A. Venefica’s Weblog: Symbolic Meanings

Native American symbolic full moon names (below listed) were established by eastern and northern tribes such as the Algonquin & the Iroquois Confederacy.  These remarkable people assigned attributes to each of the full moons according to the seasonal characteristics.   The symbolic Native American full moon names are as follows:

• Wolf Moon:  The full moon in January.  Said to be called the Wolf Moon because the wolves are out in the bright light this time of year - anxious and hot on the the trail for a feast to slake their hunger in the lean winter month. 
• Snow Moon:  The full moon of February.  At this time the northeastern regions can give up their most heaviest of snow falls.  This full moon is also called the hunger or hungry moon because the grips of winter can make it another lean month for the belly of both man and beast.
• Magpie Moon:  Or Crow Moon.  The symbolic full moon name for March.  Considered the last full moon of winter; the crow caws its farewell to the season.  Also known as the Worm Moon because they start to surface at this time, also signaling retreat of winter and the marching in of springtime.
• Egg Moon: The full moon of April.  Also known as the pink moon.  Both names indicate the sprouting of seed and the explosion of bright beauty found in the phlox (pink) and other flowers rising for the spring debut.
• Flower Moon: Full moon name of May.  Quite simply, May brings bright brushes to paint the earth canvas with infinite flowers.  In the full moon light of this month, the flowers are said to grow at night, and even dance in honor of the moon.
• Strawberry Moon: The symbolic full moon name for June.  This is also an easy one to understand.  June is the picking time for strawberries, when their at their ripest and fullest.  Picking by moonlight is said to honor the crops, and insure bigger bounty next picking season.
• Thunder Moon: Full moon of July.  For these tribes, it was observed that this month is notorious for big booms of thunder and storms.  Thus, the symbolic full moon name of “thunder moon.”  Also referred to as Buck moon because deer begin forming their antlers at this time of year.
• Red Moon: The full moon name for August.  Those lazy days of summer when the moon is watched in its fullness and widens herself to the admiring sun.  This is the month when summer kisses the moon most tender and we most often see a blush-colored or reddish hued moon.  To the tribes of the Great Lakes it is a Sturgeon moon because this is when they are caught most.
• Harvest Moon:Full moon of September.  The famous “harvest moon” represents the most adventageous time-frame in which we can pick (harvest) crops from the garden.  The Native Americans knew this - they knew they would have almost a half hour more time to harvest their bounty beneath the helpful luminosity of the moon.
• Hunters Moon:  The full moon of October.  This is another symbolic moon name that’s obvious.  This time represents the onset of prime hunting season.  Heavy foliage is drifting away as quick as the season, and deer are a bit buggy this time of year.  That means their easy to see clearly and easily downed for the First People’s purposes.
• Beaver Moon:  The full moon name for November.  As we’ve seen in the prior months, each symbolic name references a point within the epitome of the month.  Beavers are coming into their fullness in November.  So much so that the Natives knew to set traps early in the month because the beaver would be in her glory. 
• Cold Moon:  The symbolic full moon name for December.  Also known as the ”Long Night Moon.”   Coming full circle, we find ourselves again in the frigid realm of winter.  This is the month when some of the coldest and the longest nights live.  Hence the symbolic names for this full moon of December.

I recently had an email from a woman, whom after a great many years, discovered the octopus was her totem or guide.  She asked for the symbolism of the octopus, and I respond:

Dear Cuttley: 

Identifying the symbolism of the octopus can be daunting  & not for reasons you’d think.  

Namely because the octopus participates in the universe on many different levels.  As such, it’s symbolism is vast and related discussions could potentially last forever.

As if the massive depth of the symbolism wasn’t overwhelming enough - try to getting past the visual effect the octopus has on us. 

We look at the octopus and it draws us in wholly.  Mesmerizing & chilling, it’s motions are hypnotizing.  So I’ll start there, the symbolism of the octopus born from it’s sheer physical presence.  The more ethereal symbolism’s deserve an entire book for room to expound, but I have written more about this amazing creature here.

 Of its many aspects, here are just a few symbolic meanings of the octopus:

• Complexity
• Diversity
• Variability
• Intelligence
• Insight
• Vision
• Mystery
• Illusion

With eight arms, the octopus shares some symbolic meanings with the spider as well as the meanings of number eight. 

Observed these eight arms circle out in motion - calling to mind the concept of spiral - this forms a symbolic bond between the octopus and the meanings of the spiral or whirlpool.

Being a creature of the sea, the octopus also shares commonalities with and symbolic meaning of fish.

Adornments like octopus medallions were worn by sailors to ward off evil.  Seamen understood the eerie magic of the octopus.  It’s black ink-jet expulsions and other-worldly appearance struck awe (and terror) in the observer.  Hence, it makes an incredibly powerful totem, carrying great status - a symbol of protection and good luck.

Minoan art depicts the octopus (particularly on bowls or vases) unfurling.  This is thought to be symbolic of the creating and the expanding of the universe.

Other associations of the octopus include:

• Moon
• Zodiac sign of Cancer
• Rain
• Thunder
• Spiral
• Eight

As a side-note, the octopus is also associated with the Priestess and Moon card in the Tarot deck.

Take the time to research more about the octopus - it will be worth the investment of your time.  Meditate upon the octopus - focus your awareness on this amazing creature.  You will find it an empowering agent for your growth.  Consider yourself blessed.

More information on the animal symbolism of the octopus can be found on this page.

As it is closely related, the symbolic meaning of puma is also similar to the symbolic meaning of mountain lion, & cougar.  

These noble cats are symbols of courage and power. This falls in line with the puma/mountain lion being associated with the sun, and solar vibrancy in some cultures (South American, & Central American).   Learn more about solar animals here.

Other attributes and symbolic meaning of puma, (and it’s cousins the mountain lion, panther & cougar):

• Strength
• Nobility
• Patience
• Silence
• Decision
• Action
• Guardianship
• Leadership
• Self-assurance

Puma (or mountain lion or cougar) is symbolic of observation.  In the wild, this creature will stare at an object, unmoving, for what seems like an eternity.  Further, she does this with stillness, patience.  To those of us who heed the puma as a guide, we would take great care to observer our own lives with the kind of intese focus the puma does.

People who have identified the puma, mountain lion, and/or cougar as their animal totem are people who typically come into this world with a spiritual knowing.  Those who attract this animal totem have a deeper understanding of spiritual things.  They are very psychic, intuitive,  and  are likely to be artistically inclined.

Furthermore, the puma is a very protective energy.    If you have this creature as your animal totem, you are blessed to have such a fierce and aggressive guardian with you.   When called upon you will be amazed at the resourcefulness and assistance the puma can offer.

In closing, it is important to recognize the puma and it’s relatives are cats of sudden, vigorous action.  This being the case, those who share the puma as their totem should be mindful of their tendancy to lash out too quickly, or act out in haste.  Call upon the patience and observation of the puma before taking action in order to avoid quick and unsavory consequences.

Also see my entry on Bobcat Animal Totem meanings, and Tips on How to Identify Animal Totems 

The symbolic meaning of the Raven in Native American Indian lore describes the raven as a creature of metamorphosis, and symbolizes change/transformation.

In some tribes, the Raven is considered a trickster because of its transforming/changing attributes.

Often honored among medicine & holy men of tribes for its shape-shifting qualities, the Raven was called upon in ritual so that visions could be clarified.  Native holy men understood that what the physical eye sees, is not necessarily the truth, and he would call upon the Raven for clarity in these matters.

Foremost, the Raven is the Native American bearer of magic, and a harbinger of messages from the cosmos.  Messages that are beyond space and time are nestled in the midnight wings of the Raven and come to only those within the tribe who are worthy of the knowledge.

The Raven is also called upon in Native ritual for healing purposes. Specifically, the Raven is thought to provide long-distance healing.

The Raven is also a keeper of secrets, and can assist us in determining answers to our own “hidden” thoughts.  Areas in our lives that we are unwilling to face, or secrets we keep that harm us - the Raven can help us expose the truth behind these (often distorted) secrets and wing us back to health and harmony.

See also: Feather Symbolism in Native American Indian lore

The following is a response to a woman who wanted to know the symbolic meaning of a white deer as she had recently seen one on a nature walk.

Dear Deer Seer: 

All creatures are noble, and have profound messages to share with us. However, those animals that are white can be some of our most powerful teachers.

The Native Americans believed the occurance of a white animal was a huge sign of prophecy - a sign from the great spirit that a major shift in their world was to come. 

Usually, white animals were seen during soul-quests, or vision-quests.  However, if one was seen during the normal course of day, this would cause a tremendous ripple among the tribe.  A great meeting would be called, the elders would be consulted, and great care would be taken to communicate with the animal spirits to determine the meaning of the message.

Not much has changed over time, as you yourself recognize the special power of the white deer that comes to you - and wish to know more about it.

When white occurs in the animal realm it is a message of:

• higher thoughts
• higher ideals
• purity of soul
• cleansing of spirit
• attaining higher knowledge

Compound these attributes with the those that the Female deer represents:

• Benevolence
• Kindness
• Creativity
• Spirituality
• Renewal
• Connectedness

The Male deer holds the same representations, but also includes attributes of:

• Longevity
• Virility
• Abundance
• Endurance

The deer was/is a symbol to the Native Americans representative of the great spirit - a sign of the sun as its antlers spread like the sun’s rays.  The Native Americans also recognized the shedding and regrowth of the antlers and deemed this a symbol of regeneration, cycle, and growth.

Above all, we can recognize the sensitivity of the deer - alert, keen, and always aware - we can translate these qualities to of being spiritually aware - and this is why the deer is seen primarily as a spiritual symbol.

The fact that you were able to see this very powerful sign - the white deer - is a message that you are on a path of growth and expansion that will lead you in a direction beyond your wildest dreams.  The message of the white deer is one of “get ready.”

I encourage you contemplate this visitation, meditate upon it, and humbly ask the white deer to communicate its symbolic meaning with you as it pertains to your own persepctive.

Our animal friends are just as willing to communicate with us as we are with them.  All it takes is a open heart - and a willingness to be still enough to listen.

More on symbolic meanings of the deer can be found here.

Post script: Photo is from Velo Steve at Flickr.com

I got an email from a gentleman who was working on a tattoo and wanted a Native American symbol for seer, to which I respond:

Dear Marks Alot: 

There are a few symbolic elements you can incorporate into your clients tattoo to represent the Native American concept of “seer.”

Most plains tribes consider the Lynx & the Crow to be immaculate “seers.” They consider these creatures to be highly intuitive, and keeper of secrets.

It is believed that Higher Authorities within the tribe such as Medicine Men, or the Grandmother figure were able to speak to these creatures. 

The Lynx and Crow would only speak to those who were open and wise enough to receive their messages.  Further, it was said that these creatures would give messages to these specially developed tribe members - messages dealing with future events, and status of people among theirs and other tribes.

Another option are tracks.  Plains tribes placed enormous value on one who could “read sign.”  Accurately reading tracks was not just for hunters of the tribe (common misinformation).  Rather, those who could read the signs of tracks as well as the rhythm of the trees, the ways of the sun, moon, stars and seasons…members who could literally read the tracks of the Mother were viewed as true “seers” among the tribe.  

The primary symbolic meaning of Bear is that of reflection and self-observation.

Hibernation is also a form of self-reflection. We all need to undergo times during our day and our lives to do as the Bear does.

When we cross paths with the Bear, we should envelope ourselves temporarily in solitude and silence with a goal for rebirth and self-understanding.

The Bear showing up in our lives is also a symbol for play, and that we need to relax and allow for some creativity into our lives.  The more we allow ourselves to loosen up and have fun, the more our lives begin to take on a more light and lively perspective.

The Bear is one among the animal representatives within the Native American zodiac, and stands for practicality, level-headedness and generosity.

Bears often come to us in dreams too.  As dream symbols, bears represent calm, stoic strength. Bears also indicate a time of introspection. If you are dreaming of a bear sleeping or hibernating, this is a message to do a little soul searching before you present an idea to the world. If a bear is chasing you, this means you are avoiding a big issue in your life, and it is time to deal with it. If the bear is standing up, this is a sign you need to defend your beliefs.

Symbolic meaning of elephants, in general, deal with strength and patience.

To the Hindu’s, the elephant is found in the form of Ganesh who is the god of luck, fortune, and is a blessing upon all new projects.

In Christian lore the elephant is a symbol of temperance, patience, and chastity.  In Christian symbolic paintings, an illustration of an elephant seen stepping on a serpent is symbolic of Christ (the elephant) stamping out the presence of evil or satan (the snake).

In African ancient cultures the elephant symbol meaning pertained to:

• patience
• dignity
• pride
• royalty
• strength
• honor

In Asia the elephant is considered a symbol of:

• happiness
• longevity
• good luck

Some Asian cultures also believe the elephant is a cosmic creature, and carries the world upon it’s back (much like the tortoise does in some tribal Native American myths).

We gather more symbolic meaning of elephant by observing it in nature.  Specifically, the elephant is considered a symbol of responsibility because it takes great care and responsibility of its offspring as well as their elders.

The Elephant also has immense determination and loyalty - always standing up for others and always defending members of the group in its natural habitat.

Elephants also express advanced sensitivity and social connection, particularly during time of death - they travel to a specific place upon their death - fulfilling personal responsibility - even at the end of their days.

Primarily, magpie symbolic meanings deal with expression.  This is due to the wide range and variability of her vocalizations.  Her song, which is more like an other-worldly chatter is a unique and specialized communication in the animal world.  Her voice has often been said to communicate messages from the spirit realm.

To further this point, in the west, the magpie is associated with witchcraft and wizardry.  Lore often depicts the magpie among witches, and there are claims that this bird (along with the crow) commonly serves as a familiar (spirit embodied in the form of an animal) to the witch.

This legend was likely started due to the complex vocalizations of the bird, as there are also other stories that the magpie was said to speak spells to witches and wizards.

The magpie persists in the lore of witches and wizards due to her insatiable attraction to all things shiny.  Just like the crow (of which the magpie shares the same family in the animal kingdom) the magpie will go out of her way to get a closer look at a shiny, sparkly bauble, and will often steal the trinket.  Lore further states the magpie taking these baubles back to her master (typically a witch or wizard).

For more information on magpie symbolism, visit my Magpie Symbolic Meanings webpage.  

The Heron or Egret is symbolic in many cultures.

In Egypt the Heron is honored as the creator of light.  A double headed Heron in Egypt is symbolic of prosperity.

As a Chinese symbol the Heron represents strength, purity, patience and long life.

In Africa, the Heron was thought to communicate with the Gods.

Most Native American tribes took note of the heron’s inquisitiveness, curiosity and determination.  As such this set the heron as a symbol of wisdom in that this creature seemed to have good judgement skills.

Specifically, the Iroquois tribe held the blue heron as a very good omen, a very lucky sign.  They recongnized the heron as an expert fisher/hunter.  As such, they believed that sighting a heron before a hunt was a sign that the hunt would be a good one.

As a water creature the heron is also a symbol of going with the flow, and working with the elements of Mother nature rather than struggling against her.

The heron is a beautiful creature, exhibiting grace, and noble stature. It’s no wonder the Native Indians and ancients honored the heron throughout the centuries.

More thoughts on animal symbolism can be found here.