A totem is any supposed entity that watches over or assists a group of people, such as a family, clan, or tribe. Totems support larger groups than the individual person. In kinship and descent, if the apical ancestor of a clan is nonhuman, it is called a totem. Normally this belief is accompanied by a totemic myth.
Although the term is of Ojibwe origin in North America, totemistic beliefs are not limited to Native Americans. Similar totem-like beliefs have been historically present in societies throughout much of the world, including Africa, Asia, Australia, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, and the Arctic polar region.
In modern times, some single individuals, not otherwise involved in the practice of a tribal religion, have chosen to adopt a personal spirit animal helper, which has special meaning to them, and may refer to this as a totem. This non-traditional usage of the term is prevalent in the New Age movement, and the mythopoetic men's movement.
Totems are to find in all ancient cultures over the world. The last time the whole world was making use of totems and where connected to the spirit animal world must have been around 5000 years ago, right before the disseapearring of the ancient cultures caused by a worldwide event.
The use of a totem however, is not to worship it. It is no use. In the end it just stays a statue, but what is interesting is the philosophy behind it, that every creature is bound to another and humans themselves are also bound to plant and animal spirits, more than they do realize nowadays. The old teachings of Shamanism has more to do, with the surviving of the group spirits, than with the original story. For that it is better to look at the Norse and Inuit myths, that tell tales of the Celestial creatures, being in humanoid form or in animal shape.
From Norse tradition it is easy already to go to the Celtic traditions, but than the story line already totally change into another culture and habits and another age.
Fact stays, that since prehistoric times, is remembered that everyone once was born in Heaven.
And was the realisation and knowledge of a world beyond our imagination: The world of the Spirit Creatures, the Celestials.
