Animal symbolism has been around for thousands of years and there’s a lot that we can learn from it. Animals can teach us a lot about our way of life. Take the cute little squirrel. Aside from teaching us the true meaning of the word adorable, they also represent being very hard-working creatures.
As well as that the Squirrel represents a lot more. Take a look below to see some of the different and intriguing meanings of the squirrel.
Symbolism and Meaning
The symbolism behind squirrels is interesting. On the one hand, they’re seen as fun-loving, carefree, and playful creatures. But let’s not forget they also have a logical side.
Squirrels are known for collecting and storing nuts, which is a key part of their symbolism. Because of that squirrels represent being logical and practical in important matters.
If you see a squirrel then there are many different meanings you could derive from it. Take which one you think best applies to your situation.
First off seeing a squirrel could mean you need to fix up your work/life balance.
Squirrels may be logical but remember that they’re also playful creatures too, and you may need to work on being either more playful or more logical.
Seeing a squirrel could also mean you need to be more cautious in a situation.
Squirrels are naturally wary of new people, and perhaps there’s a new situation in your life that you need to approach thoughtfully. It could also mean that the practical matters in your life need more attention.
One of the more on-the-nose meanings behind seeing a squirrel could be that you need to look at your hoarding situation. Squirrels are natural gatherers.
They stockpile and hide nuts for the whole of winter. This doesn’t mean you need to look at your nut pile.
Metaphorically look at the things you’re hoarding around you, do you need to get rid of things, or do you have too few things around you?
Spirit Animal
A spirit animal is an animal that metaphorically represents your soul. In the past, certain cultures believed that everyone is born with a spirit animal.
This animal is charged with guiding and protecting you in this life, and whenever you see your spirit animal it’s a sign from the universe.
Having a squirrel for a spirit animal means you should relax. These cute little critters represent letting your hair down.
As spirit guides, they are there to teach you to have fun while also being prepared. Squirrel spirit guides make it easier to balance your dual nature of logic and fun.
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Totem Animal
A totem animal is similar to a spirit animal but it is specific to Native American culture. A totem animal is an animal that is sent to guide you and is intrinsically linked to your spirit.
Totem just means any animal, object, or belief that is spiritual and sacred to you. However, traditionally you don’t get to choose your totem animal.
Your totem animal usually chooses you. In Native American culture, this is done through a totem ceremony.
Children of a squirrel totem are always prepared. Much like the squirrel they can dip between being serious and being playful.
Though you may be wary of people, people are often drawn to you and your endearing charms. But don’t be fooled, for as charming and sweet as you can be, people with a squirrel totem are calculating and smart.
Like a squirrel, you are also excellent at multitasking. Although this presents a common challenge too. Squirrel totem people should work on focusing on a single task before going on to another one.
Power Animal
Much like a totem animal, a power animal is there to guide you. They can often appear in your visions or dreams.
If you’ve got a squirrel for a power animal then that means you share a lot of similar traits to the creature.
The best one you embody is the ability to save things. Like a squirrel hoards nuts, you can save anything you choose. In particular, you’re great at saving things like money, treasures, even memories.
Squirrel Native American Symbolism
Native American culture is rich in its storytelling and symbolism. It is believed that the squirrel actually got its stripes when, long ago, the furry little critter was taunting a big bear.
In anger, the bear struck the squirrel and that’s how it got the stripes down its back.
In Native American culture, the squirrel represents a vault of energy, constantly building up its arsenal and being incredibly prepared.
With one eye on the future and one at the moment, the squirrel represents the duality of being able to be carefree because of how vigilant you are.
In Native American culture different types of squirrels actually represent different things. They believe the black squirrel is an omen of an eclipse, and can actually be a negative omen.
Whereas the nocturnal flying squirrel represents having faith and believing in your dreams.
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Squirrel Christianity Symbolism
Though the bible may not mention anything specific about squirrels, there’s a lot about squirrels that relate to the bible.
Because squirrels are so indicative of being prepared and working hard, they relate to a lot of bible verses.
Proverbs 20:4 Those too lazy to plough in the right season will have no food in the harvest. Relating to our little buddy, squirrels are known for storing their nuts in the right season so they don’t starve during the winter.
On a more metaphorical level that essentially means doing the work at the right time so you can reap the benefits of it later on. A lesson we should all take note of.
Squirrel Dreams
Dreams are a hotly debated topic. There are those people who view them as a nightly brain dump, and others who are sure that they are deeper communication from the subconscious mind.
There’s no doubt that people can often have similar dreams. Have you ever had that dream where you’re running but moving incredibly slowly and it just feels like so much effort to move?
Well according to dream interpretation that means you lack confidence.
Having a squirrel in your dream has its very own interpretation, and it all depends on the behavior of the squirrel. If the squirrel comes across as very playful and friendly, it could indicate that you’re working too hard.
You need to lighten up and have some more fun.
Whereas if the squirrel is busy in your dream, perhaps it’s searching for nuts or just running around everywhere, then it indicates that you need to get busy. You need to start preparing for something in your life, quickly.
Alternatively, seeing a squirrel gathering nuts in the dream, and being able to see the pile of nuts, can indicate a lucky turn of events.
Far Eastern Squirrel Symbolic meaning
As well as representing working hard, squirrels are also a symbol of fertility in far eastern culture. In particular, the flying squirrel. There’s an old Japanese folktale that goes if a husband and wife cannot conceive then the husband should locate a flying squirrel.
He should then kill, chop, and boil it while saying a special fertility prayer for conception over it. Then he should feed it to his wife WITHOUT telling her it’s a squirrel.
There’s an emphasis that the wife shouldn’t know she’s eating a squirrel. Probably because if she did know her husband was feeding her squirrel then there’d definitely be no babies.
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Squirrel Tattoo Meaning
Tattoos can often be deeply personal and spiritual to an individual. A tattoo is an artistic representation of yourself.
Having a squirrel for a tattoo generally represents someone who is lively and playful, friendly and cute. They represent an overall air of innocence and thoughtfulness.
Squirrel Spiritual Meaning
Because of how hard-working squirrels are, spiritually they represent perseverance. The ability to keep going despite difficulties and never give up, knowing that one day all their hard work will pay off.
It takes a certain kind of strength to be able to do that, a strength of spirit and character which the squirrel is abundant in.
Seeing a squirrel cross your path in real life actually has its own meaning. Should this happen, it means the universe is trying to tell you not to give up or give in.
Keep going with whatever you’re doing and keep trying to achieve it, because eventually it will be yours.
Squirrel In Astrology & Zodiac Signs
The squirrel is a type of primal zodiac sign. Your primal zodiac sign depends on your Sun zodiac sign and the year you were born.
For example, a taurus born in the year of the rat will have a primal zodiac sign of the squirrel.
People with this primal zodiac sign embody many traits of the squirrel, and not all of them are good.
While they are incredibly hard working and focused, sometimes they can get tunnel vision and are too focused.
One of the biggest challenges for the squirrel zodiacs in astrology is that they can sometimes get so focused on their careers that they neglect their personal lives.
Some famous squirrels are Mark Zuckerburg, Busta Rhymes, Dwayne Johnson, Carmen Electra, Bono, and even William Shakespeare.
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Hawaiian, African, & Greek Myth & Symbolic Meanings
Squirrels are sacred among many cultures, partly because they are adorable but also because they provide a service to the world.
They eat nuts, yes, but the important nuts are the nuts they bury and forget. These eventually blossom into trees.
In fact, in Hawaii squirrels predate the arrival of the Polynesians, and it’s amazing to think about how many trees they’re responsible for the growth of on that island.
In Greek mythology squirrels belong to the goddess of the hunt, Artemis, because of how quick-footed they are and the fact that they are excellent scavengers.
Squirrels in Cuban & African Folklore
Cuban and African folklore when it comes to squirrels, is very intriguing. Most intriguing of all is probably their shared folktale of the squirrel and the spider.
A hard working squirrel once built a farm, sowing the seeds, tending to the crops, and waiting patiently for the harvest.
The farm was big and bountiful, however, since the squirrel could climb easily he built no roadways leading to the farm.
Then one day a spider found the farm. Seeing no roadway he built one and then proceeded to steal all the crops. Squirrel tried to stop him, claiming it was his farm, but spider laughed.
Since spider built the roadway, the law stated the farm was his. So he stole the crops and headed to the market to sell them.
But just then the rain began and spider had to take shelter, leaving the crops on the road. Once the rain cleared, spider returned to the crops, only to find them sheltered by a raven.
The raven mocked the spider when he asked for his crops back. Whoever leaves crops on the road? Raven said they were his and stole the stolen crops.
Moral of the story? Crime never pays.
Australian Squirrel Symbolism
Unlike in Hawaii, where squirrels predate people, humans actually introduced squirrels into the Australian wildlife. As such, in Australia squirrels symbolize being very adaptive.
Squirrel Symbolic Meanings
The squirrel can mean a lot symbolically, but essentially it is representative of the following:
- Preparedness
- Perseverance
- Liveliness
- Fun
- Focus
- Practicality
- Playfulness
- Energeticness
- Balance
Any of these symbolic meanings of a squirrel can apply to you, based on what you know about yourself and your life.
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Conclusion
Whether it’s about symbolism or literalism, there’s no denying that squirrels are boss.
If you’re lucky enough to have a squirrel as a guide, or even have one cross your path, make sure you take heed of their warnings.
You never know, it could be the thing that changes your life for the better. Especially since squirrels are considered so lucky.
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