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

- 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

- 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

- 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

- 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

- 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

- 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

- 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

- 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).
Vulture, Buzzard, Condor

- Death and rebirth
- Prophecy
- Love of the Mother goddess
- Knowledge concerning the death of a loved one
- New vision
- Purification
Wagtail Willie, White Wagtail

- Camp protector
- Brings messages about relatives
- Protector of lost children
- Patron of child care providers
- Teaches the proper use of gossip
Warthog

- Ability to sense danger
- Courage
- Protection
- Ability to find the truth
- Use of a fierce mask
Wasp, Hornet, Yellowjacket

- Use of female warrior energy
- Sisterhood
- Understanding female societies
- Communal living
Weasel

- Stealth
- Cunning
- Ingenuity
- Revenge
- Keen observation
- Ability to see hidden reasons behind things
- Power of observation
Woodpecker, Sapsucker

- Connection to the earth
- Ability to find hidden layers
- Understands rhythms, cycles and patterns
- Warnings
- Prophecy
- Associated with thunder
- The Earth’s drummer
- Pecks away at deception until the truth is revealed
Zebra

- Balance
- Seeing in black and white
- Clarity without filters
- Power
- Sureness of path
- Maintaining the individual within the herd