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Keynote: Personal Protection, Discrimination, and Empathy. Cycle of Power: Year-round. Armadillo is Spanish for "little armored one." It is a burrowing animal whose armor is the shield it carries on its back. The armor is comprised of overlapping bony plates, covered with horns. The undersides are ordinary hide and are its most vulnerable area. The armadillo and those with it as a totem are most vulnerable when they expose their undersides, or inner workings. Armadillo teaches us how to protect yourself and when to let your defenses down. The armadillo is actually a member of the sloth family. It has no canine teeth, or incisors, but it does have 80 or more molars that never stop growing. It lives in burrows that are really multi-chambered dens. These dens can be as much as five feet below ground. Its claws are excellent for digging, reflecting an ability to dig through the surface of things to see what is beneath. The armadillo teaches discrimination. All animals with armor of any kind have connections to the European knights of medieval lore. The armadillo can be a past life link specifically to the 16th century Spanish conquistadors, probably best known for the conquering of Mexico and Peru. Chivalry, strength, and protection were often the ideal qualities to be developed by the European knights. This is reflected in the fact that the armadillo's best offence is a strong defense. The early armor was often heavy and made it awkward to move in, in spite of the protection. The armadillo teaches how to carry your protection with you and how to use it only when it is necessary. They have an ability to protect without causing undue harm to others. The armadillo can reflect past life connections to the knights, or the need to develop the same qualities and characteristics that the knights possessed. The armadillo links those with it as a totem to other animals- including those which prey upon it, and these should be examined as well. The armadillo is often preyed upon by big cats and coyotes. They will often flip them over to expose the underside. The armadillo also will sometimes bask in the sun during cold periods. They tend to fall asleep at such times, on their backs, with their undersides exposed. They are thus more vulnerable. Along health lines, the armadillo teaches those with this totem to be extra cautious in dress and covering during times of cold, or there will be a greater susceptibility to illness. Again there is the issue of protecting against exposure to certain climates. The spotted skunk and burrowing owl benefit from the armadillo. Both will make their homes in abandoned armadillo dens. It is not unusual to find that an individual with an armadillo totem will have friends who have skunk and owl totems also. There is a positive relationship. The Aztecs called the armadillo "rabbit turtle." The qualities of both are somewhat embodied by the armadillo- especially in its appearance. An armadillo as a totem can also reflect a past life connection to the ancient Aztecs. The primary diet of armadillos is invertebrate insects. In one summer it can consume 200 pounds of insects. Ants and earthworms are a large part of its diet, and the qualities of them should be studied as well. When threatened, the armadillo will roll itself up into a ball, covering all its vulnerable areas. If an armadillo has strolled into your life, you should be asking yourself some questions. Are you not protecting yourself as you should? Are others around you needing protection? Are you being too sensitive and protecting yourself from attacks that are not there? Are you imagining attacks or being too sensitive to the energies of others? The armadillo has a tremendously powerful sense of smell. It can smell insects six inches underground. This strong sense of smell has ties to higher forms of discrimination and psychological stimulations. Anyone with the armadillo as a totem would do well to work with aromatherapy and the development of their own sense of smell. Do things just not smell right? Do people or situations smell fishy? Learning to trust what you smell is part of what the armadillo can teach. The sense of smell also has ties to the sexual energies. It is a strong stimulant to the sex drive. The armadillos only pair for mating, and then they go on their way. The usual gestation period is around eight to nine months, just as with humans. Unlike humans though, if distressed, the armadillo can delay giving birth for up to two and a half years. This reflects much about the energy that comes with and armadillo totem. It usually signals that the opportunity for a new birth is coming within the next 8-9 months. It will be important, though, not to roll ourselves up and hide from the opportunity for fear we may be vulnerable. On the other hand, if we are too worried and stressed to act upon the opportunity, its movement can be delayed for up to two years or more. Armadillo can show you how to adjust your rhythms so that what you wish to create will occur at the safest time. The armadillo can move fast if it needs to. It is also a good swimmer. It will swallow air and inflate its intestines until they are able to float. Other times they will hold their breath and walk on the bottom of streams and other natural water sources. They can hold their breath for up to six months. This and their ability to dig reflects on the ability of the armadillo to teach you how to move from one dimension to another. It can teach you how to move through all elements. This can be linked to specific forms of mediumship, in which the individual is able to move consciously into new dimensions and stay protected all the while. It hints of an ability to explore and walk the threads of life and death, and work with the spirits of the dead. It also hints at the ability to explore the emotional sides not often exposed, even though individuals with this totem may be reluctant to do so. If in the position, they can explore more sensitive aspects of themselves protected and hidden. It will be important for those and hidden. It will be important for those with this totem to learn when to expose these more subtle sides and when to cover them up. This is part of what the armadillo teaches. Oftentimes individuals who are extremely empathetic will have an armadillo as a totem. An empathetic individual's body will become a barometer for whatever is experienced. If around someone with an ache or pain, empathics will experience it within their own body as if it is their own ache or pain. This can lead to an actual manifestation of the problem. Empathic individuals are very susceptible to outside influences- physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual. This heightened sensitivity needs to be controlled and balanced. Armadillo can teach you how to do this or show you how to help others in this position.
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