What's Your Spirit Animal?

Zoe Samuel

5 Min Quiz

Image: Shutterstock

About This Quiz

The idea of a spirit animal comes from a Native American tradition, though it is not common to all Native American faiths and cultures (as there are many, and they are far from homogeneous). It has appeared throughout mythology and even pops up today in pop culture, for example in the "daemon" that is the manifestation of a person's soul in Phillip Pullman's "His Dark Materials" trilogy. Indeed, the idea of a Patronus in Harry Potter - a protective force that appears as an animal and correlates to a person's inner character - is a direct nod to the concept of the spirit animal.

How do you know what your spirit animal is? It's not just an animal that you like, or with which you feel some kinship because it has a gesture or a feature that looks like you. It goes much deeper than that. A spirit animal is a creature who faces the world the same way you do: who is social or antisocial, fearful or bold, playful or serene just as you are. It's the animal species whose Platonic ideal would be most likely to choose the way you do in any given situation. So let's find out which of the many souls in the animal kingdom has managed to sneak just a little of itself into your body!

Are you a team player?

Absolutely.

Yep!
Nope.

Not even a teeny bit.

Do you like to create things?

Not really my thing.

I don't do that but I love to help others, mostly with moral support and encouragement.
It's my raison d'etre.

I built my own house, so there's that.

Where would you ideally live?

On the open prairie.

On a farm with lots of animals.
In a bustling city.

On a mountainside.

What is your preferred weather?

Light breeze, overcast.

I love it all as long as I get to do out in it.
Still and damp.

Bright and windy.

Are you scary?

I am more scared than scary.

When my friends are threatened.
Yes, but I really don't know what I did to get this reputation.

No, but I'm very imposing.

What do you fear?

Change. Surprises. That thing over there which I've seen 100 times but the light caught it just so and - ahhh!

Loneliness.
Destruction.

Hunger.

What's your favorite food?

I'm a vegetarian.

Any good hearty meat dish.
Anything really. I have an adventurous palate.

Small game and chicken.

How empathic are you?

Quite a lot.

It's my top skill.
Not at all.

Not very.

What's the best way to really piss you off?

Make me spend all day in a confined space.

Leave me alone a lot.
Get in my way when I'm minding my own business.

Constantly talking about how great I am while ruining all my fun by building cities where I need open space.

What's your weakness?

I am very neurotic.

I love too openly and sacrifice too readily.
I do not understand my enemies.

I'm not very kind or warm.

What's your secret skill?

I have a sense of humor.

I can open anything.
I can jump many times my own height.

I have incredible aim.

Who is your best friend?

Folks like me.

My family.
I don't need friends.

My spouse.

What virtue would you choose?

Humility.

Kindness.
Diligence.

Patience.

What sin would you choose?

Sloth.

Gluttony.
Avarice.

Pride.

What's your bed made of?

I can sleep standing up but I like a nice squashy surface for lying on, just in case.

My bed is a big soft cushiony one but I much prefer to share a family member's bed if I can.
I built it myself when I designed and made my house!

I like to sleep high off the ground.

Name an achievement that makes you proud.

I learn new skills when I'm taught well, and enjoy making progress with my friends.

I take care of those around me. I lift them when their spirits are down and I celebrate their joys with them.
I built my own house and it is absolutely beautiful.

I get by in a hostile world.

What movie would you choose?

Black Stallion.

Air Bud.
Charlotte's Web.

Last of the Mohicans.

What city's sports team represents you?

Dallas.

Boston.
Richmond.

Philadelphia.

Do people underestimate you often?

Kinda the opposite honestly.

Sometimes.
All the time.

Not much.

What's your signature greeting?

I toss my head and stamp a foot.

I leap on my friends and hug and kiss them vigorously.
I make a nice present for my friends and clean their house for them.

I circle my friends while watching them with laser-like focus.

What's your policy on monogamy?

It's for chumps. I like matriarchy in which the man is mostly there for the sperm. It is a common misconception that he is in charge.

In captivity I settle into an alpha male structure, but my natural preference is a nuclear family unit led by a male and female pair.
It's ridiculous. I have a kajillion kids and no idea who the other parent is.

I mate for life and spend forever with my partner.

Do you like to travel?

Yes, with a group, to places I've been before.

Definitely if I'm going with my family.
Nope. I spent too much time working on my home.

Far and wide. I can be a loner sometimes.

What job would your spirit human have?

Laborer, trucker, dock worker, etc.

Cop, bouncer, bodyguard, that sort of thing.
Architect, graphic designer, or gallery curator.

International assassin.

You fall in a hole. How do you get out?

Jump.

Scramble.
Like an acrobat.

Fly.

You see someone who has some food you want. Do you...

Bite them until they give it to me.

Ask them very nicely, but very insistently, if I may have some.
Steal a piece while they're not looking.

Just take it.

How's your work ethic?

Good as long as I have someone to remind me what to do.

As long as I believe in what I'm working on, I will work myself to death.
Very good. I don't require much supervision either.

Eh. I do what I must to get by.

What's your parenting style?

A little indulgent, and very loving.

Dedicated and protective.
Free-range, totally negligent, call it what you like.

Protective, but it's really my job to see that they gain independence as fast as possible.

How do you handle increased responsibility?

It's OK ,but I need to be properly guided through it.

I always rise to the occasion if I can! I don't want to let anyone down.
I work harder and build more.

I have never had this problem.

Who or what is your natural enemy?

Surprise.

Inconsistency.
Dust-busters.

Urban sprawl.

How set are you in your ways?

I can always learn with the right encouragement.

Over a certain age, sort of like stone really.
Totally.

I'm flexible.

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