Totem Poles

Totem poles can be based on basically anything. In native american legends they would depict great battles, stories, and legends. However, it is up to you to choose what to depict in your totem pole. There's two ways to use totems and totem poles, for the magic or for the decoration description. For the decoration description, is just the carving, with the intent that it shows a scene. For the magic, totem poles can hold items and totem spirit effects that can happen from the totem item. These items are what represent the spirit, of the idea that you would want. These items can be carved or made in some form. They hold the idea energy to draw the effect of the element that you would want attracted, and can direct the force they summon. There isn't a correct instruction on how to make them, it is up to the individual. But, to stack up the items in some manner, this is including putting the totem items on a small shelving unit with more than one level and right above each other, will make a totem pole. To which is the case of drawing and directing the totem forces. Usually to evoke the force by incantation and idea being directed to the totem item spirit. Totem poles are often used in voodoo and freely, otherwise, they are used in representing the animal spirit and what have you as an element by the totem item.

Source: lilith-dark-moon.blogspot.com