Here's what it means if you're scared of an animal...
At least, in the spirit sense.
The idea of spirit animals—beings that guide, protect, or reflect aspects of a person’s soul—is widespread across cultures. (I have a whole thing on spirit animals you can check out here.)
Teaching people how to meet their special animal allies is one of my absolute favorite things to do — over the years, I’ve taught dozens of spirit animal workshop and have given countless spirit animal healing sessions. (My favorites have been sharing soul animals with children!)
This probably all sounds well and good…who doesn’t want to know their special animal ally? A being who loves you beyond all reason and is always there, just beyond the physical, supporting you on your journey through life?
In reality, I’ve found that a good number of folks are actually scared of the animals who show up for them. And another group either doesn’t like the animal who came or is somehow disappointed.
What does it mean if you're scared of, or don't like, a spirit animal?
Is there a hidden meaning when you have a fear of a particular animal in general?
In every spirit animal class I've taught, at least one student has received an animal ally that made them uncomfortable. And I view this as an excellent opportunity ;)
In some shamanic traditions, your most special, soul-friend animal ally is referred to as a power animal — and that’s the language I’m going to use here.
Our power animals offer us just what the name suggests—POWER. True spiritual power that helps us de-condition from false constructs and remember that we have far more ability to steer the direction of our lives than we may realize.
When you connect with your spiritual power, your soul takes the lead and you enter unknown territory.
And you know what doesn't like this? What wants to keep you small and safe and in the realm of the known? Your ego.
What better way to keep you separate from your power than to make you afraid of it?
I remember years ago, at least a decade now, I dreamed that I was eaten by a crocodile. This dream was so insanely impactful that I developed a fear of crocodiles and alligators that lasted for years. On one level, I loved and appreciated them as part of the animal kingdom, but on a more subtle, embodied level, I felt fear whenever I saw them.
And I even saw one in the wild—only six feet away! While kayaking in Queensland, I pulled up onto a beach and looked over only to see a baby crocodile calmly watching me.
This was both scary and exhilarating. And something shifted.
I finally realized that the crocodile who had appeared in my dream so long ago was initiating me into its medicine through a dismemberment* — one of the most traditional and time-honored forms of initiation.
*A dismemberment happens when you are literally dismembered — physically broken down in some way — in the spirit realms. It’s a pretty common way for your power animal to initiate you into their medicine.
When I understood Crocodile’s true relationship with me, I began to work more intentionally with this being as a spirit guide. And wow. I had been cut off from so much power when I resisted its medicine.
But I trust the divine timing, too. Perhaps this ally was always there, protecting me from the shadows, until I was ready to step into even more of my personal power. To take real responsibility for all I was creating in life.
Now whenever I see a crocodile, my heart swells with love. Watching a nature documentary, I’ll get all giggly and teary eyed at how much I love these beasts! All I see is beauty and all I feel is gratitude. The shift in my response has been a full-bodied transformation.
If you find yourself afraid of any animal — but especially a power animal — ask yourself:
Where am I afraid of or resisting my own power?
What do I fear might happen if I take full responsibility for my decisions? My desires?
What kind of power does this animal exhibit, and what lessons might I learn from this?
What if you’re disappointed in who your power animal is?
Sometimes it’s not so much fear that comes in response to a power animal — but dislike or disappointment. In my experience this doesn’t happen as often, but I’ve seen it enough to warrant a closer look.
Dislike often comes up in response to learned associations: If you’re cat was killed by a coyote but coyote appears as your power animal, you might be a bit upset. Or if you live in Chicago and get a rat power animal, you might have some strong thoughts…
Disappointment usually seems to arise when folks get animals seen as less powerful or more common — mice or robins, for example; or when folks get animals with strong reputations — like a vulture or skunk, depending on your schema.
In all cases, our emotional reactions point to exactly why this animal has appeared. When dislike and disappointment are present, here are a few questions to ask yourself:
What part of myself am I rejecting or judging?
What are the hidden gifts and strengths in the qualities I’ve previously dismissed?
How does this animal hold power, and what can it teach me about doing the same?
With a nod to domestic animals…
When domestic animals — pigs, cats, cows, dogs, etc. — appear as power animals, this is something to investigate.
Yes, domestic animals can be spirit allies (I don’t really believe in hardcore rules when it comes to spiritual practice). This seems to be especially true of dogs, cats, and horses, who have partnered with humans in our evolution for millennia.
And…one of the most important purposes of a power animal is rewilding! Our wild animal allies remind us how to be wild. To shed the conditioning that keeps us separate from our true, innate, full power.
So, when a power animal shows up in a domesticated form, it might be making itself less scary for the person it’s supporting — with a wild counterpart waiting to appear.
For example, let’s say a person receives a dog as a power animal. Maybe this spirit keeps it’s familiar dog form for a long time…and then, when the person is ready, shows it’s true form as a wolf. Or hyena. Or coyote. Or dingo.
To explore this for yourself, ask:
Who are the wild counterparts of the animals you love?
What wild lessons and gifts might they want to share with you?
If you receive a power animal that you're scared of, take time to learn about its gifts and lifestyle. The more we know and understand our animals, the more we can appreciate and eventually learn to love them.
And, if you have an unexplained phobia or dislike of a particular animal, perhaps this is a signpost—where might you be afraid or resistant to your own gifts and power?
The Spirit Animal Workshop
I’ve been teaching spirit animal workshops for years now, and they are still among my absolute favorites to share :)
Ready to meet and deepen your relationship with your own spirit animals? Join me for a special live 2-hour Spirit Animal Workshop next month!
The Spirit Animal Workshop
Learn to identify spirit animals, read the signs of animal messengers, and cultivate strong, nourishing relationships with your power animals
Sunday, March 23, 2025
9:30am - 11:30am PT
Via Zoom (recordings available)
This interactive workshop will guide you step-by-step through everything you need to know about claiming your power through your power animal relationships, plus…
You’ll explore who spirit animals are, the different types that exist, how to identify your own spirit animals, how to communicate with them, how to interpret symbolic messages, and much more.
I’ve been giving animal readings to clients and teaching live workshops all about power animals for years now. My friends and family often think of me as the “power animal lady” and bring me all sorts of questions…
How many power animals can I have?
I saw a raccoon cross the road last night. Do you think it means anything?
What’s the difference between a spirit animal and a power animal?
Can I have a dinosaur as my power animal?
I dreamed about a walrus—what does that mean?
A shaman said I have a bear as a power animal, now what?
As I noticed the same questions coming up again and again, I decided to put my wealth of wisdom and experience all into one place―an easy to understand workshop that will help absolutely anyone learn all about spirit animals.
When you register, you’ll receive immediate access to:
a beautiful comprehensive guidebook with all sorts of spirit animal info, yours to download and keep
a guided meditation to help you meet your own spirit animals
a drumming track, without guidance, to support your ongoing explorations
And you’ll be invited to our live workshop on March 23rd!
During this gathering, I’ll be sharing even more information about spirit animals, plus you’ll learn how to find your own animal allies. Then, we’ll have lots of time for Q&A and sharing, because the more you learn, the more questions will likely arise ;)
I’m so excited to share this with you! Register here:
Psst: Have you already purchased The Spirit Animal Workshop from me? You can come to the live workshop for free! Keep your eye out for an email with more info soon.
What’s your relationship with spirit animal allies? What questions do you have? Let me know in the comments…and I hope to see you online soon!
Know someone who would like this article? It’s free to share and read, so please spread the love~
Interesting! Since I was very little I’ve always been terrified of snakes. And guess what animal showed up as my second ally in a recent journey?!