Are you looking for the Deer Totem meaning? Are you wondering what medicine or lesson can be given to you by the animal spirit of Deer? Let me share some of my own knowledge on this subject with you in the next few paragraphs to perhaps shed some light for you.
In the Native American tradition an animal totem is a spirit that will come to you to teach you lessons that you need. Some of these totems are with you from birth and will teach you throughout your lifetime. Other animal spirits or totems come as messengers and will stay with you until you have grasped the teaching they have for you.
How do you know that a totem such as Deer is working with you? There are a few ways to tell, so please read on to find out more about the meaning of the Deer Totem and whether it might be working with you at the moment.
Messages From The Deer Totem
The deer totem gives us the message or medicine of “gentleness”. From Deer we learn to touch the hearts and minds of wounded souls with gentleness and kindness. We learn to not try to force people into changing but to love them just as they are.
We learn not to fight our internal demons with negative ideas but to love ourselves enough to face our fears and let them go. By learning to have love and compassion for our fellow human beings and ourselves the demons all just seem to melt away. We learn that fear can never live in the same place where there is gentleness and love.
Look at the photo to the right of Sister Deer. See her gentleness? Keep in mind that the Deer Totem gives the lesson of unconditional love which means there can be no strings attached to that love.
Is The Spirit Of Deer Working With You?
Your landing on this page to read about the Deer Totem might be one strong indication that gentleness is medicine you need in your life. You see, when a totem begins to work with us we are suddenly drawn to that animal. We may start to realize that the word or images of that animal keep coming across our paths. We suddenly have a real interest in them or notice they just keep popping into our consciousness. Perhaps where you live you don’t see many deer but all of a sudden you see one and a feeling of peace enters your being.
Deer Cautious Crossing Wilhelm J Goebel Art Print at Allposters.com
Throughout my life, Deer has come to me on a regular basis. It is always Sister Deer for me but it could be Brother Deer for you. She will stop me in my tracks, literally. I can be driving down a road and she will walk calmly in front of me and stop. She will look me straight in the eye and hold my attention for a few minutes and then calmly walk on. Her visit is usually when I have been stressing over a decision and I come to the conclusion that I have to take the gentle way of resolution. I’ve always felt that she is letting me know that I have made the right decision.
Another way to know that the totem of Deer is working with you is to use the Medicine Cards by Jamie Sams. If the card shows up in your spread or as a single card drawn, pay attention because Deer is giving you a tap on your shoulder.
Reflect On The Message
A great way to reflect on the messages and lessons of the deer totem is to work a jigsaw puzzle with images of deer. That may sound a little silly but it really isn’t. As you are working the puzzle think about deer. Imagine it standing in the wild or performing the act depicted in the puzzle. What message is there for you?
Darrell Bush Evening Run 1000 Piece Puzzle
Thank you for stopping by today to learn more about the deer totem meaning and how it might be working with you, giving you a lesson of gentleness and unconditional love. Please let us know that you stopped by with your comment below.
This morning we went out on the back deck, and my wife said “what is that down there?”. She can see a little, but could only see the shape. I told her it was a female deer, not only that, this deer was vary dark. Most deer around here in Oregon are light brown. I will let this deer live here in my back yard, for as long as it wants to!
I did my womblecha (spirit quest) many years ago when I was younger and a deer came into my circle. Womblecha is being put out onto the mountain with no food or water in a circle only big enough for you to lay down in, marked with the four directions by prayer sticks. I was meditating on the second day and quietly looked up. A deer was face to face with me, my nose maybe 2 inches from his. He was young, 2 points. When he realized I was alive and looking back into his eyes he jumped up on his hind legs and kicked his front hooves around like they were riding a bicycle. I wasn’t afraid even a little bit. His hooves were pretty far from me at that point. Then he ran up the hill behind me and along the mountain range, screaming as deer do. Sounds kind of like a loud shrill whistling whisper. It’s been hard all these years to understand what message to get from that and I still don’t understand to this day. And don’t even get me started on my visions.
Two weeks ago my truck was stolen, totaled and abandoned after hitting a deer. I am not covered by my insurance and the police will not do an investigation. I am out thousands. Last night my chihuahua was attacked by a deer. What is the significance of this message? Thank you.
Is there anything you can tell me about what deer is trying to tell me?
I have been hit by six deer … three since last year in August, the first and third (which just happened a week ago last Thursday) my vehicles ended up being write-offs. I will being seeing a Shaman on the 11th because I want to get to the bottom of this, and it is heart-wrenching to have these deer killed (only one of the six was able to run away). Please help!
Thank you Two Feathers!
I turned to Google this morning and found you, your mention of The Medicine Cards, and your insights into deer — all so affirming of my earlier thoughts.
This morning as I’ve been watching light come up over the lake— with the thought that the natural world was coming back ‘online’—I realized that
I am a bridge.
I am a bridge for the ancient knowings—somehow assisting in rejuvenating and integrating understanding of the natural and spiritual worlds into our present and future.
That is also the service your post on ‘deer’ has provided—keeping alive ancient knowing…….you too are a bridge.
Thank you!
Thank you for your insight, I saw a deer just laying in my backyard this morning when I went to take out the garbage. I was surprised it didn’t move when it saw me. I went back into the house to get the camera, and it just laid in the leaves and grass. I gently hummed to it the word “love” and “ohm” so it wouldn’t get scared. It let me get very close and take several pictures. At first I thought it was injured, but then went back an hour or two later, and it was still there, but this time standing and moving about eating the leaves off the trees.
I knew then it was a serious omen because it stayed so long. I’ve been very stressed this week about a few things, especially work and am wanting to move forward in my life to things that bring me more peace and that which I am passionate about. This (the deer) has taught me to be alert and gentle with myself and others. I pray I will find the right path and make the right decisions in my life. Thank You!
Hi, Beverly Two Feathers
I want to thank you again for being so generous. Thank you for sharing your story. I believe you have just given my daugher and me a much needed road map…..We have still have some not very nice people in our lives …… So our “road map” is going to be very important.
And, I finally understand what the Hawks message was …… ” Get your business straight ” ( get your business straight so that you are ready for the Deer or anything else that comes along ) I just hope it’s not too late for that . For 3 years I saw my Hawk ever other day . He/she even ended up on my windshield while I was driving last month. Talk about scary. I’ve only seen my Hawk once in the last four weeks
Very truly yours.
Jacqueline
Hi Beverly,
My daughter and I have had many crisis’s, hardships and loss over the last seven years …… A lot of this was caused by another person …… It’s difficult for me to be gentle and kind ( the way I used to be ) ……. I currently live with my mother, I don’t want to be here ……. My daughter lives with a friend it seems as though that is where she will have the most success ….. Although that is not what Im seeing at the moment. I would love to move and have my daughter live with me ( if she wanted to ) but it’s very difficult from me to find housing at this time …… So having said all that ….. Today I woke at 4am and wished I could start my day but that would have woken my mother ……. At that time I went outside to smoke ….. from the backyard to front walked a beautiful deer, then from the side of the house came another ……. And a third calmly walked accross the street to join the other two …….. I quietly watched and wished I could touch them …… Once all together the three took a walk around the neighborhood ….. Lol even using the sidewalk ……. It’s very unusual to see deer in yards here ………. So I will try to learn the lesson the deer teaches ….. I just seems like gentleness and kindness is not what is needed regarding my search for housing ……. So Im still not completely clear …….. If you have any thoughts I would love to read them ! Last note … My daugher was recentely horribly victimized and I would like to deal with the people who did this in an aggressive manner …….. I can’t imagine the deer lesson speaks to that situation ………. Basically my daugher and I have been made “easy marks” ….. Maybe it speaks to that ? I look foward to your reply and reading any thoughts you’re willing to share …………….
Aaniin, Jacqueline. Bless your heart! It is really tough when we have gone through years of hard times (I know, I’ve been there myself!). It just seems that there is no end in sight, but trust me when I tell you that there will be but YOU have to allow it to end. You have to let go of the feelings that you are having about the people who have hurt you…you want to get even but that is NEVER the right way to approach it. Forgive them and let it go and don’t think that I say that lightly or flippantly. I KNOW how hard it is to do that very thing but it is necessary for your well being and your daughter’s. Your daughter needs to grow up knowing that you love her and that you always have her best interest at heart. She needs to see that Mom has a gentle and kind heart. My own heart became cold, calloused and mean after years of being abused. I buried the real me so deep that I didn’t recognize myself anymore. When Sister Deer came to me right after my husband (the abuser) took his life in our garage, I knew I had to find that gentle me again. I needed to for myself and for my daughters. My life began to turn around that very day! It was slow but my mindset was different and I KNEW because Sister Deer had come to me that I was going to make it through because I was willing to face my fears with gentleness and love and not anger and bitterness. I couldn’t change what had happened to us in the past BUT I could move forward with a different outlook and I did.
As for the visit from the deer, I think it is significant that there were 3. I think they represented your Mother, you and your daughter. They walked together and that is significant, too. I know you don’t want to live with your Mother and maybe there are some issues there that you need to resolve but know this. Your Mother must love you a lot, she is giving you a place to live. Don’t resent her kindness but begin to appreciate it. Tell her that you appreciate it, tell her in a kind and gentle way that you don’t want to live with her forever that you want to get your own place. I think she needs to hear that from you. Begin to believe with your whole heart that something is going to “break” that will allow you to move and be with your daughter and also know that it won’t happen until you get “right” with yourself. Forget those feelings of wanting to hurt those who have hurt you…that just allows them to still have control over you. Your bitterness doesn’t hurt THEM at all, it just continues to hurt you. Let that go! Don’t dwell in the past of hardship, instead start to move forward into the better life waiting for you in the future. Sister Deer and her friends came to tell you that YOU, your daughter and your Mother are going to be OK.
Osiyo ( Hello ) Two Feathers,
(Since my Great Grand Mother was Cherokee, I thought it would be fun to try my hand at the language – with the help of Google 🙂 )
Wado udohiyu utsai ( thank you very much ) for your reply, time and consideration !
I will read your reply over and over until it really sticks ……
Very truly yours,
Jacqueline
Hi Beverly,
I have had a particularly stressful time lately with my studies/career. I was recently attending an Indigenous event and there were several deer sightings. The last of the sightings was of a mom and her two young ones. I was taking photos of/with them, and after I had finished and began walking away, I received a phone call for a job offer I had been hoping for. I feel conflicted about this offer in some ways, but in others, it is the answer to my troubles. This job would not allow me to work as directly toward my goal as I would prefer, but it would allow me to be gentle with myself and to engage in better self-care. After reading your page, I wonder if that was the message – that I do need to heal and be more gentle with myself, which this position would make it feasible to do (which can be difficult to find in my particular field).
I initially had not made the connection between the deer and what followed, but when I shared the news with others I had met at the event, one of the women told me that deer are my spirit animal now. I found your site as I was looking to learn more about the meaning and messages of deer totems.
Nia:wen (thank you) for sharing your knowledge.
V
Dear Beverly,
An image of a deer popped into my mind recently, and I am grateful to read your blog on this beautiful animal. I am reminded to surround myself with softness, to create a beautiful and gentle environment that I can flourish within. Many thanks, Christina
Christina,
I am so glad that you took the time to connect with me and Deer today! May the gentleness of sweet sister deer be with you always….
Deer and Dear: aurally same and Dire: to speak in French. They speak: tenderness and love. It was beautiful to be affirmed by your lovely words of Animal Speak!
we have many deer on our property. They seem to always appear when I need a ‘down’ comforter
I live in the mountains and I am a psychic and a medium. Deer presents herself and brings her babies to visit me almost daily. Deer, in terms of animal speak, also arrive on the scene to let you know that there is “learning” coming your way, and although it may be hard learning or re-learning something, it actually won’t be as difficult as you imagined it would be. It’s such a beautiful reminder to be gentle with yourself and to appreciate the beauty that constantly surrounds us if we only stop to look. Namaste. The Mountain Medium Healer xox