Spirit Guide of the Day is Gorilla! This means that is is very important to have clear and honest communication right now. Make sure to listen closely and speak only after thinking over your thoughts, speaking sparingly and articulately. The Gorilla Spirit Guide is connected with understanding your environment and working with intricate levels of communication. It is a community based sign, here to remind us to share responsibilities and to work within your community with honor and respect. Keep an eye out for a teacher to come into your life, using this time of listening to learn. This time of listening may also extend to a heightened sense of clairaudience, so pay close attention to any messages coming through hearing. Respect is an important aspect of this spirit guide. Focus on how you can give respect to others as well as yourself by working hard to aid your community and family. Aid others in resolving problems or helping to provide resources. In this way, you can grow a healthier self-respect and a stronger community all around you. Work with compassion and empathy. People connected with Gorilla can be perceived as intimidating, but in reality are gentle, compassionate types with a protective streak. This loyal protective nature extends strongly to family members and loved ones. Being very observant, these individuals have an excellent memory but also being very social, can sometimes feel lost without the company of others. Their air of dignity gives these spirits a noble feeling, and yet are not arrogant.

Gorillas, belonging to the family Hominidai, are one of the four species of Great Apes that are closely related to humans. The other three Great Apes are Chimpanzees, Bonobos, and Orangutans. The differences between Great Apes and monkeys include the ability to walk upright for extended amounts of time, larger bodies, no tails, and larger, more developed brains. Gorillas come in four subspecies, the Eastern Lowland Gorilla, the Mountain Gorilla, the Western Lowland Gorilla, and the Cross River Gorilla. Eastern Lowland Gorillas are found in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda. Mountain Gorillas are only found within the Virunga mountain region and the borders of Rwanda and Uganda. Cross River Gorillas are confined only to a small region in Nigeria and Cameroon while Western Lowland Gorillas reside within Cameroon, Nigeria, and Equatorial Guinea along with a few other areas. Western Lowland Gorillas are the most populated of the subspecies, while the Cross River Gorillas are critically endangered with fewer than 300 left. The Eastern Lowland Gorilla is the largest of the four subspecies. As for coloration, Western Gorillas tend to be brownish grey while the eastern and mountain Gorillas are more black than brown or grey. The Mountain Gorillas sport a longer and thicker fur adapted to their colder climates with the lowland species having short, fine fur. As seen in all Great Apes, Gorillas possess arms longer than their legs, walking on all fours at certain times with a position called 'knuckle walking'. These animals are herbivores, preferring to dine on roots, vines, fruits, leaves, and the shoots of plants. Gorillas live in groups of 6-12, living on the ground with the oldest and largest male Gorilla, called a silverback, leading a family of females and young along with younger males called blackbacks. This lead silverback Gorilla will make the decisions on where the group goes and when they eat, sleep, or travel. In order to protect this family group, the silverback is often the most aggressive of the group, beating his chest and charging to ward off enemies. The majority of Gorillas are shy creatures, mostly active during the day and creating a nest of leaves to rest in at night.