| Title | : | New Paths to Animal Totems: Three Alternative Approaches to Creating Your Own Totemism |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0738733377 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780738733371 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 282 |
| Publication | : | First published December 1, 2012 |
From the author: I've written a great deal for people of an intermediate to advanced experience level, but this time I'm offering something for a more general audience, to include people who may never have even heard of totems before! I've taken my totemic practice of 15 years and broken it out into three different working models of animal totemism. The Correspondences Model takes the idea of totems of the four directions further, explaining how to mesh animal totems with any of a number of personalized correspondence systems, whether pre-existing or self-created. The Archetypal Model draws on Jung's original conception of archetypes as symbolic expressions of internal impulses and instincts, linking the internal landscape with external animals as living symbols. The Bioregional Model connects people to the totems of their local area, as well as the Land itself.
To give readers, especially those new to totemism, some guidance, I've offered a variety of exercises, meditations, and ritual ideas to play with along with the theory. And to illustrate the material further, there are examples seeded throughout the text. However, as with all my books, there's plenty for the more experienced practitioner to play with, and none of it is strictly "by the book", as it were. AND, for those of you who have read my previous works, there's plenty of new material and ideas to work with!
So whether you're a first-time reader of mine, or you've read my previous work, I'd be curious as to what you think of this newest endeavor!
New Paths to Animal Totems: Three Alternative Approaches to Creating Your Own Totemism Reviews
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This is one of the best Pagan/Neo-Pagan books I've read in a long time. Actually, it's one of the best non-fiction I've read in a long time, period.
It's intelligent, rational, easy to read while being in-depth, and has a wonderful conversational quality to it that makes it feel like you're listening to the author talk instead of reading from the page.
In terms of content, this is one of the first books containing "how to" info that didn't a) bore me, and b) intimidate me away from trying it. At the end of the book, instead of feeling that trying to find my totem is just too much time and work, I've been motivated into feeling like it's something that is doable and within my reach.
I'd recommend this book to anyone. :) -
Very informative, easy-to-understand intro into the author's views and thoughts behind animal totemism in the modern age.
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This review first appeared on The Magical Buffet website on 7/24/13.
Animal totems are something I was interested in but never really explored. I always sort of felt that you needed to be a big nature lover to work with animal totems and if you know me, you know that me and nature do not get along. I’m allergic to just about everything that grows and every animal. All fur, feathers, dander, down, all of it. However, Lupa’s new book “New Paths to Animal Totems: Three Alternative Approaches to Creating Your Totemism” really opened my eyes.
Lupa explains how you don’t have to be tied to the Native American model that so many books and websites tend to favor. She offers three alternative models to discerning your totems: correspondences, bioregional, and archetypal. In correspondences Lupa discusses discovering your totem/totems using the directions, the Chinese or Western Zodiac, the Tarot and more. Bioregionalism is finding your totems not from within arbitrary boundaries such as state lines but instead from a place defined by natural phenomena such as waterways and geographic formations. Last is archetypal which is more psychological than other options. It matches our internal impulses and instincts to what we know of nonhuman animals, creating a personalized map of both the internal self and the world we inhabit. Lupa offers exercises, meditations, and examples for all of these so the seeker has a companion working with them along their path. She also discusses the option of combining these totemic paths.
Additionally, Lupa discusses ways to interact with, honor, and assist your totem animal. There’s a guided meditation for helping find your totem animal. My favorite extra is a list of animal nonprofits.
“New Paths to Animal Totems” is a great book for anyone looking for a new perspective, or for someone new like me. I thought that someone housebound like myself couldn’t have a relationship with a totem animal, but Lupa’s writing opened my eyes. Ideally yes, being out in nature is great. However many people have totem animals that aren’t found in nature where they live, so being outside doesn’t effect the relationship one way or the other. That’s a pretty big leap from one book. Just think what “New Paths to Animals” might teach you. -
This book is absolutely fantastic, even for those who known just about nothing about totems. I'm one of those people, but even then this book was very easy to follow. The tone is both conversation-like and informative. Each concept introduced in the book is explained, and the examples and personal stories given can really help with reading comprehension. If you're looking for a step-by-step "do things this way" guide this is definitely not the book for you. Instead the writing is very open, encouraging your own ideas to form. After all, it states right in the title that this is a "do it yourself" guide. I personally didn't connect to all three of the approaches explained in this book, but I did really connect to one of them at least (and see the value in the others, as well as ways to integrate them if I so choose). I think their variety can connect to a good number of people. Overall, this book was amazing and I plan on keeping it with me for reference. I highly recommend it!
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This is the first book I have ever read on totemism, and I did so with caution. I have always been turned off by individuals who try to appropriate a bunch of traditions and teach them as "Native American" totemism, which is offensive and annoying on many levels. This book avoids appropriation by instead providing basic components individuals of any religious, spiritual, or cultural background can use to fit their own needs and experience.
As someone who knew nothing about totems, I found this book to be helpful and informative. At the same time, it was thought provoking throughout and I never felt like it was too shallow or catering to novices. I look forward to reading more of Lupa's works in the future. -
I greatly admire Lupa's work and this book is no different in that perspective.
Whether or not you're familiar with animal totems there's something to learn from this book. Be it how to start connecting or finding your totem animals or how to better connect with them this book is a great resource. -
Feh.
