Why the elephant is our Spirit Animal

Jun 02, 2021

Why the elephant is our Spirit Animal

Elephants have a very special meaning in Hindu India, the country where yoga originated: the god Ganesha has an elephant's head and a human body.

Its large head stands for wisdom, the often very full belly for perfection. Hindu scriptures such as the so-called Rig Veda prove that the elephant-headed man has been worshipped for more than 7000 years.

The symbolic power of the elephant remains undimmed to this day - even outside the Hindu faith. We have let ourselves be carried away by the inner peace and the extraordinary aura of this breathtaking animal and have chosen it as our animal soulmate.

In this article you will find out why we chose this Spirit Animal.

Simply elephantine: these are the qualities we admire

The elephant has some special traits and behaviours that make it so unique as an individual. We like to take much of this as a model. For some of these characteristics, it is also revered in a spiritual context as a power animal and companion.

These peculiarities are a manifesto for the fact that the grey giants fully meet the requirements for the ideal yogi. It is not without reason that we think we can take an example from them when it comes to peace of mind and discipline. We particularly appreciate the following characteristics of these wonderful animals.

Patience and wisdom: Don't rush things

The elephant is quite rightly called a gentle giant. Because it is extremely patient and is not easily ruffled. While we humans often find it difficult to make decisions, the animal giants are able to develop strategies to protect themselves from unwanted guests, for example.

The leadership of the herd is left to the lead cow: Where do you find suitable watering places, how do you protect the herd from attackers? Sometimes the knowledge and experience of the boss can be decisive for life. Pretty sovereign, isn't it?

Power and strength: steadfast in will

Let's face it: it is to be expected that the largest land-dwelling animal is a real powerhouse. However, this characteristic is not only attributed to it physically. It is also characterised by its pronounced willpower. No wonder, then, that the grey giants can cover up to 80 km a day to find food.

We should take a leaf out of the elephant's self-discipline: The listlessness that prevents us from rolling up our yoga mat on some days or ringing mobile phones that distract us from our rest time often result in us neglecting our routine.

Phenomenal memory: always the right information at hand

Everyday distractions often cause our memory to resemble that of a fish rather than an elephant. There is a lot of truth in the exemplary reputation of the grey giant. Because the proboscideans have an enormously good memory - their brain weighs around 5 kilograms, so there is plenty of room.

Enviable - because in the hectic pace of everyday life and in times of constant information and stimulus overload, it is often difficult for us to reliably keep everything in mind.

Pronounced social behaviour: Commitment to the family

Speaking of reliability, this plays a significant role in our soulmates from the animal world. Elephants have social structures that we as modern humans should aim for. Up to 15 animals live in herds and form a unique community with close family ties.

An elephant rarely comes alone: the grey giants always stay in groups.

Newborn babies are cared for by the entire group. The mothers receive special support from elephant cows, which take on the role of midwife and offer the baby elephant protection and care. They express their affection with their trunks.

Excellent communication skills even at long distance

But the four-legged friends do not only communicate with trunk movements. In fact, they communicate through various sounds - and through infrasound. Like whales, for example, they can use infrasound to communicate with their fellow species over distances of several kilometres.

Elephants are often in a chatty mood and exchange information with other herd members. This ensures that the herd does not lose sight or ears of each other even when travelling long distances. This awareness of communication makes it easier to cope with dangerous situations.

High sensitivity despite thick skin

While the term pachyderm attributed to these fascinating giant mammals is accurate - the elephant's skin is around 2 cm thick - these animals are extremely sensitive. For example, they mourn deceased companions or, in some cases, even return to the place of death of their loved ones years later to commemorate the deceased.

Recently, it has even been proven that they can suffer from PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) after an encounter with poachers, for example. It is amazing how similar these sensitive giants are to us when they are exposed to such extreme situations.

Vegetarian diet: pure sustainability

Rather vegetarian: the giant infants feed exclusively on plants.

Although they consume up to 250,000 kilocalories a day, i.e. a hundred times the human requirement, and therefore feel like they are constantly eating, they only take what they really need.

The great vegetarians of the animal kingdom eat a purely vegetable diet and are extremely peaceful in their dealings with other animals. In their kingdom, herbivores find everything they need and thus prove their connection to Mother Nature.

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What does the elephant symbolise?

As you can see, the characteristics attributed to the elephant are virtually predestined to make this noble animal a symbol bearer. No wonder that this extraordinary animal has found its way into the most diverse religions and cultures.

In the Asian region, the elephant has a fundamental role: that of the world bearer. There are countless creation legends according to which the earth rests on the back of one or more elephants.

Even outside of Asian creation myths, elephants take on essential roles in various cultures and worldviews, as the following examples show.

What role does the elephant play in religion?

As mentioned at the beginning, the elephant has been worshipped as a representation of the god Ganesha in Hinduism for several millennia. But not only there. In the much younger Buddhism, for example, which also has its origins in India, the elephant is also considered sacred.

The Hindu messenger of good fortune: Ganesha stands for wisdom and good beginnings.

Even if there is no worship of gods in the classical sense in Buddhism, the elephant nevertheless has an enormous symbolic radiance: according to legend, the birth of Buddha is said to have been prophesied by an elephant appearance. So it stands to reason that devout Buddhists adore elephants, doesn't it?

In Christianity, the elephant is used as a symbol in various metaphorical representations of the Bible. Here it sometimes embodies the wisdom and foresight of God, sometimes it is assigned a concrete balancing role.

On Noah's Ark, for example, he ensures that the ship, which is out of balance, is brought back into line and that the animal passengers ultimately reach their destination safely and are able to continue the preservation of the species.

A life in harmony and a soul filled with strength: the elephant seems to have found its inner centre, which is what we are looking for when we go to our quiet corner and turn inwards.

In the elephant we have found a faithful companion

The elephant is an extraordinary soul animal. On the one hand, it is more similar to us in nature than we imagine. On the other hand, it represents exactly the qualities we strive for when we go in search of our inner centre in the company of soothing sounds and fragrant candles.

Wisdom, perfection, strength - like countless other people, we join the queue of those who understand these aspects as values. We invite you to do the same: Follow the example of the elephant.