Post by Spirit of the Lynx on Jul 4, 2007 23:13:42 GMT -5
From: taraluna (Original Message) Sent: 12/5/2004 8:28 AM
Alligator
Keynote: Primal Energies of Birth, Motherhood, & Initiation
Alligators & crocodiles have had mixed symbology & imagery throughout the ages. To the ancient Egyptians they have been associated with fury & ferocity-the same aspects often given within mythologies to the unbridled feminine/creative forces of the world. The viciousness & destructive power was often symbolized as a mother swallowing her young. Inherent within this was the idea that there could not be death without life or life without death.
All alligators & crocodiles inhabit the water and the land. Water was always associated with the Great Mother, the feminine principle of life & therefore birth. Water, though, can also swallow you up. Creation & destruction & then more creation. This is the primal essence reflected within these reptiles.
Birth & death in any form are initiations, events that mark the end of one period & the beginning of a new. This indicates the culmination of knowledge on one level & the seeking for newer knowledge on others. All of this is reflected within the essence of alligators & crocodiles.
They patrol the waters & the shorelines that separate land from water-birth from death, etc. In this sense they can be seen as the keepers & protectors of all knowledge. They are the primal mothers in whom all knowledge rests & waits to be born.
This becomes even more significant when we realize that crocodiles & alligators are excellent mothers, which is unusual among reptiles. Both lay between 20 & 60 eggs, & when the young develop enough within the eggs to begin squeaking from the inside, the mother answers & helps them to hatch. She then carries then gently in her mouth down to the water.
Aside from the mothering energies attributed to these reptiles, they have been depicted in other ways as well in mythology. In the Hindu tradition Varuna, the god of waters, rides the crocodile's back. Also in Egypt, because of its association with mud, it was often used as a symbol for fertility & power-with mud being the mixture of water & earth that enables new life to grow.
In medieval Europe & earlier, because of their appearance (long body & tail), the alligator & crocodile were associated with the dragon. Sometimes it has the dragon's negative correspondences & sometimes the more positive. The dragon was often the guardian of treasures, often symbolic of hidden wisdom. Because alligators & crocodiles seem to hide within the water while guarding them, they were given the same role as the mythical dragons-the guardians of mystical treasures & wisdoms.
To encounter an alligator or crocodile was to indicate an opportunity to begin to unfold & develope some new wisdom-wisdom that could swallow you up if not used carefully.
They are different animals, although close relatives. One of the primary differences is that the crocodile has a tooth that sticks upward from the lower jaw & the alligator does not. Alligators build a nest of muds & leaves while the crocodile will dig a hole in the sand.
Crocodiles & alligators both have their eyes high on their head. This, of course, serves a practical purpose, enabling them to remain relatively hidden beneath the waters while still able to seek out prey. On a more symoblic level it hints at higher vision & clairvoyance.
Although often considered silent creatures, they do vocalize. They hiss loudly when threatened. During mating season they are known to roar.
Alligators serve a wonderful function in the conservation of other water animals. They will dig "gator holes"-small ponds of fresh water. These potholes in the mud slowly fill with the last remaining water in an area, creating a minituare oasis that will enable it & other animal life to survive.
The alligator has a much more rapid growth rate than the crocodile. The average adult can grow to be around 12 feet. It can grow as much as a foot a year until it reaches its ultimate length. In cooler climates, the growth rate is less. Alligators rarely live past the age of 60. For those with this totem, you will see opportunity for initiation & the accumulation & use of new knowledge & more wisdom occur more rapidly than with a crocodile totem, but it can also be more dangerous if not balanced.
An alligator digests its food very slowly, reflecting a need to not go too fast too soon. Digest what you have experienced & learned before moving on to the new.
If an alligator has shown up, look for an opportunity to touch very primal energies. There is going to be an opportunity for strong birth &/or initiation that will open new knowledge & wisdom in some area of your life.
Derived from "Animal Speak" by Ted Andrews
Alligator
Keynote: Primal Energies of Birth, Motherhood, & Initiation
Alligators & crocodiles have had mixed symbology & imagery throughout the ages. To the ancient Egyptians they have been associated with fury & ferocity-the same aspects often given within mythologies to the unbridled feminine/creative forces of the world. The viciousness & destructive power was often symbolized as a mother swallowing her young. Inherent within this was the idea that there could not be death without life or life without death.
All alligators & crocodiles inhabit the water and the land. Water was always associated with the Great Mother, the feminine principle of life & therefore birth. Water, though, can also swallow you up. Creation & destruction & then more creation. This is the primal essence reflected within these reptiles.
Birth & death in any form are initiations, events that mark the end of one period & the beginning of a new. This indicates the culmination of knowledge on one level & the seeking for newer knowledge on others. All of this is reflected within the essence of alligators & crocodiles.
They patrol the waters & the shorelines that separate land from water-birth from death, etc. In this sense they can be seen as the keepers & protectors of all knowledge. They are the primal mothers in whom all knowledge rests & waits to be born.
This becomes even more significant when we realize that crocodiles & alligators are excellent mothers, which is unusual among reptiles. Both lay between 20 & 60 eggs, & when the young develop enough within the eggs to begin squeaking from the inside, the mother answers & helps them to hatch. She then carries then gently in her mouth down to the water.
Aside from the mothering energies attributed to these reptiles, they have been depicted in other ways as well in mythology. In the Hindu tradition Varuna, the god of waters, rides the crocodile's back. Also in Egypt, because of its association with mud, it was often used as a symbol for fertility & power-with mud being the mixture of water & earth that enables new life to grow.
In medieval Europe & earlier, because of their appearance (long body & tail), the alligator & crocodile were associated with the dragon. Sometimes it has the dragon's negative correspondences & sometimes the more positive. The dragon was often the guardian of treasures, often symbolic of hidden wisdom. Because alligators & crocodiles seem to hide within the water while guarding them, they were given the same role as the mythical dragons-the guardians of mystical treasures & wisdoms.
To encounter an alligator or crocodile was to indicate an opportunity to begin to unfold & develope some new wisdom-wisdom that could swallow you up if not used carefully.
They are different animals, although close relatives. One of the primary differences is that the crocodile has a tooth that sticks upward from the lower jaw & the alligator does not. Alligators build a nest of muds & leaves while the crocodile will dig a hole in the sand.
Crocodiles & alligators both have their eyes high on their head. This, of course, serves a practical purpose, enabling them to remain relatively hidden beneath the waters while still able to seek out prey. On a more symoblic level it hints at higher vision & clairvoyance.
Although often considered silent creatures, they do vocalize. They hiss loudly when threatened. During mating season they are known to roar.
Alligators serve a wonderful function in the conservation of other water animals. They will dig "gator holes"-small ponds of fresh water. These potholes in the mud slowly fill with the last remaining water in an area, creating a minituare oasis that will enable it & other animal life to survive.
The alligator has a much more rapid growth rate than the crocodile. The average adult can grow to be around 12 feet. It can grow as much as a foot a year until it reaches its ultimate length. In cooler climates, the growth rate is less. Alligators rarely live past the age of 60. For those with this totem, you will see opportunity for initiation & the accumulation & use of new knowledge & more wisdom occur more rapidly than with a crocodile totem, but it can also be more dangerous if not balanced.
An alligator digests its food very slowly, reflecting a need to not go too fast too soon. Digest what you have experienced & learned before moving on to the new.
If an alligator has shown up, look for an opportunity to touch very primal energies. There is going to be an opportunity for strong birth &/or initiation that will open new knowledge & wisdom in some area of your life.
Derived from "Animal Speak" by Ted Andrews