Working With The Animal Totems

ORCA

Spirit of the ORCA: Guardian of the Cosmic Memory, Alchemy, Creativity
Healing through Sound, Sensitivity, Adaptability, Intelligence, Synery, Cooperation.

Note: Orcas aren't whales. They are dolphins. The largest in the dolphin class. As such, they display similar behavior to dolphins, like: Playfulness, Curiosity, Intelligence.

Orcas are powerful, intelligent predators, able to live in extreme climates. Orca “medicine” is not about preying upon others, but about community, loyalty, longevity and the willingness to travel away from home. ORCA is called the Lord of the Ocean or the Guardian of the Ocean by Northwest Native nations. In some traditions, the Orca is a symbol of great good luck, revered for its great size and power. Orca medicine teaches lessons in leadership, communication, and working together as a team.

LINKS:

http://www.whats-your-sign.com/symbolic-orca-whale-meaning.html

http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/killer-whale/

http://web.archive.org/web/20090219173925/http://wolfs_moon.tripod....

http://www.native-languages.org/killer-whale.htm

http://spiritsofthewestcoast.com/collections/the-orca-or-killer-whale

http://www.spirit-animals.com/orca/

http://www.animalspirits.com/index1.html

http://www.universeofsymbolism.com/orca-killer-whale-symbol.html

http://truthsinger.blogspot.com/2005/05/orca-killer-whale-totem-i-t...

Orca's Wisdom Includes:

* Creator of the Cosmos
* Having the ability to convert raw matter into stars, planets, etc.
* Freeing the soul from the physical body
* Controlling rainfall on Earth
* Using the vibrational energy of song to heal
* Assisting humans in finding their soul's song
* Soul memory
* Seeing the unseen
* Teaching the ability to seal soul fissures and energy leaks

* Akashic record keepers

According to coastal Indians, Orca was created by the hunter who carved a "blackfish" out of yellow cedar and commanded it to kill his wicked in-laws. Orca tore the men to bits and returned to the Tlingit man, Natsalane, who then ordered the sleek animals never again to prey on humans. And, to this day, Orca, the top predator of the sea, doesn’t eat people. Indeed, the Tlingit people of southeast Alaska consider Orca a custodian of the sea.

The Orca

The Orca is found in all seas from the Arctic to the Antarctic. The familiar black and white coloring of the Orca is significant. From a spiritual point of view it represents lessons of a soul nature regarding polarity. Orcas assist us in acquiring balance within a world of opposites.

From a physical point of view it is a strategy of camouflage. Seen from above their dark back blends in with the darker water below them, while from below, their whiter bellies blend in with the sunlit waters above. This symbolizes the ability to move through life seen or unseen depending on the situation. Learning the art of camouflage is advantageous for those with this medicine. Proper action and reaction, observation and expression are all linked to this art.

The orca swims in formation either in a line or in rows. This indicates good organizational skills and the ability to work cooperatively with others.

Orcas do not migrate in the same sense as baleen whales, but have seasonal movements which are tied into prey movement and environmental changes. Two distinct sub groups of the orca are described as resident and transients. Residents live in larger pods and have a matriarchal system in which two or three females and their descendants live together throughout their lives. Transient groups tend to travel longer distances and are known to hunt and kill other mammals. The name killer whale originated when whalers and mariners observed transient orcas eating other whales.

Each pod has its own distinctive dialect which allow members of the same pod to recognize one another even if they get separated. Those with this medicine are able to instantly identify members of their original soul group. Although personalities may differ a strong sense of family is known. Life lessons as well as spiritual aspirations are similar. Reuniting with members of the same soul group can trigger a sense of great joy or it can awaken heart felt grief as memories surface about a previous loss. Those with this totem should remember that once a reunion has been established, emotional support for one another will always be available.

Orca medicine people are very creative although they can have a tendency to keep their creativity hidden or allow their creativity to rule their lives. Those with this totem should pay attention to the way in which the orca appears to them. If it is seen breaching out of the water it is asking you to surface from the depths of your inner reflection and express yourself outwardly in a grounded and creative way.

If seen injured or beached it could indicate a need to take care of your health. Orcas often get parasites, bacterial and fungal infections. Hodgkin's disease has been recorded in killer whales. From an emotional perspective this disease is linked to low self esteem and the fear of being accepted. The orca holds the teachings of fearlessness, beauty, power and balance. It can awaken these same qualities within you. All you need to do is ask.

Orca Animal Totem Symbolism

Orca is the swimmer in the deep, named the “Killer Whale” for its ferocity in hunting seal, Orca is in fact a gentle giant.

The lessons of Orca speak of turning inward and trusting your instincts. The deep ocean holds many truths, and Orca plumbs those truths without fear. If Orca is in your life as your animal guide, they are there to pass on this form of hidden knowledge to you.

Orca Associated Traits

Family, Singing, Speech giving, Seeing the Unseen, Longevity, Balance, Sensitivity, Creation, Healing

Symbolic Meaning Of Orca

The Orca animal totem is also known for it’s whale-song. This is a sound well-known to echo through the deeps and hulls of ships, speaking of the creatures that travel through the shadowed deeps.

Being masters of sound, in many ways seeing their world with them, Orca can teach you to delve deep and use thepower of sound to bring healing into your world. Orca often comes to serve those who heal with their words, such as psychiatrists.

Musicians also are well served by Orca’s touch, it has often been said that music can soothe the savage soul. Orca’s voice is no exception, and speaks of the great wisdom of this animal.

Living in the watery deep, Orca is sensitive to its surroundings. It is this sensitivity to its water home that gives it such strength and awareness of other’s feelings.

Water is the fundamental basis of all life. It literally serves as the source from whence it all came. And spiritually the Orca symbol is the foundation of healing, life, and emotion. Orca will lend you this sensitivity if you let her.

Central to Orca’s life is the pod, it’s family. If the Orca comes to you in your dreams alone, it may be speaking to you of an inner loneliness, and a need to reconnect either with your blood family, or the family of your heart. Pods protect one another.

The Orca meaning suggests that you watch out for dangers, and help the members of your Pod to eat in times of weakness. Family is deeply important to Orca, and in our lives it is no less so. Just remember that not all families are those we were born into.

The last lesson the Orca symbolism may bring to you is that of balance. Orca lives in a world in which it must be aware of the balance of life. It is a predator, but if it takes too much, it may drive off the seals and other animals that it relies on to live.

Orca must be aware of the various poisons in its waters as well. Should they become to prevalent, it’s time to move on. Our spirit can be poisoned as well. If the Orca spirit guide appears in your dreams, it may be a sign that you need to turn your attention to matters of emotional and spiritual health. What we think, we are, and it may be necessary for you to pay attention to previously unknown sources of emotional toxin.

Orca Dream Interpretation and Meaning

The orca, or killer whale, is a symbol of authentic personal power. It indicates that you have the ability to make what you want of your life. It is a powerful, magical, and spiritual dream symbol.

In fact, seeing a whale of any type in your dream means that you are being protected and helped by the Cosmos. In particular, if you see a whale’s tail flukes in your dream, this is a prediction of very good luck coming your way.

Orcas are dolphins and dolphins symbolize channeling in a dream. A channel is someone who can communicate directly with spirits and Angels. Dolphins and whales mean this because they are mammals that live in the ocean. In dreams the ocean represents spirituality, so here we have an air breathing mammal that has adapted enough to travel into the spirit world. The type of dolphin or whale involved is not important, although orcas are killer whales. In this context, the killer portion of the name shows the fear the dreamer has with regard to talking with the dead. Also their strong black and white color indicates a difficulty the dreamer has with regard to accepting spiritual communication. In essence they must overcome their black and white attitude that tells them things are either good or evil. When you have this attitude it is difficult to open your mind to something new. This could be due to religious doctrine.

The Orca or Killer Whale

The Native Symbol Orca or Killer Whales symbolizes family, romance, longevity, harmony, travel, community and protection. He is said to protect those who travel away from home, and lead them back when the time comes. The Killer Whales live like wolves and raise each child with care. Orcas will often stay their whole life with the same pod. They also travel in large groups of families, working together to protect all members of their pod.

Known as the “Lord of the Ocean” the Killer whale is said to be the guardian of the ocean, with seals as his slaves and dolphins as his warriors. It is believed that Killer Whales are closely related to humans, and it is said that when a human drowns the human is taken down by Killer Whales into their deep villages and transformed into a Killer Whale. Some tribes believe that the Killer Whale will purposefully take down whole canoes to come closer to their loved ones. When a Killer Whale is seen of shore he is believed to be a deceased human or chief trying to communicate with loved ones. Some tribes believe that Orcas are reincarnations of their former chiefs lost at sea. Some people tell the following story on how the white markings appeared on the Killer Whale. As a legend describes, a Killer Whale fell in love with an Osprey. The Killer Whale was so in love that he would jump out of the water and into the air, to be closer to the Osprey. The Osprey would respond by flying lower to meet the whale. They had a child together and the child was born black like the Whale with white markings from the Osprey.

ORCA

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