Animal Totems a-z

Alligator

Traits: Survival, Stealth

The alligator’s primal energies are Birth, Motherhood, and Initiation.
It is the keeper and protector of all knowledge.
People with this totem can develop new wisdom, being careful, though, not to be consumed by this new knowledge

Ant

Patience
Stamina
Planning
Energy and patience needed to complete work
Communal living
Storing for the future

Antelope

Understanding the conversation of death
Value of strong survival skills
Ability to leap over obstacles
Swiftness
Gentleness

According to the Correspondence: Animals of the Bible by John Worcester, regardless of the type of antelope, ” they are light and elegant of body, their limbs are gracefully slender, and are furnished with small cloven hoofs. The tail is never of any great length, and in some species is very short. The horns, set above the eyebrows, are either simply conical, or are bent so as to resemble the two horns of the ancient lyre. (Natural History, “Antelopes”)” (page 63).

“It is not so much because it yields savory meat as from its swiftness, grace, beauty, and gentleness that the gazelle is best known…. It is by far the most abundant of all the large game in Palestine..” (page 65).

Armadillo

Understanding your personal boundary
Respecting the boundaries of others
Carrying your protection with you at all times
Understanding your vulnerabilities
Empathy
Discrimination

Baboon

Defense of family
Sacred to the God Thoth (God of wisdom)
Sacred to the God Hapi (God of the Nile)

Badger

Keeper of stories
Bold Self-Expression
Aggressiveness
Single-mindedness
Passion
Cunning
Revenge
Perseverance
Control
Antidote to passivity or victimization
Persistence in the service of a mission
Groundedness
Knowledge of the earth
Earth magick and wisdom
Creative action in a crisis
Protection of rights and spiritual ideas

In Bible Animals: Project Gutenberg by J. G. Wood, it is estimated that “nearly all the references to the Badger occur in the book of Exodus, and form part of the directions for constructing the Tabernacle and its contents. The first notice of the word occurs in Exodus xxv. 5, where the people of Israel are ordered to bring their offerings for the sanctuary, among which offerings are gold, silver, and brass, blue, purple, and scarlet, fine linen, goats’ hair, rams’ skins dyed red, badgers’ skins, and shittim wood—all these to be used in the construction of the Tabernacle. Then a little farther on, in chapter xxvi. 14, we find one of the special uses to which the badgers’ skins were to be put, namely, to make the outer covering or roof of the tabernacle. Another use for the badgers’ skins was to form an outer covering for the ark, table of shewbread, and other furniture of the Tabernacle, when the people were on the march.” (page 80).

“In all these cases the badger-skin is used as a covering to defend a building or costly furniture, but there is one example where it is employed for a different purpose. This passage occurs in the book of Ezekiel, chapter xvi. 10. The prophet is speaking of Jerusalem under the image of a woman, and uses these words, “I anointed thee with oil; I clothed thee also with broidered work, and shod thee with badger’s skin, and I girded thee about with fine linen, and I covered thee with silk. I decked thee also with ornaments, and I put bracelets upon thy hands, and a chain upon thy neck, and I put a jewel on thy forehead, and earrings in thine ears, and a beautiful crown upon thine head.” (page 80).

“So we have here the fact, that the same material which was used for the covering of the Tabernacle, and of the sacred furniture, could also be used for the manufacture of shoes. This passage is the more valuable because of an inference which may be drawn from it. The reader will see that the badger-skin, whatever it may have been, must have been something of considerable value, and therefore, in all probability, something of much rarity.” (page 80).

“In the present instance, it is classed with the most luxurious robes that were known in those days, and it is worthy of special mention among the bracelet, earrings, necklace, and coronal with which the symbolized city was adorned. If the reader will now refer to the passage in which the children of Israel were commanded to bring their offerings, he will see that in those cases also the badger-skins were ranked with the costliest articles of apparel that could be found, and had evidently been brought from Egypt, the peculiar home of all the arts; together with the vast quantity of gold and jewels which were used for the same sacred purpose.” (page 80).

Bat

Shamanic death and rebirth
Pollination of new ideas
Transition
Initiation
Viewing past lives
Understanding grief
The use of vibrational sound
Camouflage
Invisibility
Ability to observe unseen

The Bible Animals: Project Gutenberg by J. G. Wood references the biblical text of Isaiah ii. 20, when analyzing the attributes of the bat. It reads, “for example, it is prophesied that when the day of the Lord comes, the worshippers of idols will try to hide themselves from the presence of the Lord, and will cast their false gods to the bats and the moles, both animals being evidently used as emblems of darkness and ignorance.” (page 16).

It is added incidentally, “the Hebrew name of the Bat is expressive of its nocturnal habits, and literally signifies some being that flies by night, and it is a notable fact that the Greek and Latin names for the bat have also a similar derivation.” (page 16).

“Nocturnal in their habits, they cannot endure the light, which completely dazzles them, so that they dash about at random, and fly blindly towards the torches in their endeavors to escape.” (page 16).

the final example mentioned here is from the “apocryphal book of Baruch, [Chapter VI], the bat is used as a lively image of something peculiarly repulsive and hateful.” (page 16).

Beaver

Maintaining the ability to be productive in all ways by not limiting your options
Being persistent
Using available resources
Using alternate ways of doing tasks
Master builder of all things
Not damming the flow of experiences in life
Achievement through completion of tasks
Understanding dynamics of group work

Bee

Traits: Service, Gathering, Community

Connection to the Goddess Diana
Understanding female warrior energy
Reincarnation
Communication with the dead
Helping earth-bound spirits move on to their proper place
Concentration
Prosperity

The bee reminds us to extract the honey of life and be productive while the sun shines. It is also the symbol of achieving the impossible because, aerodynamically, its body is too large for its wings and in theory it should not be able to fly – but the bee still does, and is always productive.

So, learn from the bee and make your life more fertile, pursue your dreams (no matter how great they are), and always be a “busy bee”. Like the bee, you too can accomplishing anything you put your mind to, even the (now seemingly) impossible!

Beetle, Lady bug

Image by Anja????#helpinghands #solidarity#stays healthy???? from Pixabay

Carries the Golden Strand that leads to the Center of the Universe
Past lives
Spiritual enlightenment
Death and Rebirth

Black Panther

Astral travel
Guardian energy
Symbol of the feminine
Understanding of death
Reclaiming ones power
Ability to know the dark
Death and rebirth

Black Jaguar

Keeper of the circular time continuum
Gatekeeper to the Unknowable
All wisdom listed above for Jaguar

According to Mayan beliefs, the journey of the sun across the sky and the darkness of night stood for the eternal journey of human consciousness and its transformations. The sun at midday was compared to the Eagle, flying high in the sky. Then it plunges below the horizon, just as we plunge into the dark where we face our spiritual challenges and are transformed. The hidden sun was said to be Jaguar, whose spotted skin symbolized the stars glittering in the night sky. Thus, it was called the “Jaguar Sun.” Jaguar is the earth father. As earth father, he presides over the sacred power in the earth and the animals who live upon it. The force that lives within the mountains, which gives them their volcanic and transformative power, is the same underworld source of power and energy as the Jaguar Sun. The Mayan word for Jaguar is IX (pronounced eesh).

Blue Jay, Jay

Understanding how to use power wisely
Warning
Courage
Ability to check on future trouble spots

Buffalo, Bison

Earth Creativity
Feminine courage
Abundance
Knowledge
Generosity
Hospitality
Sharing work
Courage
Strength
Challenge
Survival
Giving for the greater good
Formulating beneficial plans

Butterfly, Caterpillar

The power of the whirlwind
Reincarnation
Transformation
Transmutation
Magick

Camel, Dromedary

Traits: safety, endurance, persistence,

Learning to walk in the shifting sands of time
Understanding the vastness of space
Ability to save for future use
Understanding the value of water as a life force
Transforming the burdens we carry

According to the Correspondence: Animals of the Bible by John Worcester, “the camel is fitted for its desert life especially by its power of storing nourishment in its hump and water in one of its stomachs, so that for several days at a time it can journey comfortably with small supplies of both.” (page 49).

The stern gravity of the camel’s character is most strikingly shown by its young, of which it is said that it is not one whit more playful than its parents. Unlike almost all other animals, the camel seems to have no idea of play, and even the young camel of a month or two old follows its mother
with the same steady, regular pace which she herself maintains.” (page 52).

Cardinal, Redbird

Courtship
Fatherhood
Understanding the power of the wind
Finding your soul song

Caribou, Reindeer

Traits: Travel, Mobility

Connection to home over long distances
Power of wandering
Protection while traveling
Social skills
Retention of ones power in group situations
Ability to go long periods in the dark

Caribou/Reindeer teaches endurance, strength, fortitude and perseverance in going the distance. He will teach the power of adaptability in adversity, caution in surroundings and tenacity to get things accomplished.

Reindeer/Caribou will show how to keep moving onward and flowing with and within the social group. This totem is all about travel and mobility, persevering and enduring to accomplish inner peace and your station in your journey through life.

Cheetah

Brotherhood
Elusiveness
Ability to focus intently on something for a short period of time
Swiftness
Self-esteem
Accelerating time
Keenness of sight

Chicken, Rooster, Hen, Cock

Power of voice
Understanding language
Pecking out the answers that escape others
Awakening powers at sunrise
Protection of family and community
Hearing your inner voice

Cougar, Mountain Lion

Traits: Power, Life force, Sexual Potency

Using leadership power wisely and without ego
Balancing power, intention, strength
Gaining self-confidence
Freedom from guilt
Cunning

For the Zunis of Turtle Island (Southwest United States), Cougar was the Master Hunter, known for its high intelligence, its knowledge of other animal and life forms, its physical prowess, its strength of will, and its intuitive ability. Cougar sees the maintenance of its territory as essential for its survival. Poshaiankia, the father of the Medicine Societies, designated Cougar the duty of carrying messages from humans to the higher spirits, because of this animal’s personal power, superior knowledge, strength of will, and steadfastness. Therefore, Cougar represents the link between ourselves and the most powerful spirits in Zuni Mythology: Mother Earth, Father Sky, and the Originator of All.

Coyote

Image by RENE RAUSCHENBERGER from Pixabay

Understanding that all things are sacred–yet nothing is sacred
Teaching that only when all masks have fallen will we connect with the Source
Intelligence
Singing humans into being
Childhood trust in truth
Teaching us how to rear our young
Brings rain
Ability to laugh at one’s own mistakes
Placing the North Star
Shape-shifting
Teaching balance between risk and safety
Illumination

Crab

Ability to escape by moving sidewise
Understanding the power of dance
Ability to move through water (emotions)
Male aspects of community
Finding new uses for the seemingly useless
Protection of home space

Crocodile

Maternal protection
Connection to the earth mother
Protection from manipulation
Understanding deceit
Revenge through patience
Initiation
Understanding weather
Access to ancient knowledge

Crow

Guardian of the place before existence
Ability to move in space and time
Honoring ancestors
Ethics and Ethical behavior
Carrier of souls from darkness into light
Working without fear in darkness
Guidance while working in shadow
Moves freely in the void
Understands all things related to ethics

Deer

Gentleness in word, thought and touch
Ability to listen
Grace and appreciation for the beauty of balance
Understanding of what’s necessary for survival
Power of gratitude and giving
Ability to sacrifice for the higher good
Connection to the woodland goddess
Alternative paths to a goal

Dingo, Dog

Reborn Human Soul
Assistance in hunting
Finding warmth in cold situations
Companionship
Tracking skills
Loyalty
Understanding silence
Finding the truth
Protection
Willingness to follow through
Correct use of intuition

In the Bible Animals: Project Gutenberg by J. G. Wood, dogs were not highly revered when mentioned in biblical text. For instance it was written therein, “there are several references to the Dog in the books of Samuel, in all of which the name of the animal is mentioned contemptuously. For example, when David accepted the challenge of Goliath, and went to meet his gigantic enemy without the ordinary protection of mail, and armed only with a sling and his shepherd’s staff, Goliath said to him, “Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves?” (1 Sam. xvii. 43.) And in the same book, chapter xxiv. 14, David remonstrates with Saul for pursuing so insignificant a person as himself, and said, “After whom is the King of Israel come out? after a dead dog, after a flea.” (page 42).

He adds further, rather contemptuously, “the dogs of Palestine are, indeed, much like hyænas of certain African towns, and act as scavengers, devouring any animal substance that may fall in their way. If the body of any animal, not excluding their own kind, be found lying in the streets, the dogs will assemble round it, and tear it to pieces, and they have no scruples even in devouring a human body.” (page 59).

Even so, the author finds these two enduring qualities of the dog, “the first is the manner in which the Dog, in spite of all the social disadvantages under which it labours, displays one of the chief characteristics of canine nature, namely, the yearning after human society. And second, a og must have a master, or at all events a mistress, and just in proportion as he is free from human control, does he become less dog-like and more wolf-like.” (page 46).

Dolphin, Porpoise

Knowledge of the sea
Patron of sailors
Change
Wisdom
Balance
Harmony
Communication skills
Freedom
Trust
Understanding the power of rhythm in your life
Use of breath to release intense emotions
Water element magick

Dove, Pigeon

Brings peace and love
Understanding of gentleness
Spirit messenger
Communicates between the two worlds

Dragonfly, Damselfly

Image by S. Hermann & F. Richter from Pixabay

Mastery of life on the wing
Power of flight
Power to escape a blow
Understanding dreams
Power of light
Breaking down illusions
Seeing the truth in situations
Swiftness
Change
Connection to Dragon

Duck

Grace on water
Water energy
Seeing clearly through emotions
Spirit helper of mystics and seers

Eagle, Bald Eagle

Swiftness
Strength
Courage
Wisdom
Keen sight
Illumination of Spirit
Healing
Creation
Knowledge of magick
Ability to see hidden spiritual truths
Rising above the material to see the spiritual
Ability to see the overall pattern
Connection to spirit guides and teachers
Great power and balance
Dignity with grace
Ability to see the “big picture”
Connection with higher truths
Intuitive and creative spirit
Respect for the boundaries of the regions
Grace achieved through knowledge and hard work

Elephant

Strength
Royalty
Connection to ancient wisdom
Removal of obstacles and barriers
Confidence
Patience
Using education opportunities

According to the Correspondence: Animals of the Bible by John Worcester, “elephants are sometimes employed to carry burdens, not for great distances, but when great force is required, or great sagacity under trying
circumstances. Perhaps no other animal, not even a dog, is so quick in comprehending a difficult situation, and so ready in removing the difficulties.” (page 55).

“This quickness of perception seems to arise from an underlying love and sense of justice, which is sensitive to injustice and false pretenses, and therefore quick to perceive the real state of a case.” (page 55).

Falcon, Krestal, Merlin

Image by ????Merry Christmas ???? from Pixabay

Assisting in soul healing
Accompanying the soul back to the soul world
Teaching swiftness
Learning the aerobatics of life
Controlling speed and movement
Understanding magick

Flamingo

Image by PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay

Ability to filter soul lessons from emotional waters
Understanding the language of color
Ability to maintain soul purpose in group living
Understanding how to maintain balance

Fox

Shapeshifting
Cleverness
Observational skills
Cunning
Stealth
Camouflage
Feminine courage
Invisibility
Ability to observe unseen
Persistence
Gentleness
Swiftness

In the tomb, Correspondence: Animals of the Bible by John Worcester, one finds that the “crafty, pilfering, cruel nature of the fox is made familiar by a thousand anecdotes to be found in every library.” (page 130).

The Bible Animals: Project Gutenberg by J. G. Wood, cataloged “two instances in the New Testament where the Fox is mentioned, and in both cases the allusion is made by the Lord himself. The first of these passages is the touching and well-known reproach, “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man hath not where to lay his head” (Matt. viii. 20). The second passage is that in which He speaks of Herod as “that fox,” selecting a term which well expressed the character of the cruel and cunning ruler to whom it was applied.” (page 73) .

Frog, Bullfrog, Toad

Reminder of common bonds with all life
Singer of songs that celebrate the most ancient watery beginnings
Transformation
Cleansing
Understanding emotions
Rebirth

Giraffe

Sees far into the future
Ability to reach things that are unreachable to others
Communication
Intuition
Ability to remain above the fray

Goat

Abundance
Independence
Surefootedness
Removing guilty feelings
Understanding nature energies and beings
Seeking new heights
Agility

According to the Correspondence: Animals of the Bible by John Worcester, “goats are in many respects similar to sheep. They are of about the same size, perhaps a little larger; and, like sheep, they have horns and divided hoofs; they ruminate, they are generally inoffensive and playful; and they give milk, wool, and their flesh and their skins to the uses of man.” (page 18).

They differ from sheep in being capricious, often mischievous, curious, and meddlesome; they are loud and peremptory in their cries; their wool is short, and concealed by long hairs; they love more rocky and precipitous feeding grounds, and browse freely upon the bark and twigs of trees.” (page 18).

Goldfinch

Understanding the value of change
Ability to resolve family conflicts in a healthy manner
Creating balance in dealing with different peoples
Understanding the power of voice

Goose, Geese

Movement along ones soul path
Understanding the power of community
Assisting others through illness
Happiness

Gorilla

Intelligence
Gentleness
Maternal instinct
Use of speech
Benevolence

Grouse

Standing at the door of the Great Spiral
Understanding the circular nature of time
Dancing the sacred dance of life
How to travel through the Great Spiral
Understanding and working with cycles

Hawk

Clear-sightedness
Being observant
Far-memory
Messages from spirit
Guardianship
Recalling past lives
Courage
Wisdom
Illumination
Seeing the larger picture
Creativity
Truth
Experience
Wise use of opportunities
Overcoming problems

Bible Animals: Project Gutenberg by J. G. Wood, references the biblical text of Job. Stating, “In Job xxxix. 26, we have the words, “Doth the hawk fly by thy wisdom, and turn [or stretch] her wings toward the south?” The precise signification of this passage is rather doubtful, but it is generally considered to refer to the migration of several of the Hawk tribe. That the bird in question was distinguished for its power of flight is evident from the fact that the sacred poet has selected that one attribute as the most characteristic of the Hawk.” (page 364).

Hedgehog

Wisdom of the female elders
Fertility
Defense against negativity
Enjoyment of life
Understanding weather patterns

Heron

All aspects of diversity
Self-reliance
Boundaries
Exploration
Self-esteem
Balancing multiple tasks
Dignity

Hippopotamus

Proper use of aggression
Ability to move gracefully through emotions
Mother-fury when necessary
Birth of new ideas
Protection of family

Horse, Pony, Mustang

Power
Stamina
Endurance
Faithfulness
Freedom to run free
Control of the environment
Awareness of power achieved with true cooperation
Interspecies communication
Expanding one’s own potential abilities
Friendship and Cooperation
Travel
Astral travel
Guardian of travelers
Warns of possible danger
Guide to overcoming obstacles

According to the Correspondence: Animals of the Bible by John Worcester, “the horses of the Arabs, which are probably as far superior to ours for riding purposes as are the asses, seem to be almost perfect embodiments of
their masters’ love of going. A well-bred Arab mare is off like the wind, as the tension of her master’s body and the tightening grasp of the knees betoken his desire, her delicate ears straining to catch every sound, and her sensitive skin every lightest touch, of command. A touch upon the neck guides her, the relaxation of her rider’s body slackens her speed almost as if she were his own organs of locomotion. And the same responsiveness to the human will is in a great degree characteristic of all good horses.” (page 39).

“Man, as a rider, represents the human will with its power to choose good or evil, and to compel the reasoning, thinking mind to support it in the ways of its choice.” (page 39).

Hummingbird

Ability to heal by using light as a laser from mouth
Endurance over long journeys
Ability to fly into small places to heal
Joy
Happiness
Love

Hyena

Knows the secrets of the wild
Understands how to control epidemics
Adaptability
Patience
Perseverance in hunting
Strength
Understanding the value of cooperation
Connection to the Vulture
Defense of boundaries
Communication in dark spaces
Singing ones soul song
Understanding the value of community

According to The Bible Animals: Project Gutenberg by J. G. Wood, that “in the wild, or even a partially-inhabited country, the hyena or hyaena is a most useful animal. The hyena or hyaena is a more accomplished scavenger than lion, wolf, jackal, or vulture; for it will eat the very bones themselves, its tremendously-powerful jaws and firmly-set teeth enabling it to crush even the leg-bone of an ox, and its unparalleled digestive powers enabling it to assimilate the sharp and hard fragments which would kill any creature not constituted like itself.” (page 34).

“Superstitions seem to be singularly prevalent concerning the Hyæna. In Palestine, there is a prevalent idea that if a hyena meets a solitary man at night, it can enchant him in such a manner as to make him follow it through thickets and over rocks, until he is quite exhausted, and falls an unresisting prey; but that over two persons he has no such influence, and therefore a solitary traveler is gravely advised to call for help as soon as he sees a hyena, because the fascination of the beast would be neutralized by the presence of a second person. So firmly is this idea rooted in the minds of the inhabitants, that they will never travel by night, unless they can find at least one companion in their journey. In Northern Africa there are many strange superstitions connected with this animal, one of the most curious of which is founded on its well-known cowardice. The Arabs fancy that any weapon which has killed a hyena, whether it be gun, sword, spear, or dagger, is thenceforth unfit to be used in warfare. “Throw away that sword,” said an Arab to a French officer, who had killed a hyena, “it has slain the hyena, and it will be treacherous to you.” (page 34).

Jackal

Astral travel
Accessing past lives
Connection to the constellation Orion
Understanding the use of opportunity
Ability to see in the dark
Connection to the Pyramids of Egypt

According to the Correspondence: Animals of the Bible by John Worcester, “The jackal is an essentially nocturnal and gregarious animal. During the whole of the day the jackals lie concealed in their holes or hiding
places, which are usually cavities in the rocks, in tombs or among ruins. The audacity of the jackal is as notable as his cunning. He will wait at the very door, biding his time patiently until it is opened and he may slink
in through the aperture.” (page 131).

While the jackal holds some of the same attributes as the fox, Worcester observes that the “difference between the fox and the jackal seems to be that the jackal is more social, usually living in the neighborhood of others, and preying upon slain or wounded and feeble animals in company, while the fox is more solitary, more suspicious, more secret.” As this relates to human behavior, he suggests that, “the men who herd together for plunder, taking advantage of troubled times, of the conflicts of greater men, and of everyone’s weakness or necessity, are jackals; but the slyer man, who
lays his own plans in silence, trusts no one, and believes that he can outwit them all, is a fox.” (page 133).

Jaguar

Seeing the roads within chaos
Understanding the patterns of chaos
Moving without fear in the darkness
Facilitating soul work
Empowering oneself
Moving in unknown places
Shapeshifter
Psychic sight

Koala, Marsupial

Ability to climb over obstacles
Recognizing the value of slow movement
Ability to remain above the fray
The power of yoga
Helpful advice giver

Lemur

Ability is access the knowledge of the forests
Seeing the unseen
Ability to grasp concepts above the static of life
Understanding how to remain above the fray of life
Ability to navigate through the forest

Leopard

Sensitivity to touch
Stalking
Approaching someone unseen
Movement in shadow worlds
Communication with plant kingdom

According to the Correspondence: Animals of the Bible by John Worcester, “The leopard loves to see, but not to be seen. He wishes to appear to be only the natural lights and shadows of the forest, and not an animal at
all, until its prey is within certain reach.” (page 117).

According to the Bible Animals: Project Gutenberg by J. G. Wood, “the leopard, for a short distance, and wonderful as its spring, it has not the enduring speed of the deer or antelope [its prey]; animals which are specially formed for running… [therefore] instinctively knowing its inferiority in the race, the leopard supplies by cunning the want of enduring speed.” (page 48).

It conceals itself in some spot whence it can see far around without being seen, and thence surveys the country. As soon as the Leopard sees the deer feeding at a distance, he slips down the tree and stealthily glides off in their direction. He has many difficulties to overcome, because the deer are among the most watchful of animals, and if the Leopard were to approach to the windward, they would scent him while he was yet a mile away from them. If he were to show himself but for one moment in the open ground he would be seen, and if he were but to shake a branch or snap a dry twig he would be heard. So, he is obliged to approach them against the wind, to keep himself under cover, and yet to glide so carefully along that the heavy foliage of the underwood shall not be shaken, and the dry sticks and leaves which strew the ground shall not be broken. He has also to escape the observation of certain birds and beasts which inhabit the woods, and which would certainly set up their alarm-cry as soon as they saw him, and so give warning to the wary deer, which can perfectly understand a cry of alarm, from whatever animal it may happen to proceed.” (page 49).

“Still, he proceeds steadily on his course, gliding from one covert to another, and often expending several hours before he can proceed for a mile. By degrees he contrives to come tolerably close to them, and generally manages to conceal himself in some spot towards which the deer are gradually feeding their way. As soon as they are near enough, he collects himself for a spring, just as a cat does when she leaps on a bird, and dashes towards the deer in a series of mighty bounds. For a moment or two they are startled and paralyzed with fear at the sudden appearance of their enemy, and thus give him time to get among them. Singling out some particular animal, he leaps upon it, strikes it down with one blow of his paw, and then, crouching on the fallen animal, he tears open its throat, and laps the flowing blood.” (page 49).

Lion

Brotherhood
Letting go of stress
Strong family ties
Strength
Courage
Energy
Self fulfillment

According to the Correspondence: Animals of the Bible by John Worcester, “the lion is not cruel, since he is so only from necessity; that he destroys only as much as he consumes; and that as soon as he is fed he is entirely peaceful…” (page 81). The lion seems to be a very incarnation of strength; and, even when dead, gives as vivid an idea of concentrated power as when it was living.” (page 86).

Although usually unwilling to attack an armed man, it is one of the most courageous animals in existence when it is driven to fight, and if its danger is excited it cares little for the number of its foes, or the weapons with which they are armed. Even the dreaded firearms lose their terrors to an angry lion; while a lioness, who fears for the safety of her young, is simply the most terrible animal in existence.” (page 87).

The roar of the lion is another of the characteristics for which it is celebrated. It is this peculiarity of the roar that makes it helpful in catching prey; for at the fearful sound all animals are frightened, and, not distinguishing the direction of it, especially if it be near, they run towards every quarter, even into the jaws of the waiting lion himself.¹ As we see the lion thus portrayed, we are struck with admiration at his noble courage—
amounting in his native condition to absolute fearlessness—at the intense earnestness of his affections, as expressed, by his voice of thunder,
and shown by the fury of the lioness in defending her young; and at his almost irresistible power.” (page 88).

Lizard

Detachment from ego
Power to regenerate that which is lost
Facing fear
Controlling dreams
Moving in the otherworld

Llama, Guanaco, Vicuna

Overcoming materialism
Moving over hurdles
Comforting others
Withstanding cold

Lynx

Keenness of sight
Divination
Developing psychic senses
Keeper of all secrets and mysteries
Movement through time and space

Mantis, Praying Mantis

Ability to manipulate time
Power to move between moments
Understanding of the circular nature of time
Power of stillness
Female warrior energy
Attack strategy

Mole

Image by Dirk (Beeki®) Schumacher from Pixabay

Guardian of the lower regions
Connection with the energies of the Earth
Knowledge of herbs, roots, minerals, seeds, rivers, and other hidden bounties of the earth
Ability to turn inward
Introspection and blindness to all but light and dark in the material world
Love expressed in nature
Sensitivity to touch and vibration (the kinesthetic sense)
Understanding of energies and fluxes

Wood, in Bible Animals” Gutenberg Project writes of the difficulty in discerning the three traditional meanings for mole (a small rodent, type of land terrain, or spy), applying them to ancient biblical text, and discerning to which the Palestinians referred.

Ultimately, he determined that the small rodent, ‘mole‘ occurs in that passage of Isaiah which has already been quoted when treating of the bat. “In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver and his idols of gold, which they made each one to himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats; to go into the clefts of the rocks and into the tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of the Lord and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth.” (page 96).

He described the physical characteristics of the mole as having very small eyes, practically invisible to the naked eye. It has “thick soft fur with which the whole head and body are covered. Neither are there any visible external ears, although the ear is really very large, and extremely sensitive to sound. This apparent privation of both ears and eyes gives to the animal a most singular and featureless appearance, its head being hardly recognizable as such but for the mouth, and the enormous projecting teeth, which not only look formidable, but really are so.” (page 96).

Wood recalled a peculiar Ukrainian legend whereby “if a man will dare to grasp a Mole-rat in his bare hand, allow it to bite him, and then squeeze it to death, the hand that did the deed will ever afterwards possess the virtue of healing goitre or scrofula.” (page 96).

Moose

Image by PublicDomainImages from Pixabay

Acknowledges the truths that have been denied by the soul
Movement to and from the soul world
Movement in the void
Finds the parts of the soul that have been hidden
Building self- respect
Strength
Wisdom
Bridge to the elders
Unseen speed

Octopus, Squid

Intelligence
Moving rapidly away from danger when needed
Proper use of smoke screens (ink) in evading enemies
Destroying negative barriers

Opossum, Possum

Proper use of deception
Use of appearances
Sensibility
Guidance to uncovering talent, psychic or physical
Gaining wisdom
Recovery

Orca

Creator of the Cosmos
Having the ability to convert raw matter into stars, planets, etc.
Freeing the soul from the physical body
Controlling rainfall on Earth
Using the vibrational energy of song to heal
Assisting humans in finding their soul’s song
Soul memory
Seeing the unseen
Teaching the ability to seal soul fissures and energy leaks

According to coastal Indians, Orca was created by the hunter who carved a “blackfish” out of yellow cedar and commanded it to kill his wicked in-laws. Orca tore the men to bits and returned to the Tlingit man, Natsalane, who then ordered the sleek animals never again to prey on humans. And, to this day, Orca, the top predator of the sea, doesn’t eat people. Indeed, the Tlingit people of southeast Alaska consider Orca a custodian of the sea.

Otter, Sea Otter

Woman’s healing wisdom
Sensibility without suspicion
Guidance in unmasking talents
Psychic awareness
Faithfulness
Recovery issues
Understanding the value of playtime

Owl

Stealth
Secrecy
Silent and swift movement
Seeing behind masks
Keen sight
Messenger of secrets and omens
Shape-shifting
Link between the dark, unseen world and the world of light
Comfort with shadow self
Moon magick
Freedom

In the Bible Animals: Project Gutenberg by J. G. Wood, “we find the word côs to occur in Ps. cii. 6: “I am like a pelican of the wilderness: I am like an owl of the desert.” The Psalm in which this passage occurs is a penitential prayer, in which the writer uses many of the metaphors employed by Job when lamenting his afflictions, and describes himself as left alone among men.” (page 92).

The simile is equally just and feasible in this case, the Owl being essentially a bird of night, and associated with solitude and gloom. The particular species which is signified by the word côs bears but very slightly on the subject, inasmuch as in general habits all the true Owls are very similar in hiding by day in their nests, and coming out at night to hunt for prey, their melancholy hoot, or startling shriek, breaking the silence of the night. (page 92).

Peacock, Peahen

All aspects of beauty
Immortality
Ability to see into the past, present, and future
Dignity
Self-confidence
Rising out of ashes

According to Bible Animals: Project Gutenberg by J. G. Wood, King Solomon imported various creatures “for the purpose of adding to the glories of Solomon’s house, and no bird could have been selected which would have a more magnificent effect than the Peacock. It is stated in biblical text, “once in three years came the navy of Tharshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks.” 1 Kings x. 22. (page 381). He adds, “their beauty made so great an impression that they are separately mentioned by the sacred chronicler {Solomon], the Peacock and the ape being the only two animals that are thought worthy of enumeration.” (page 381).

Pelican

Proper use of abundance
Control of ego
Recovery from loss
Ability to float through emotions
Ability to return from the edge of extinction

J. G. Wood writes in Bible Animals: Project Gutenberg, that “the Hebrew etymology of the word used in ancient times for pelican is “derived from a root which signifies hurling or casting down. [As such] we may therefore presume that the bird is one which plunges or sweeps down upon its prey.” (page 16).

Bible verses referring to the pelican can be found in Leviticus and Deuteronomy as well as Psalm. Quoting Psalm cii 6, he wrote referred tot is author “lamenting his misery: “By reason of the voice of my groaning my bones cleave to my skin. “I am like a pelican of the wilderness: I am like an owl of the desert.” Wood reasoned from this passage that, the pelican “was a bird of solitude that was to be found in the “wilderness,” i.e. far from the habitations of man. This is one of the characteristics of the Pelican, which loves not the neighborhood of human beings, and is fond of resorting to broad, uncultivated lands, where it will not be disturbed.” (page 16).

Stating further, “the cormorant [a type of pelican] is a most voracious bird, swallowing a considerable weight of fish at a meal, and digesting them so rapidly that it is soon ready for another supply. Although it is essentially a marine bird, hunger often takes it inland, especially to places where are lakes or large rivers.” (page 16). By the way in which the pelican selects and eats his food, the author related this to the activity “of sitting motionless for hours after it has gorged itself with food, its head sunk on its shoulders, and its bill resting on its breast.” (page 16).

Penguin

Fatherhood
Understanding female energy within the male
Waking dreams
Astral Projection
Patience
Endurance

Pig, Sow, Boar

Crone Goddess
Rooting out the truth
Deep Earth magick
Past life knowledge
Intelligence
Cunning
Becoming invisible during times of danger

Polar Bear

Ability to navigate along the Earth’s magnetic lines
Introspection
Solitude
Expert swimmer through emotional waters
Finding one way back from the brink
Ability to find sustenance in barren landscapes
Strength in the face of adversity
Communication with Spirit
Dreams
Death and rebirth
Transformation

Porcupine

Innocence
Trust in Spirit
Renewed sense of wonder
Creating your own path
Protection of boundaries
Defense when threatened
Allowing others their path
Non-interference

Rabbit, Hare

Guile
Paradox and contradiction
Living by one’s own wits
Receiving hidden teachings and intuitive messages
Quick-thinking
Humility
Moving through fear
Strengthening intuition

Raccoon

Understanding the nature of masks
Disguise
Dexterity
Seeking guidance and confidence
Questioning without fear
Balancing curiosity

Raven

Rebirth without fear
Ability to tear down what needs to be rebuilt
Renewal
Ability to find light in darkness
Courage of self-reflection
Introspection
Comfort with self
Honoring ancestors
Connection to the Crone
Divination
Change in consciousness
New occurrences
Eloquence

Rhinoceros

Learning comfort in solitude
Connection to ancient wisdom
Knowledge of self
Proper use of ancient wisdom
Trust of instincts

Sea Gull, Gull

Spiritual messengers
Communication with deities
Behaving responsibly
Ability to see from above situations
Friendship

Sea Eagle

Carries souls back to the dreamtime
Soul world memory
Retrieves lost soul parts
Oversees soul retrievals

Seal

Protection during change
Lucid dreaming
Protection from danger
Movement through emotions
Creativity

Sheep, Ram, Ewe

Maintaining balance in dangerous situations
Confidence in ones abilities
Fertility
Courage needed to maintain balance
New beginnings
Abundance
Assurance in new areas

According to the Correspondence: Animals of the Bible by John Worcester, “It is a peculiarity of sheep that while they are so easily led by one whom they know, they are driven with difficulty. They huddle together as if frightened, and the more they are pressed, the more frightened they seem; but if the leaders start forward, the flock follows.

Another noteworthy trait is their memory of kindness. They never forget a little present of salt or grain, or a kind act of protection from danger; every benefit they repay with affection, confidently expecting renewals of it. Sheep are remarkable also for their mutual affection. They love to feed with their heads close together…” (page 10).

“Another characteristic of sheep is patience. When a sheep is caught by the shearer, at first there is a short struggle, until she finds that she is
firmly held and cannot get away. Then she gives up entirely. Even if she is hurt, she shows neither resentment nor resistance; she is, in the hands of
the shearer, perfectly resigned and patient.

Upon the wool of sheep we depend for warm clothing more than upon all other materials together. Fine, soft, long, with a useful faculty for matting or felting into a compact texture, it grows thick and heavy, and is retained by the sheep until it is a great burden to herself, evidently for the use of man. All that she is, the sheep gives in our service: her wool, her milk, her skin, her flesh, and even her bones and entrails; not a particle is useless.” (page 12).

Skunk

Understanding how to “walk your talk”
Reputation
Sensuality
Understanding energy flows
Self-respect
Courage
Will-power
Self-confidence

Snake, Serpent

Traits: Power, Life force, Sexual Potency

Messenger of the Rainbow Serpent
Elusiveness
Manipulates lightning
Transmutation
Exploration of the mysteries of life
Primitive or elemental energy
Protection from religious persecution
Goddess energy
Psychic energy
Creative power
Immortality
Connection to or forms the magic cord by which the shaman travels to the soul world

In Bible Animals: Project Gutenberg, Wood ascertained that “the first mention of the serpent or stank occurs in Gen. iii., in the well-known passage where the Serpent is said to be more subtle than all the beasts of the field, the wisdom or subtlety of the Serpent having evidently an allegorical and not a categorical signification. We find the same symbolism employed in the New Testament, the disciples of our Lord being told to be “wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.” (page 92).

Of particular interest for Wood was associating the forked tong of the snake with its venom. He theorized, “the poisonous nature of some of the Serpents is mentioned in several passages of Scripture; and it will be seen that the ancient Hebrews, like many modern Europeans, believed that the poison lay in the forked tongue. See, for example, Ps. lviii. 4: “Their poison is like the poison of a serpent” (nâchâsh). Also Prov. xxiii. 32, in which the sacred writer says of wine that it brings woe, sorrow, contentions, wounds without cause, redness of eyes, and that “at the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder. The idea that the poison of the Serpent lies in the tongue is seen in several passages of Scripture. “They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders’ poison is under their lips” (Ps. cxl. 3). Also in Job xx. 16, the sacred writer says of the hypocrite, that “he shall suck the poison of asps: the viper’s tongue shall slay him.” (page 92 and 93).

Snow Leopard

Understanding one’s shadow side
Trusting one’s inner self
Agility
Strength
Ability to stalk
Understanding the power of silence

Spider

Master weaver
Weaver of the web of fate
Wisdom
Creativity
Divine inspiration
Shapeshifting
Understanding the patterns of illusion
Female energy for the creative force of life

Squirrel

Ability to solve puzzles
Resourcefulness
Quick change of direction
Storing for the future
Balance in giving and receiving
Power of rest during times of non-movement
Warning
Discovery
Change
Avoiding danger by climbing to a higher place

Swan

Image by Susanne Jutzeler, suju-foto from Pixabay

Awakening the power of self
Understanding dream symbols
Seeing into the future
Understanding spiritual evolution
Developing intuitive abilities
Divination
Grace in dealing with others

Tiger

Power
Energy
Strength and will-power in the face of adversity
Acting in a timely manner
Action without analysis
Creature of dreams, shamans, mystics and visionaries
Defense and revenge

Turkey

Sacrifice of self for a higher purpose
Understanding the gift of giveaway
Honoring the Earth Mother
Harvest bounties

Turtle, Tortoise

Symbol of the earth
Connection with the center
Navigation skills
Patience
Self-boundaries
Associated with the feminine
Power to heal female diseases
Respecting the boundaries of others
Developing new ideas
Psychically protecting oneself
Self-reliance
Tenacity
Nonviolent defense

In writing about his observations of the anatomy of turtles, in Bible Animals: Project Gutenberg, he stated that “tortoises [turtles] have no teeth, but yet are able to crop the herbage with perfect ease. In lieu of teeth the edges of the jaws are sharp-edged and very hard, so that they cut anything that comes between them like a pair of shears.” He adds further, “this is the species from whose deliberate and slow movements the familiar metaphor of “slow as a Tortoise” was derived, and it is this species which is the hero of the popular fable of the “Hare and the Tortoise.”(page 44).