Animal Guides
There are just as many explanations as there are civilizations who believe animals are part of our spiritual teachers and guides. From the Far East, to Native Americans, a sacred Cow from Hinduism and the Dove of Peace that plays a key role as a guide in Christian literature. All societies believe animals have played and do play a special role in our spiritual lives.
The connections we have with the animal kingdom isn't just restricted to Paganism, Shamanism, the New Age or metaphysical beliefs and understandings. So take some time to look at a church, a chapel, synagogue or gathering place belonging to a religious sect that you're not real familiar with. Talk to others about their beliefs and ask them what animals come to mind when they describe the relationships between that kingdom and the kingdom of their God. It's really a great way to learn, bridge gaps and even share knowledge.
As for me and my beliefs and understandings come from a Cherokee heritage. It is widely believed that animals here in the physical form, as well as the spiritual form, are all guides and teachers and when one crosses our path, we are to learn something from them. When you see an animal in the woods or a bird in the sky, think to yourself, what is this raccoon trying to tell me? What does the eagle want me to see? You can try to connect with creature and see if communication is possible. But even if it isn't, you can decipher the meaning.
Animals of the Physical Kingdom
The easiest way to gain understanding about an animal who crosses your path in the physical form is to define the characteristics that you associate with that animal. Start an encyclopedia of symbolic representations. Much like the Dream encyclopedias you see on the market, make one for yourself. Those "dream" books are really just someone else's interpretation of symbolic items, so why not use the interpretation that really matters...YOURS. Once you start filling up your encyclopedia, you will be able to use it for both these animal encounters and dream interpretations. After all, your interpretations will be valid for both events and much more meaningful for YOU then someone else's ideas or perceptions.
Animal Messages
To find the meaning or message behind the animal that cross your path, you need to examine 4 basic parts of the encounter. This is best explained through scenario, so here goes:
Let's say you see a hawk circling your house one morning on your way to work. Stop for a few moments and watch it. Try to distinguish the colors and if you can, determine what kind of hawk it is, today you see a North American Red Shoulder Hawk.
Now consider the 4 basic parts of the encounter. (You might think about keeping a journal and describing what happened. If you don't have time now to decipher the meaning of the visitation, you'll have enough information to do it later.)
What are the characteristics of the animal.
What does this animal represent to you.
What do the colors of the animal mean to you.
For example, the hawk had red shoulders, what do you think of when you see red and what does red on the shoulders mean for you.
Describe what the animal was doing. What was your gut feeling at that moment.
For instance, was the hawk just soaring and enjoying it's view from above, or was it searching for something. A place to land? Something to eat? Give your description in as much "feeling" and intuitive detail as possible.
Next, you might find or read about the scientific and physiological characteristics of the animal to help you determine what could have been doing. You can certainly go to the library and look it up in an encyclopedia. But if you can get your hands on Ted Andrew's Animal Speak book, you'll have some wonderful explanations of what this bird might represent to you. You might even look for a Peterson's Field Guide book (ie: Peterson's Field Guide to Birds). These are wonderful books to have around the house, they can help you identify just about any animals you might encounter.
Once you've got all this together and recorded in your journal. Step back and contemplate a little on what you wrote. How does your interpretation of this event fit into your life. What aspect does the visitation shed information or light upon.
Here's another example that puts all this together:
You and I are walking through the woods, I'm on your left, you on my right. The dirt path is wide, shaded slightly from the warm sun and we can see far off to the next bend. A large green snake crosses the path in front of us. Moving from left to right, going from south to the north. It makes no move toward us. It simply moves patiently and methodically across the path, about 15 feet in front of us.
Now, how would I interpret the snakes message depends on a few of my perceptions.
For me, green is a healing color and snakes represent medicine, as in the medical insignia.
I believe that when we receive information or energy from the Divine, it enters our body from the left intuitive side. We deliver it from the right action side.
The south represents the physical world, probably because I know the lower chakras of the body are the physical chakras that we re-create in each new embodiment. The upper chakras are the ones we take from lifetime to lifetime and are part of the soul/spirit. So I have always associated the north with spirit.
Based on these perceptions, seeing a green snake, cross from my left, to my right, going from south to north and without any aggressive move toward us, would be telling me a healing will be needed along this path. I will probably be the one giving the healing energy as it passes through me from left to right. The snake moving toward the north indicates the healing will be one of spirit, or a information will be given that will bring about a spiritual healing for someone along this path.
Now that might be my interpretation. But how can perception change the meaning of the same event?
You see a snake cross the path in front of us. You notice the snake slithers away into the undergrowth and you stop in your tracks. Not sure if you want to continue past it's location, you stare at the hiding place, move away from the underbrush and quickly rush past the crossing point.
Your perceptions will have an affect on the message that you saw:
You had a bad experience as a child with a snake and you've been frightened of them ever since.When you see a snake, you see danger.
Universally green is a healing color and you accept this belief as part of your truth.
When you see a snake, you see danger and a sense of fear crosses your being. Although you are frightened, you see "healing" in part of the message. But for you, it's that someone will become injured and need to be healed in some fashion. The snake slithers away into the undergrowth and you stop in your tracks. Something hidden is involved in this process. Perhaps something that is hidden needs to be healed in order for a progression to take place and the person begins moving forward once again.
Do you see how the same event can be interpreted so differently by two people, based on their life experiences and perceptions. Yet even in the different view, the message is still present. But the message means something different to each person involved.