Honoring Oneness

To a shaman, a human being is not better or more aware than an animal, even though humans largely depend on animals for their source of food.
Animals, like rocks, have powerful spirits, each with its own talents, and are uniquely qualified to assist people in specifi areas. The shaman's relationship with animals is a mutually beneficial one.
The shaman offers the spirit animal respect and devotion, while animal offers guidance and assistance with a great many tasks beyond the shaman's personal abilities.
One of the chief gifts that power animnals offer is protection and guardianship to the shaman during arduous tasks...

For the shaman, physical animals are just the outward form of the great spirit of that animal species...
Even so, the outward form of the bear spirit may be revered and honored.

If you do not have the relationship with a power animal, or you have lost yours through neglect, the shaman would say you are in a very vulnerable and weak position.

You have lost touch with your own animal nature.

(Extracted from Secrets of Shamanism by Jose Stevens, PH.D., and Lena S. Stevens