The Elephant in Spirituality: History & Meaning

Animal Totem: Elephant

What does the elephant symbolize as a totem animal?

People born with the elephant totem are naturally responsible and must be accountable, even when they are young. You will be required to take care of the elders of your tribe as well as the children, especially if something triggers your defenses.

When one member of a herd of elephants is injured, the others risk their lives to bring their comrade to safety. If you have chosen the elephant as your animal totem, this powerful animal's sense of duty can help you and those to whom you are loyal survive.

When you have a Totem of Elephant, sociability is essential to your well-being.Connectedness is in your nature, not only with people, but also with the animal kingdom. Note that this is not the proverbial “butterfly” type social interaction. The elephant is sensitive, determined and faithful to the circle it forms.

One of the great gifts of your Elephant Totem is the ability to overcome challenges and blockages at the same time. 'helped by its enormous tusks. Interestingly, elephants not only use their tusks to move through the brush, but also to dig up food. You are, like your Totem, a natural provider who uses confidence, persistence and commitment as tools to "earn your keep", including to nourish the spiritual nature.

Elephant Animal of power

What does the elephant represent as an animal of power?

There are many situations in which you can call upon theelephant as a power animal. One of them is conflict and quarrels within the family.The elephant gives you the empathy to see all sides and build a harmonious bridge.

Another good application of elephant energy is to help you trace your heritage. In this world, your family tree and your ancestors are part of what creates your reality and your tribal dynamic. In the spiritual world, your past lives contain lessons that can resolve current questions or struggles, or guide you in your decisions. Let the Elephant help you on these paths.

Finally, invoke the elephant as a power animal when you need help in calling upon ancient wisdom and messages from the Divine. Due to their size and gray color, elephants have long been compared to clouds. Elephant energy can help you discover the secrets and esoteric knowledge hidden in these celestial mists.

For some, the elephant, as a power animal, can be the patient and loving driving force that brings others back on track. Indeed, in some folklore, the elephant is said to help others navigate the forest and find their way.

How are you guided through a confusing tangle of decisions? The elephant may be trying to help you find your way.

In some cultures, the elephant can also symbolize libido and virility. You may need to pay attention to your strength, endurance, and even your prolific creativity.

Native American symbolism of the elephant

What does the elephant symbolize in Native American cultures?

Remember that elephants are not native to North America. So instead of drawing a direct meaning from it in this culture, we can look to a similar creature, the woolly mammoth, and a mythical creature that seems to resemble the mammoth in some ways.

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The Native American legends surrounding the mammoth are complex. Many tribes had legends of a "giant stiff-legged bear" which is sometimes associated with the Mammoth and therefore with the universal symbolism of the Elephant.

When tribes in southeastern America first saw African elephants, their first reaction was to use the same term as to describe the giant stiff-legged bear.

According to tradition, the giant stiff-legged bear was carnivorous and fed on human beings. The elephant connection is less obvious, as the elephant is vegetarian and certainly does not eat humans. Furthermore, according to some accounts, the mythical creature of Native American tradition did not have a trunk, but had an appearance and gait similar to those of the mammoth and the elephant.

This creature was called by several different names, including "stiff-legged", "giant bear", "man-eater", "hairless bear" and "bare bear".

Among the stories concerning this creature are stories of encounters between Stiff Paw/Big Bear and Rabbit. In these stories, the Rabbit uses his wit and energy to distract Big Bear and spare the lives of the villagers.

Although there are some parallels between the mammoth and the elephant and these references to the stiff leg, it is unclear whether the natives were actually describing the symbolism associated with the mammoth or whether they were using stories based on remains of the mammoth found much later, or even if they were inspired by ancestral collective memories. Some associate the Mammoth with a connection to ancestral wisdom and the past.

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When working with the elephant or mammoth, you may be tapping into ancient forces or being called to heal past wounds or losses. You may be connecting to ancestral archetypes and needing to heal epigenetic trauma and wounds.

Just as the extinction of the mammoth preceded many indigenous civilizations, you may be called to cope to losses or trauma experienced by previous generations. What wisdom can you draw from collective and ancestral memories?

According to some, the parts of a mammoth's remains were associated with strength and fertility. As languages ​​and cultures evolved and knowledge of elephants crossed the ocean, a plant known as "elephant ear" was also used as a medicinal tea by the Cheyenne.

Christian symbolism of the elephant

What does the elephant symbolize in Christian art or stories?

The elephant symbolizes patience, wisdom, grace, and temperance in Christianity. He embodies the mercy and strength of Christ, associated with the Christ-like personality. Its size and strength evoke prayer and faith in God.

A famous story tells how a mouse tricked the elephants into moving, showing that even the greatest appearance does not make one invincible. The elephant represents greatness, a challenge or a blessing, symbolically linked to God and the universe, reminding us of our connection to all creation, including the Divine

African symbolism of the elephant

When the elephant visits your dreams, it often means that you have overcome an obstacle, especially in your relationships. You may also have to take on a new role of responsibility in your family.

The meaning of elephant in dreams may vary depending on your cultural association with this majestic animal. Elephants can symbolize strength and virility. In many cultures, the meaning of the elephant is associated with luck and manifestation, the removal of obstacles and success.

What does the elephant symbolize in dreams across cultures?

Everything from luck to overcoming hardship to the death of a leader, depending on the cultural group involved. In some Hebrew cultures, dreaming of an elephant with a saddle was considered a good omen, indicating that something positive was about to happen. Carl Jung believed that the elephant in dreams was a symbol of the Self.

Symbolic meanings of the Far Eastern elephant

What do elephants symbolize in oriental cultures? 

The elephant is a major symbol in China, India and Japan, holding great spiritual and cultural importance. It is associated with nobility, mediation, victory in war, strength, vitality, wisdom, and intelligence.

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In various religions, it is linked to deities and mythical figures, such as Ganesh in Hinduism. Elephants are also associated with fertility omens and rituals. They symbolize protection, luck, prosperity, and joy of life, reminding people to rediscover their cheerful inner nature.

Elephant Tattoo Meaning

An elephant tattoo can have many meanings.

Perhaps the wearer of this art simply loves the beauty of elephants and wants to pay homage to this fascinating animal . But it can also be a tattoo connecting the wearer to their ancestral link or to the power, nobility, strength and gentleness of their personality.

An elephant tattoo can also connect you to cultural values ​​of community, mercy, healing and love. Elephants are often associated with mourning, as they ritually mourn their dead. Getting an elephant tattoo can be a way to commemorate a profound loss.

If you are trying to stay connected to your strength, wisdom, and sense of nobility, you may consider adorning your body with elephant tattoos. an elephant tattoo to remind you of the strengths you have within you.

A tattoo of specific deities related to the elephant can also have additional meanings. A Ganesha tattoo, for example, can remind you of your ability to overcome obstacles and lead the way when you must navigate through difficulties. Your prosperity and potential for success can also be enhanced by getting a tattoo of this sacred elephant-headed god.

Get a tattoo of a Baku, the mythical creature with the head of an elephant and the body of a tiger , can remind you that you walk both in the intellectual, esoteric and intuitive realm of dreams and in the earthly world of the physical world.

For some people of African descent, an elephant tattoo can have deep sacred meaning, helping them feel connected to their ancestral culture.

Spiritual meaning of the elephant

The elephant spirit animal can represent many aspects of yourself or your journey. For some, the elephant was associated with laziness or sluggishness due to its slow, heavy pace.

The elephant is associated with love, loyalty and healing. Elephants are known to be loyal to their matriarchal social groups and therefore connection to the Divine Feminine and your matrilineal ancestors can be associated with the elephant.

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The elephant can call you to nourish your network and your community. Are you working to treat wounds and heal old trauma and supporting loved ones who need your strength and patience?

Are you called to act as a wisdom keeper? Using your memory and intelligence to preserve the tales and traditions of your ancestors and elders can be part of the spiritual significance of the elephant.

As the elephant was also used to carrying powerful people such as cultural leaders and royalty, it is associated with grand parades and displays of luxury and power. On a spiritual level, the meaning of the elephant may be related to conveying status or humble service.

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Additionally, according to this tradition, the elephant spirit animal can represent a pillar of strength to others. Who do you carry nobly on your shoulders? Are you the pillar of support and strength of the important people in your life?

Your ideas or talents can "carry" influential people and when you work with the elephant, you may be called to supporting others who enjoy status and respect in society. The elephant doesn't steal the show. Rather, the Elephant does the heavy lifting that benefits others.

The spiritual meaning and symbolism of the elephant is also related to perception, including the potential to perceive different aspects of a situation based on your specific point of view at any given time. The story of two blind men who touch different parts of an elephant and describe a completely different animal, so to speak, illustrates this.

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Are you faced with something so vast and big that you can't automatically grasp the big picture? Perhaps what is most important to you right now is just the trunk, or leg, of the enormous elephant.

If you choose to be patient, the situation may change. reveal very different from what you initially perceived. It can remind you that perception is important and so is being open-minded.

Elephants are famous for many things, including their grieving process as a community. Their mourning rituals are quite complex. The elephants solemnly and silently touch the body of the deceased. They cover the body of the deceased with leaves, as a makeshift burial. They also stay close to the deceased for a long time, as if watching over them.

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Is there an unresolved hurt or loss that you need to take care of? If you have had to deal with grief or loss, the elephant can help you through this process. The elephant can remind you that you may need to face loss with reverence and courage rather than glossing over it or distracting yourself from it.