hyena totem

totem, medicine, shamanism, hyena
Animal-Wise/Ted Andrews:

Keynote: Formidable instincts and abilities. Develop clan and communal life.

Hyenas are dog-like creatures of Africa and Asia and are often scorned for their funny looks and their scavenging habits, but they are in reality formidable hunters, taking on formidable prey. They have keen noses for hunting, and actually hunt more prey than scavenge. They will chase off lions, and a fully-grown hyena is capable of tackling a wildebeest on it's own.

Spotted hyenas do almost everything together in packs. Still, the females give birth alone, staying away from their clan for at least a week before moving the litter into the communal den. It is safer, for adult males will eat the young. It also enables time for the mother and young to bond. It is often a reminder in our modern times of a need to have time alone with our children, especially in the early days. It will make them stronger, more confident, and formidable adults.

In more ancient times, the first month or so after a new birth was a time when only the immediate family had contact with the mother and child. This sheltered the young from outside disease and influence, and it strengthened the bond of the family.

For those to whom the hyena appears, the clan, be it biological or otherwise, will become more important. Tasks will be accomplished more easily and effectively. Protection and safety will be found in clan-type alliances--especially in business.

All females in the spotted hyena clan breed and they will suckle their young for up to 18 months. In order to feed her young for such a length of time, there must be a gorging at pack kills. In a single year, a nursing mother may travel up to 4,000 miles to and from her pups. The mother usually only raises two pups on her own and each mother has her own call to her pups, whick will respond in kind.

The jaws and stomach of the hyena are extremely strong, so strong that it is capable of devouring a whole wildebeest carcass. This includes the bones, hooves, and horn. When the hyena appears, our ability to digest more, to take in more experiences and opportunities, will increase.

Our jaws will become stronger in the sense of our words and communications. Things said more softly and lovingly will be felt more lovingly. Things said more harshly and cutting will cut more deeply. We will need to be careful of what we say, how we say it, and to whom we say it.

Hyenas have extremely highly developed noses: The nasal membrane surface is 50 times bigger than a human's. This gives it a sensitivity to smell that allows communication approaching the subtlety of human speech. From a single patch of urine, a hyena can tell what type of animal secreted it, even if the patch is several hours old. And if the urine was passed by one of its own clan, it can tell which animal it was.

The sense of smell is associated with discrimination and discernment. When the hyena appears as a messenger, we will find our ability to discern and discriminate growing stronger. We will be clearer on what to do, when to do it, who to trust, who to believe, and more. We will learn to trust "what smells right" as opposed to "what smells fishy." Our inner sense of smell will be more acute than what we see or hear, and it will be important to trust it.

The hyena is a truly formidable animal, but we should examine our present situation when it appears. Our instincts will be strong and accurate and our clan support for our endeavors will be so as well.

Do we trust our own perceptions?
Do we need to be more discerning and discriminating?
Are we not acting on our impressions?
Are we not pursuing the opportunities that "we smell" in the offing?
Do we need to help our family and friends?
Are we getting help from them as well?

*Encyclopedia of Signs, Omens and Superstitions/Zolar
The shadow of a hyena brushing past a dog will make the dog mute, according to an ancient Egyptian belief. Folklore holds that the hyena changes its sex every year and can imitate man's voice to attract its prey.

*The Secret Language of Signs/Denise Linn
This is a sign of noise and merriment out of proportion or perhaps not appropriate to the situation. Are you or is someone you know acting like a hyena? In nature, hyenas are ferociaous and have very powerful jaws. Is this the time to activate your power and ferocity?

*Mary Summer Rain/On Dreams:
Hyena implies a lack of seriousness or a vicious nature. Surrounding dreamscape details will clarify which meaning is inferred.