Invertebrates
-
Sea creatures and the Primordial Waters — embodying the Earth as creator, as well as consumer. These tend to be seen in a good light embodying the Feminine principle of creation.
-
Insects as creepy, at least in the modern day. The people of the past viewed them as sacred.
- Swarm insects such as bees are seen as embodying diligence and order.
- Metamorphosis is best seen in insects as it is part of their life cycle.
- Insects as evil. Common pests include worms (degradation, lowliness), flies (decay), locusts (voracious destruction) and scorpions (envy and hatred).
- Spiders and Fate. Due to spinning threads, the spider is viewed in a feminine light as a creator.
- Moths and Light. The moth’s attraction to the flame mirrors the soul’s quest for truth.
Amphibians and Reptiles
-
Amphibians embody the dual life in both water and land.
-
Reptiles are viewed as archetypal monsters but also revered. They embody fertility on earth
- Crocodiles and ferocity. “Crocodile tears”.
- Chameleons and camouflage
- Snakes as symbols of fertility and life, but also of temptation.
Birds
-
Seen as a symbol of spirits.
-
Their wings are associated as parts of the divine
-
Because they lay eggs, they are also associated with fertility
-
High flying birds are associated with independence and strength.
-
Caged birds, therefore, are associated with being trapped.
-
Albatross - The symbol of the sea and long ocean journeys.
- Albatross circling a ship is said to herald a storm. Also said to embody the soul of a dead sailor.
-
Blackbird - sweet song, but also tempting. A symbol of evil for Christians.
-
Condor - the embodiment of the gods of the air.
-
Crane - a good omen. Messenger of the gods. Bringer of maternal love, happiness, longevity, wisdom, and enlightenment.
-
Crow - ill omen and death. The messenger of the gods.
-
Cuckoos - unfaithful and evil due to laying eggs in other bird’s nests..
-
Dodos - final death. Extinction.
-
Doves - peaceful, innocent, and pure souls. Marital love and fertility.
-
Ducks - mediator between sky and water. Immortality. Marital bliss, and fidelity.
-
Eagle - the King of the Birds. Associated with the Sun, Royalty, and the Sky Gods. Authority. Strength, Victory, and Pride. Courage, Keen vision. Ascension to God.
-
Falcons - the sun, and its masculine powers. Also associated with strength and war.
-
Goldfinch - the passion of Christ.
-
Goose - a bird of the sun. Watchfulness and love. In the East, it is associated with bad news.
-
Hawk - solar bird. Associated with fire.
-
Hen - maternal care.
-
Heron - the sun and water. In Greece, a symbol of treachery.
-
Hoopoe - (in Egypt and Arabia) - a doctor bird, messenger of love. In Europe, it is the symbol of the devil.
-
Hummingbird - Joy and Pleasure. Beauty, Harmony, and Enjoyment.
-
Ibis - the symbol of the soul. Associated with the sun and the moon. Devotion and Perseverance
-
Jay - chatterers. A sign of bad luck. It also warns of the approach of an enemy.
-
Kingfishers - prized for their magnificent feathers.
-
Nightingale - To the Persians, its song was a symbol of love, longing, and pain.
-
Magpie - ill omen, especially for married couples. In China, it brings join and heralds guests.
- Two magpies = marital bliss.
-
Ostrich - cruelty to the young (because it left its eggs to hatch in the sun).
- The ostrich is known for burying its head in the sand — a symbol of hiding from the truth.
-
Owls - wisdom. Associated with the night, and so also heralds death and misfortune.
-
Parrots - mockery and imitation.
-
Peacock - the Sun (due to its tail) and the stars (the eyes in its tail). Pride and Vanity.
-
Pelicans - self-sacrifice.
-
Quail - (in Russian) a symbol of the tsar, and of the sun. (in China and Rome) Courage and victory. (Elsewhere) Good luck and love.
-
Ravens - bad fortune, but also messengers of the Gods.
-
Robin - compassion, due to its red breast.
-
Roosters - courage and battle — heralding the coming of the dawn. Vigilance.
-
Sparrows - loneliness, but also of love and loyalty.
-
Swallows - renewed life, and also being sacred.
-
Swan - Trust and submission. Beauty and Grace. Love
- The Swan’s Song is a final song of joy for entering the afterlife.
-
Vulture - seen as feminine. They also purify as they eat the dead.
-
Woodpecker - good luck. Associated with the image of boring holes in trees.
Mammals
- Bats - darkness and evil, but also goodness (in Chinese.)
- Bears - resurrection, power, and warfare.
- Beavers - creation. Industry, and diligence.
- Camels - along with other pack animals symbolizing obedience, stamina, and temperance.
- Cats - liberty and independence.
- Black cats are tied to fortune.
- Male bovines - embodying male power and strength
- Dog - man’s best friend.
- Donkeys - stupid grunts.
- Elephants - power, but also patience, wisdom and chastity.
- White elephants are viewed as royalty.
- Foxes - cunning tricksters.
- Goats - seekers of truth, but also devilish, lawless, and lustful.
- Hares - the Moon and Lust.
- Hippopotamus - the Water and fertility.
- Horses - fast, graceful, and noble.
- Jackals - the afterlife.
- Leopards - cruelty but also strength and courage
- Mice - pests, but also as cunning and organized animals.
- Monkeys - mischief.
- The Three Monkeys: See no Evil, Hear no Evil, Do no Evil
- Lions - the king of the beasts according to the West Has associations with the sun due to its mane. Noble and strong.
- Pigs as courageous and fertile, but also unclean and gluttonous.
- Rams - creative, but also sacrificial animals.
- Stags - the hunt, the sun, and the tree of life (via their antlers).
- Tigers - the king of the beasts according to the East. Domination.