A vision quest is a practice of many Native American tribes. They believe that prior to reaching puberty you are take a journey (vision quest) alone in the wilderness to connect with your inner self to find profound meaning and direction in their life. This vision quest is considered an initiation or ‘rite of passage’ into adulthood. These vision quests can be done many times when seeking guidance.
In Native American tradition, the seeker finds a place that is special to them and creates a 10 foot circle in which to spend the next 2 to 4 days fasting in solitude. During this time, the seeker may have a strong desire to abandon the quest or feel like they are losing their mind. This can be overcome by remembering that this quest is about finding a connection to spirit that will help to guide them in their journey on Earth.
A vision usually comes in the form of what Native Americans call an animal totem. These animals can appear in a vision or be a physical representation. Each animal totem has a message that will help guide the seeker in their journey. If there is a physical representation of the vision, then a feather, fur or a rock is collected and put in the seekers medicine bag as a powerful reminder of the vision and for protection and guidance.
Prior to the vision quest the seeker prepares for the journey by fasting and receiving guidance from the tribal medicine man. During the vision quest, the seeker should make contact with a spirit force. When the child has reached the point where he/she comes into his or her self, they may then return to the tribe. If their life path is that of a medicine man, boat maker, shaman, etc., they may then work with an elder in the tribe as an apprentice.
Listed below are a few of the animal totems and their meaning and attributes.
