I'm writing a short piece, and I'd like your help. Am I using the word zoomorphic correctly? Is there a better term? Here's it is:
Thanks

I think you mean perched rather than preached. I would rewrite it slightly: "these two zoomorphic spirit sightings".

I'm guessing preached is a typo for perched.

Persistent sightings - did they remain permanently or come back everyday? I don't think you mean persistent.

I think zoomorphic is somewhat redundant since you've already mentioned the animals and that they're creature-spirits.

Also, being extremely picky, one could argue that the spirits are zoomorphic rather than the sightings.

yes, one of the senses of zoomorphism is transformation into beasts.

-joe (pay no attention to those nits) friday

Yes perched - thanks.
"these two zoomorphic spirit sightings" - better, thanks.


They are "...noticed by my dearest extended family members when beloved souls (die)..." I guess that's not persistent. Coincidental might be better.

Yes redundant - thanks

Yes spirits are zoomorphic - thanks

Thanks joe.
But I still don't know if my Mom is the Scarlet Tanager or if I am the walrus. I'll figure it out.

Not at all meaning to be funny, but maybe you subconscious meant "preach". Did your dad expound upon things with you? I know it would fit for my dad! Maybe a typo, but maybe not... :0)

Funny is good.
Dad was strict, but he didn't preach very much, or chirp when alive for that matter.

I liked "preached".

Is zoomorphism the only possibility conceived of by the deceased's loved ones? Some bereaved persons notice what seems to them to be a sympathetic response by some natural creature or entity.

My Dad would have made a good priest. I'm sure he thought about it before his marriage. At times, I do find myself asking, “What would Dad think”. That's a subtle kind of preaching don't you think Jackie?
It's my Mom that just passed. Was she the tanager? As I think about this, it seems that we're all birds - ‘better than worms I guess. After work this morning, I'm off to our friend Amber's memorial. One of the wonderful things that she did was to encourage and facilitate our singing (like birds in some cases) and music playing. Her husband Rudy asked me to write an article about her. When he called, I was in the middle of writing something about our Mom to my brother & sister. I'm a little overwhelmed, but I'm glad for the life all around me that is so obvious & beautiful at this time of year. Oh well - I do go on, but I'm not self-conscious about it - I so infrequently do.

I'll surely consider your suggestion mmm. I would be foolish to question your ideas on anything morphic.

I think my question was poorly stated, but I appreciate all the input. I was wondering if there is a more specific term for the human soul -> animal representation.

Well, Owl, some native americans believe that each person has a correspondent animal whose spirit represents that person, and for whom that animal holds special meaning. I've seen this called "spirit totem", "animal totem" "spirit animal" ("animal spirit"). Perhaps one of those would work? You seem to already have your own. :0)

native americans

Some Native Americans are Christians and others are atheists. (I have a friend who is half Cayuga Iroquois and half Jewish, but who is a secular humanist.) AFAIK, the religious beliefs of the Native Peoples in the US, Canada, and Mexico were almost as varied as their languages.

Yes, zmjezhd, you are entirely correct. I neglected to put in the word "some", which I have amended. Please forgive any unintended offense... :0)

>I've seen this called "spirit totem", "animal totem" "spirit animal" ("animal spirit").

Do you have some extra information about whether they did know by life which animal was their spirit totum or did they get confronted with it in the hour of their death? A mosquito or some unpleasantly buzzing bug wouldn't be encouraging to dy for.

A bird, I guess we all would like to be a bird spirit.

re: A bird, I guess we all would like to be a bird spirit.

no i don't think so..

i don't dislike birds, but... i don't think of myself as a bird spirit..

me? i am hippo.. large, (dangerous), surprizingly graceful.. but at times ungainly.. (think of the lovely pink tutu'd hippo's dancing ballet in Fantasia.. think of being a hippo spirit... light on their toes, but crushing things they land on... Yup, that's me!

think of being a hippo spirit

Thanks for the grin. I am reminded of how many of the people one meets who believe in metempsychosis are all of a certain class of reincarnations. How many folks have told me they used to be knights errant, Mesopotamian or Cherokee princesses, Egyptian priestesses, etc. I've yet to meet a 13th century French peasant or a 19th Cockney day laborer. Do all those souls go into the great heavenly tip? Maybe everybody was royal back in the day. Me, my animal totem is a trilobite or maybe a Strigiphilus garylarsoni.

you have to keep bear in mind that there were a lot fewer souls back in the day — those peasants, peons, esne, serfs and drudges are spread mighty thin these days, and didn't have much bearing in the first instance.

-joe (supreme universal grand panjandrum) friday

Me, I'm positively sure I'm here for the first time.
That's why I still have to get used to it.

I'm winging it here, so anyone feel free to correct me... Most animal totems were/are assigned to babies, usually by a shaman or village elder, but I think parents could, also, if they have strong feelings. In any case, some traditions hold that you have more than one, so you may choose one for yourself. There wouldn't be much point, though, in waiting until you were dying, because the totem is meant to be a life guide; but I can't say that might never happen.

I don't know what animal (or animals) it would be for me. I used to dream of being a deer and a dolphin when I was younger, but as an adult I have been consistently drawn to dragons. :0)

Hippo's and Dragons are real heavy weight wishes. I like hippo's
too, mostly for their ears which are the smallest parts of them.
Well, get high with a hippo and drown with a dragon.
Oops!

twosleepy I’ve been told that one may have many totems at the same time and that they may change over the course of a lifetime. A barred owl may or may not be my totem. Some say it is. That’s fine with me. Many years ago, I moved to a wooded area, but I grew up in the New York City suburbs and these things were not part of my culture, although I’ve always liked owls. When I was very young, an owl would occasionally perch on our chimney. We were thrilled and amused by the beauty and volume of the hooing that reverberated into the living room.

Helen I love that movie. As you know, hippos are very graceful swimmers.

zmjezhd I’m rooting for the trilobite, (and the Celtics).

Thanks everyone. I was able to finish my little piece with your help.

I’m rooting for the trilobite, (and the Celtics).

Yes, Owlbow, I, too, am a great fan of rattlebacks (link), but I know we're talking 'bout two different things.