When I am trying to learn information about a totem, I usually take it in three steps. I first respectfully send out an invitation to talk, basically a "getting to know you" meeting where we both start learning about each other's personality and energies. I have met totems who needed some coaxing or flat out turned down this invitation, but most appreciate my motivation for learning about them to help others connect to them better. I ask them to stick by me while I learn about them and their earthly children and politely request that they give input as they see fit.
The next step is researching the natural history of the totem's species. I also try to hunt down information on mythology and the history of its interactions with humanity if there is any to be found. I normally stick to "scientific mode" while doing this, but sometimes the totem will alert me if I find some information it considers especially important.
The last step is another meeting where I ask the totem what it wishes me and others to know about it. On rare occasions, I am instructed to shapeshift into the totem's animal form while in a light meditative trance to better understand its perspective. That doesn't happen often and when it does it normally indicates that that totem wants to stay in my life longer and teach me personally. When I write totem essays, I am often in a light meditative state while doing it and some parts are basically "co-authored" by the totem.
With a totem like Tick which has little totemic information written about it, my advice would be to research as much as you can about actual ticks. Then, through your prefered method of talking with the totem (medition, ritual, dreamwork, shapeshifting), tell Tick what you've learned and ask if S/he has anything to discuss about it.
I hope this helps at least a bit, and feel free to continue discussing this with me if you wish.
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timeasmymeasure
Re: THANK YOU!!
Date: 2012-02-14 06:36 pm (UTC)The next step is researching the natural history of the totem's species. I also try to hunt down information on mythology and the history of its interactions with humanity if there is any to be found. I normally stick to "scientific mode" while doing this, but sometimes the totem will alert me if I find some information it considers especially important.
The last step is another meeting where I ask the totem what it wishes me and others to know about it. On rare occasions, I am instructed to shapeshift into the totem's animal form while in a light meditative trance to better understand its perspective. That doesn't happen often and when it does it normally indicates that that totem wants to stay in my life longer and teach me personally. When I write totem essays, I am often in a light meditative state while doing it and some parts are basically "co-authored" by the totem.
With a totem like Tick which has little totemic information written about it, my advice would be to research as much as you can about actual ticks. Then, through your prefered method of talking with the totem (medition, ritual, dreamwork, shapeshifting), tell Tick what you've learned and ask if S/he has anything to discuss about it.
I hope this helps at least a bit, and feel free to continue discussing this with me if you wish.