SymbolArt Symbolic Portraits

Animals and Their Symbolic Meanings A - B \| C \| D \| E - F \| G - H \| I - K \| L - N \| O - P \| Q - R \| S \| T - Z \| By Animal Most of the symbolic meanings for the animals and plants listed on this page come from Native American and Celtic traditions. Some are representative of a variety of other traditions. A word of caution — I am providing this list only as a starting place, a quick reference. To truly understand the full meaning behind the words in the list you really need to read the stories, myths, natural history, and traditions surrounding a particular animal. Nearly every animal has more than one meaning. And some animals have the same or similar meanings. To know which animal, or tree, holds the meaning you are trying to match requires more than just a look at this list. The books listed among Recommended Resources page are a terrific place to start. Check with your local public library, or buy them here.
ABUNDANCE - buffalo ACCOMPLISHMENT - swisher ACHIEVEMENT - ram ACTION - antelope ACTION, DIRECT - reed ADAPTABILITY - pronghorn AGGRESSIVENESS - badger ATTENTION TO DETAIL - mouse BALANCE - hare BANISHING - elder tree BEAUTY - swan BEAUTY, HIDDEN - frog BENEFICENCE - bull BEST IN THE FIGHT - holly tree BIG PICTURE - hawk BINDING - grape vine BIRTH - armadillo BOUNDARIES - armadillo BREAKTHROUGH - ram BREATH/LIFE ENERGY - adder BUILDER - beaver CALL TO TRAVEL - goose CALM - kingfisher CAMOUFLAGE - fox CAPABLE OF REACHING GREAT HEIGHTS - eagle CELEBRATION - bee CHANGE - owl CHASTITY - hawthorn tree CHATTERY - swallow CHEERFUL - chickadee CHEERFULNESS - meadowlark CHOICE OF BEAUTY - apple tree CLAIRVOYANCE - owl CLEANSING - hawk, frog, birch tree, hawthorn tree COLLECTOR - magpie COMFORTING - duck COMMUNICATION - seagull, catbird COMMUNICATION, UNSPOKEN - stork COMMUNITY - bee, prairie dog COMMUNITY PEACE - martin COMPLETENESS - alder tree CONCEPTUAL - lizard CONFIDENCE - bluebird CONNECTION - water dragon CONNECTION WITH NATURE - goldfinch COURAGE - eagle CREATION THROUGH FOCUS - crane CREATIVITY - spider CRITICAL (DISCERNING) - owl CUNNING - fox CUNNING (WITH HUMILITY) - wren DECEPTION - owl DELIGHT - spindle tree DEPTH - water dragon DETACHMENT - cat DETAIL, ATTENTION TO - mouse DEXTERITY - racoon DILEMMA - seal DIPLOMACY - fox DIRECT ACTION - reed DIRECTION - boar DISCERNING - owl DISCIPLINE - ant DISCRIMINATING - armadillo DISGUISE - raccoon DIVERSION - opossum DOORWAY TO THE MYSTERIES - oak tree DREAMING - lizard DREAMS, REALIZING - loon EMOTIONAL - swan EMPATHY - armadillo EMPOWERMENT - rowan tree ENCHANTMENT - ENERGY - fire dragon ENERGY, FEMALE - otter, moose ENLIGHTENMENT - grouse, spindle tree ETHEREAL - nuthatch EVERLASTING - yew tree EXORCISM - elder tree, ivy FAITH - porcupine FAITH, GROUNDED - nuthatch FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS - grosbeak FARSEEING - giraffe, silver fir tree FATE - blackthorn tree FATE, NEW - cuckoo FEAR - rabbit FEMININITY - hind FERTILITY - goose, chicken, rabbit, reed, willow tree, hawthorn tree, grape vine FIDELITY - goose FINANCIAL WEALTH - bull FOOL - coyote FULFILLMENT - bluebird, hawk GATEWAY, THE - blackbird GATHERING - squirrel GENEROSITY - sow GENTLENESS - deer, waxwing GOD, THE - wren GODDESS, THE - cow, horse, turtle, alligator GOOD LUCK - martin GRACE - swan GRACEFULNESS - hind, duck GROUNDED - turtle, nuthatch GROWTH, NEW - robin, flicker GUARDIANSHIP - cat GUIDANCE - dog HAPPINESS - bluebird HEALING - adder, raven HEALING LOVE - flicker HEALING POWER OF SONG AND VOICE - canary HEALS OLD WOUNDS - grosbeak HELPFULNESS - otter HELPS REBIRTH - aspen (white poplar) tree HIDDEN SECRET - honeysuckle HOLISTIC - ash tree HUMILITY - wren ILLUMINATION - eagle ILLUSION - dragonfly IMAGINATION - loon INDEPENDENCE - stag INFINITY - goose INITIATION - raven INNER AND OUTER WORLDS - ash tree INNER JOURNEY - meadowlark INNOCENCE - porcupine INSIGHT - air dragon INSPIRATION - air dragon, salmon INTEGRATION - fox INTELLIGENCE - eagle INTERPERSONAL - otter INTROSPECTION - bear INTUITION - hare INTUITION WITH INSTINCT - bear JOKESTER - coyote JOY - otter, hummingbird KNOWLEDGE, OCCULT - magpie KNOWLEDGE, OLD - beech tree LAND, THE - horse LANGUAGE - catbird LAW, SACRED - crow LEADERSHIP - boar LEARNING - wolf LIFE ENERGY/BREATH - adder LIFE FORCE, PRIMAL - hawk LINK TO INNER SELF - heather, mistletoe LONGEVITY - crane LONGING - seal LOVE - seal, swan LOVE, HEALING - flicker LOYALTY - dog LUCK, GOOD - martin MACROCOSM AND MICROCOSM - ash tree MAGIC - raven MAGICAL - crow MANIFESTATION - hazel tree MASKS - raccoon MASTERY - fire dragon MATERNAL - duck, the Sea MATERNITY - dove MEDICINE - frog MENTAL AGILITY - kestrel, roadrunner MESSENGER - hawk METAMORPHOSIS - butterfly, beetle MODESTY - bluebird MOTHERHOOD - cow MULTIPLICITY - finch MUSICAL - canary MYSTIC - blackbird, swan NATURE, CONNECTION WITH - goldfinch NEW EXPERIENCES AND ENCOUNTERS - finch NIGHT VISION - willow tree NOBILITY - hawk, sparrow NON-COMPETITIVE - pelican NOURISHMENT - cow OBSERVANT - hawk OPPORTUNITIES - catbird ORACULAR - alder tree ORDER - ant ORGANIZATION - bee, mouse PARENTHOOD - goose PASSION - water dragon PATHFINDER - wolf PATIENCE - crane, ant PEACE - kingfisher, dove PEACE, COMMUNITY - martin PERCEPTION - lizard PERSONAL POWER - earth dragon, horse PERSONAL PROTECTION - oak tree PERSONAL VISION - grouse PLANS AHEAD - squirrel PLAY - otter POSITIVE PURPOSE - oak tree POTENCY - bull POWER OF SONG AND VOICE - canary POWER, PERSONALearth dragon, horse POWER, PRIMAL - bear POWER, PRODUCTIVE - goose POWER, PROPER USE OF - blue jay POWER, UNEARTHLY - horse PRAYER - buffalo PREPARED - squirrel PREVENTION FROM ILLNESS - aspen (white poplar) tree PRIDE - stag PRIMAL LIFE FORCE - hawk PROPHESY - dove, grape vine PROSPERITY - kingfisher PROTECTION - dog, raven PROTECTION AGAINST ENCHANTMENT - rowan tree PROTECTION OF CHILDREN - birch tree PROTECTION, PERSONAL - armadillo PROTECTION, SOLID - oak tree PROTECTIVE - duck PURIFICATION - stag, vulture QUANTITATIVE - inchworm QUEST, CALL TO - goose REBIRTH - hare, bat RECOLLECTION - hawk RECORD KEEPER - whale REJUVINATION - salmon RENEWAL - eagle RENEWED VITALITY - cardinal REPUTATION - skunk RESPECTED - skunk RESPONSIBILITY - seagull RESURRECTION - beetle, cock RICHES - earth dragon SACRED SPIRAL - chickadee SCRUTINY - mouse SEA, THE - the Sea SECRET KNOWLEDGE - crane, lynx SEEKER OF TRUTH - chickadee SELF, SEARCH FOR - ivy SELF-AWARENESS - blackbird SELF-CONTROL - rowan tree SELF-DETERMINATION - heron SELF-ESTEEM - moose SELF-RELIANCE - heron SELF-RESPECT - skunk SELF-SACRIFICING - pelican SENSITIVITY - frog SENSUALITY - cat SERVANT - dog SERVICE - dog SEXUALITY - cock SHADOW, THE - wolf, lizard SHAPE SHIFTER - crow SOCIABLE - starling SONG - canary SOUL - swan SOVEREIGNTY - bear SPIRAL OF THE SELF - ivy SPIRIT - eagle SPIRITUALITY - eagle STAMINA - elk STEALTH - weasel STILLNESS - praying mantis STORY TELLING - goose STRAIGHT TO THE SOURCE - hazel tree STRENGTH - oak tree SUBLIMATION - meadowlark SUBTLETY - hind SUREFOOTED - mountain goat SWEETNESS AND DELIGHT - spindle tree TEACHER - wolf TECHNICAL - road runner TRANSFORMATION - adder, butterfly, frog TRANSMUTATION - fire dragon TRAVEL - horse TRAVEL, CALL TO - goose, the Sea TRICKSTER - coyote TRUSTING - porcupine UNDERSTANDING THE ENERGIES OF MOTHER NATURE - blackbird UNSELFISH - pelican VERBAL - swallow VIGILANCE - goose VISION, PERSONAL - grouse VITALITY - air dragon VITALITY, RENEWED - cardinal VOICE - canary WARRIOR SPIRIT - boar, elk WATCHFULNESS - crow, cock WAY TO INNER KNOWLEDGE - honeysuckle WEALTH - bull WEAVING - spider WILDNESS - fox WILLFUL - magpie WILY - magpie WISDOM - owl, moose, salmon, nuthatch	Top
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Animals and Their Symbolic Meanings