Spirit animal musing while in Guatemala

When I was in Guatemala, Aimee and I had a side conversation about 'your' spirit animal and finding it through Shamanic work.  She said that she had done this a few times and how powerful it was for her working with a guide.  I told her that I have drawn cards in the past to figure out which spirit animal(s) are mine but it's been awhile, maybe it will be fun to take a journey by myself to find it.  She said "It's not the same without a guide, but,"  she quickly reassured, "maybe you can do it..." Her voice trailing off not sounding too convincing.

That night I did some "healing" journeying a Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy technique I often do on myself but this time with the purpose of finding my spirit animal.  An Elephant came through (Ganesh)  The Indian God of overcoming obstacles. I saw the wrinkles of his thick trunk and legs and even went over to touch it.  It was 130a and I was having insomnia but had entered this space between wake and sleep.  After seeing and touching Ganesha's wrinkly body, I fell into a deep sleep.  

In my dream that night I was being stalked by a rat.  I had trouble evading it.  It kept following me around.  A rat!? I thought, the worst animal!  My shadow?  

But lastly in the morning my thought was a reassuring one,
Aimee might be right, this work might better be done with a guide.  :-]