Creature Teachers: A Guide to the Spirit Animals of the Native American Tradition

Creature Teachers: A Guide to the Spirit Animals of the Native American Tradition by Grandmother Twylah Nitsch. paperback edition. ISBN: 9780826410238.

The wild creatures of the North American continent play an important role in Native American spiritual life. First and foremost there are the animals who come to you as your teachers when you embark upon a vision quest. Secondly, there are those animals whose life you take in gratitude in order to provide sustenance. Thirdly, there are those animals who in their own way explain and give information about the shifting shapes of the natural world. Grandmother Twylah Nitsch reveals a full panoply of 52 animals, from ant to wolf, heron to snake, dragonfly to weasel, buffalo to porcupine - one for each week of the year - and shows how you can ascertain which nine animals are most suitable as teachers to enable you to manifest your intuitive energy. She then explores the sacred and natural lore that the Seneca discovered in their communications with each creature, offering fables and poems that describe each animals deeds and its role in the greater landscape of Mother Earth.