Hand Painted Spiritkeepers Stones Totem Animals & Symbols

What Are They?
Each Spiritkeepers is a unique expression inspired by the natural Spirit World designed from totem animal spirit guide meanings and symbols from mythology, created to be a personal amulet as well as possible home decor. Use them to keep the spirit essence of your favorite wild animal present in daily life. A rock or sea shell is hand selected based upon the spiritual energy felt within. The image is most often found within the natural surfaces then enhanced with acrylic paint. Stones are generally small sized, though some are large enough for desk top display, and many have a natural hole known as the Witches' Amulet or a Witches Dream Shield. Unlike many other paintings on rock Spiritkeepers Stones are painted the way in which they are found, meaning that no fillers, putty, or cuts are ever used to alter the shapes, out of respect for the stone.

The Who & Why Of It

My name is Tree Pruitt, and many would say that I've always been stone crazy. As a small child I braved the hot summer sun for hours to remove my very first fossil specimen, and I still have that fossil too! I have boxes and bowls of rocks that I've collected over the years as specimens and keepsakes. I've also been an avid painter my entire life, so it was only natural for the two loves to combine. The stones I collected seemed to call out to me -- wanting to be picked up -- showing me pictures within the surfaces. I began to follow the lines I'd see on rocks with paint strokes so that I could show others what I saw. It was at about the age of five when a simple craft project turned into something more meaningful to myself. The pop culture craze of the Pet Rock that swept America in the later 1970's only served to encourage my feeling that stones are alive and do communicate.

As my Earth-based spirituality developed later in life it occurred to me these rocks have messages to share just like a spirit guide. Ancient people went to great effort to place pictures on rock outcroppings and cave walls. Modern Neo-pagan, Wicca practices encourage direct communication with nature and the exchange of energy with things in nature. I could no longer resist the urge to share the stones in my collection, so I began to offer these creations from my private rock collection as Spiritkeepers in 1997. I created a sigil logo based upon a rune style and use that to sign each Spiritkeepers. The design is a combination of the letters S and K with dots to represent the Four Directions of North, South, East, and West. Even if a stone is painted all of the way around I try to leave a portion of the natural stone showing, and that is where I place the sigil and number. This exposed area allows an owner to connect spiritually not only with the artistic symbol but also with the natural stone itself by reminding the owner that the stone is a true bit of nature.

You can discover more history behind them at the Spiritkeepers Blog

(contents from Introduction to Spiritual Animal Helpers, Realm of the Mystic Griffin site)

What's a Totem??? With the growing popularity of Neo-paganism and Neo-Native spirituality, the phrase of "totem animal" has become a somewhat generic term that actually encompasses meaningful spiritual relationships with animals in a variety of forms. There are historical Native American cultural differences and origins for the uses of words such as, "totem", "medicine" and "fetish", and those uses are traditional in differing tribes. Performing a search of those terms can expose more detailed information about how indigenous Americans use those terms. Our purpose of explanation here is only to point out how the words are commonly used in the more broad arena of modern, New-Age, understandings.

A totem animal shares its strengths and weaknesses with its human partner. However, many agree that a totem is a creature whose energy has been, or will be, a long term effect upon a person. Your favorite animal from childhood is often lingering with you still as a life totem. The creepy crawler from repetitive nightmares or unfounded fears may also be a life totem, for all creatures have the balance of dark and light within. Your life totem can reveal how you got to the place you're in now and where you're likely to go in the future. What aspects or habits do you always seem to have with you in life? Behind that answer lives your totem. What are the things you want to develop and achieve? What qualities do you admire and wish to see in your self? How do you want to grow as a person overall? A life totem is a partner and spirit guide through the journey.

Animal Fetish

An animal fetish is also sometimes today called a totem. A fetish is an artistic representation of an animal, with spiritual design. It stands as a dwelling for the general aspects and energies of a particular creature, (similar to a Hindu deity statue). It is an example of Native American society using a form of sympathetic magic, where the form of the animal itself is thought to attract the gifts that animal has to offer. Akin to a prayer, the fetish offers a hope for the person, or makes a declaration he/she will act in a different way. A fetish is a three dimensional shape of an animal that the person who carries or wears hopes will pass on some of the good quality traits; power. A fetish can be used as 'totem medicine' when the fetish does indeed represent your totem, and is worn or carried in a medicine bag. It is not an actual totem, but only a representation of the totem animal; a spiritual keepsake to remind you of your path.

Check Back For Future Features

Feature Creature Painted Stone: Our new feature creature stone has a sleepy grizzly bear curled up, hand painted onto a variety of granite pebble. In the image shown is Spiritkeepers #sk034, sized at 28 mm x 35 mm x 11 mm thick.

~ Symbolism of the Bear ~ In both ancient and modern cultures bear often represents the Primordial Mother energy. One reason for this is that mother bears are fierce to protect offspring. The bear is also seen as a symbol for Earth energy and dreaming as they tend to travel the depths of caves into the figurative womb of the planet; burrowing deep to hibernate. In spiritual art and Jungian studies the curious bear represents the deepest parts of the inner self consciousness, revealed through introspection's self discovery. Bear is a guide to lure the seeker deeper into the portion of "The Hero's Journey", (see Joseph Campbell), that requires the Hero to look deeper still within the self.

~ Points to Ponder ~
Positive Aspects - wisdom, strength, endurance, ingenuity, healing, nurturing, protection, introspection, imagination
*Negative Aspects - poor vision or lack of insight, quick temper, being nosey, indulgence, refusal to back down

Previous Feature: Raccoon Mask Spiritkeepers Stone, #sk017
This curious critter looks up with golden eyes from a large rock. It's hand painted on a variety of gray granite and finished with a durable indoor/outdoor protective varnish. The fairly large size makes it a perfect desktop paperweight or small bookend home accent. Each collectable Spiritkeepers Stone is unique and individually numbered. This piece is intended for indoor display though surface is water washable with cold water and care. The smooth bottom is safe for most all surfaces. Purchase Information

~ Raccoon (simple) ~ Masks have been used as powerful tools for transformation throughout the ages. Known for nightly stealth and its mysterious masked face, the raccoon can teach us to use our own masks with care. For example, when is it the time to use the mask of "Parent" rather than the mask of "Friend" with your child? Raccoon can show you. For each different frame of mind we must enter there is a different mask to wear. These figurative masks can help you get the job done but they can also stop your progress if used too often or at the wrong times. Could you be hiding behind those masks? Raccoon medicine can help you transform into the person you need to be.

~ Points to Ponder ~
*Positive Aspects - transformation, awareness, exploration, wisdom to use knowledge learned, perseverance, dexterity
*Negative Aspects - hiding, masking a problem rather than dealing with it, dishonesty, obsessive compulsive behavior, stealing either physical objects or stealing someones time, attention, or love



Another Previous Feature

~ POLAR BEAR ~ Being the most outstanding hunter of the bear family also makes the polar bear the most aggressive of the bears. Like this bear, do you know when to keep your cool, or do you perhaps need to start swinging those polar paws? Being a most excellent swimmer gives them the ability to go with the flow, when needed, and strong muscles give the strength to pull themselves out of the water when it's time to put feet on the ground. They have very keen hearing, the polar bear, listening for sounds under the ice from above. A person with a polar bear totem should ask themselves if they have been listening to signs from "Above", spiritual guidence, and simply paying quality attention to whatever nourishes the soul. When polar bear hears a seal bubbling to the surface it patiently waits for the favorite prey to come up. They pounce on the seals to drag them from the water. This indicates that polar bear knows when to wait and when to act on an opportunity.

These bears have a playful side too, sliding on ice and playing with cubs, indicating that though they're serious about the task at hand they know when to relax and enjoy life. If you think that polar bear is a totem animal for you then be sure to also examine the animals it chooses as prey; there'll likely be a second totem in there for you to create a balance.
Search several resources and find the meaning that feels right in order to discover what the medicine and magic of an animal means to you personally.

*Shown above are hand painted Spiritkeepers Stones Polar Bears #sk044 landscape on volcanic basalt and #sk025 limestone pebble.
*Symbolic meaning of the Badger by Tree Pruitt, former feature article can be found at Realm of the Mystic Griffin www.mysticgriffin.com

-->Spiritkeepers Blog gets a face lift; stop by and see the new look of the site. I'd love to read any feedback you'd like to share about the way the site looks and operates.

* NEW FACEBOOK Fan Page is here. Come on by and show Spiritkeepers Stones some love. See the page, be a fan!

* NEW ITEMS - several new stones are now available including wolf, raccoon, panda, polar bear, otter, bison, some inspired by Native American stories such as Kokopelli, and special Egyptian style stones too. Another new feature is an increase in sizes. Some of the new Spiritkeepers will be much too big for a pocket or medicine bag but they'll be right at home on display. Some of these new rocks even come with their own display stand, and new tiny primitive goddess symbol pebbles include a hand sewn leather storage pouch.

Largest Spiritkeepers Stone
A highly detailed bust of a wolf looks out from a scene on a double naturally holed stone. This is the largest Spiritkeepers to date!
Visit the Spiritkeepers Blog to learn more about this unique painted portion of a fossil bed; the nose is created by a brachiopod shell. Then discover the smallest Spiritkeepers ever too!

Messenger the Raven

A raven came to me this morning,
for what I could not say.
His dark eyes looked upon me,
inviting me to play.
He did not tease me or take care
that I a simple human,
could not take flight and join him
in his dance up in the air.
His magic and his mystery
to me he tries to give.
I listen closely and I learn
of the world in which we live.
To travel in the darkness,
and bring back a speck of light,
is what the raven's telling me;
It's mans eternal plight.
A raven came to me this morning.
For what? I think I know.
Listen closely to the raven,
for his magic he will show!

* Flying RAVEN GIF GRAPHIC, shown above, provided by