Animals

[jennythereader]

Call them what you will (totem animals, avatars, daemons), many people have a particular animal that they associate themselves with.

What is your animal, and what is your mental picture of it?

My animal is an owl, especially the snowy owl. My image of it has always been flying along the edge of a lake on a quiet, clear winter night beneath the stars and a full moon. The water is unfrozen and the waves are breaking gently against the shore, but the ground is covered with a pristine coating of snow.

Comments

[dulcinbradbury.livejournal.com]

A large white stag stepping from the trees into a clearing at the top of a cliff on a clear night with a bare sliver of moon.

[jennythe-reader.livejournal.com]

That's a beautiful image.

[iambliss.livejournal.com]

I'm a little odd, in that I have two; the black bear and the dragonfly. I picture both of them in several ways; the most common for the bear is pausing in the midst of a tall old forest carpeted with needles, with rocks nearby that I sense might hid the entrance to its den, and the sound of running water somewhere in the near distance. The common for the dragonfly is in the moment of, having been skimming over the tops of tall grass and waving flowers in a summery sunlit meadow, having just turned upward to zip toward the sky, its body a glittering vertical.

[jennythe-reader.livejournal.com]

I love the contrast between the two.

[iambliss.livejournal.com]

They're reflective of my personal dichotomy. The bear is indicative of solidity, constance, weight/gravity, the natural and habitual desire for solitude, nurturing, and ferocity that can erupt when threatened or pushed too far. The dragonfly is living in the moment, beauty for its own sake, lightness of being, and outright joy.

[jennythe-reader.livejournal.com]

I had guessed both of those, but somehow it seemed... presumptuous to speculate on the symbolism.

I'm glad you chose to expand on them.

[iambliss.livejournal.com]

I'm quite glad, then, that they exude the symbolism that I see within them. :)

[jarien.livejournal.com]

Three foxes for three states of being.

A red fox in playful mode, prancing through a sparkling sunlit meadow, pouncing at butterflies, moles, and dust motes in the sunbeams.

A three-tailed ghost kitsune, such as pictured in my most common LJ icon. She lives in a black and white world, where the moon is always full, and it is always winter. The branches are bare, and rustle as the wind blows through.

A fox denned up after the first snowfall, curled into a tight ball with her tail over her nose, bright black eyes just peeking out over the brushy fur. She is safe and small and hidden in her den, watching the old world die away. She is also preparing for spring, which brings the start of many new things, and takes much careful thought and planning.

[jennythe-reader.livejournal.com]

All wonderful images, although I think the denning fox is my favorite.

Don't often give it all that much thought but...

[gwenlianna.livejournal.com]

Cat... dark colored short-hair.
Really, all of the many moods. Playful (unless I'm not), asleep in the sun, stopped dead by pettings...
I am pretty unquestionably feline in nature, although I try to avoid the stupid affectations and silliness. I have yet to see any reason why i should teach myself to purr for instance.

Re: Don't often give it all that much thought but...

[jennythe-reader.livejournal.com]

A cat seems quite appropriate for you.

[cbpotts.livejournal.com]

I am a bear, a mama bear. I have to find a pic for you; I generally see her face and shoulders only.

[jennythe-reader.livejournal.com]

A bear seems like a good fit for you, too.

[addergoole.livejournal.com]

Sand cat.

(were I in my other lj (lj user="aldersprig), my default icon is a sand cat kitten)

Appears domesticated. Isn't. ;-)

I also like bats.

[purpura.livejournal.com]

The rubber chicken.

A friend of mine has a birthmark of a turtle on the back of her calf. When she was a little girl, a turtle fell out of the sky to land at her feet. She's always felt this was her totem.

When I was a little girl, I went to a production of Oklahoma, with very good seats, right behind the orchestra pit. During the production, they wanted to drop the rubber chicken on the orchestra. It landed in my lap.

I have always felt that the rubber chicken is my totem.

Re: I also like bats.

[jennythe-reader.livejournal.com]

I can't tell if you're being serious or not, but either way this answer is so perfectly you. :)

Re: I also like bats.

[purpura.livejournal.com]

Mostly serious. I do like bats too.

Re: I also like bats.

[jennythe-reader.livejournal.com]

If I'd guessed, I would have guessed a bat.