Something really cool that I came across today are these traditional birth totems. Native Americans held a similar belief to that of Western astrological signs but instead of the stars, your time of birth signified a certain animal spirit.
These birth totems were also more in-depth than astrology as well, taking into account the hemisphere you were born on and much more.
What it breaks down to is 4 distinct animal spirits that you can embody and they each have their own set of unique traits to determine what kind of person you would be.
Check out the list of signs by month below (provided by NativeAmericanJewelry.com)
Native American Birth Totems by Month
The Goose (Dec 22 – Jan 19) – Seek spiritual enlightenment, stoic in nature.
The Otter (Jan 20 – Feb 18) – Creative and unconventional, great problem solvers.
The Wolf (Feb 19 – Mar 20) – Passionate and deeply emotional, seekers of compassion and understanding.
The Falcon (Mar 21 – Apr 19) – Wise and possess a passion for knowledge.
The Beaver (Apr 20 – May 20) – A master strategist, easily adapts to new environments.
The Deer/Stag (May 21 – June 20) – Gentle-natured and deeply empathetic.
The Woodpecker (June 21 – July 21) – Highly instinctual and known for their sense of community.
The Salmon (July 22 – Aug 21) – Creative and focused, some of the most brilliant people share this totem.
The Bear (Aug 22 – Sept 21) – Level-headed thinkers, often have the capacity to see the bigger picture.
The Raven (Sept 22 – Oct 22) – Clairvoyance and gifted with foresight, the embodiment of intelligence.
The Snake (Oct 23 – Nov 22) – Connected to the spiritual world, people with this totem have great supernatural power.
The Owl (Nov 23 – Dec 21) – A messenger to the Great Spirit and a seeker of truth and wisdom.
What You Can Do with the Native American Birth Totems
This site even includes birthstones that pair well with your spirit totem. I found out I was a goose and bought a ton of quartz jewelry to help me find spiritual enlightenment.
It’s believed to be good luck to carry these symbols with you and keep them about your home. I already had quite the collection of Kachina dolls going but now I decided to start by art that featured my animal totem as well.
I haven’t had any misfortune so far, who’s to say it’s not the little goose I keep on my charm bracelet?