What are Modern Celtic Totem Stones for?

The Celts believed the animals had magickal qualities and that each were manifestation from a particular God or Goddess in Earth form. The Boar for Cerridwen, Stag for Cernunnos or the Raven for the Morrighan are examples. They even chose animal, plant or tree totems to represent their tribes or clans. Trees? Yes the Celtic legends suggest that some tribes believed people were created from the trees. Other clans thought their mother was the source they lived by like Boann, the river which gave them life water and food.

Humans could be nourished by & learn quite a bit from each animal and get help from its spirit. They would thank the animal for sharing its gifts in the circle of life. The ancients were closer to nature then modern day persons. They'd listen to nature and watch the physical animal in its natural environment, and dress like them to dance with their spirit.

We can do this too, to begin to attune with nature again by learning about each animal and using totem stones as a starting point. By holding a Celtic Totem Stone & focusing your thoughts on it, brings appreciation for these teachings forward.

The making of the Celtic totem stone is done ritually. The space is cleansed of all other negative residual energy and spirit is invited to send attribute energies and teachings of the animal to rest in the stone before the painting of it. The practitioner is totally focused on the task at hand as well, in trance like mode. Stones then become Spiritkeepers of the past and present.

Real Shamanic Makers of these stones are hard to come by as there are many charlatons out there, that make no ritual. At the Celts and Vikings Store, each Celtic totem stone is handpicked by myself as the ritual starts from this point. Nature spirit is asked to guide the 'Vates' type roles of our tribe to the right stone. The Celtic totem stones are tagged and brought back to our sacred areas, a trance journey is done to see which spirit energy chooses to reside here.

The Celtic totem stones become individuals and should ALWAYS be treated respectfully as spiritual beings at all times. We Keep the totem stones in their own personal pouch, made just for them, in the proper colours and material. Some material does not go with the particular animal spirit and is a mistake often made with those untrained book taught persons.

When it comes to choosing one of our Celtic totem stones, most people go for their favorite animal or an animal they chose themselves to be their "power animal". This is not the way. You may want a particular animal quality, but they are not necessarily the one you need. The best way is to not look and choose, or put your hand across them all, not looking and take the one that draws you there.

Having said this, the best way to go, is to have several different Celtic totem stones, just like the tarot, and once every 3 moons choose one and work with it. I mean really work with it and fix the things within to watch the results in your outer world. Depending on the type of occasion presented the spirit will come for the right time. Choose no more frequently then 3 moons, as this is the time needed to work on a single thing and rid self of a stale or old belief no longer needed or was an untruth you carried around.

By LaurieLee Mills

Copyright February 09, 2012