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Animal as Spirit/Symbol/Archtype?
4 years ago
It is easy for me to assume here on FA (animal fans, what's that?!), but I thought it would be fun to ask. How many of you find animals important as spiritual/symbolic/archetypal figures? And I mean more than just a species to pick in a character design (which is totally a totally valid expression of appreciation), but as an avenue of ... personal revelation?
For me, the spiritual/symbolic component has always been inherent to my view and appreciation of animals. But I also think this way about the pursuit of art, and it really shocked me in college when I met people who's ultimate art goals were working for Blizzard. A fine goal, but hard for me to wrap my head-around as the be-all, end-all purpose to master the craft. For me, I need more.
And recently I got to wondering about how other people who love animals might relate to them, the same or differently.
How about you?
For me, the spiritual/symbolic component has always been inherent to my view and appreciation of animals. But I also think this way about the pursuit of art, and it really shocked me in college when I met people who's ultimate art goals were working for Blizzard. A fine goal, but hard for me to wrap my head-around as the be-all, end-all purpose to master the craft. For me, I need more.
And recently I got to wondering about how other people who love animals might relate to them, the same or differently.
How about you?
I wanted to be an animal when I was a kid. And I never really stopped. XD But I am more appreciative of being human, now. Like making art!
I guess it's more of a secular space, primarily because I'm never really been a very spiritual person....at least not in the typical organized sense. I'm trying to be more open-minded in that regard... But I've definitely tried to make it look like an altar/shrine. I have animal figurines and art through my entire house, but this particular shelf is set up with candles, crystals, even a little "offering" jar of catnip, etc.
(And I'm working on making a cat design for my next tattoo - I currently have small ferret, skunk, and swallow tattoos.)
I don't believe in supernatural symbols attached to animals. But my interest in them is also still kind of rooted in a desperation for gods and something beyond my life. Animals show an amazing variety of possible life experience and make me feel less alone in the universe. Animals are our neighbor aliens.
I used to feel alone (most of my life) until a few years ago when I went through a lot of major life changes. I can't really explain it, but I just started becoming aware of all the generations before me who had gone through the same or similar trials. How many of them made choices with a mind toward future generations they would never meet, including me. Somewhere in that, I stopped feeling alone, but supported by those countless, unknown people who came before me.
/rant <3
I am one of those people that has a -lot- of animals, but I think that is largely because much of my personal symbols are animal-oriented more so than anything else. I know lots of folks work with symbols of mainstream religions, elements, dieties, horoscopes, or Jungian archtypes. If I relied as heavily on those symbol sets, I might rely less so on animal imagery. <3
I love crows from a religious standpoint. I'm pagan and while they aren't my totem (I think I actually have a plant totem, lol), they've popped up before related to that.
I also have just love of deer. I'm not entirely sure if it's just what I jokingly call a "love-obsession" with them or if there's something more but it's a strong reaction to them a lot of times.
Hmmm ... and once had a small connection with a puma during a guided meditation deal. But not sure if it was actually puma or took the shape of something relevant at the time to deliver the message, if that makes sense. (Basically to embrace a part of me I was hesitant on exploring.)