THE DRAGONFLY AS A TOTEM ANIMAL AND A SYMBOL OF TRANSFORMATION
The dragonfly is an animal that is attributed by many special forces. From Japan to Sweden the dragonfly appears in stories and traditions and with the Indians on the American continent it counts as a totem.
As a totem animal, the dragonfly stands for transformation and the ability to adapt to circumstances. When the dragonfly appears in your life, you are asked to think about illusions and bad habits and to be more playful in life. The dragonfly represents the deeper meaning of life, that which can be found beneath the surface.
What are totem animals
A totem animal, also called a power animal, is an animal that has personal symbolic meaning. The traits that are attributed to the animal stand for character traits and skills that you possess and / or must learn in this life. Every animal has a special message and can give you certain powers. The totem animals stem from the traditions of the Indians (Native Americans), where every family had its own totem. This totem was seen as the mythical representative and protective spirit of the tribe. The concept has since spread more widely as part of a broader spiritual development.
In essence, all animals can be a totem animal. Every animal has its unique characteristics that can emerge at some point in life. A totem animal, like the Native Americans, can be with you from birth, but it can also symbolize a certain phase in or part of your life. Traditionally, an animal comes your way when you need it.
The totem animal helps you discover which part of yourself you need to develop and gives you strength to go through these changes. You do not choose a totem animal yourself, the animal chooses you and will also leave you when it is no longer needed. To discover which totem animal is currently relevant to you, it is recommended to pay close attention to animals. Are there animals that you have seen or come across more often lately? An animal that you seem to be particularly interested in? Meditation can also help you identify your totem animal.
The symbolism of the dragonfly
The dragonfly belongs to the Odonata insect order and is characterized by two pairs of wings, a long slender abdomen and large eyes. Dragonflies can usually be found with (mainly) standing water. The oldest form of the dragonfly dates back to the Carboniferous, about 320 million years ago. In its current form, Libelles originated some 150 million years ago, in the Jurassic era. They have hardly changed since then. The dragonfly has been used as a symbol in cultures around the world for thousands of years.
Japan
In Japan the dragonfly stands for strength, courage, light and happiness. It was used by the Samurai as a symbol of strength, agility and victory. The dragonfly is a renowned hunter and would never retreat. They never fly backwards. Populism dictates that the dragonfly is the soul of a deceased ancestor who has returned to visit his loved ones. Japan itself is also called the island of the dragonfly (Akitsushima), because of the shape of the land that is reminiscent of the animal.
China
In the Chinese tradition the dragonfly is seen as a child of the wind. It stands for playfulness and change, but also for happiness, prosperity and harmony. By its name (qingting), which resembles the Chinese word for pure (qing), the dragonfly is also seen as a symbol for purity or purity. Due to its mobility, the dragonfly also stands for instability and weakness for the Chinese.
In Feng Shui, where the dragonfly is a less frequently used symbol, the dragonfly is seen as a bringer of happiness, new insights and a new start. It is a symbol for prosperity, strength, change, wisdom and peace. The dragonfly is said to be the soul of the dragon in the modern world and thus the bearer of the ultimate happiness associated with the dragon.
Europe
The dragonfly does not have such a good name in Europe. In Sweden they were seen as a tool of the devil to weigh souls, in English they were associated with evil and pain, with the Romanians, Spaniards and Danes she appears in stories as a devil’s horse and in Portugal and They are also known as eye-catchers in Norway. In the Celtic tradition, however, the dragonfly is associated with the fairy kingdom, whereby the dragonfly would serve as a horse for fairies, or even be a disguised fairy. In some stories they are associated with the power to see the truth. They would be magical and could move between different dimensions.
Native Americans
For the Native Americans, the dragonfly is a symbol of happiness, speed and purity. The dragonfly announces change. With the Dakota / Lakota the dragonfly stands for illusions and fata morganas because their wings move so fast that you cannot see them. The Lakota called on the dragonfly if they wanted to confuse their enemy. The Hopi Indians see the dragonfly as a bringer of happiness, fertility and abundance. In the Maya, the dragonfly stands for the god of creativity, Ix Chel, as well as the bearer of the soul of deceased ancestors.
The dragonfly as a totem animal in your life
When the dragonfly appears as a totem animal in your life, you are about to undergo a transformation. The dragonfly changes color in its level and so does every person grow. By looking at yourself differently and organizing your life differently, you can go through a metamorphosis that brings you closer to your real self.
New chances
Because the dragonfly can move in all directions, it represents the endlessness of possibilities in life. The totem animal dragonfly asks you not to think in terms of limitations and to realize that these limitations are sometimes imposed by yourself. The flight of the dragonfly stands for progress, but also for flexibility. Embrace the airiness of the dragonfly, adapt to circumstances and do not take matters too heavily.
Breaking through illusions
The dragonfly represents spiritual growth and the breaking of illusions. Not everything is as it seems and so you can wonder if how you present yourself is in line with who you really are or want to be. Maybe there are habits that you have to break in order to be yourself. Habits that you have imposed on yourself or that have arisen due to circumstances. Emotions play a major role, especially if they are emotions that you do not allow, or that are based on thoughts that do not correspond with reality.
The dragonfly offers you a new perspective and the power to view your life from a distance. In addition, the dragonfly encourages you to show your own colors and to let your light shine.
Positivity
Positive thoughts belong to the dragonfly. With a dragonfly as a totem, it is therefore not the intention to look for heavy, dark and heavy changes. The goal is precisely to investigate your emotions in a playful and cheerful way and to strive for authenticity. You can find positivity in everything, even though you sometimes have to search well. A dragonfly does not live long and is therefore a symbol for the full embrace of life. Try to get everything out of it. Gratitude for all the beauty that comes your way and the lessons you learn help you with this.
power
The dragonfly is not only a light and elegant animal, it is also a powerful animal. With her small body and thin wings she only has to flap 30 times per minute to stay in the same place where other animals, such as mosquitoes and flies, need 600 to 1000 wing strokes per minute. The dragonfly thus achieves its goal in a simple and effective manner. As a totem animal, the dragonfly asks you to find your strength. Power in lightness, balance between emotions and thoughts and change.
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