Giraffe, the animal, has physical and behavioral qualities that fit his symbolism and lessons. His strength and flexibility teaches people to control their physical bodies while improving spiritual awareness. He symbolizes intuition, the ability to know the future and the past, while living in the present and teaches the lesson of intuitive vision.
Giraffe: The Animal
The giraffe, Giraffa camelopardalis, is native only to Africa and is the planet's tallest animal. Like snowflakes, its furry pattern is unique; no two markings are the same. They can run as fast as 35 mph and can lope at 10 mph for an hour. Giraffes browse on leaves, bark and buds in treetops. Acacias are their favorite. The animals eat most of the time and, like cows, are ruminants and chew their cud. They roam savannas, in small groups of about six, to forage. Giraffes eat hundreds of pounds of leaves weekly and have to travel miles to find sufficient food.
The giraffe's height helps it to keep a watch for predators: humans, big cats and hyenas. They protect themselves by kicking and hammering their opponents with their heads. Males battle with each other to establish dominance, using their heads and necks to exchange blows, but rarely impose harm. They also use their heads and horns to spar with each other. They neck wrestle, using their weight and necks to push against one another, for leadership position.
Their size can be a disadvantage because it’s dangerous for giraffes to drink from a water hole. They have to spread their legs and bend down in an awkward position that makes them vulnerable to predators. Before drinking, giraffes scrutinize the area to ensure other members of the herd are acting as lookouts. Fortunately, giraffes need to drink once every several days because they get most of their water from plants.
Giraffe: Symbolism
The animal’s keynote is farsightedness and the cycle of power is year ‘round. Giraffe symbolizes patience, resourcefulness, cleverness, beauty, elegance, cooperation, communication, intelligence, perception, vision, intuition, mystery, discernment, gentleness, like the Deer, grace, akin to the Swan and protection, as the Bovine Bull also symbolizes.
The giraffe is symbolic of grace in striving and reminds people to do their best through challenges while maintaining grace and balance. He represents the ability to be a visionary while viewing the past and present. In some African traditions, he is symbolic of taking this visionary talent to every meeting to ensure that understandings of the heart and mind are addressed. He uses strength and flexibility to align the physical, mental and spiritual in all situations.
Giraffes have three horns. The third one is between and above their eyes and is symbolic of the third eye, signifying intuition, delicate perception and heightened sensory awareness.
The color pattern of their fur signifies being steady in the intricacy and getting through life’s twists and turns with grace, elegance and dignity.
Giraffe: Lessons and Gifts
He teaches people to increase their understanding by considering life from all angles, using their resources to the max. The giraffe is a messenger who encourages people to increase their vision and reach as far as they can. He reminds people that they are wonderful beings with the amazing potential to rise up to challenges. He imparts the ability to see into the future, shift resources and influencing events so that the future is fluid and effective.
He assures people that their visions are protected by the Nature’s wisdom and they have the ability to discern the right meanings of their visions. He bestows higher perception. The giraffe offers a higher place for people’s vision and gives intuitive insight when they feel overwhelmed by life's distractions.
Giraffe Myth: How the Giraffe got his Long Neck
Many years ago, there was a beautiful land where everything was serene and pleasant. The gods, resting on their clouds above, looked down at the perfect animals, conversed and decided all was well, until one rude beast changed this. Giraffe awoke from sleeping and felt compelled to irritate everyone in the Utopian land.
He saw Hippo first and taunted him. He asked Hippo why he was purple and if he had picked a fight with a bigger animal. Giraffe felt happy when he was nasty. He saw Snake. He asked him why he wiggled on his belly and if someone took his feet from him.
Giraffe became more and more obnoxious. The other animals were disgusted with him and wanted his intolerable behavior to stop. They made a plea to the gods. They said their hearts were heavy with sorrow because Giraffe was so nasty and asked the gods to teach him a lesson. The gods said they would see what they could do.
One night, while Giraffe was sleeping, Rock God had an idea. He found a lot of heavy rocks and put them around Giraffe’s short neck. Rock God chuckled to himself as he went back to the clouds, imagining Giraffe’s reaction.
When Giraffe woke the next morning, he discovered his neck was trapped between the rocks. He raged and tugged as hard as he could, but his neck was stuck and grew longer and longer.
Finally, after much effort, Giraffe was free. He was astounded to see his once beautiful neck was long and ugly. Today, giraffes still have long necks to remind them not to say hurtful things.
Sources:
- Kit Coppard, Africa’s Animal Kingdom, Main St, 2005.
- Ted Andrews, Animal Speak, Llewellyn Publications, 2002.
Jill Stefko - I'd rather deal with the paranormal than human abnormal - having dealt extensively with both.
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