The animal
spirit that one has the most difficulty associating with. Most people have an
aversion to a particuliar creature, be it a
snake, a
spider, a
dog, whatever. It's the stuff people's
nightmares are made of. Generally speaking, there are
metaphysical traits that each of these animals possess that can be found within the person who fears them. Just as the animals people admire, it is the combination of strengths and weaknesses that can be used to
symbolize the person.
Example: I have the most unfounded fear of sharks. I can hardly go to aquariums without wanting to run screaming. I have never seen JAWS. I have never been attacked by a shark in the water. But at night, when I dream, I'm terrorized by them. I want nothing to do with them, and they are the only animals I'm frightened of. I can pick up spiders and snakes with my bare hands, but I can't watch a shark documentary on Discovery. I realize there are qualities within the shark that can be applied to me, however, thus I accept them as my negative totem. They are the darker face of my anima.