Any ordinary object which has been in some way modified to affect its balance, weight, or feel will work as a totem. In order to protect its integrity, only the totem's owner should ever handle it. In that way, the owner is able to tell whether or not they are in someone else's dream. In the owner's own dream world, the totem will feel correct. For example, Dom Cobb's totem is the top from Mal. If it topples over, he is awake and if not, he is still dreaming.