CELTIC ANIMAL ALLIES
Celtic Animal Allies could be encountered on Vision Quests,
in mundane life, and in dreams. When they
appear, they can be powerful messengers. It is important to be able
to acknowledge their presence and decipher the
message they have for us. Here are a few attributes
for some Celtic Animal Allies that you may encounter. The
Celtic names for these animals are in parenthesis.
ADDER, or Snake(Nadredd): Wisdom, reincarnation, and cunning.
If you see a snake while Vision Questing, be
prepared for the power of transformation to
enter your life. The snake represents the
life-death-birth cycle.
BADGER(Breach): Tenacity and courage. The Badger
will teach you perseverance and endurance in
the face of adversity. The badger is a powerful
protector of both material possessions and ideals
held close to the heart.
BAT: The bat is a messenger of the Shadow Worlds.
The bat may portend a message from the Under
World, or your sub-conscious.
BEAR(Arth): Strength and stamina.
BEE(Beach): The bee is industrius, hard working,
and very family/clan oriented.
BLACKBIRD(Lon Dubh): The blackbird imparts
mystical secrets. They are messengers from
the divinities.
BOAR(Bacrie): The boar is sacred to the Goddess.
It is both cunning and ferocious.
BULL(Tarbh): Strength and potency, the bull is the
symbol of mobile power.
BUTTERFLY: If a butterfly is seen while Vision
Questing, no negative energy will be in the
immediate energy.
CAT(Caoit): The cat is a strong protector in
confrontational situations. As a prowling
animal, the cat is also a strong guardian of
inner powers.
COCK: The power of the voice to chase away the
nights phantoms.
COW(Bo): Sacred to the Goddess Brigit, the cow
symbolizes contentness, nurturing and providing
for daily needs.
CRANE: Associated with both the Cailleach and
Mannanan Mac Lir, the crane was a bird of the
Moon, Magick, Shamanic travel, secrets, and
reaching deep mysteries. The crane also represents
the logical mind, as well as patience while
healing occurs.
CROW(Badb): Associated with Macha, Babd, and
the Morrigan, the crow is a symbol of conflict,
war, and death. It's skill is wisdom combined
with trickery. It also is the protector of
sacred records.
DEER(Abhach) or STAG(Sailetheach): The White Stag is a
messenger and guide from the Other Worlds.
Following the animal often leads to a Quest
through the Other Worlds. The Deer represents
grace, swiftness, and gentleness.
DOG(Abach, Mada) or HOUND(Cu): Under World hounds
are white with red ears. They chase and punish
the guilty. They represent tracking skills,
and companionship, as well as a protective
companion.
DOLPHIN: Associated with Sea Deities like Mannanan
Mac Lir, they represent harmony, balance, and
travelling from rough to smooth waters.
DRAGON(Piastras, Horm): Wealth, the raw powers of nature,
the treasures of the sub-conscious mind.
EAGLE(Iolair): Wisdom and long-life. The Eagle
represents keen sight, knowledge of magick, and
swiftness. The eagle is a strong ally when
traveling into new territory.
EEL(As-chu): Adaptability, wisdom, inspiration,
and defense. A good protector when defense is
needed.
FOX(Mada Rua): Cunning, slyness, perceptive.
The fox makes fools out of those who chase it.
FROG: Shamanism, magick, nasty illusion with
somthing wonderful hidden within.
HARE or RABBIT(Coinin): Sacred to Adraste, the
hare is a symbol of virility, divination, and
swiftness.
HAWK(Aracos): Connected to the willow, the hawk is
a messenger between this world and the Other
Worlds. It is of greater skill and strength
than other birds and thus symbolizes clear
sightedness and far memory. It teaches us how to
receive and interpret inner and outer signals.
HERON: Same as the Crane; Associated with both
the Cailleach and Mannanan Mac Lir, the heron
was a bird of the moon, magick, shamanic travel, secrets,
and reaching deep mysteries. The heron also represents
the logical mind, as well as patience while healing
occurs. Through the heron, one finds magick in nature.
HORSE(Cab-all,Capall): Stamina, endurance, and
faithfulness. Sacred to Epona and Rhiannon,
the horse was a faithful guide to the Other
Worlds.
MAGPIE: Omens and prophecies.
MOUSE(Luch): Secrets, cunning, shyness, the
ability to hide. If you see a mouse in a Vision
Quest, pay attention to the surrounding details.
OTTER(Balgair): Enjoying life, recovering from
a crisis, faithfulness, friendliness, being
helpful to others. The Otter can provide valuable
assistance in the Other World.
PIG(Muc): Spiritual food for the Shaman. The
pig was the magickal,sacred food of the Tuatha
De Dannan.
RAVEN(Bran): Associated with the Morrigu, it
represents the battle cry of an upcoming life
crisis. It is a powerful protector if one can
gain its favor.
SALMON(Brionnfhionn): Very wise and magickal
creatures in Celtic lore. The salmon helps you
to get in touch with ancestral and archetypal
wisdom. They represent wisdom, and the acquirement
of knowledge.
SOW(Airc): Associated with the Goddess, the
sow is a beast of death and rebirth, as well
as fertility.
SWAN(Eala): Swans help with the interpretation
of dream symbols, transitions, and spiritual
evolution.
WREN(Dryw, Dreoilin): Sacred to the Druids,
the wren's musical notes were used for divination.
It is a messenger of the deities. It also
represents the power of strengthening and cleansing.
WOLF(Crimthann): Guardianship, Ritual, Loyalty.
Cycle of Power; Year round, Full Moons, Twilight.
