Animal Helpers

Many people sense that animals are important in their lives – for their well being, for their connectedness to living things, for their recreation, for their enjoyment, and even for their therapy. These associations may harken to our own ancestral beginnings are the use of an animal helper in understanding a spiritual path is something that was known the world over.

The notion of an animal helper, however, is probably best known from the Native American groups of North American who used their animal helper in conjunction with a vision quest.

The vision quest is essentially an initiation into adulthood. It is a solitary venture into the unknown whose purpose is to experience the presence of a guardian spirit. Techniques for gaining access to one's guardian spirit varied from tribe to tribe.

Among some groups, the person might watch for some animal that seemed to be behaving in an important manner. Some groups looked at stones to discover which animal a stone most resembled. But the most popular form of the vision quest, as the name implies, was to contact the spirit helper through a dream, a visionary journey. Usually that spirit helper was in the form of an animal.

Average people from the community, no matter their age, could practice the vision quest just as well as their great shamans. Each was seeking advice and guidance and to contact the animal helper was a blessing.

Rather than voyaging into the deep, dark forest alone, you can find your animal helper here at Instant Oracle and discover what advice it might have for you.