One of the best teachers ive been exposed to was of the Sturgeon Clan - and the Sturgeon Clan traditionally serve as community educators. Plus they talked a lot about how natural being trans is (I forget what example from nature specifically brought that up) and that “multi spirit beings” have always existed. And they talked about societal ills from a very materialist lens. So while I don’t ascribe to any animal spirit; the Indigenous clan/totem system is so interesting.

I do subscribe to the general idea of seeing passed loved ones in nature though; but that’s more of my pasty, dances-with-wolves ass wanting to find spiritual meaning in a society where that’s been stripped. Don’t care though, the loon is still my buddy I lost years ago, as is the chickadee; and I strive to be a fraction of the being that muskrat is (https://ltbbodawa-nsn.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/The-Creation-Story-Turtle-Island.pdf)