Spirit Lodge - Totem Animals - Page 63

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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

FROG MEDICINE
By CinnamonMoon

Frog represents initiation, transformation, and rebirth; balance, adaptation, and healing. Frog
Medicine addresses the cleansing of negative energies in your life. The stages of its maturing
process address the many transformations and initiations you will undergo in the process of
maturing. To see Frog is to know that one of these stages is about to be encountered. The ability
to live in Water and on land speaks of passing between the worlds; the balance of the mundane
and the spiritual realms is one of Frog's lessons. He will persuasively speak openly sharing his
views and that persuasive ability is often applied to sing to the Water and bring rains as well.

Diving to the depths of a pond, Frog can teach you to retrieve hidden wisdom and ancient
mysteries. The ability to enter in and out of this state also indicates an adaptable nature and
readiness for sporadic and sudden changes. The watery world speaks of emotion, empathy, and
spiritual rebirth. He will teach you the skills and benefits of regular meditative sessions, trance
work, and working with lunar tides. If your life seems mired down it is time to learn to enter the
waters of purification and cleanse the negative energies that are creating muck.

The changing stages of Frog's growth will tell you where you are standing at any given point
from a pollywog, to a tadpole, to a mature initiation into Spirit. Once complete, the
transformation that Frog initiates into your life is then a replenishment of your own expended
energies and you will feel like "hopping to it" as you apply your new skills. Divination,
clairvoyance, and sensory perceptions are all areas that Frog can instruct you in as a guide or a
teacher. Once Frog has had his time in the Waters of Consciousness, bathed in the refreshing
rains, and transformed himself in the initiatory process, he hops onto shore to bask in the sun and
dine on the bounty life offers.

*Lady Stearn Robinson & Tom Gorbett/The Dreamer's Dictionary:
A good dream whether you saw them, heard them, or ate them; they signify personal
contentment, success within your sphere of activity, and sincere friends.

*Barbara G. Walker/The Woman's Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets:
Medieval totems of witches were frogs because ancient traditions associated the frog with
Hecate--Egypt's Hekat, Queen of the Heavenly midwives. Egyptians made the frog a symbol of
the fetus. Hekat's sacred Amulet of the Frog bore the word, "I am the Resurrection," another
phase of birth-magic copied by early Christians. In Rome, the frog was sacred to Venus, of
whome Hecate was one aspect. Her triple yoni sometimes was shown as a fleur-de-lis composed
of three frogs. To this day, a garment closure of cord shaped like a fleur-de-lis is called a "frog."
Tailors' folklore said every garment should have exactly nine frogs, which might be traced all the
way back to Babylonian cylinder seals showing nine frogs as a fertility charm: the Ninefold
Goddess ruling the nine months of gestation.

*Zolar/Encyclopedia of Signs, Omens, and Superstitions:
In mythology, references to the frog are relatively few, but when they do appear, they are quite
specific. To the ancient Egyptians their Goddess of Childbirth, Heket, had the head and
sometimes the entire form of a frog. In an Egyptian myth, Heket and her ram-headed husband,
Khnum, were the first to "build men and make gods." One has also to recall that frogs were
called up by Moses and Aaron as the second plague of Egypt (Exodus 8:6). Likewise, for
Christians in the book of Revelation, seven angels "poured out on the earth the seven bowls of
the wrath of God. " It was said there when the sixth wrath came, "three foul spirits like frogs"
appeared (Revelations: 16:13). In Greek mythology the wandering Leto, after giving birth to
Apollo and Artemis, was prevented from quenching her thirst in a pool of water by rude
shepherds. Leto changed them into frogs.

In Queensland, Australia, an aboriginal myth holds that a great frog caused drought and suffering
by swallowing all the water in the world. In the belief that, if the frog could be made to laugh, he
would bring up the water and all would be well, several animals were brought to entertain him. it
was not until a squirming eel was found, which made him roar with laughter, that the waters
burst out to flood the world and drown mankind.

Among the Huron tribe in North America there exists a similar story. All water was contained in
the belly of a huge frog, until Ioskeha stabbed him, thereby returning the waters to the lakes and rivers.

In Japan, the frog is one of the animals of the zodiac. The frog was held symbolic of fertility due
to the fact that it lays a great many eggs at one time. It was also held as a reliable weather
predictor, since it croaked whenever rain was on the way. In fact, a Hindu hymn, "Rigveda,"
suggests that frogs were worshipped for bringing rain. Traditionally, the Orinoco tribes in
Venezuela keep frogs captive and beat them in times of drought. For the Hindus, pouring water
over a frog or hanging it up was said to yield the same result. in Malaya, one had simply to swing
a frog at the end of a cord to bring rain. During Roman times, the frog was a popular mascot and
was believed to bring good fortune to the home of its possessor. There were all sorts of useful
purposes frogs could suit.

Should one wish to get information from a sleeping woman, for example, you need only put a
frog's tongue on her heart.

To make yourself popular, you could carry a frog's decayed bones. A green frog, enclosed in a
pot of fresh earth and buried in the middle of your field, was said to protect the field against
birds. To cure warts, one could simply impale a frog on a stick and rub the warts on the frog.
They would disappear as the frog dies, says a Welsh tradition. Already mentioned was the
ancient belief that young frogs, if swallowed, would cure cancer.

One should never kill frogs because they are said to be the souls of dead children. It is also said
that they possess the power to "sterilize" those who touch them.

Ashes of a pregnant frog, if attached to a woman's belt, were believed to cause her menstrual
flow to cease. The same ashes hung around the neck of a hen were thought to cause its bleeding
to stop. yet another tradition holds that hiar will not grow on places rubbed with these same
ashes, if dissolved in water.

Should a frog come into one's house on its own accord, it is believed to bring good luck.
Hanging the dead body of a frog in orchards and vineyards will protect against fog and storms. If
hung in a grainery, the grain itself will be guarded.

One suffering from eye inflammations can be cured by hanging the corresponding eye of a frog
around his neck. The physician, Galen, held that a frog boiled in water and vinegar, held in one's
mouth for some time, would cure toothache. Spitting in a frog's mouth was believed yet another
way to cure toothache, while an Arabic text of the ninth century claims that this same act will
prevent a woman from conceiving for an entire year.

In the seventeenth century, epilepsy was believed curable with a powder made from a frog's
liver.

The eye of a frog plucked before sunrise and swallowed or worn as an amulet was thought to
cure fever.

In American folklore a soup made from nine frogs is said to cure whooping cough, while a wish
mad upon seeing the first frog in spring was believed to come true, if kept secret. A frog found
when neither the sun nor the moon was shining, if one of its hind legs was cut off, was said to
cure gout, cancer, and tuberculosis. The tradition that the croaking of frogs indicates rain is also
wide-spread. Likewise, some Indian tribes, in accepting this same belief, capture frogs and tap
them regularly in order to ensure a supply of water.

Last, mention must be made of the fact that the Wends, a primitive Slavic tribe, hold newly born
children are brought by frogs and not the stork!

*Mary Summer Rain/On Dreams:
Frog/Toad represents an impaired mental or physical condition.
Frogman characterizes an unhealthy spiritual attitude or belief system.

*Denise Linn/The Secret Language of Signs:
A frog can be a sign of stillness, patience, and focus. The frog sits in seemingly complete
stillness, waiting patiently for the fly. When one comes into sight, it has absolute, direct focus in
catching it. Many ancient rites associate the frog with the moon and also with rituals to invoke
rain. In Egypt, the frogs that lined the Nile a few days before it flowed over its banks were
regarded as symbols of fertility. Frog gods were placed on mummies. Madame Blavatsky, a
mystic and philosopher, said that the frog symbolized creation and resurrection because it lived
both in water and on land, and because it would disappear in the autumn and reappear in the
spring. This may be a sign of inconsistency, or of hopping from one thing to another. In some
cultures the frog is a sign of purification and cleansing. The Mayan and Aztec shamans thought
about frog energy as they sprayed water out of their mouths over those who were sick. The frog
sign may reflect a desire to find your shining prince, as the princess kissed the frog and it was
transformed into a prince. This can be a sign of transformation and finding the beauty behind
surface ugliness.

*Jamie Sams & David Carson/Medicine Cards:
Cleansing. Frog sings the songs that bring the rain and make the road dirt more bearable. Frog
medicine is akin to water energy, and the East on the medicine wheel. Frog teaches us to honor
our tears, for they cleanse the soul. All water rites belong to Frog, including all initiations by
water. Water prepares and cleanses the body for sacred ceremony. it is the element we
understand best in the womb. Frog, like ourselves, is a pollywog in the fetal waters, and only
learns to hop after it experiences the world of fluidity.

The transformation into adulthood prepares Frog for its power to call in the waters of the skies:
the rain. In knowing the element of water, Frog can sing the song that calls the rain to Earth.
When the ponds are dry, Frog calls upon the Thunder Beings to cleanse and replenish the Earth
with water. Like Frog, we are asked to know when it is time to refresh, purify, and refill the
coffers of the soul.

If Frog hopped into the cards you chose today, its "ribbit" may be calling in the cleansing you
need. If you were to look at where you are today, would you use any of the following words to
describe your condition: tired, overloaded, harried, frustrated, guilty, itchy, nervous, at a loss,
empty, or weakened?

If so, take a break and allow yourself to bathe in the waters of Frog medicine. This could mean a
long, relaxing bath, disconnecting the phone, yelling "stop," or taking in deep, cleansing breaths.
The key thought is to find a way to rid yourself of distractions and to replace the mud with clear
energy. Then replenish your parched spirit, body, and mind.

An ability of Frog medicine people is to give support and energy where it is needed. A Frog
medicine person can clean negativity from any environment. Many mediums and clairvoyants
who work with cleaning "haunted" houses carry Frog medicine. Many of the world's seers use
water on their hands when tapping into other realms of reality due to water's super-conductive nature.

In Mayan and Aztec shamanistic practices, the shaman places water in his or her mouth and
sprays it over the body of a patient to clear away negative energy. This is done while holding the
thought of Frog firmly in the mind so that healing may occur and the patient may be replenished
with positive energy. Sometimes dried and stuffed Frogs are also used to guard the person's body
during the session.

Frog speaks of new life and harmony through its rain song. The deep tones of Frog's "ribbit" are
said to be a call to the Thunder Beings: thunder, lightning, and rain. The "ribbit" is the heartbeat
that comes into harmony with Father Sky and calls for the replenishment needed. Call to Frog
and find peace in the joy of taking time to give to yourself. A part of this giving is cleansing
yourself of any person, place, or thing that does not contribute to your new state of serenity and replenishment.

Contrary: Frog slipped in the mud and is lying on his back, unable to right itself. Get ready for
more mud in your eye.

The contrary position of Frog can denote an un-wilingness on your part to wipe the mire out of
your life. Mud can turn from mire to bog to quicksand if you don't recognize its effect on your
present situation.

Is someone draining your energy? Are you allowing yourself to ride down the tubes with them?
Have you tried to settle someone else's quarrel and gotten in the line of fire? Stop! Recognize
what it is that is mucking up the lily pond. Swim with Frog. Frog's bug eyes see it all. Dive
deeply, and then hop to the next lily pad to catch the sun. in this way you may see exactly what
has been draining your energy.

At times, all of life's activities can be overwhelming, and everyone occasionally needs a break.
Contrary Frog can signal one of these moments, but can also portend a time of feeling
waterlogged. In feeling waterlogged, you may be dealing with too many emotions or feelings.
This is to say that "the world is too much with you," or that you have immersed yourself in one
idea or activity to the exclusion of all other facets of your life. If this is the case, a break from
routine is suggested. Hop to other lily pads or visit other ponds for awhile.

Negativity is drawn to you when you refuse to give yourself the time and space needed to
assume a new viewpoint. Frog in the contrary position is an omen that you are courting disaster
if you don't stop and smell the lilies, eat some flies, bask in the sun, and "ribbit" until the rain
comes to refill your spirit.

*D.J. Conway/Animal Magick:
These creatures are of the aquatic Amphibia, which have no tails. The true frog belongs to the
family Ranidae, which includes the frog of Europe and the bullfrog of North America. True frogs
are most diverse in Africa where the largest of them is nearly a foot long. A native of Cuba, the
smallest frog is less than half an inch long. True frogs are aquatic and have smooth skins and
webbed feet. Some tree frogs in Africa have feet with suction disks on their toes. The "hairy
frogs" of West Africa develop hair-like growths on their bodies during breeding season.
The frog has been a Goddess symbol of rebirth since the earliest Neolithic times. It has been
made into figurines, painted on walls and ceramics, and engraved on stone.

The Egyptians had a frog goddess Heket, who was called the midwife of the world, and who
protected mothers and newborn children. She was portrayed either as a frog itself or with the
head of a frog. The amulet of the frog was often buried with mummies; on it was engraved "I am
the Resurrection." The frog was also a symbol of the Great Mothers, Isis and Hathor.

In China, the Frog Spirit, called Ch'ing-Wa Sheng, was worshiped both as a healer and as a deity
who brought prosperity in business. The frog was a Chinese lunar symbol; a frog pictured in a
well meant a person who had only limited understanding.

The Greeks and romans considered this creature to be both an emblem of Aphrodite
(representing licentiousness), and a symbol of fertility and harmony between lovers. It was also a
companion of the nymphs. Hecate is associated with frogs in very ancient lore.

Around the world, the frog had a variety of meanings. In the Rig Veda of India, frogs were
invoked as deities in their own right. However, the Zoroastrians believed them to be an evil
creature of their demon god Ahriman. To the Celts, the frog was Lord of the Earth and
represented healing Water.

In many parts of the world, the frog or its image was used in rain charms. An ancient Babylonian
cylinder, used as a fertility charm, shows nine frogs. The frog was also cited as one of the
witches' familiars.

One Winter we heard a frog singing away in the plant room. We finally decided it must be
hidden in the large fern. Since the frog's presence didn't disturb us, we left him there. When
Spring came and the frogs outside began to sing their mating calls, we no longer heard our
visitor. We couldn't understand where it had gone, but when Summer ended we discovered its
clever exit point. The cat door was flush at the bottom with the floor in the plant room. The frog
simply backed up to the door and pushed until it could go in or out.

Superstitions: Pliny the elder said that frogs attracted friends to your house along with good luck.
It is still considered to be a reliable weather-predictor as it will croak when the barometer goes
down. Croaking during the day is an omen of rain. If a frog comes into your house by itself, it
symbolizes good luck arriving. The ornamental cloth closing for garments (called a frog) may be
a remnant of an old French custom of embroidering frogs on clothes for good luck. In many
places it is considered unlucky to kill a frog; you could lose your luck. Handling frogs and toads
is said to give you warts. If a dog eats a live frog, it will be unable to bark.

Magickal Attributes: A symbol of initiation and transformation. Cleaning out negativities and
distractions and replacing them with positive energy. Joy in a new cycle of life. Being reborn
after a period of seeming-death, when undergoing an initiation of transformation. Beginning a
new life cycle by dispensing with negative thoughts and deeds.

*Timothy Roderick/The Once Unknown Familiar:
Key Words: Flexible, adaptable, balanced
Magical Influences: Brings forth change, articulation of emotional issues, power to drive others with words

Personality: The frog personality is one that seeks and enjoys change. Frogs have a good natural
balance between the conscious and unconscious minds. They are articulate individuals and they
love any chance to speak their mind. They can be persuasive beings who can change the minds
of others.

*Patricia Telesco/The Language of Dreams:
The shape of the tadpole looks similar to a young fetus, thereby symbolizing fertility and
fecundity. Egyptian: Rebirth or figurative renewal in some area of your life. Shamanic: A
messenger regarding matters of health. Alternatively, a charm against any figurative bad weather
coming your way. Transformation and perspective. The frog prince of fairy tales reminds us that
things are not always what they seem. In China, frogs represent the ultimate Yin principle,
healing, and business prosperity. Ancient Greece: A portent of harmony between lovers.

*Bobby Lake-Thom/Spirits of the Earth:
Frogs are good signs. The Frog is a doctor and healer, seer and fortune-teller. The Frog is a
messenger of rain, and the power of the Frog can bring rain and water if one knows how to use
its power. On the other hand, Toads are bad power and bad luck. Sorcerers use the power and
symbol of the Toad to make bad prayers against people, to cause them sickness, accidents, or
harm in some way. If you see a Toad, they pray for protection.

*Brad Steiger/Totems:
The frog is a very ancient symbol of rebirth. In old Egypt, Hekat, Queen of the heavenly
Midwives, wore a sacred amulet in the shape of a frog that bore the inscription, "I am the
Resurrection."

To the ancient Romans, the frog was sacred to Venus, the love goddess. The frog as a popular
fertility symbol goes all the way back to During the Middle Ages in Europe, Hekat had become
Hecate, Queen of the Ghostworld or Queen of the Witches, and her frog totem had become a
familiar that allegedly set curses and spells on the unwary.

Because of its amphibious nature, in many systems of magic the frog represents the transition
from earth to water and vice versa. Add to this its largely nocturnal activities, and the frog
becomes a totem animal favored by moon goddesses and other night creatures.

Early scientists mused that more than any other of the "cold-blooded" animals, the frog appeared
to be a transitional step toward humans. Perhaps this line of thinking encouraged the fairy tales
that tell of transforming a frog into a prince or princess or vice versa through the magic of a
virginal kiss.

A West African folktale attributes the advent of death into the world to the frog, who reached the
gods with his decree that humans should not be immortal before the faithful dog got to them with
his plea that humans should have eternal life.

For many North American tribes, the frog was the great rain-maker of spring, summer, and fall.
During the winter months, the people of the northeastern tribes began to worry about how little
manitous were faring under the ice. A Chippewa folksong by a poet of long ago imagines the
plight of the Okogies (frogs) as they found themselves crying out for springtime to arrive.

See how the white spirit presses us,
Presses us, presses us, heavy and long,
Presses us down to the frost-bitten earth.
Alas, you are so heavy, your spirits so white.
Alas, you are so cold, so cold, so cold.
Cease, white spirits that fall from the skies.
Cease so to crush us and keep us in dread.
When will you vanish, and Seegwun (spring) return?

If you have long been attracted to the frog as your totem animal, you quite likely have always
been intrigued by a study of the ancient wisdoms. You may also enjoy delving into the
mysterious and the unknown. You are probably quite adaptable to sudden changes in your reality
and in your environment, and while you pride yourself on your independence, you also have a
great deal of empathy for others.

If you have only recently received frog as your totem animal and spirit helper, you may be about
to undergo an unexpected change in your lifestyle or a transformation of a high spiritual nature.
In either event, you may rely upon your frog to guide you safely through what might otherwise
be a rather difficult transitional period. As a spirit helper, you may expect the frog to encourage
you to spend a great deal more time in meditation and in a more active study of the ancient
mysteries.

*Ted Andrews/Animal-Wise:
Keynote: fertility and new beginnings.
Frogs have a tremendous mythology and lore about them. They have been associated with the
Faerie Realm and Egyptian goddesses and gods (Herit, Isis, and Osiris). To some peoples of the
Amazon, they call the rains and influence the climate. In Europe they are frequently associated
with healing. Whenever frog appears, we are entering a time of new beginnings. The creative
energies are awakening, and it is a time for new birth and new starts.

Frogs are amphibians, meaning they spend part of their life in water and part upon the land. They
are found everywhere within the world except Antarctica. All frogs go through metamorphosis,
and their appearance reflects a time of transformation for us as well. From the eggs come
tadpoles or polliwogs. From the tadpoles come frogs. They go from being gill breathers, living
within the water (polliwog stage) to being lung breathers upon the land and the water (frog
stage). Because the polliwog resembles the male spermatozoa, frogs are the heralds of abundance
and fertility on all levels. Frog's appearance can signal a possible birth or pregnancy for someone
close to us.

The frog heralds an ideal time to initiate new starts in business. It is a wonderful time to explore
and seek out a new career, job, or way of life. The appearance of the frog is a reflection of the
maturity and transformation from the polliwog stage. It is time to hop into new areas of
endeavors. It is beneficial to accept invitations and offers.

Frogs are keenly attuned to sound. They possess a very sensitive tympanic organ, and their
element (water) is a tremendous conductor of sound vibrations. Their croaking is a means of
attracting a mate. If frog has appeared, we should listen for new opportunities and know that our
ability to persuade and influence people to participate in new beneficial endeavors is very great
right now. Frog's appearance heralds an awakening of the unique and creative powers of our own
voice.

Outside the breeding season, the frog is a solitary creature, living around marshes, ponds, and
damp woodlands or grasslands. As adults, they always remain semi-aquatic. When frog appears,
the old waters we have been working and living in may be becoming stagnant and dirty. It is
time to clean them up. There may be something murky about what we are trying to initiate or
with whom we are associating.

The frog can indicate a need to take a serious second look before initiating anything new or
starting with someone new. This does not mean to give up the possibility of change and new
starts, but we may need to plan further before proceeding. Rather than starting now, a delay or
temporary canceling of our endeavors may be best at this time. Frog may indicate a need to reexamine
offers from others and can herald that solitary efforts are more productive now than
partnership or group endeavors.

Are we ignoring new opportunities? Are we mired in the mud of our day-to-day life? Do we
need to dive into some fresh waters? Are we becoming bogged down in emotions and not
transforming them? Are we becoming too mundane? Are we repeating old patterns and mistakes
rather than moving onto new things? Are we resisting change and hesitant to use our own
creative forces?

Amphibians are like living pollution testers. They reveal much about the health of the Earth
because they are so sensitive to such a wide variety of environmental poisons. That's because
they live part of their lives in water and part of their lives in damp soil. Thus, they are exposed to
both land and water pollutants. They also have no scales to protect them. A study of the
amphibian life within an environment will reveal tremendous insight into pollution problems
affecting the area and other indigenous wildlife.

*Note from Cinnamon: Several years ago now there was a science field trip led by an elementary
school teacher. Her class discovered frogs in that area (here in Minnesota) were deformed,
having extra appendages, and other abnormalities. It was this teacher and her students that led
the EPA to study the water and land toxins in the area for pollution levels and concerns were
high. Frogs are one of the first signs of trouble and the changes they were announcing were not
good ones. But the message was received at their expense and studies we underway.

The Druid Animal Oracle by Phillip and Stephanie Carr-Gomm
Frog: Sensitivity, Medicine, Hidden Beauty and Power

Frog unites the elements of water and earth, bringing joy, delight and healing in its singing and
hopping, and leading you to the sacred spring from which you may be refreshed and renewed. A
cold-blooded creature living half on the land and half in the water, the frog possesses an
extremely sensitive skin, considered magical by shamans. A companion of the rain spirits, they
frog can help you develop your sensitivity to others, to healing and to sound through your skin
and your whole body and aura. Nothing is what it appears to be, and life is more fun that you at
first supposed! There is a hidden beauty and a hidden power in all of nature, and as you open
yourself to this you will feel close to the goddess and close to both the earth and to water. Look
for the beauty and the magic behind appearances.

Contrary suggests that you are learning how to embrace difficult circumstances. The frog that
you must marry may well turn out to be a prince. The circumstances you have chosen to accept--
whilst apparently unappealing or difficult--may well bring you rich rewards in the end.
remember that the frog brings medicine, and medicine brings healing.