You most likely remember Dorothy’s scared refrain in The Wizard of Oz: “Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!”
As frightened as Dorothy and her friends were of these huge beasts, you might be equally as eager to interact with them, and other natural beings, during a healing session.
Of course, you aren’t going to literally invite a roaring lion or ferocious tiger into your office. Rather, I’m talking about interacting with the energy of natural beings, a remedy employed by healers around the world. In fact, since the beginning of time, priest-healers called shamans have called on the spirits of animals—including lions, tigers, and bears—to benefit their clients. The list of natural spirit-helpers isn’t limited to this triple-menagerie. Members of every category of nature are on standby to assist their human friends. These groupings are mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, and amphibians.
Shamans understand that every being of nature represents a unique set of properties. By summoning the spirit of a beneficial being, and encouraging it to lend its energy to a cause, a shaman can siphon off the negative energies that cause challenging conditions and enhance the positive energies that bolster health.
The only reason this proposition sounds unusual is that the modern world only sees in black and white—not so the shaman, who observes all the beautiful colors available in the Land of Oz. The variety of shades, colors, and hues represents the invisible, as well as visible, causes of disease or imbalance, and potential antidotes. The shaman also knows there are countless more invisible than visible beings able to provide aid.

Five Main Spirit Animal Categories
In this column, I will discuss the vital assistance you can gain from the beings of the natural world. To kick off this discussion, I will showcase the science behind this concept. Real-life, three-dimensional beings of nature resonate with healing powers. When you call on a spirit being for help, you acquire the equivalent assistance. I’ll then convey a few of the qualities inherent in each of the five main natural categories (mammals, birds, insects, reptiles, and amphibians), and relay several ways you can beseech their help. (Don’t be surprised if a tiger, lion, or bear shows up in your dreams tonight!)
Let’s start our scientific tour with the cat family. Scientists have shown that a house cat’s purr can improve bone density and promote healing, not only within the bones, but also in tendons and ligaments.1 Proof perfect is that cats don’t incur bone disease, except where the vibrational intensity of the purr is the weakest, which is in their paws.2
What about a wild cat, like the tiger? A tiger’s roar falls below 20-plus hertz, which is the lowest measurement of a cat’s purr. At 18 hertz, the tiger’s roar is called infrasound, conveying qualities hard for humans to distinguish. Not so the effects. A tiger’s frequency can cause temporary paralysis, weak muscles, chills, blackouts, and terror.3 Imagine sending energy equivalent to a cat’s purr into a client with sore muscles or bone cancer, alleviating pain and fortifying the cells.
Beyond causing physical transformation, we can look for emotional applications. Imagine you’re working with a client in an abusive relationship. A little tiger energy can go a long way toward self-protection, especially if the client learns to direct it toward a perpetrator.
How about our winged friends? The presence of birds alleviates symptoms of dementia in the elderly, reducing agitation and confusion.4 Bird songs also serve as a sort of sonic bloom. For example, I know a farmer who plays bird sounds in his garden through huge speakers. His plants grow 5–6 times taller than those of other farmers.
Then there is the common frog, which has uncommon effects. In fact, scientists have figured out that certain types of frog skin contain antimicrobial peptides, which enhance wound healing. Medical applications are being developed.5
The truth is that every natural being emanates specific vibrations that can impact people in meaningful ways. A dog’s saliva contains protein that heals wounds twice as fast as if the injury is left alone. Certain types of snake venom dissolve blood clots. Bee pollen is rich in ingredients that are antiviral and antibacterial and lower cholesterol. Have a young child? Pets including cats, rabbits, and guinea pigs raise immunities and decrease the number of colds and ear infections.6
Interacting with animals can increase your life span if you’ve had a heart attack, lower your blood pressure, and create that loving feeling that enables bonding.7 Certain South American jungle ants can relieve arthritis, as can ground-up grasshoppers used as a poultice. And crushed blister beetles fight cancer.8
Select a natural being and you can most likely discover a healing property associated with it. While you could let a frog ribbit over an office loudspeaker or assign Rover as office greeter, it’s far easier to summon the spirit aspect of a natural being than rely on its physical presence. The practicality of this statement is explained by the workings of subtle energy.  
Subtle energy is one of two main types of energy—energy defined as information that moves. Physical energy is concrete. When a cat slinks into the room, you recognize that fact because the cat is measurable and obvious through your everyday senses. Subtle energy is so fast or slow that we must use our sixth sense to recognize it. The effects of subtle energy are anything but subtle, however; subtle energies direct physical energy, determining what will appear or not in tangible reality.
Shamans knowingly interact with the subtle universe to connect with spiritually accessible nature beings. For instance, many shamans employ personal power animals, also called totems or journey totems. A power animal, which can be a mammal, bird, reptile, amphibian, or insect, is a spirit guide that assists the shaman but can also provide insight and healing for the shaman’s client.
A power animal isn’t always invisible. Think of the witch’s cat or a therapy dog. From a shamanic perspective, concrete natural helpers are called familiars, companion beings that perform supernatural service. Most of the time, however, the totem is spiritual, which means it dwells within and interacts from the subtle realms. A totem’s paranormal existence means its powers aren’t limited by time and space. At will, this being can deliver insight and advice, and also administer healing.

Calling on Animal Energy
What powers might the beings in each of the five categories lend you or a client? The list is endless; every species is different and within these broad strokes, each individual being is unique. I will share some basic understandings of the gifts carried by the five types of beings. For more specific information, Google the name of a species and search terms such as power animal, totem, or spiritual meaning of. For instance, if a wolf shows up in a dream, you might research the following by typing “wolf as a totem” or “the spiritual meaning of wolf.”

Mammals
Mammals provide insight, warnings, protection, strength, and direction. For example, bears represent strength, tigers convey ferocious power and tenacity, and lions bestow a stately regality.

Birds
Birds show which direction to take or avoid. The easiest way to figure out the bird’s message, whether it’s an actual or spirit-bird, is by noting the direction it is heading. I interpret the directions and their meanings this way:
• North: you need to increase your warrior energy or become more powerful.
• East: look for a new vision/goal or actively pursue your current one.
• South: healing is needed; figure out what’s required.
• West: there is a pattern, relationship, or situation to end or bring to completion.

Insects
Insects point out a life detail. If you intuitively picture ants on a client, ask what tiny matters they should be cleaning or carrying away. Is it time to declutter their house, mind, or soul? As a healer, should you be asking the subtle ants to cleanse your client’s muscles or blood?

Reptiles
Reptiles are magical, representing transformation, transmutation, and shadow issues. If a snake appears in a client’s mind, ask them what they need to shed or how to remake themselves anew.

Amphibians
Water, the medium of amphibians, symbolizes emotions and intuition. If a frog jumps into your mind when working on a client, you can ask the client to focus on their emotions or psychic knowledge.
Integrating Spirit Animals
What are some specific ways you can integrate the allies of nature into your practice? Try these ideas:
1. Point Out a Client’s Helpers
If a client talks about an interaction with a natural being, whether it was/is everyday or psychic, encourage them to talk about their reactions or look up the meaning being conveyed. You could even prompt them to picture the being and ask questions to it during a session.
2. Draw On Your Own Helpers
Call on your personal totems during your sessions. Ask for insight and advice. If you don’t know your spiritual helpers, ask for a sign. Select a three-date period and request that your helpers appear in the environment, a dream, or through another psychic means.
3. Request Help When Needed
If your research suggests that a cat—or frog or eagle—might assist your client during a session, ask for it to intuitively appear and assist. Suggest that your client imagine that this being is helping, if that seems appropriate. If you don’t know which being might be useful, ask the Greater Spirit or your own totem to select a helper and psychically reveal what it’s doing. And if you get a lion, tiger, or bear—well, you’re in good hands.

Notes
1. “Why Do Cats Purr?” Scientific American, January 27, 2003, accessed May 2017, www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-do-cats-purr.
2. Paula Peterson, “The Cat’s Purr and Other Sounds that Heal,” Earthcode, accessed May 2017, www.paulapeterson.com/CatsPurr.html.
3. Ibid.
4. ASA Staff, “Bird Tales Harnesses the Healing Power of Our Feathered Friends,” American Society of Aging, February 8, 2013, accessed May 2017,
www.asaging.org/blog/bird-tales-harnesses-healing-power-our-feathered-friends.
5. “Frogs and Wound Healing,” Advanced Tissue, July 15, 2015, accessed May 2017, www.advancedtissue.com/frogs-and-wound-healing-whats-the-connection.
6. Goodnet, “Five Animals with Incredible Healing Powers,” January 9, 2015, accessed May 2017, www.goodnet.org/articles/5-animals-incredible-healing-powers-list.
7. Julie Rovner, “Pet Therapy,” NPR Shots, March 5, 2012, accessed May 2017, www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2012/03/09/146583986/pet-therapy-how-animals-and-humans-heal-each-other.
8. Annette Turk, “10 Surprising Uses of Insects in Medicine,” Nursing
School Rankings, December 28, 2012, accessed May 2017,
www.nursing-school-rankings.com/10-surprising-uses-of-insects-in-medicine.

Cyndi Dale is an internationally renowned author, speaker, and intuitive consultant. Her books include the The Little Book of Chakras (Llewellyn Publications, 2017),  Llewellyn’s Complete Book of Chakras (Llewellyn Publications, 2016), The Intuition Guidebook: How To Safely and Wisely Use Your Sixth Sense (Deeper Well Publishing, 2011), The Subtle Body: An Encyclopedia of Your Energetic Anatomy (Sounds True, 2009), and The Complete Book of Chakra Healing (Llewellyn Publications, 2009), as well as nearly 20 additional books. To learn more about Dale and her products, services, and classes, please visit www.cyndidale.com.