Spirit Guide of the day is Tortoise! Slow down! You are taking on too much weight from the troubles of others. Take some time to walk at a slower pace than normal, taking in your environment and using the slow pace as a form of meditation. You may find this helps you to see knowledge from unexpected sources you may have passed otherwise. Keep determined and patient to achieve what you have been questing for. The Tortoise guide is known for it's connection to patience, wisdom, and steady, slow progression with security. The story of the Tortoise and the Hare is a common children's story that tells of how determination and patience can overtake rushed behaviors. Their long lives connect them with longevity and stability. This spirit guide reminds us to think before we act, weighing out options and using wisdom to make our decisions. Native American tales speak of a giant tortoise who saved them during a giant flood. The tortoise represents the Mother Earth and is seen as an essential part of creation myths in cultures such as the Iroquois. People who connect with Tortoise hold a strong connection with Mother Earth and require a calm environment focusing on the Earth in order to stay balanced or they may have issues with mood swings. These individuals are great listeners and problem solvers which often leads to them taking on too many problems from others. These self-reliant types are determined and able to focus strongly on their goals.

Tortoise, Geochelone Elegans, are herbivorous reptiles that can weigh over 600 lbs, grow to 47 inches long, and live as long as 150 years old. These animals are incredibly slow, moving at a top speed of under half a mile per hour. Tortoises are a member of the Chelonian family and are related to turtles and terrapins. Tortoise are closely related to their marine relative, the Sea Turtle. There are approximately 40 species of Tortoise such as the Desert tortoise, Galapagos tortoise, leopard tortoise, and common long-neck tortoise. The largest tortoise is the Galapagos tortoise found only in the Galapagos Islands in the Pacific Ocean which can grow up to 5 feet in length. Other species of Tortoise can be found all over the world in places such as Australia, Madagascar, India, California, and throughout regions in South America and Africa. Most species of tortoise are diurnal, or active during the day, but some species living in hotter regions are known to be more active during the cooler hours of dawn and dusk. Tortoises possess their iconic shell known for protecting them which contrasts with the soft skin of their legs, belly, and head which enables them to pull their limbs within the shell for even more protection against predators. These shells can be as small as only a few inches to quite a few feet across. The carapace, or top part of the tortoise's shell, is more dome shaped than their relatives such as the turtle or terrapin. Many colors and patterns can be seen on these shells from duller browns and grey of Galapagos Tortoises to the light brown or yellow lines shaped like stars on the dark shells of the Star Tortoise. The Leopard tortoise sports a cream skin with a carapace covered in black stripes or blotches on a light colored background. Their short, stumpy legs have claws for digging. The diet of a tortoise consists of primarily plants. Some species are strictly herbivores, eating strictly plant matter, while other species are omnivores and will eat fruit and plants as well as carrion and live prey. Similar to humans, Tortoise require time in the sun in order to build calcium in their bones. In warmer climates, they will bask in the sun where the sunlight produces vitamins in the tortoise's body that combined with the plants they eat to provide calcium. Species of tortoise that live in colder climates will compensate by eating more calcium-rich foods and proteins. Hibernation occurs in some species of tortoise between October through February or April in the United States. Breeding season occurs during the spring until mid-summer although it will adjust according to the location of the tortoise. Courtship changes according to species as well. Mediterranean species are known for their aggression, however. The male does not coerce the female with gentleness or by trying to impress her like other animals. Instead, they will bully them with butting, butting, and ramming. Eventually, the female will relent and try to escape by pulling into her shell. Female tortoises have the ability to vary the length of gestation for her eggs depending on environmental conditions. It is thought that they can lay fertile eggs up to four years after mating. A female will lay only a portion of the fertilized eggs at each time over the course of a couple of years from a single mating. Nesting sites are located in sunlight, well drained locations such as south facing hillsides. Tortoise are able to nudge the ground with their noses to test the temperature and soil type. The eggs are deposited into a nest she digs out with her hind legs. Baby tortoises hatch about 2 to 4 months later using an egg tooth on their nose which will be worn away as they grow. The mother leaves the nest after laying her eggs and these newly born tortoises will begin searching for food after about a week.