I want to tell you about the moment I stopped rolling my eyes at the idea of a power animal.
I was in the middle of a session — not as the practitioner, as the client — and the reader told me I had a hawk. Specifically, that it had been showing up in my energy for years, and that its message for me was something along the lines of "you already have the view from above, you just keep looking down."
I didn't say anything out loud. But internally? I was thinking about the hawk that had been landing on my fence every single morning for three weeks.
Okay, I thought. I'm listening.
So what actually IS a power animal?
A power animal is a spiritual ally — an animal spirit that chooses to work with you, offering its specific qualities and medicine to support your journey. Think of it as an animal consciousness (not a physical animal, though they sometimes show up that way) that has been walking alongside you, lending you its gifts whether you know it or not.
Different from a totem animal, which is typically tied to your lineage or culture, a power animal is specific to you, right now, in this season of your life. And different from a spirit guide, whose role is often more like a wise counselor, a power animal tends to be more active — lending you its instincts, its strengths, its way of moving through the world.
A wolf might bring pack wisdom and loyalty. An eagle, vision and perspective. A bear, groundedness and the courage to hibernate when you need to heal. There are no "better" animals — the one that shows up is exactly the one you need.
Wait — isn't this the same as a spirit animal?
Kind of, but not quite — and it's worth knowing the difference.
"Spirit animal" is a term that comes from specific Indigenous traditions and carries deep cultural and ceremonial significance. When it gets used casually (usually as shorthand for "I really love dogs"), it flattens something that matters a lot to a lot of people.
Power animal is a term used in shamanic traditions more broadly, and it's the language I use in sessions. It honors the concept without appropriating specific cultural practices.
So: same idea, different (more respectful) language. Now you know.
How do you know which one is yours?
Here's where it gets fun. Your power animal has probably already been trying to get your attention. You just maybe didn't have a name for it yet.
An animal that keeps showing up. In your physical environment, in dreams, on your phone screen, on random t-shirts, in conversations. When something keeps appearing across different contexts, that's not random.
An animal you've always felt inexplicably drawn to. Not because it's cute or trendy — just a pull you can't fully explain. That one always had a reason.
An animal that appears in a moment of intensity. Crisis, transition, big decision. Animals that show up at pivotal moments often have something specific to offer.
Dreams that feel significant. An animal that behaves unusually, holds eye contact, or speaks (yes, sometimes they speak). Those dreams are worth paying attention to.
And then sometimes none of the above — you just need someone to go looking on your behalf.
What happens in a Meet Your Power Animal session?
In a session, I journey energetically on your behalf to connect with your power animal and bring back information that's specific to you. This isn't a generic "here's what a bear means" response — it's a conversation. I'm receiving details about your particular ally: what they look like, what their energy feels like, what they're specifically offering you, and what they want you to know.
People often come in curious and leave feeling like something just clicked into place. Like they've been given a map they didn't know they needed.
What you might receive:
- The identity of your current power animal
- A description of their energy and appearance
- Their primary gift or medicine for you right now
- A message about where or how they've already been showing up
- How to call on them when you need support
Do you only have one?
Most people have a primary power animal and sometimes others that move in and out depending on what you're navigating. Life transitions, big projects, healing work — different animals show up for different seasons.
The one we meet in a session is the one who's most present and most active for you right now. Which means it's exactly the right time to make that introduction.
You don't need to be "that kind of person"
I want to say this out loud because I know some of you are reading this and thinking "this sounds cool but I'm not really the shamanic healing type."
I hear you. I said something similar once.
You don't need a feather collection. You don't need to know anything about shamanism. You just need to be open to the possibility that you've had support you haven't been formally introduced to yet.
Curiosity is the only requirement. Your power animal has the rest handled.
Ready to meet yours?
Meet Your Power Animal is available as a Soul Snack mini-session — a focused, 20-minute session designed to make this feel accessible, not overwhelming. Book below, and let's see who shows up for you.