Animal Guardians and Symbolism

Although I have touched on the symbolism of certain animals in my previous posts, there are a wealth of animals, whose powers and attributes could be passed to the wearers of an amulet of talisman in their likeness or made from some part of them. You can find an animal to represent any aspect of yourself you would like to enhance and focus on or to protect you from any type of negative occurrence. I admire Karin Roy’s take on suing animal symbolism so rather than using the lists of totem animals or shamanistic spirit animals, so prevalent on the internet, I have comprised a list of my own, with animals who’s “powers” could be attributes that we would like to cultivate or that could protect us in modern day situations. The one animal amulet I own of is the dragonfly, which symbolises transformation and elevation through learning, understanding, and growth.

The jellyfish Turritopsis nutricula, is almost immortal. At times of stress, it can turn itself back into a polyp, effectively turning back time, there seems to be no limit to how many times it can do this transformation. this could be a representation for seeking the child within us or remaining young at heart as well as the obvious power of longevity.

The sea cucumber is a lesson in fluidity, to get through a small space, it can transform into a liquid, then back into solid again. It may also hod the secret in maintaining collagen elasticity.

The platypus has an extra awareness of other living things nearby by using electrolocation, it picks up the tiny electrical signals in the muscles. The platypus has evolved to be perfectly adapted to his surroundings with totally unique solutions.

The Rhinoceros beetle has super strength and can lift many times his own weight, the male shows great courage and perseverance when it comes to wrestling an opponent. The Dung beetle is also strong and shows perseverance, it uses the moon and stars to navigate when pushing it’s dung ball to its nest.

Salamanders and axolotls have the best self healing powers, they can regenerate and regrow parts of their bodies and even parts of their internal organs.

Sloths are also very fast healers and have an incredible immune system. perhaps some people may be offended, though if presented with a sloth as an amulet, I will have to research this further! I wouldn’t, I am particularly fond of them.

The female box turtle, packages the males sperm inside her shell until the time is right, she then fertilises herself. The power to judge the right time for life-changing decisions is to be applauded.

Chitons cling to rocks in the pudding surf like limpets. They have a hard armour to protect them. They have hardiness and tenacity in the face of adversity and rough times.

Hen chicks chirp to alert siblings to food being available, so they can share in it, this selfless act helps to ensure survival of the whole family.

The Ibycus Rachel, also known as the ninja slug, has a small shell, not big enough to crawl into but has a long tail, which it wraps around itself to sleep. It is also the cupid of the slug world, shooting darts which secrete hormones at potential mates.

Hummingbirds are the most manoeuvrable fliers in the bird world, able to flit from one place to another at amazing speeds and agility They have an ability to sniff out the sweeter things in life and stamina enough to fly 500 miles non-stop. A talisman for the busiest of people.

The salmon uses the earth’s magnetic field to guide it back to it’s exact place of spawning after years at sea. An amulet to give to a loved one who is off travelling the world.

Feel that I have not quite exhausted this subject and will probably add to it as I find interesting animals to add. The animals I have chosen for their aesthetic appeal as wells their attributes. They are all creatures which will be interesting to interpret into jewellery.

Charms and Protection for Fertility, Childbirth and Infants

This is another area which I will be looking at making amulets for, looking at it from a point of view of the needs in todays world, but certainly incorporating some of the animal symbolism and stones found in this blog.  All three of these will always be concerns for most of us, and perhaps, the giving of a charm or amulet, is a way of making those who cannot actually help with the practicalities of fertility or childbirth, feel like they are helping in some way. I would prefer to make protective amulets for children, who can understand and use the symbolism themselves, for example to feel less afraid, rather than for protection of infants.

A symbol of fertility and of childbirth, perhaps because of their obvious resemblance to the female genitalia are cowrie shells. They have been used for millennia and can be seen to have been used for this purpose in the south Pacific, the Mediterranean rim, including Egypt, Africa, the Middle East, Japan. They have been formed into necklaces, bracelets, hung from belts or girdles, placed in the home, replicated in pottery and held in childbirth.

The Egyptian Ankh has been attributed with many origins, meanings and powers. One of these is that is it a representation of the male and female genitalia and is, as such used as a fertility charm. It’s meaning as a hieroglyph is “life”.

Frogs and fish are both animals which represent fertility, perhaps their prolific egg-laying helped with this symbolic view of these creatures. The British museum has amulets of each of these from early Amazonian culture.

The japanese had particular box-shaped netsuke, like this one from the Met Museum, New York, in the shape of  a dog (Inu Hariko), traditionally given to young women for fertility and a good marriage.

The deer is another animal, which is linked with sexuality and fertility, the stag in rut is particularly potent spectacle. Amulets made from deer antler or made to resemble a deer have long been used for fertility. A Roman recipe for protection against miscarriage includes the deer’s penis: A woman is guaranteed never to miscarry if, tied round her neck in gazelle leather, she wears white flesh from a hyena’s breast, seven hyena’s hairs, and the penis of a stag. (Pliny the Elder, Natural History 28.98; translation W.H.S. Jones) I don’t feel that I shall be making one of those, can’t see much of a market for it or an aesthetic value, either

In Switzerland, the ladybird is said to deliver babies, much like our stork, they are prolific egg layers and are seen as a symbol of fertility and good luck.

In the Seychelles, grows a fruit, the Coco De Mer, which looks like a female’s buttocks while the flower looks like a penis. Needless to say this is seen as an aphrodisiac and a fertility symbol. The coco de Mer is quite rare and sought after, so amulet jewellery is made in the shape of the fruit.

Mistletoe was revered by Druids and Celts as it grew on the sacred oak, they believed the juice of the berries represented sperm of the oak. The use has been incorporated into Christmas tradition and we still kiss beneath a sprig of it, hung from the ceiling.  Hawthorn is another plant which amulets have been made from to promote fertility, especially in Italy and Greece. In some areas of Greece, brides wear a Hawthorn wreath. In Rome, Hawthorn amulets were used to protect infants.

Lapis lazuli and rose quartz are the two main gem stones used for fertility amulets, lapis lazuli is also used to protect infants and is also known as the “child’s stone”

In addition to some of the objects above, which can be used for both fertility and childbirth, further protections at childbirth are: Bloodstone, also known as chalcedony, a black and green stone with flecks of red. Thought in ancient Egypt to be the blood of Isis, it was very much a women stone, used to ease childbirth or menstrual cramps and to prevent miscarriage.

Bear claw amulets protect a woman in childbirth, whereas wolfs tooth amulets protect a child from fear. These can still be found for sale easily on the internet, This one from https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/177005952/bear-claw-real-claw-pendant-front-bear?ref=market