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WhiteFox
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Post subject: Human as Totem  Posted: Wed Feb 11, 2009 9:32 pm |
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| Magicka Guardian |
Joined: Fri Jul 18, 2008 3:38 am
Posts: 3232
Location: On Magicka's roof, scouting out her next tile victim
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Human totems...would that be the many deities we revere? A lot of them do look like humans one way or another, and a few so-called deities were once human too (Sedna of Inuit culture, for example).
Or are we so strange an animal that we have a different thing going on? I've heard some say that we're much more aware of the spiritual world (I disagree) than other creatures; so in conjunction with the idea that Totems can act as mediators between species (particularly between humans and some other species), maybe that awareness allows us to act without a Totem.
Or perhaps that "Fall" from grace is literally a fall from the spirit world. Lots of people remark on how we've lost something with the world as a cost for our "intelligence"....but that's just a last-minute pop-up thought there.
So what do you guys think? Is there such a thing as a Human totem? If yes, what (or who) do you think it is?
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Rae'ya
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Post subject: Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2009 6:21 am |
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| Magicka Guardian & Life Member |
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Joined: Sun Mar 18, 2007 3:26 am
Posts: 1983
Location: Adelaide, Australia
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I don't see why there isn't a Human totem, given that there are totems for every other species, as well as extinct species. I don't think that the Human totem would be deities etc though. A totem is quite a different league of being to spirits and deities from what I understand. If there is a Human totem then it would be simply that... a totemic being that represents the sum of humanity's shared traits and characteristics. It would tend to appear human in form, and be the figurehead for the species so to speak.
In terms of whether a person could have Human as their primary totem... who knows. I think it would be much less recognizable that it was your totem, because people don't tend to look at it that way. Or maybe there is some totemic law that states you can't have your own species as a totem. Do dogs have totems? And if so, would a dog be able to have Dog as a totem? I don't think that would preclude us from working with Human as a totem though.
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Ravenari
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Post subject: Re: Human as Totem Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2009 8:50 am |
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| Magicka Guardian, Life Member & Ezine |
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Joined: Sat Jan 06, 2007 1:11 am
Posts: 3125
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WhiteFox wrote: Human totems...would that be the many deities we revere?
No, because there are animal gods that are separate to their totems - like Anubis, the Jackal. And Anansi, the Spider. They are not so much 'totems,' as just gods who can assume or do assume the forms of animals. Quote: Or are we so strange an animal that we have a different thing going on?
Actually, I think humans can be a totem animal; I just don't think we're necessarily totems for ourselves. Just like a cat wouldn't necessarily have a totem of a 'cat.'
As for 'human as totem,' I believe that it would represent qualities of adaptation and reckless change, narcissism, polarisation, dichotomy, advancement, intelligence, intellect vs. instinct, and would probably capture many of the qualities of other equally smart animals like dolphins and probably some of the primates as well.
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Torey
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Post subject: Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2009 9:23 am |
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| Forum Admin, Moderator & Caftan King |
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Joined: Mon Jul 02, 2007 2:40 am
Posts: 10540
Location: Adelaide, Australia
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Oooh! So an animal can have a Totem as well? Such as the cat example you mentioned? Or am I just being a thicky?  _________________ PM me any time!
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Abraxia Thalgus
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Post subject: Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2009 1:03 pm |
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| Sage the Magicka Guardian |
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Joined: Sun Jul 22, 2007 6:16 am
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Location: Bent over a cauldron, cooking away in the cave.
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Well why not? If we are all spiritual beings here to explore life in various guises, why not animals have totems?
I can't see humans having human totems, simply because I don't think we'd actually listen to them. Not too many people out there how have faith in all other people lol. But I don't see why animals can't have a human as totem. Maybe those animals that seek out being around people, like dogs?
_________________
If you aren't using your brain, do you mind if I feed it to the dragon?
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Ravenari
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Post subject: Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2009 2:16 pm |
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| Magicka Guardian, Life Member & Ezine |
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Joined: Sat Jan 06, 2007 1:11 am
Posts: 3125
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T Bone wrote: Oooh! So an animal can have a Totem as well? Such as the cat example you mentioned? Or am I just being a thicky?
Nope! I absolutely think that animals can have other animals as their totem.
I think with animals it comes across in their more 'unusual' of encounters. A wild possum that ends up being tamed by a family, may have humans as their totem - and lessons involved may be such things as exploitation / adaptability etc.
In nature, animals will sometimes adopt other animals, or befriend other animals, in situations that are considered unusual or against the norm. I think that's another example of a sort of practical totemism coming into play.
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WhiteFox
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Post subject: Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2009 7:00 pm |
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| Magicka Guardian |
Joined: Fri Jul 18, 2008 3:38 am
Posts: 3232
Location: On Magicka's roof, scouting out her next tile victim
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Quote: and lessons involved may be such things as exploitation / adaptability etc.
Sounds like that could be the case for wild animals that have adapted to urban environments very easily. Foxes and coyotes strike me as species that could have such a totem.
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