Totem Tuesday: Fox Medicine

Fox Medicine

by Felina Lune Kavi

“Old foxes are hard to trap.” –German Proverb

Keywords:  Cunning, Shapeshifting, Healing, Magic, Agility, Guidance, Dreams, Between Times, Fairy Energy, Camouflage, Invisibility, Integration, Balance, Meditation, Swiftly Overcoming Obstacles, Responsiveness, Quick-Thinking, Analytical Intelligence, Observation, Deduction, Discernment, Adaptability, Trickster Archetype, Playfulness, Sense of Humor, Heightened Senses, Fertility, Protection of Family

Foxes are well known for their swiftness, cunning, and resourcefulness…making them expert teachers for survival and getting out of tricky situations.  One of the most intelligent and adaptable animals, foxes live in many different habitats around the world.  Though they especially like forested areas, they are also often found in close proximity to humans.  They are omnivores and eat just about anything to survive, even what they find in our garbage.  Those that live near the ocean have even learned how to fish and hunt for crabs.  

Because of their eating habits, they are often considered a nuisance by farmers since they will often kill more chickens than they can even eat.  However, it is a common misconception that they will kill just for the fun of it.  Because they eat frequent, small meals, if they find more than they need they will kill them and save them for later.  But because they eat many rodents and bugs, they are actually beneficial to have around…as long as you can keep them out of the chicken coop.  

People with this totem often benefit from eating frequent, small meals throughout the day.  They understand the archetype of the Trickster, as you can’t often fool one as crafty as the fox, so they can see through what would usually fool those who are less observant.  They are usually very intelligent people who prefer to observe others rather than call attention to themselves…until they are very comfortable with someone, of course, and that’s when they let their guard down.  They can get along with most people and adapt to almost any situation, always seeming to be two steps ahead of the game on what moves to make next in most situations.

Though they are canines, foxes have many cat-like qualities.  Their eyesight, especially keen in the darkness of night when they do much of their hunting, is much like a cat’s because of their vertically-slit pupils.  And though they live in packs, called ‘earths’, like most canines…they stray from the pack to hunt alone.  Like a cat, they tend to pounce on their prey and even play with it before they kill it.  Also, like a cat, foxes have additional whiskers on their hind legs…these are for finding their way around as well as for tracking prey when close.  The whiskers are so sensitive, they can feel the slightest change in the direction of a breeze, and will certainly feel a mouse or other animal running near their legs.  Because of these similarities, Fox medicine has much in common with Cat Medicine…perhaps even more than with Dog or Wolf medicine.

Foxes are less aggressive than wolves and more non-confrontational.  A fox, which is one of the smallest types of canines, would prefer to flee from danger rather than fight.  Depending on the type of fox, they can reach speeds between 25-45 mph which is why they are well-known for their swiftness.  People with this totem also have a gentle approach with others and will try to avoid confrontation if they can.  Fox medicine teaches how to get around obstacles instead of confronting them head on.  It also teaches how to be smarter about dealing with areas of resistance in your life or projects, finding a quicker and more clever way toward a solution to any problem.

The fox doesn’t communicate by barking as other canines do.  Instead, it relies almost solely upon non-verbal communication.  This includes the posture of the body, tail wagging, and facial expressions.  Even still, they can identify each other’s voices much like humans do, and a fox has almost 30 different sounds that they will use to communicate, including yips, growls, howls, and mating calls that sound like a human scream.  So to answer the question, ‘What does the fox say?’…well, they can say a lot, but they prefer to communicate silently.  People with this totem love to communicate…though usually are not the type to call a friend on the phone just to gab.  They often prefer more silent forms of expression…such as visual art or writing.  They can be very expressive people in whatever avenue they choose for communication.  However, in person, they may seem more quiet than you would expect…not because they have nothing to say but more because they are listening carefully to what others have to say.

Of all of my personal totems, Fox Medicine has always been most present in how I raise my children and care for my family.  Foxes are very social animals and a fox earth may include older siblings, kits (fox babies), foxes of breeding age, mates, and mothers.  Vixens are occasionally assisted in rearing their kits by a non-breeding female or a female kit from a previous litter (as I am sometimes assisted with baby Felix by his half-sister, Alyrica).  These sisters and ‘aunts’ gain valuable experience which helps them to rear their own litter successfully the next season.  Foxes are usually monogamous and a male fox (called a dog, tod, or reynard) will support the vixen and their kits by bringing them food.  

A fox den (also sometimes called an ‘earth’, like their pack name) is often a burrow below ground which has many different rooms and multiple exits so they can easily escape if another animal comes in their home.  A special room is made inside the den for the kits, called a nesting chamber, where the vixen gives birth on a nest of leaves she made after mating.  The gestation period is only 53 days and the litter usually consists of two to seven kits.  

People with this totem often have a similarly quick gestation period for creative ideas and the preparation and planning ability to ensure that the manifestation of these ideas have everything they need to succeed.  With a strong family base to support them, they are often successful in their ventures.  Always concerned with the safety of family members, Fox Medicine protects the family unit and people with this totem are often very caring parents who are protective of their offspring and do anything for their family.

Because foxes are most active from dusk till dawn, they are totem guides of the ‘between times’ and unseen realms such as the realm of the fairies.  As with all nocturnal animals, they often communicate their medicine to those with this totem through their dreams.  Their connection to dreams also has to do with their knowledge of things underground and unseen by human eyes.  Foxes have the ability to see movement and objects on the very edges of the field of vision.  Those with this medicine can often see Spirit and the beings between worlds.  With their sensitive hearing, Fox Medicine may also allow you to hear Spirit as well. 

Unlike most mammals, foxes can hear low-frequency sounds very well…such as the sound of an animal digging in the dirt or snow.  Fox also uses the Earth’s magnetic field when hunting prey.  The odds of a fox catching a mouse buried beneath snow rise to nearly 75% if the fox is facing north.  The fox uses the invisible magnetic field of the planet to triangulate and home in on its prey, buried in up to 3 feet of snow, from 18 feet away. Those with this totem are often very attuned to Mother Earth and, along with their regular senses being heightened, also seem to have a sixth sense about things which helps to guide them.

Through the art of camouflage, foxes know how to observe while being unseen doing so.  Because of this, Fox Medicine teaches shapeshifting, invisibility, and observation in its ability to wait, hidden in its surroundings, silently watching those around them without them noticing they are being watched.  This allows a person with this totem to use their heightened senses to detect what a person or situation is really like without calling attention to themselves or the fact that they are observing.  People with this totem may notice the smallest nuances in body language or speech that tell much more than what is being done or said.  Because of their powers of observation, they are able to become aware of certain patterns of predictability with people and situations that help them to quickly decide what to do or who to trust.

Along with the medicine of camouflage and shapeshifting, the tail of a fox holds similar symbolism.  People with this totem often feel that changing their hair, whether it be with color or cut, is symbolic of a deeper change within them.  Hair is very important to them, whether they know it or not.  If a change is needed in their life on some level, changing their hair to reflect that desire helps to activate fox medicine and its magic of shape-shifting.  Those with long hair may hide behind it or use it to keep warm, or they may put it up or cut it shorter to open themselves up to the world or stay cool.  Foxes expel body heat through their ears, so whether a person with this totem has their hair covering their ears or not often has to do with their body temperature (though, in my case, I usually have to pull it back lately to protect it from getting pulled by our baby).  

The tail is also symbolic of the ability to protect yourself from uncomfortable situations.  Foxes also use their tails as balancing devices when standing on their hind legs to search for prey over tall grass.  Fox medicine helps to keep yourself balanced and confident in your abilities.

Foxes are very playful animals and teach the benefits of a good sense of humor, especially in serious situations.  While they have become well-known for finding the fun in things (thanks to countless home videos on the internet showing that foxes enjoy bouncing on backyard trampolines when they think no one is watching), they also use silliness to distract predators who might threaten them or their families.  People with this totem can find the fun in even the simple things and encourage others to have fun and let their guard down by their example. 

If Fox is one of your totems, these and many other lessons will be prevalent in your life.  Fox will encourage you to refine your mastery of this medicine.  If you see a fox, but it is not one of your totems, respect it as a messenger for that time.  You may need its medicine for what is happening then or what is coming up in the near future.  It may be a message to practice the art of camouflage or to be unseen.  Be observant of the actions of those around you instead of just what they may be saying to you.  Be cunning in your observations and keep silent about who, what, or why you are watching.  See yourself as being invisible and learn from what you are able to see.  However, Fox reminds you to keep this balance between being watchful and careful but also taking the time to be playful and silly.  Fox will help you understand when to keep your guard up and when to let it down in any situation and to trust your senses.