Comments | totem_animals: Secondary totems

white9_fox in totem_animals

Secondary totems

Nov 03, 2009 17:29

So how do you know if a totem is secondary vs. being primary or tertiary? Is it a time-length thing, a certain "feel" of energy, or something else?

I know WHAT a secondary totem is btw, I just would like to know how you figured out which totem filled that slot.

Comments 5

lupagreenwolf November 3 2009, 23:32:46 UTC

Generally a secondary totem comes in with an agenda on something specific--that's been my experience, anyway. If the relationship broadens into something more overarching and permanent, then I start looking at the possibilities of it being a primary.

white9_fox November 3 2009, 23:37:16 UTC

So how does that compare to a tertiary totem? Would the agenda typically be broader or more time-consuming compared to (what I'm assuming are) the singular lessons by tertiaries?

lupagreenwolf November 3 2009, 23:38:30 UTC

The main difference I perceive between secondary and tertiary totems is that the former come to me, and the latter are one that I go to, if that makes sense. The lessons may be just as intense, though secondaries often have more of an agenda from the get-go, and therefore more of a commitment.

moonvoice November 3 2009, 23:39:05 UTC

As I only believe in one primary totem, secondary totems are the ones that stick around the longest, or come in for intensive issue work (and may return again if you don't learn the lesson the first time).

But usually, for me personally, everything after the main personal totem (czurucyk), or the familial totem (czur'cykurcjez) just gets lumped under the word 'czuciki.' Which is a generic word for animal totems and other guides that are not ancestors, gods or specific wights.

serena_snape November 4 2009, 02:34:22 UTC

For me, my primary totem appeared over a series of years in various experiences, even though i didn't grasp that it was my totem. i was convinced my totem was either dolphin or Tiger, mostly tiger.
it took seeing my totem Live, in various experiences (not at a zoo or anything, but 'stumbling' upon him in various situations) before i finally realized it was a cougar, not a tiger.
whereas any secondary totems appeared only once, taught me the lesson, then left.