Personal Totem Pole: Animal Imagery the Chakras and Psychotherapy

It is now 25 years since the Personal Totem Pole was first published in 1987. It has never been out of print in that time. The book remains a steady seller as it serves still as one of the clearest and most accessible descriptions of how a person can explore the Deep Imagination.

Accessing as it does, the experience of Deep Imagery through the chakra system of the body, the book describes a way to engage with the deepest levels of imagery and still remain grounded and rooted in body. The Personal Totem Pole tells the story of the discovery of the chakra power animals. The chakra power animals are the basis for the therapeutic model known as the Personal Totem Pole Process. The Personal Totem Pole Process is an internationally acclaimed discipline, with practitioners worldwide.

The Personal Totem Pole is an account by Dr. Gallegos of his experiences with his Totem Pole animals and of the experiences of some of his clients with theirs. The book is a gentle introduction to Deep Imagery and is of special interest to any one who wishes to explore the Personal Totem Pole process, either on an individual level or as a therapeutic tool.

The Personal Totem Pole Process has been used worldwide by individuals interested in their own growth and healing, by medical practitioners, by those working with children, on vision quests and by artists and writers and other creative individuals in supporting their own creativity.

The third edition of the book (2012) contains some new and updated material.

Review
An extremely elementary, very simple, yet extremely sophisticated way of understanding how to comprehend oneself in relation to the environment which keeps some fundamental issues intact: how to keep the sense of self intact while being in contact with the world, how to comprehend the nature of relationship, [...] so that there is connection all the way through.[...] it's a total system, it's not just parts putting it together, the system puts itself together in a natural Gestalt, so magnificently, that I just haven't seen anything quite like it.

Mel Kimura Bucholtz, MA