Most often, the Theme and Mission Totems are the same Spirit Animal, though for some, they are completely separate, and upon occasion, very different Totems completely.

Along with our Life Theme for the present incarnation, we also arrive with a Life Mission.  Where the Theme represents the general goals and direction of the current earthwalk, the ~Life Mission~ is more equivalent to a specific Role.

As an example, say one chooses the ~Mission of Healer~ in the present existence.  That individual would come in with latent healing abilities, either through the "laying on of hands," the ability to send out healing energies across vast distances, or as a highly skilled surgeon or doctor.  Thus, the Animal Totem that walks, flies or swims beside the individual who has Life Mission of Healer, would have  a strong alignment to Healing as an integral part of that Animals Medicine.  An example of just such an Animal Totem would be Dolphin, who has Healing as one of his/her keywords.