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Animal Meanings

 
Animals can bring us subtle messages through dreams, visions, and odd encounters.  They can also symbolize certain aspects of ourselves or others. 

Alligator - Aggression, survival, adaptability, cunning, deceptive. stealth

Ant - Perseverance, self-discipline, teamwork, industriousness, orderliness, diligence

Antelope - Grace, beauty, flighty, attentive

Ape - Strength, mimicry, ability to learn, benevolence, protective.

Armadillo -Boundaries, self protection

Baboon - Power, vocal, messenger

Badger - Solitude, self awareness, self sufficient.

Bat - Guardian of the night, cleaner, obscurity, messenger, double nature, happiness, good luck, longevity, peace;
also - hypocrisy, melancholy, revenge, wisdom.

Bee - Immortality, rebirth, industry, order, purity, soul, chastity, messengers between worlds, secret
wisdom, Mother and priestesses. Community.

Birds - The soul, transcendence, spirits of air, ascent, communication, freedom, sight.

Bear - Primal power, mother, cunning, healer, gentle strength, dreaming, sovereignty, intuition married
with instinct. Nurturing, protective.

Bear Paw - Power, direction, connection to creator.

Beaver - Builder, gatherer. Accomplishing Goals

Blackbird - Enchantment, the Gateway, the inner call. Guide, illumination.

Boar - The warrior spirit, leadership, direction, lust, gluttony, fertility, prophecy, magic, protection,
hospitality.

Buffalo - Sacredness, life builder. The buffalo provides all good things for living, and bestows great curing
powers.

Bull - Wealth, potency, beneficence, generative force, male procreative strength, kingship, taming of the
masculine and animal nature. Destructive force.

Butterfly - Metamorphosis, carefree, transformer, immortality, rebirth, resurrection. Grace, light, soul.

Cat - Guardianship, detachment, sensuality, stealth, desire, liberty, pleasure, magic, lust, pride, vanity.

Caribou-Travel and Mobility

Cock - Solar, courage, vigilance, supremacy, passion, pride, the underworld.

Cougar - Leadership, courage, power, swiftness and balance.

Cow - Nourishment, motherhood, power of Earth, plenty, procreation, gentleness, nurturing.

Coyote - Prankster, insight, playful. The coyote symbolizes duality and the ability to present both sides of
an issue. Clowning and humor, perhaps sarcastic.

Crane - Solitude, independence, messenger, communion, higher state of consciousness, wisdom,
knowledge.

Cricket-Singing, Spring, Fertility

Crocodile - Devourer, liberation, guardian, dual nature, conscious and unconscious, fertility, brutality,
viciousness, deceit, treachery.

Crow - Messenger, death, wisdom, communication, the underworld.

Deer - Love, gentleness, kindness, gracefulness, sensitivity, purity of purpose, walking in the light, swift,
nimble, meek, gentle, meditation, love, longevity, wealth.

Dog - Guidance, protection, loyalty, fidelity, faithfulness, watchfulness, the Hunt, compassion, loyal, steadfast, persistent in adversity. Sensitive to feelings.

Dolphin - Kindness, play, savior, guide, sea power, swift, intelligence, communication, breath control,
awareness of tone, joy, harmony, connection with self

Donkey - Humility, patience, peace, stupidity, stubbornness, lewdness.

Dove-Love, Gentleness and Kindness

Dragon - Power of Earth, combining bird and serpent as matter and spirit, breath of life, supernatural
power, magic, strength, wisdom, knowledge, guardian. DRAGON: benign, embodies wisdom, strength and goodness. Protector of the weak.

Dragonfly - Flighty, carefree, swift, activity, shamanistic, supernatural powers. Skill, Refinement, Relentlessness Flighty, carefree. Dragonflies symbolize whirlwind, swiftness and activity. The dragonfly is
an important insect in Zuni legend, where they are shamanistic creatures with supernatural powers.
In Hopi rock art, the dragonfly is symbolized by a vertical line with two or sometimes one, horizontal
cross line.

Eagle - Divine spirit, air, the sun, power in battle, protection from evil, clear vision, success, prosperity,
wealth, intelligence, renewal, courage. Potency, Healing, Power, Illumination Divine spirit, chief of all the creatures in the air, the primary servant of the sun. Powerful in battle,
the eagle protects the people from evil. Eagle medicine attributes include clear vision and soaring spirit.
The eagle is associated with success, prosperity and wealth. In the Zuni Tradition, the Eagle symbolizes
the direction Up.

Elephant - Strength, fidelity, memory, patience, wisdom, intelligence, power.

Elk - Strength, agility, freedom, power, nobility. Pride, Power, Majesty

Feather - Spirit

Firefly - Communication, Illumination

Fish-Water, Current, Flow of Life From the Earth

Fox - Cunning, provider, intelligence, feminine magic, diplomacy, wildness. Cleverness, Subtlety, Discretion

Frog - Power of water, sensitivity, medicine, hidden beauty, power. Cleansing, Peace, Emotional Healing

Goat - Vitality, fertility, creativity, virility, abundance, lust. Tenacity, Diligence

Goose - Guardian, watchful, wind, the sun, war, inspiration, swift, happiness, providence. Safe return, Love of home

Grizzly Bear - Mother, nature's pharmacist

Hare - rebirth, rejuvenation, resurrection, intuition, balance, fertility, fire, madness, transformation.

Hawk - Nobility, recollection, cleansing, messenger, observer, Solar, clarity, discrimination, inspiration,
the soul. Awareness, Truth

Hedgehog - Self-preservation

Heron - Vigilance, quiet, power of water, the underworld, tact, delicacy, renewal, life, transformation.

Horse - Stamina, mobility, strength and power, coping under difficult circumstances, love, devotion,
loyalty, the land, travel. Life and death symbol, intellect, wisdom, power, nobility, energy, freedom,
wildness, divination, prophecy, fertility. Freedom, Power, Save movement HORSE: strong and powerful, usually vain if a woman, warlike and chivalrous.

Hummingbird - Messenger, stopper of time, optimism, sweetness. Beauty, Wonder, Agility

Jackal - Guide of souls, associated with cemeteries.

Jaguar - Messenger, forest spirits, power.

Kingfisher - Beauty, dignity, speed, calmness, serenity.

Kokepeli - Joy, Fertility

Ladybug - Delight, Trust

Leopard - Ferocity, aggression, intrepid, Great Watcher, courage, activity, speed.

Lion - Solar, splendor, power, majesty, strength, courage, nobility.

Lizard - Conservation, agility, promotes dreaming. Letting go, Illusiveness

Loon - Communication, Serenity

Lynx-Keeper of Mystical Secrets

MONKEYS: quick and keen of wit, highly observant, curious, loving, a good parent, and excellent in small enterprises.

Moose - Headstrong, unstoppable, longevity, value, integrity. Unpredictability, Spontaneity

Mountain Lion-Wisdom and Balance in Leadership

Mouse - Illusion, Charm

Octopus - The spiral, water, unconscious.

Opossum -Strategy and Diversion

Otter - Laughter, curiosity, mischievous, feminine power, grace, empathy, joy, play, helpfulness. Joy, Laughter, Lightness

Owl - Wisdom, truth, patience, darkness, a death messenger, divination, solitude, detachment, wisdom,
change, totem of clairvoyants and mystics. Wisdom, Vision, Insight

OX: strong, steadfast and dependable, but not necessarily stupid; faithful to the end, slow to anger, but can be very forceful.

Parrot Feather-Bringer of Essential Rain and Seed

Peacock - Recognition, Self-Assurance

Pelican - Abundance, Plenty

Pheasant - Warning, Concealment

PIG: highly intelligent, scholarly, easily angered, easily swayed and affected by emotions.

Porcupine - Innocence, Humility

Python - Darkness, feminine, power of Earth, wisdom.

Quail - Protectiveness, Group harmony

Rabbit - Alertness, nurturing. Conquering fear, Safety RABBIT: modest, fast mover, has delicate senses, and is a good listener.

Ram - Sacrifice, breakthrough, achievement, virility, creativity, the Sun, solar power. Strength, Determination

RAT: intelligent, enterprising, has devotion to purpose, but can be devious and scheming at times.

Raven - Trickster, teacher, hoarder, healing, initiation, protection, shaman's power, transformation,
change in consciousness, mark of a shape shifter. Mystery, Exploration of the unknown

Roadrunner - Speed, Agility

ROOSTER: quick to fight, single-purposed and persistent.

Salmon - Instinct, persistence, determination, wisdom, inspiration, rejuvenation. Determination, Persistence

Sandpiper - Quickness, Foraging, Scavenging

Scorpion - Defense, Self-protection

Seagull - Carefree attitude, Versatility, Freedom

Seahorse - Confidence, grace. Nourishing, Fathering

Seal - Contentment

Serpent - Life, rebirth, resurrection, wisdom, passion, healing, poison, preserver, destroyer, malice,
fertility.

Shark - Hunter, survival, adaptability.

SHEEP: proud, domineering, strive to help and guard their fellows, and are sometimes excellent doctors.

Skunk - Perseverance, Determination Reputation, Respect, Caution

Snake - Shrewdness, transformation, life, death and rebirth, rain, fertility. Power, Life force, Sexual potency SNAKE: observant, quick to anger, usually possesses great physical beauty and is not necessarily venomous except when protecting the family.

Spider - Creative, pattern of life, connects the past with the future, creating possibilities. The Web of life, Interconnectedness, Industry

Squirrel - Trust, Thrift

Stag - Pride, independence, purification.

Swan - Grace, balance, innocence, faithfulness, solitude, retreat, poetry, sincerity. Elegance, Nurturing

Tadpole-Fertility and Renewal, Transformation

Tiger - Creator, destroyer, strength, ferocity, power, anger, power of Earth. TIGER: loyal, courageous, energetic, strong, cunning. The tigress tends to be shrewish.

Turkey-Give Away, Sacrifice of Self and Others

Turtle - Self contained, creative source, Earth, informed decisions, planning, adaptability. Love & Protection, Healing, Knowledge

Unicorn - Chastity, purity, dreams, virtue, strength, integrity, magic, healing, freedom.

Weasel-Stealth, Information Gathering

Whale - Power of Water, regeneration, death, rebirth. Creativity, Intuition

Wolf - Loyalty, success, perseverance, stability, thought, pathfinder, teacher, intuition, learning, the
shadow. Teaching skill, Loyalty, Interdependence

Wolf Print - Tracking, movement.

Woodpecker - Prophecy, magic, power, guardian of trees, Heralds rain and storms. Change, Persistence

Wren - Spirit, witchcraft, the Oak King.