Quick note: You can read my previous theory on Bill Cipher here: http://awkward-and-fluffy.tumblr.com/post/115439379602/ What I’ve written there could potentially be brought up again in this theory.

What’s shamanism anyways and how could it be important to the story of the show? Well, after digging into some information and trying to gather as many details as I can, I’ve narrowed it down to some bits I’ve built into yet another theory of mine… This theory will be a huge bundle of thoughts, but they all seem to connect to this theme in a way. So let’s get to it!

The web page I looked into is this: http://www.shamanportal.org/what_is_shamanism.php

I also looked into a few other sources to gain a somewhat better understanding. However, I want to focus on a little something from that page specifically:

I added some highlights on what caught my attention the most. The rest of the details can be touched on later, or by you guys!

This post is going to be crazy big, so be sure you have time to read it fully! I spent so many hours reading into this stuff and getting screenshots, that all those details I’ve gathered will make for a wild ride of reading.

Okay, first and foremost, I’ll start with the fact that Bill knew a native shaman from who knows how long ago. He’s hinting toward a “next generation” of shaman, and seems disappointed with lack of cooperation from the original shaman he met.

Just what are shamans capable of? Communicating with spirits, good OR bad, including spirits that can play important roles in human lives. Some sources say shamans are capable of making dreams/spirits tangible within the realm of reality whether through illusion or something like that (though I can’t remember where I read this, so maybe I’m pulling it out of nowhere?). Assuming the last bit is reliable information, it can make a lot of sense for what I’m going to discuss soon here. If it’s not true, it’s still relevant information that shamans are supposed to communicate, cooperate, and connect with the spirit world. Spirits, good or bad, can appear in their dreams to signify a higher calling into shamanism. Who, of all of the characters, does a dream demon like Bill appear to in a dream without needing to make a deal for entering his mind? Yep. Dipper. But I’ll get to that kid later in this post… I’ll start with the basics, because things are about to get bottomless pit deep in symbology. As in, the possibilities of how deep this can go are almost endless!

Shamans are healers, psychics, gurus, and magicians.

“Psychic” of the show: Gideon

Someone who could be considered the “guru”? The author

Someone who could possibly be considered a “magician”? Dipper

As for the healer, I’ll leave it up for you guys to speculate. It could be Mabel or anybody, really! The “healer” status could even be meshed with the other shamanistic purposes of the three characters I’m focusing on. Anyways, there’s something I want to discuss about the connection between the first three at least. They’re the only ones (aside from one specific moment with Mabel) who are seen in the show, with importance on the wheel, who can use magic in some form.

We know the author of the journals wrote in the spells and encantations that Gideon and Dipper have been seen using throughout the show.

On top of that, there are shamans skilled in holistic practices and herbalism. Did the author practice shamanism, or did he know an old shaman; maybe just knew a descendent of the shaman Bill knew, as the descendent could have saved herbal healing traditions passed down throughout the generations of their family?

Because I know what many of us are wondering, and two very important questions come to mind:

1. Where/How did the author discover these spells?

2. How did the author know/discover the cure to zombification (which uses herbs by the way)?

I’m willing to bet it’s either personal experience, or… The author knew a shaman and/or practiced shamanism.

By recording potentially shamanistic magic in his books, the author allowed any others to practice shamanism or something along those lines. (Allowing for better success of the “prophecy” connected to shamans intentionally or not?)

I’ll be going out on a very thin limb here, but what if the “before he finds it” refers to a shaman that Bill wants to use for his plans, and a shaman that can use the book to cause the chaos he loves? Bill was after the journal in Sock Opera as well, while possessing Dipper, and….

Huh. Well, I’m leaving that detail like that and saying I’d approach the thought with caution and skepticism. Bill still took his time to find the journal, but maybe he only did this as part of his plan. He only needed to make a deal that allows him to use Dipper as a puppet whenever he pleases, and he may have been bluffing just to put his “flesh puppet” into a practice drive. Plus, Bill may have better use for ALL the journals, which… Dipper might have now?

Okay, so that little part may be a stretch. I have no idea. The “thin limb” is the description I used because it’s possibly easy to break. However, I’ll elaborate on Dipper’s possible purpose in this shamanism deal near the end of this post.

My next focus after the author is Gideon. He might have been the first “puppet” Bill wanted to use. Heck, it seems Bill has had great interest in all three of these on-screen magic users. Including his liking toward Mabel’s “fun” and all that - which I discussed in my previous theory post. I found a little extra information that may also be a stretch, but I’ll include it in the end of my post as a “bonus information” thing anyway. Give some food for thought, convincing or not.

Who knows what Gideon could be. A human? Vampire? Both? Something else? Regardless, Gideon definitely has strong supernatural ties and rather confidently spoke to Bill Cipher when he summoned him. He demanded orders on the spot, acting as though he should have control over the dream demon.

“Listen to me, demon! I have a job for you!”



Did Gideon hope for this? Bill wants “cooperation” with shamans, and therefore may be making deals for that. Gideon seemed to compromise with the deal anyways, but even after the deal is broken Gideon immediately takes matters into his own hands. (Meanwhile, Bill is TICKED to a point of wrath! His next best bet seems to be Dipper now.)

This may help with the confusion about Gideon’s plans in this episode. I’ve seen people point out that Gideon could have just gone straight to plan B without needing Bill at all. What was the point of Gideon summoning Bill anyways?

I’m assuming it’s because Gideon wants power, and he wants to control a dream demon like Bill. He saw Bill as “incompetent” and cut off the deal with him. Yet, he continues to hold interest in Bill Cipher, according to his strange letters from jail and the fact he seems to be writing in ciphers on the walls of his jail cell. Also, he wants a book club with Dipper and Bill, apparently. Take that thought as you will.

Oh yeah, and Gideon knows the journals are capable of unleashing ultimate power. He somehow knows something’s beneath the shack. This ultimate power could be the portal, and ho-boy do I have some thoughts on how the portal connects to shamanism or at least other forms of “magic” on this topic!

Alrighty, back to the author! Because now it’s time to speculate on the portal.

Further indication towards the author having connections to shamanism is the fact he built this portal. He wanted to “create knowledge” (does he mean gain or give? I don’t think knowledge can technically be “created.” Suspicious…) but the device proved to be too dangerous.

From my previous post, I’ll point to this little piece I sprinkled into it for you guys to think about:

“[…] When the rise of my nightmare realm brings forth a…”

Who has access to the spiritual realms again? Access to dreams and spirits? Shamans do.

Does Bill want to bring his nightmare realm into the “reality” of the Gravity Falls universe? It might explain the tapestry and “prophecy” that are both supposedly by the shamans/natives themselves.

I actually theorized something similar to this about a month before NWHS aired and added onto a post that came after the episode released: http://awkward-and-fluffy.tumblr.com/post/113978197867/

There have also been theories on the portal relating to magic and/or alchemy. Pretty fitting, huh? Just look at the colorful constellations on this thing! In a circle.. Like.. A summoning circle?

The “Big Dipper” is also on there, as pointed out by multiple fans. I’ll get back to that later in Dipper’s section.

Tied into this, we have Bill referencing some Abbott guy. Here are two theories on the matter: [x], [x]

In addition is the mathematical theory going around, in which there’s a matrix equation for projecting 2D into 3D. Cool, right?

While it seems less likely that Bill came from the portal (due to the portal being built only 30 years ago, and yet he knows people from further in the past?), he has some origin ties to all of this. I’m just not quite sure yet, but those theories I link to should work for now.

There are other thoughts I had for the portal too, though… This was just shortly after the airing of Not What He Seems: http://awkward-and-fluffy.tumblr.com/private/115507112702/tumblr_nmau2utNmX1tcemty

Yeah, my thought process is pretty visible there. I have difficulty wording my thoughts out, so that explains why these posts take so long outside of getting screenshots for them, aha…

Alright, these are simply thoughts on the portal! If you guys have other theories to pitch in about it, go right ahead! I’m not saying any of this will be true, but I’m not saying it may not be true either. We just have to wait and see.

Time for the next big discussion… Which I’m saving Dipper for because it may be easier to transition from this next idea into what Bill may want with “shamans” and such.

Animals play an important role, acting as omens and message-bearers, as well as representations of spirit guides.

This is where I have some serious fun with the potential symbolism in the show. I found a pretty good example to start this off with: The Legend of the Gobblewonker and beavers.

(Boy, even the beavers acting sentimental seems to connect to their symbolism…)

The theme/moral of this episode: Spend more time with your family, and appreciate/cherish the moments you have with them while you can.

Beaver symbolisms: “Play, enjoyment, fun and games are also among the beaver animal symbolism. Specifically, the beaver shares quality time with family. This is also another key symbol for us – it reminds us to take time for ourselves, and our family.”

“SPEND TIME WITH YOUR LOVING FAMILY, HUMANS!!!”



Other meanings include having dreams and turning them into reality (through hard work and perseverance). Huh, interesting.

I can’t deny there’s animal symbolism in this show. Not all animals will have a meaning to them, but there are a few I want to focus on as I get strong “hunches” that they’re important anyway.

What about owls? They’re usually symbolic of “mystery,” “knowledge,” and “wisdom.” Sounds like the theme of the show, and they’re everywhere within the series. (To a point that the town apparently has an issue with owls piling at driveways or something. Best infomercial ever…)



“The owl is also referred to as the night eagle - a messenger from the darkness and a guide through all the mysteries that it contains. […] The owl will give you the gift of seeing what is truly beneath the surface and not to be deceived by appearance.“

More animals in the show that I think have symbolic importance:

- Goat/Ram (Gompers, plus: http://awkward-and-fluffy.tumblr.com/post/115280311567/)

- Woodpeckers (They appear often in the show, and I had been thinking for months that woodpeckers seem to like Dipper or something for some reason. I’ll get to this eventually.)

- Llamas (”Llamas are nature’s greatest warriors” and one is on the wheel.)

I’ll write about each animal’s symbolism in sequential order. Lobster is another option, but it’s tied to a “bonus details” theory I have for the end of the post.

Gompers, a recurring appearance of the Goat/Ram symbolism. What does it mean?

Goats and Rams are often symbolic of initiating action, pursuing new goals and reaching new heights. It is a fierce force for reaching whatever goals it may have.

Then there’s the possibility that Gompers specifically didn’t used to be a goat.

The Christian origin of the term “Scapegoat” comes to mind. A goat was blamed for the sins of another, and casted away from holy sacrifice. If Gompers wasn’t a goat before, perhaps a blame of sorts was placed on him and he was turned into a goat. Who knows?

Gompers has been around the Mystery Shack for a while, though unknown for how long. What we do know is that he has likely been around for a little over 10 years.

Oh, and the “pursuing new goals” part? It all begins here, it seems…

Dipper’s new goal for the summer is to find all the secrets of the town. He probably had no evident goal at first, since he was having a hard time getting used to his new surroundings and didn’t seem that interested in interacting with the town.

The journal discovery also happens after a little interesting detail I noticed after digging into the symbolism of woodpeckers.

Woodpeckers, another recurring animal in the show on and off screen. The pecks can often be heard throughout the series, explaining why I mention their off-screen presence as well.

What’s their symbolic meaning?

They symbolize the use of your head, intellect, shaking up awareness, recognition, communication, prophecy, returning to your roots, and more.

“Shamans can ride the drumbeats of the Woodpecker’s rhythm

into another dimension, space and time.” They have a purpose for shamans too. It’s also interpreted that they have connections to other dimensions, space and time?



“You may be so wrapped up in mental and spiritual activities

that you’ve neglected the physical.” And…. Well…



You’ve probably thought by now that these sound a lot like Dipper, eh? Exactly my point here.

Woodpeckers also have a liking toward making homes in “dead trees,” and love oak trees. Symbolism of oak trees will be elaborated on later…

Now, let’s touch on each word of symbolism for this single bird here.

Use of the head / intellect: Relying on creative solutions to problems and progressing with knowledge. Discoveries are made, new opportunities are found, as the woodpecker opens its new homes with the beating of its pecks.

Shaking up awareness / gaining recognition / communication: Capable of using clever wording and persuasive communication to shake up awareness for lesser known or believed concepts/facts. They gain recognition, a reputation, and are attention-grabbers.

“Abnormal will soon become the norm.”

“We will meet one day and on that glorious day we will show the small-minded doubters we were right all along, and are also really cool, and they should have been nicer to us.”



Some view the pecks of woodpeckers as a disruptive noise, an abrupt sound in the midst of silence. Sounds a little like something else, eh?

“Enjoy the calm before the storm.”



Prophecy / returning to your roots: Shamans seem connected to prophecy according to Bill, right? It’s also a rather ancient practice and tradition. In other words, this could potentially imply shamanism to be part of those roots. Or it’s a warning that someone like Dipper shouldn’t go too far in his stubborn, impulsive pursuits for great knowledge.

Here’s a little something I found in my research as well: “Drumming has historically marked the beginning of events such as processions, honorable ceremonies, even war. Perhaps this is why the woodpecker (and its beak-drumming ways) was often associated with Roman battle, war and victory. Native North American wisdom also prescribes drumming as a means to journeying (transcendentalism), and so many tribes considered the woodpecker as an other-worldly messenger, and a prophet.”

Furthermore, woodpeckers can also symbolize stubborn pursuits speaking of which. They “hammer at their purpose until they see the other side of their obstacle.”

There seems to be a little connection between Woodpeckers and Rams as well.

“These two (woodpecker and the Ram which is the zodiac animal for Aries) have the propensity of initiation (trail blazers, starting new projects) in common. The woodpecker is the first to initiate communication.“



The woodpecker was actually the first animal to interact with Dipper on screen.

Pecking at his head…

The woodpecker’s symbolic wood-pecking is also believed to be a way of “opening doors” for new opportunities.

This is when the little extra detail I noticed comes in:

Woodpecker pecks compared to hammers…

Opening a door inside a “tree” to Dipper’s new opportunity…

Journal 3. The mysteries of Gravity Falls he solves in his journey.

More on Dipper’s connection with Woodpeckers after this. Onto the next animal listed!

Here’s a llama, there’s a llama… What do llamas represent?

They symbolize the endurance and overcoming of hardships. Additionally, they represent balance and being true to who you are.

Sounds a lot like our recently developed character, Pacifica, doesn’t it?

“You have a very easy going personality and have a tendency to sacrifice your own lifestyle to accommodate others.“



“Alternatively Llama could also be reminding you that your biggest focus should be yourself and that personal growth and your connection to your spirit should be your highest priority at all times.”



And then the symbolism of balance?

The “commoners” are allowed into a “rich authority” party. Both “sides” of a society come together in a party for the first time in centuries!

I’m pretty sure Pacifica is the llama on the wheel. All signs seem to point to it! So, this means even llamas have symbolic importance and purpose to the characters.

More on these animals; and what’s their connection to respective characters?

The woodpecker loves oak trees, eh? Seems as though the woodpecker in the show likes itself some Pine Tree as well.

And the woodpecker has literally served as the “door opener” to help the twins and Trembly escape the wood crate.

However, let’s backtrack to oak trees for a moment. Let’s consider the seriously big symbolism that these trees possess in particular.

Oak trees are regarded as symbols of strength, high authority, god-like/sacred status, achieving higher/other realms of the mind, and a top cosmic storage of wisdom.

This is what symbolic woodpeckers find appealing, or have a natural gravitation toward.

What has Dipper consistently wanted throughout the show? For people to take him seriously, to believe him, and give him recognition for his discoveries (seen as early as in Legend of the Gobblewonker too).

Then in Sock Opera, a powerful dream demon tells Dipper what he wants to hear. Bill says he’s impressed with Dipper, and Dipper looks genuinely surprised as well as complimented for it. It just seems to catch his attention…

Dipper seems to have a connection to woodpeckers, and a strong connection at that. The oak tree? Maybe it has something to do with Dipper’s goal/purpose, the journals, or the oak tree represents Bill Cipher himself. That’s my speculation.

Oh, and Dipper was turned to wood once, during an episode that he was shown to be gaining a courageous, serious reputation amongst the town? Not sure if it was oak, but that’s simply an interesting thought.

Some bonus “food for thought” points I’ll raise for Dipper’s similarity to woodpeckers:

He’s the one who raised the zombies in episode one of season two. The zombies that wrecked havoc upon the shack. Then in the episode right after that?

“Mr. Pines, what exactly caused all this damage? I need to write a report.”

"Uuh… Giant woodpecker.”

A funny coincidence to think about. Unless it’s no coincidence… *X-files theme*

Alright, ahem, what about woodpecker with the ram?

This is probably the first time we see Gompers so far from the Mystery Shack, and near a woodpecker (married to some guy). In the context of this episode, this is when Dipper and Mabel uncover a big cover-up and basically get an old president back in office. This initiates a lot of potential changes within the government and also reveals a truth pushed aside for the Northwest reputation.

Who or what could the Goat be connected to? Is Gompers a messenger, omen, or one or more persons’ animal spirit guide? It may not have a symbolic presence at all, and simply be another character we’ll be learning more about if the hint Bill gave in his AMA is anything to go by.

The woodpecker seems to more obviously serve as a symbolic parallel to Dipper at this rate. Just as the llama parallels with Pacifica, and the owl to the town and/or Stan himself.

Okay, now to move on to the next topic of this post…

The moment I’ve been talking about in the beginning of my post: Dipper’s supernatural and possibly shamanistic ties.

Let’s review what I’ve said about Dipper on this subject, shall we?

He’s been able to use magic and encantations from the journal with ease. Bill appears to have a strong interest in Dipper after Gideon, appearing directly in his dreams without needing to make a deal for an invasion of the mind (unless Gideon or someone made the deal off-screen). The symbology behind woodpeckers parallels with who Dipper is as a person, and how he’s affected the world around him. It seems Dipper has a strong connection to prophecy as much as the rest of those represented on the wheel.

As for more details I noticed with Dipper’s connection to shamanism and the “prophecy” Bill speaks of, let’s begin with the obvious that I highlighted in the first part of this post.

“The shaman’s spirit leaves the body and enters the supernatural world during certain tasks”



Like I mentioned in my previous post on Bill Cipher, I get a feeling Sock Opera was just a “test drive” and a way for Bill to set things in motion - that it’s not a one time occurrence.. This “evil spirit” will probably have a special use for his flesh puppet in the future for whatever tasks he needs to act on to accomplish his goals.

When I think of this added with the mention of shamans and prophecy as well as woodpecker symbolism mentioning the same, you know what comes to mind?

This:

Now, normally I’d be bothered by “prophecy story” themes, BUT what Gravity Falls does correctly with this supposed prophecy is the fact we don’t even know what it could mean. We don’t know what to expect, and usually these stories just spoil it in the beginning!

Typical prophecy story formula: Narrator or some mystic guru character explains the prophecy, it transitions to show our ‘chosen one,’ the chosen one is told to go on their journey to achieve their purpose in which we were already told about in the start… Sometimes, there’s a twist to the prophecy, or a discovery that it was “misinterpreted.” The journey and watching the prophecy come true is sometimes fun and all, but you know what’s more fun?

Not knowing what to expect of the prophecy. All we can do, as Gravity Falls fans, is speculate until it happens or gets told at some point later in the series. We’re only ever hinted at the possibility of prophecy in season 1, but it takes its time to become evident and relevant to the story instead of spoiling the fun.

But what connection could the Big Dipper (Ursa Major) have with shamanism?

I tried really hard to find answers for this, and only managed to find one source so far, which I hope is reliable: http://howwelldoyouknowyourmoon.tumblr.com/post/106313645068/moon-and-shamanic-taoism-moons-seven-star

In brief, the Big Dipper is supposedly believed to be the center of yin and yang, having control over the order of the universe. I’ll pull in a few highlighted quotes I want to draw attention to:

“A deity with its roots in Taoism and shamanism, the Seven Star Spirit of the Big Dipper is believed to control good and bad fortune and the life span of human beings.”

“Although sometimes found in Buddhist temples, the portraits of the seven stars forming the Big Dipper are more frequently seen among the collections of deities’ portraits owned by Korean shamans.”

It seems Dipper has a “higher calling” indeed if any of these things are hints to go by.

With that said and done, I think I’ll leave this up for you guys to think about and maybe interpret for yourselves. Now it’s time for my “bonus thoughts” end of the post - and these star the wonderful twin: Mabel!

What if Mabel has ties to this crazy shamanism concept and focus from Bill?

I’d assume if Mabel does indeed have shamanistic ties like Dipper (which would make sense as they’re twins), she would be the healer - a shaman who wards off and cleanses people of evil spirits.

What symbolizes healing, emotion, and intuition?

From the episode that Mabel is first seen using magic without any know-how of using the pendant, she decides to keep a lobster and is seen in a very interesting perspective placed in front of a full moon while saving Dipper and Gideon from falling to their deaths.

What I also noticed is that the pendant seems driven by emotion, which is exactly what the moon represents. In astrology, the moon is the ruler of Cancer, and Cancer’s symbol is the crab (a crustacean like lobsters).

The lobster may be a stretch, but it’s a simple detail I took note of while digging through animal symbolism.

Also, Cancer is a zodiac sign that’s tied to the element of water (often more associated with oceans and lakes). Another meaning of the moon is “subtlty.”

Further hinting toward Mabel being a “healer” and fighting against evil spirits, is, well…

The fact that Mabel’s repeatedly determined to keep Bill from harming those around her.

She never hesitates to physically attack Bill when the situation calls for it!

Many of us have already been speculating on Mabel being the one to save Dipper, being the hero of this series. What if she saves Dipper from his “inner demons” as well?

The whole concept of shamans itself can also simply be symbolic of the roles the characters play. And after over 24 hours of extensive research, screenshot collecting, and writing this massive post, I’ll conclude with that.

Thanks for reading! I’m exhausted as heck from this now…