spirit animal

English

Noun

spirit animal (plural spirit animals)

1. An animal spirit that guides, helps, or protects a person or group of people.

   Synonym: power animal

   • 2006, Steven Farmer, Animal Spirit Guides, →ISBN, page 411:

     For most of these topics you'll have more than one choice of spirit animal, so whenever that's true, intuitively choose which animal spirit resonates with you for that particular condition or quality.

   • 2009, Lucy Harmer, Discovering Your Spirit Animal: The Wisdom of the Shamans, →ISBN, page 6:

     Shamans are trained to keep the memory of their spirit animal intact so that they can discover the many ways in which they can use its medicine.

   • 2014, David Carson, How to Find your Spirit Animal, →ISBN:

     Reconnect and bring the presence of your spirit animal into your ordinary, everyday affairs.

   • 2015, Dayanara Blue Star, Spirit Animal Quiz: Find your Spirit Animal, →ISBN:

     You need to take steps to get in touch with your spirit animal.

2. (informal, humorous) A person or thing with which one has a deep connection due to shared beliefs etc.
   • 2021, Christian O'Connell, No One Listens to Your Dad's Show:

     The picture means everything to me, it's my spirit animal. Evel Knievel jumping at Caesar's Palace, signed by the great man. I'd look at the photo every day, trying to channel what it meant to me.