City Magick: Urban Rituals, Spells and Shamanism - Christopher Penczak 2001

City totems
Metropolitan Spirits

THE GOD IS DEAD. ALL HAIL THE GOD. gods come and gods go, but there is always one around inspiring some form of spirituality, or even a lack thereof, as with the god of science. As things change, they ever stay the same. Polytheistic cultures believe in the existence of many gods and goddesses, all co-existing. Each of the deities has a specific function to perform, or a tribe under its care. As needs change, the old gods change, die, and transform into new ones. The war gods of one tribe become the vegetation gods of their grandchildren’s tribe, as the culture moves from conquering to farming.

Monotheistic cultures come along and deny the presence of any other god. They kill off all the old gods through propaganda. Those they can’t kill become the devils of the new order. Minor gods become the little spirits, haunting old worship sights. These beings are never truly forgotten, never completely obliterated. They survive in our legends. They go under the hills and mounds, become the wee people and faery folk. If you continue to honor their old ways, even if you worship the new gods outwardly, they bring prosperity. They are the good people, the kindly ones. If you fail in your service to them, they make the land, harvest, and weather rise up against you. They still have power, it’s only our perception of them that has changed. They are still the natural forces. They only change shape.

The monotheism of the West gave rise to the god of science. This deity is formless, shapeless, and with no true doctrine, but much literature that is often contradictory in nature. Some even deny it is a god at all. The new religion of logic, with the ritual worship of the five physical senses, has crept in everywhere. They even teach it in all the schools, regardless of the separation between church and state.

New religions always bring a backlash. Reaction to science has sent the world searching for its former spiritual heritage. The monotheists turned to their individual gods. Those dissatisfied with current monotheism looked to the old gods, who are not dead, but sleeping, changed. New philosophies arose from old practices. Neopagan movements began. What do you do, however, when the new god’s temples of glass and steel surround you, leaving you far from an open field or forest? The answer is obvious. You don’t have to go to your gods. They are always with you, hiding in the building, the machines, and the vermin. The spirit world hides in plain sight. It adapts. Its spirits are living and breathing in everything around you. They have always been there, waiting for you to find them again.

City totems

Everybody has at least one guide in the spirit world—including you. Some have an entire entourage, or one for every day of the week. Spiritual guidance is a tough job. Spirits have to relate to us physically incarnate humans and we often do silly things. They may work in shifts, or one single entity may change forms as needed. They can appear as your deceased grandmother one day, your witch ancestor from pagan Europe another, a master from Atlantis when you are in an Edgar Cayce phase, or an alien when you start reading channeled space-brother-and-sister books. These are all valid representations, taking the form you need to help you along your spiritual path.

Many times, the guide may be a totem, an animal figure. The totem comes to you through a dream, meditation, or preponderance of encounters with its physical animal representatives. The meetings will grow increasingly intense, until you acknowledge the animal as your power animal, with lessons to teach and guidance to give. Some speak. Others are animal silent, or speak in animal language as they guide you on your vision quests through the unexplored realms of reality.

My own experience with my first totem was at 4 or 5 years old. A spider bit me, and I had an allergic reaction, and was rushed to the emergency room by my parents for a frightening visit with a doctor. I was fine after a few hours, but, looking back on it, I consider it my first initiation. I had a fascination for the comic character Spider-Man as a kid, but oddly as I was getting into magick, I became deathly afraid of spiders. I tried not to be, but I was. I didn’t understand why. Bugs in general had never bothered me before. I was fascinated by them as a child. The more I thought about spiders, the more I saw them. I found spiders everywhere—in my home and in the homes of all my friends. They were only there, however, when I was around. Then it got really weird. If there was a spider in the house, it would make its way to my bedroom, get above me on the ceiling, or in the corner behind me, and jump down on me. I had no logical reason why they did this; they just did it. I felt that this onslaught of kamikaze spiders clearly had some message, but I had no idea how to unravel it at the time.

This pattern climaxed with a vision. While watching TV (not while mediating), I “felt” something and thought I saw it out of the corner of my eye. No spiders were about. What I sensed was big and dark—my first glimpse of what I now call my astral spider guide. It was a good five feet from back to front legs. I knew it wasn’t physical, so I chalked it up to my imagination. That’s not really there, I thought. I imagined it. Paranoia was starting to take its toll.

Before I knew it, I felt it on top of me. As I lay pinned to the bed, the spider told me in a strange, metallic voice to “get over it.” Spiders wouldn’t hurt me it said. And even if they did, it wouldn’t amount to much. Afterall, if I could get through this, a little spider would be no threat. The worst that could happen is that I would be poisoned, die, and come into a new life. This experience told me that I knew death did not mean stopping life. Now I had to start living that truth. Then the spider guide vanished. For the first time, I seriously wondered if I had started to crack. Things got better from then on, however, and I had a wonderful conversation with a friend who explained the difference between shamanic and schizophrenic experiences. A shamanic experience is not physical. You can “turn it off” if you want to. I think I could have turned my spider experience off, but I’m glad I did not. I am guided now by many astral spiders who spin webs and leave trails for me in my travels. They teach patience, industry, and artistry. Now, watching physical spiders make their webs is an endless source of fascination and appreciation for me. I often feel them around me a lot. Even now, as I write this, I can feel spiders crawling on me, but it does not bother me—much. I’m still processing the spider wisdom. They give me great lessons on how to conquer fear and access my creativity.

I am sure your home or apartment has spiders, even if you don’t see them. They are good at not being seen and they control other insects. Your home has many little creatures of which you are unaware. Perhaps this is for the best, unless one of them is a power animal for you.

The city often seems lifeless and barren, but there are so many creatures living under its skin. Most of the wild things are forms of vermin, strays, or insects. Any animal surviving and thriving in a city is a testament to the powers of adaptability. You need adaptability as well in order to survive and prosper in the urban jungle. You should ask to make contact with your totem. If you have a totem not normally found in the city, particularly if you practiced magick before you moved to the urban Mecca, you may ask for a new guide for your new environment and work with both. If your totem is the wild moose, for instance, you may have difficulty working with him as your explore the power spots in the city. The moose will always be there, but, for some experiences, a guide native to the cityscape is best.

Here are a few potential city totems you can encounter in your magical journeys. Watch their habits and their own body wisdom. Each animal has its own lessons, its own “medicine,” as said in Native American practices. Medicine is not simply one lesson, but a lifetime of learning, refining the lesson, and living it. The meanings here for each animal are general. You will discover the specific lessons your totem has for you as you work with it.

Cats

Cats are the great urban settlers, coming from the wild to be domesticated by humans and led to the new temples. Cats have lived quite comfortably in the company of humans, from the cat cults of Bast in Egypt, to the posh penthouse cats shown in cat food commercials. They are survivors. Abandoned felines become alley cats and survive on their diets of garbage scraps and the occasional rodent. In fact, they were probably urbanized to control rodent populations. Cats are hunters. They have acute hearing and night vision that let them pounce on their prey. They teach self-preservation and attaining your own comfort. Mystically, the cat is associated with the Moon and magick. They are so skilled at survival because they are aware of their multidimensionality. They walk between worlds, often seeing things we can’t see. They work strongly through the collective unseen realms, working through dreams and the astral plane. Cats are harbingers of mystery and hidden secrets. They are the perfect pets for the practitioner—self-sufficient, and having their own power. Black cats are said to bring bad luck if they cross your path. I think of them as good luck myself, but then, I am a witch and most superstitious people see witches as bad luck, too.

Dogs

Dogs are man’s best friend, and woman’s too. They love their service to humanity. They only ask to be loved in return. Dogs embody loyalty and love for their masters on one hand, and fierce and wild protection, a trait from their genetic ancestors, on the other. Dogs are often employed for security and safety. My family always kept a German shepherd to guard the house. And we did feel very safe. Once, when a neighbor came into the house uninvited to deliver something, and no one in the family was around, our dog bit him. In the dog’s mind, the neighbor was trespassing. Dogs are great guardians. The gateway to Hades, the Greek underworld, is guarded by a three-headed dog. The Norse Hel is guarded by a wolf creature named Garm. Anubis, the jackal dog-headed god worked both as a soul guide to and a guard for the Egyptian underworld. Each works with this totem animal’s key lessons—service, loyalty, and protection. When working with this animal spirit, you have a kind and loving totem to guide you on your journey, a friend and companion, and a fierce protector of your safety. A dog totem is a wonderful spirit to find. Unfortunately, in the city, many physical dogs are strays or abandoned. They do not have the same independence as cats. Dogs want to be with people. Be sensitive to the pet population in the shelters in your area, particularly if your totem is dog. If you can adopt a kind companion and take care of it, you will not regret the friend you make.

Rodents

Rodents include all manner of critters, squirrels, ground hogs, and beavers, but, in the city, we are dealing primarily with rats and mice. They are the underbelly of the city, the great garbage disposal system we don’t like to acknowledge. Rats are the larger of the two and the more intimidating, but they are similar. Rats eat almost anything with their sharp, chisel-like teeth. They live in the shadows, in the hidden worlds, the wall spaces, cellars, sewers, and subway tunnels, but they can climb to the rooftops. They make their nests in secret hiding places. They find comfort in the dark. They move through the night, being nocturnal creatures. The eyes of the rodent often seem otherworldly and unreal. Mice, in particular, scrutinize everything in their environment. They move by feeling everything with their whiskers, paying attention to the tiniest detail. If the mouse is your totem, you can be very particular, or be working on your organizational skills. Do not get mired in the details and fail to see the larger picture.

Rodents are often blamed for disease. Rats were responsible for spreading the bubonic plague throughout Europe. For that reason, they have a bad reputation with humans, but they also destroy many insects and weeds in farm settings. They naturally recycle a lot of our food waste as well. Rats often travel in packs and lead a very clan-like existence. People are surprised to hear that rat spirit medicine teaches family skills and strong relationships with loved ones. If a nursing mother rat is killed, another nursing mother will raise the orphaned rodents without hesitation. Perhaps we have more to learn from our rodent friends than we think.

Squirrels

Although the squirrel is a rodent, it deserves separate treatment from mice and rats. Squirrels usually make their homes in the remaining city trees, mostly in parks. They build their nests in the trees and surrounding areas, preparing for the winter. Most of their time is spent gathering nuts, seeds, and berries. “Be prepared” is their motto, and I am surprised that the Boy Scouts do not have a “squirrel badge,” since they work with the squirrel totem intuitively. When you can see impending changes on the horizon, you can take care of them more easily by planning ahead. You are given warning signals for a reason. Save money if you need it. Have a safe place to go if you need that. Do whatever you need to prepare for future changes. And be aggressive about it. City squirrels are daring. They look all fuzzy and cuddly, but there is a survivor living under their fur. They come right up to you to take your leftover food. They dig through trash cans and picnic scraps. Do what you need to do to survive.

Ants

Ants are another infestation in the life of the city dweller. If you find your apartment filled with ants, watch out. These little insects are tenacious. The virtue in working with an ant spirit is patience. Ants will travel far and wide to bring food back to their anthill. And the anthill leads to the other lesson of ant medicine—communal living. In this nest, they serve their leader, mother, and queen. The good of the entire community is put over the good of the individual. Each exists in a communal melding of the minds. There is one spirit running through all and they honor it. They remind me of more communal modes of living, to which I think our society may return. I hope, however, that we do not sacrifice our own individuality in the process. Sacrifice of the self is a strong watchword for the ant spirit. Individual needs are put behind community needs. Long-term goals are placed over immediate gratification. You may find yourself struggling with these themes if this totem comes to visit you. If physical ants themselves come to visit, it may be a message from the spirits to honor your community and think about the greater good. Once you get the message, go into a meditative state and politely ask the ants to leave your home. If they are persistent, which they often are, try speaking to the queen through your own totem spirits. Cinnamon or powdered garlic sprinkled where ants enter your home is often a deterrent, and much safer than a chemical pesticide. I always watch for messages, not only from spirits, but from physical animals too. Animals are messengers when they need to be. They come when you close your spiritual ears and eyes to the message. You cannot ignore an ant colony feasting in your kitchen.

Cockroaches

The great survivor lives in this nasty little critter. Considered vermin by most, cockroaches normally live in the wild and have nothing to do with humans. Those living with us are scavengers, however, eating our fcod and garbage, and contaminating it with their waste. Just the sight of them can be quite disturbing. The first time I saw a cockroach was in Mexico. It came crawling out of a hole in a broken streetlight, and was much bigger than I ever thought roaches could get. I had a teacher who had me meditate with various animals and pets. I’m glad I never got her hissing cockroach. They teach us the greatest lesson—survival. The cockroach has lived virtually unchanged for 300 million years. They are the planet’s greatest survivors. As we poison them with chemical pesticides, they build up immunities. I have heard jokes that claim humanity could be destroyed by nuclear war, pollution, or a chemical accident, but cockroaches would still survive, roaming the planet unhindered. Cockroach totems may be working with your fear of the ugly and unloved, the outcasts of society. Their alien visage inspires an almost primal revolt in the modern psyche. Like many insect and arachnid totems, they work on our own fear issues. Many of us fear what is different. We can relate to animals, since many share similar traits, skeletons, muscles, and hair. Insect totems, on the other hand, wear their bones on the outside, making them alien to us. That’s why so many horror movies rely on the insect motif, to frighten us with something different. This animal medicine also works with issues of change and adaptability. The simplicity of their “design” teaches us that change isn’t always the answer. You can persevere and build immunities to the toxins in your life without remaking yourself. Consistency can be an asset.

Spiders

Spiders are a particular favorite of mine, as you may have guessed. If you do not have a cellar in which they can dwell, they often take up residence in the shower. Both are cool and damp. A friend of mine had a “grandfather” spider watch her shower every morning, until she had a little chat with it and learned his message. He left after that. There are many types of spiders, so spider totems vary in power and function. Most spiders have eight eyes, fangs, and the ability to spin webs. Some are poisonous to humans, most are not. All are carnivorous, and usually feed on other insects. Never kill a spider in your home, even if they are not your totem. If they are staying alive, then there is something to eat. If you kill it, then whatever the spider was eating will infest your home. Many of my eight-legged friends spin webs and then wait there for their prey. Once the insect is caught in the web, the spider retrieves its meal. Spiders are not evil, but merely fulfilling their role in the cycle of life. Spiders teach industry, home building, creation, and patience. They are the artisans of the animal world. Their webs are like the webs of space and time connecting us. Spiders weave the story of creation in detailed form. Many weaving gods work with spider imagery. Those who weave thread often weave fates from the past, present, and future. Spider Grandmother is a Native American goddess giving us spider wisdom. This conceptual force is often seen as feminine, although, personally, my spider totems seem to be either male or female at different times. Those working with spider energy are very creative with visual art and writing. The lines of the spiderwebs are like the lines of the first alphabets, seeming very much like the Norse runes in some ways. Spider energy also holds the center of anything, and you may find yourself as the linchpin of any group or organization. You hold the center and others work around you, in the web.

Crows

Crows are indicative of magick and mystery. Their black color is the dark womb of the goddess. Crows and their cousins, the ravens, are associated with gods, goddesses, and the act of creation in many mythologies. Crows are seen as patrons of modern witches and magicians. The crow is another of my personal totems. I work with Macha, a Celtic crow goddess, and Odin, whose messengers are two ravens. Crows are the keepers of magick and sacred law. Invoking crow medicine and working with this totem aligns you with your magical purpose and often rekindles psychic powers and past-life connections. Crows know the natural order of the world. In the city, they are survivors in the sky kingdom, omnivorous and adaptable. They are sentinels, perched high in their nests, warning of danger. Many harkening to folk tales count crows to tell the future, but some say all crows are good luck, even a dead one. They speak the sacred law in their very complex language of caws, and encourage others to speak their divine truth.

Doves

The dove is a cousin to the more familiar pigeon. Both are ground feeders, keeping contact with the earth, even when the land is coated with asphalt. The dove is traditionally considered a feminine bird and is associated with many goddesses. Both birds are known for their distinctive voices, but the dove is truly the keeper of song. The song of the dove has a distinctive, soft, feminine nature, heard best at dawn and dusk, the transition points of the day. Doves are associated with the travel of the spirit into the realms of death. The dove’s cry is also said to indicate water, and water is associated with the realms of the dead. Doves are also linked to prophecy, love, and spiritual connections.

Ducks

Cities near the water may be home to the duck totem. Most ducks are freshwater birds, and prefer marshes and wetlands, but some are saltwater fowl. Generally, these birds have webbed feet and are proficient swimmers and flyers. They are social and vocal animals, making the familiar quacking noise, among others, to communicate with their brethren. Some calls indicate flight as they move in specific patterns with others in their group. Once a year, for a period of three to four weeks, they molt their flight feathers, robbing them of their ability to fly. Hunters take advantage of this helplessness. Duck totems may work with social skills or feelings of powerlessness. We all lose power at times, in order to adapt, change, and grow. These growing pains may leave us vulnerable to others around us. Ducks, in general, are less graceful on land, indicating a lack of desire to meet others halfway, or even leave their comfort zones. The duck’s down feathers are also excellent insulation from the cold, used in their nests, and often used by people for pillows, blankets, and padded clothing. The spirit medicine of the duck is much like the shaman’s own lesson, that of working between worlds. Ducks adapt to the water, sky, and land. Each home has advantages and disadvantages. Ducks shift between all three. Ducks deal with losing access to the air, and the totem’s energy helps us work with temporary power loss.

Finches

The finch comes in many forms and guises. These little birds can be seen in parks and sidewalk cafés, coming right up to the fair citizens of the city. Most become acclimated to people if they hope to survive in the city, and they are abundant in the surrounding suburbs. The sheer number of species of finches indicates diversity in this animal’s lessons. Those working with the finch are working with diversity within and diversity in their lives. Look for more intense and new experiences when the finch comes into your life.

Pigeons

These creatures are often described as rats with wings. Some think they are like vermin, living anywhere, eating anything, and leaving their droppings behind them to get underfoot. They are quite common in city parks, flocking together. Kind souls, the special guardians of the pigeon, often feed them seeds or bread while in the park. Pigeons have a richer history than most people think. They were used as food in Egypt and Rome, and protected for religious reasons in Islamic realms. Both males and females feed the young by regurgitating high-protein “pigeon milk.” These social creatures make beautiful “cooing” sounds of courtship during mating season. All bird totems teach song. They tell tribal stories through the songs they sing. The most remarkable thing about these animals is the homing instinct of some breeds. Pigeons have carried messages since biblical times up to the present day. Scientists now believe that they may perceive the geomagnetic fields of the earth to find their way. They, and perhaps other birds, have a special kinship with Mother Earth, and use her energy to guide them. Pigeons may work with trust issues. Trust your self, and trust your own guidance systems. Pigeon wisdom helps bring us home, wherever that may be. Working with this totem will lead you to where you need to be, both spiritually and physically.

Seagulls

Another form of waterfowl for coastal cities is the seagull. Most of these totems are scavengers, and the gull is an aggressive one. Gulls start their search in the coastal realms, swooping in and snatching things from the shallow waters. They drop hard-shelled mollusks to smash them open and feast on the meat inside. Some will bully other birds and take their food. When food is scarce, many will fly inland to garbage dumps for their next meal. I remember finding a seagull skull on the beach with my father as a child. It looked a bit otherworldly and scary to me as I hunted for seashells. Seagull spirits work with aggression, perseverance, and desperation. They make noise to get attention, or to scare off other predators who would take their food. Gulls use speed, diving in, getting what they need, and then leaving. In many ways, they remind me of the Hermes/Mercury figure, traveling far and wide, going to the heavens and reaching far below. Sometimes their moral character can be dubious, but gulls fulfill their function, doing what they must—doing what comes naturally.

City Zoos

The city is filled with many other animals, both seen and unseen. Your totem may not be on this list. Your personal totem may not even be in the city. If you need to make contact with a more exotic physical animal and you can’t easily find it, remember your city zoo. Zoos are not my favorite place. I dislike seeing animals in cages, but humane zoos with natural habitats are becoming more popular. Seek one out. Take a walk through your city zoo and connect with the animals there, whether they are your totem or not. If the conditions are not the best, take the time to speak to the animals, physically or psychically. Connect and commune with them. Comfort them. Honor them. Volunteer at the zoo, animal shelter, or a wildlife preserve near you. These places are a part of your cityscape habitat now.