align ourselves with our Mother and the Divine Plan
of the ~Great Mystery.~ Thus, the breath of the dolphin, who lives in the ocean yet must surface
for air in order to survive, teaches us the importance of this rhythm and the necessity of breath.
***The Medicine of Dolphin Totem is Universal Harmony, thus by observing the ebb and flow of
the Ocean tides, Dolphin Soul recognizes the rhythm of ALL Life and may become One with
his/her environment. As mentioned earlier, Dolphin is a mammal of two worlds one of water and
the other of air. By examining these two realms of ~Being~ a clearer message may arrive as to
the true Role and Medicine of Dolphin Spirit.

Water is necessary for ALL life to exist. This is not only true for we of the two-leggeds, it is also
true for our animal brothers and sisters, the plants, flowers and Standing People (trees), indeed
ALL Life needs water in order to thrive and continue the cycle of physical life.
Yet there is more here than the literal interpretation, as in Earth Medicine, Water also
represents our Soul and Emotional Self. Thus, for an individual who has Dolphin as their Totem,
a strong spiritual foundation and connection is key to their progression along the Earthwalk, an
essential component that is as necessary to the Dolphin individual as Water is for the physical
body to maintain Life.

Emotions will also be a very deep and a predominant feature of the Dolphin persons Journey
along the Red Road, both in terms of experiencing and acknowledging their emotions, and in
learning to integrate them so that they do not overwhelm. Remember, the Dolphin must come up
for air, and herein lies the challenge, for Air in Earth Medicine represents the Intellect or Higher
Mind. Thus, there is the need for these souls to learn an adequate level of detachment from the
pain and suffering of others so that they will be able to assist those in need, without being pulled
under by pain that is not their own to carry. If they do not learn and absorb this crucial lesson,
then the Dolphin individual risks being pulled under by tumultuous waters and drowned.
Yet once Dolphin Soul has learned the need and process of rhythm between diving into the
depths of the spirit and emotions, and surfacing for the requisite air (detachment), then they will
harness the Medicine of Universal Harmony, and breathe fresh Air into the vast Waters of the
Human Experience, bringing depth, compassion and wisdom to share with ALL.

Sensitivity
Like ALL members of the Dolphin & Whale family, the Bottlenose Dolphin is highly a intelligent
and sensitive creature, with a perception and awareness that is astounding.
The care that these awesome creatures exhibit toward their offspring and to the sick and injured
members of the pod, as well as the dedication to ALL ~pod~ members, goes far beyond the
explanation of mere biology alone, and seems indicative of a heightened sense of spirituality and
genuine caring.

***For the two-legged beside whom Dolphin swims, there will be a great deal of emotional and
~psychic~ sensitivity. These are the individuals who possess a heightened awareness of the
suffering of Others, and will immediately sense the pain that may lay behind the casual words
spoken or assurances that "everything is fine." Some inner ~knowing~ within the Dolphin soul
will be triggered in those instances, a reflection of the Dolphin`s own sonar capabilities.
Although there is a marked degree of sensitivity within the Dolphin Soul, there also exists the
ability to draw back from actually taking on the pain and suffering of those around them. It is an
inherent understanding that to do so, would "rob" that one whom they desire to assist, from the
Life Lessons that soul is here to learn. Yet often this inherent knowledge is only awakened after
some painful lessons of their own, though once the memory has been awakened, it serves them
well in their effort and "call" to assist their fellow two-leggeds.***

From: wolfs_moon.tripod.com/dolphintotem.html (mind the pop-ups!)

Dragon:
If Dolphin comes to you in a dream for the 1st time and is not hurting but charging at you, and
pushing you around in the water. What could this mean? The look on Dolphins face was not
passive or happy but angry or determined and frustrated. Thanks for any help.

CinnamonMoon:
I would take it to mean a journey to seek Dolphin out was called for. The pushing and prodding
and an angry look....could it be you have been ignoring signs around you regarding spiritual
development work? It sounds like a frustrated attempt to get your attention.

Dragon:
Thanks Cinn, I had a feeling that was it. And yea, I have been ignoring my spiritual
development, I feel too full of emotions and trying to get through each day and I keep putting my
nudges on the back burner. I can’t concentrate and when I try I get all tensed up and feel
suffocated. I guess maybe it Dolphin telling me to play again? Not be so serious? I am sure there
is more, I hope I can concentrate long enough to get it LOL. Thanks for your help.

CinnamonMoon:
Dragon, Journey work begins with no more effort than putting yourself into a state of
daydreaming...let your mind wander to the ocean, imagine being on a raft and just floating in a
calm sea. Begin breathing the sea air and centering yourself in the rhythm. (Air) Feel the gentle
warmth of the sun soft on your skin (Fire) and look back at the shoreline in the distance (Earth)
then imagine Dolphin swimming through the Water up to you. At that point you can let the vision
run itself and follow along just as a daydream takes over at times. Starting out that way you are
summoning Dolphin to you, calling it as it were, and once the connection is made the messages
can come through. It does not have to be a complicated process. Plus it will bring the added
bonus of relaxing you.

Dragon:
Cinn, Thank you for your help on this, I meditated last night with a water dragon, it was a really
great experience, especially for one who can’t usually meditate and I met Dolphin on the way out
of the ocean. It was my 1st experience underwater, I haven’t been able to do it before, I now
have a sacred place to go to, to work on my issues and its beyond true description. I am so
grateful for it. Dolphin put his fin/flipper out towards me and it was warm and soft, smooth......
and radiated such energy as I can’t explain. I can’t wait till we journey together. He told me
when it was time we would have our meeting but the water dragon was 1st and a bit more light
has to be illuminated on these issues before he will appear again. I think he meant that I have to
take what I just learned and sit with it for some more to be revealed to take the next step?
I was gifted by him and the water Dragon with a silvery blue gem stone pendant and I have to
find it for real. I definitely am meant to have it in the physical as well as spiritual, the pull is that
strong. I just don’t know anything about gems and which is which so I have to research colors
until I see it. Thanks for the support and info Cinn, your visual is what helped me figure out what
meditation to go with. And the meditation went perfectly with a reading I did the other day and
now a message passed on through Lotus, it’s amazing how it is all coming together and just
when I was about to quit all things spiritual cause I was too empty for it all. I hope to never feel
that empty again, it was frightening and more sad than I care to describe.