It is always amazing to see a fox. Even though they are common place enough around our towns, cities, suburbs and forests, they are rarely seen. Still very occasionally, you will find you wandering through a moorland. While the wind sweeps along rustling the dry brush as it passes, you catch a glimpse of a bushy tail and amber eyes watching you.
You may even catch a look at its narrow snout and canine grin. But in the blink of an eye, the fox vanishes, and you are left alone.
Foxes are mysterious creatures. Unlike their relatives, dogs and wolves, they are not seen as familial creatures. They are not loyal companions nor are they pack animals with fearsome reputations. Yet, they still hold a special spiritual place in a lot of cultures. And, there are many stories about them, both in ancient folklore and in modern day.
The stories about them are full of meaning. Yet the animals themselves present as little more than arcane tricksters, always out to make themselves grin. However, it would be foolish to only consider their tomfoolery their only trait. There is a lot more to them than meets the eye, especially in the realm of symbolism and spiritual significance.
There are a lot of meanings to the fox in the symbolism used to represent the animal. However two of the most common are cunning and elusiveness. The fox moves silently and be so acclimatized to the places it lives in. It is rarely seen unless it wants to be.
In a way, cats can be a good comparison to foxes in how we view them. But, we often see cats as urban and erudite individuals who will come forth when the time is right. Meanwhile, foxes while being just as erudite are far wilder. They prefer to remain exclusively as observers and enjoying the world from the shadows rather than in the spotlight.
Although mysterious, they are almost universally seen as very intelligent and observant. They are often brilliant, and regularly outwit opponents, despite being unable to match them physically.
A great example of this is in Aesop’s fables with the story of ‘the Old lion and the fox’. Whereby the fox was able to avoid being eaten. Simply through noticing that there were only footprints leading into the lion’s cave. But never any out.
This type of occurrence is frequently shown when looking at the symbolism of the fox. They always use their brains to fight on their terms rather than submit to their opponents wishes.
Lastly, foxes are seen as bold and intrepid. These creatures like to joke and are wary in most of the folklore about them. But, they are not easily deterred. Even the fiercest of beasts have found themselves being the butt of a fox’s barbs while in close proximity.
This fearlessness makes even celestial beings take notice of this small, wily animal. Thus, they have ensured a special place in many spirits and human hearts.
Fox: Spirit Animal
Being a smart and incredibly adaptable creature, the fox will appear as a spirit animal in times of upheaval. Especially ones where you are not reacting well to the change. We, as people, are used to adapting when we are young. Then settling into our comfortable routines throughout the rest of our lives.
However, the world does not care for comfort or routine. It is in a state of constant flux and unfortunately that happens to our lives as well. During these times a fox may appear before us and advise our actions. Encouraging us to act in response to these changes. But – in classic fox fashion – will concern us to be wary and wise while doing so.
The fox also appear when we are sucked too deep into work and forgotten about the joys of the world. It is a naturally playful animal and will seek to release us from our desks. The fox will help you realize the comfort of simple joy. It hopes to free you from the responsibilities of your life, at least for a time.
Yet, you should still be wary of the fox. Although its intentions are good, you can still be sucked into playing too much and shirk responsibilities. Everything in moderation, even advice from spirit animals. Aside from that though, the fox brings much joy and laughter, so – if you can – you should welcome them in.
Being born with a fox totem animal, you should consider yourself lucky. You will always have preparation for dangerous or tricky situations. Your observation skills will always be at a high level to the point where people may start considering it disturbing.
There are going to be very few points in your life where you will be tricked or conned successfully. Only those who you trust implicitly could potentially get away with something like that.
Thanks to this supernatural awareness, your actions are confident, swift, and graceful. You react as your totem animal would and can do so in almost any situation. Each new obstacle is just a new challenge on the grand stage of life. However you may chafe under constant routine and mediocrity.
People with the fox totem also resemble their animal in humor. These people tend to be less serious and see life as a series of ebbs and flows. They enjoy a good laugh and playing harmless tricks more than anyone. But, will always feel bad if their pranks cause problems.
Still, their love of enjoying life can be taken to extremes. Fox people can be prone to difficulties with taking problems seriously and social discretion. The fox as a totem animal normally means that the person is a very quick thinker and determined. They always find a way to achieve their goals and come out on top of any situation.
Fox: Power Animal
The fox is a great power animal to have, as its abilities are useful in most aspects of human life. It has the ability to see through difficult situations and discern the right path to take. All thanks to intelligent nature. Such is great for the relationships in your life and provide personal solutions you never thought of before.
The fox can also help your emotionally trying times, especially when life seems to have lost all of its color. It lets you see the world as it truly is but lets you take solace in the joy that you can have and helps bring laughter back into your life.
The fox can also be a great power animal for those who do not themselves have power. Its high intelligence, observant nature, and intrepid spirit makes it the perfect mentor in guiding through perfect lateral solutions to your problems without fighting or using physical force. You may even find the fox’s solution better than the others you have seen.
Fox: Native American Symbolism
There are thousands of different interpretations of the fox in Native American culture and lore, but the most defining are those amongst the northern tribes and the Moche people of Peru.
To the northern tribes of eastern Canada, the fox is a messenger of the gods, who punishes arrogant people with tricks and pranks and rewards determined individuals by giving them solutions to their problems.
To the Moche people, the fox was a great warrior who would never fight with physical attacks or martial arts, instead only using its mind to succeed against far stronger opponents. In all the lore from the Native American cultures, the fox is depicted as completely benevolent and only harms those who are deserving of punishment.
Animals have always held a deep significance in Celtic lore, both continental and insular. The fox is no different, having been seen as an important spirit guide that knew the forest better than any other creature.
They say foxes are shape-shifters, who could take any form in order to move unnoticed, play pranks, socialize, or more commonly observe the world as they wanted.
The fox can be able to move through the mortal world and the spirit world as they saw fit. Their familiarity with both seemed to never bother them, and they reveled in their ethereal nature, providing advice or wisdom to whomever they saw fit, even if it meant angering higher powers.
In Scottish Celtic tales this is further shown as the fox was always seen as the trickster figure, especially in the ‘The Morall Fabillis of Esope the Phrygian’, which is an ode to Aesop’s tales and mostly features a wily fox called Lowrence.
Far Eastern Fox Symbolic Meaning
Foxes feature heavily in Chinese, Korean, and Japanese folklore, where they are incredibly powerful spirits that are very mischievous and incredibly wily that can take on human forms, which are often female.
In Japan, their importance was taken a step further where they are closely linked with Inari, one of the most significant and powerful Shinto kami (kami meaning god in Japanese), and served this kami as its messengers, regularly moving between the mortal and spirit world.
These types of foxes, known as Kitsune, were considered very powerful and their power was directly referenced by the number of tails that they had – more tails equals an older, wiser, and more powerful Kitsune.
The foxes of Japan seem to be deeply individualistic, with some portrayed as loving and benevolent companions while others are malicious tricksters who only seek to sow chaos, making them a very divisive spirit to the Japanese people.
Fox: Dreams
Dreams and nightmares can be difficult places to be. They are not really places you can plan for and a lot of things are seemingly random, as such these problems make the fox the perfect companion for traversing this problematic realm.
They are great at reading the situation, no matter how obscure or confusing it may be, and will frequently enter the dreams of those who are struggling with situations in their life, particularly those regarding relationships.
Likewise, they will advise you to proceed with caution, but will help you proceed nonetheless, always with a calm, clear focus on what is happening around you.
If the fox has particular features in the dream, take note, as they may be indicators of what you need to do. If you notice anything particular about the fox’s eyes or ears, be more observant of people close to you in your daily life, take a step back and watch as they speak or act and see if you can pick up on any changes that may be happening, especially in the tone of their voice.
The different styles of tattoos and the cultural influences that go into them can affect how they are perceived, however the two traits that are universally seen to embody fox tattoos are their cunning nature and a slyness.
Their love of mischief and ability to be roguish while still charming will be conveyed onto your body with a beautiful fox tattoo.
Beyond this, you can depict any number of the other traits people view foxes as having with how you design the tattoo, even going through cultural influences to make the perfect body art. If you wanted wisdom and spirituality, a Celtic fox might be the way to go, but if you wanted a deceitful cunning animal, then maybe a more Nordic or Greek style might better suit your tattoo.
With hundreds of designs and cultures to choose from, it is very easy to make a tattoo that you will love.
Fox: Spiritual Meaning
The spiritual significance of the fox is regularly tied to its wily and adaptable nature. It is seen as a clever creature who moves between worlds and enjoys playing games with mortals, although these games are rarely vindictive.
Despite being an ethereal being that makes its home in multiple realms and has a habit of pranking people, the fox is actually quite a noble spirit, regularly making games just to experience the joy of others beating them.
It also is more than willing to provide advice and comfort to those who are willing to listen, and transports spiritual messages at other people’s requests. Even so, it is a creature that knows the pain of longevity and has seen the world change.
It revels in joy and laughter, because it knows how brief joy can be and how quickly it can be replaced with hardship and pain. It is a spirit that will always try to bring joy, even if it seems hopeless to do so.
Astrology dictates that those born under the sign of the fox, no matter the culture, are charismatic and humorous. They have a deep love for people and require a community to function properly, even if that community is spread far, and they rarely see them, having the knowledge of community in their heart is enough.
They love to crack jokes but are quite capable of taking a step back to think through a problem or work to the heart of a solution.
In Native American astrology, if you were born between November 23rd and December 21st, you fall under the sign of the red fox, and you are a person who loves to socialize. In Celtic Astrology, if you were born between May 13th and June 9th, you were born under the sign of the Fox and as well as being charismatic and social, you are a good guide to others and find yourself drawn to the mystic arts.
Fox: Symbolic Meanings
– Cunning.
– Intelligence.
– Elusiveness.
– Observance.
– Awareness.
– Critical thinking.
– Mysticism.
– Spirituality.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Does The Color Of A Fox Mean Spiritually?
A brown fox will have a nurturing energy and will be strongly inclined to protect family and friends. A black fox indicates a deep spirituality, bringing subconscious beliefs to the conscious mind. A gray or silver fox conveys energy and the exploration of the dream realm, people who are attuned to the gray or silver fox may have more connection to psychic phenomenon.
Finally, a white fox shows transformation and clairvoyance. Many of those with a connection to the white fox have a divine connection to another spiritual being and can often feel beyond the veil.
Conclusion
The fox is neutrally aligned in most cultures, either being considered benevolent or malicious, however it is always held in the deepest respect. This is because of the knowledge they have and the observations they make about the world, the only difficulty is getting the information from them as they will likely want you to win it in their games.
However, if they have taken a shine to you then you should always follow their advice, as their knowledge can be far more valuable than another’s physical power.
Diane has always been interested in spirituality and self-improvement. She is a happy and outgoing person. She started her spiritual journey with Chandra while looking for tools to bring positivity to their lives. She boosts her mind with self-care and affirmations. However, she also knows what crystals to wear based on her feelings. She also practices the law of attraction.
