As it is #worldturtleday and they are one of our favorite animal spirits, we wanted to share a bit about the symbolism of turtles and the meaning they may bring to your life if you are noticing them more frequently.
Taken as a whole, turtles/tortoises are the most ancient of the vertebrate animals and they tend to live a good, long time. In this vein, much of their symbolism speaks to longevity. Their slow metabolism and generally slow movement remind us to take our time, stay grounded and move gently in the world. Turtle asks us to consider our perceptions of time and how we relate to it.
In many cultures, turtles represent the feminine: lunar energies, reproductive organs and even the Earth itself. As Ted Andrews says, “Turtle is the symbol of the primal mother” and Turtle reminds us to find and connect with our own primal being, our deepest nature. Do we have a healthy relationship with the Earth and with the deep and ancient Feminine wisdom?
As ancient as they are, turtles have evolved many abilities and skills to thrive in whatever environment they find themselves in. They have excellent hearing and can sense vibration through their skin and shell. They are also fantastic opportunists who will eat just about anything. Turtle may be asking us to awaken and fully utilize all of our senses to gain a truer perception of the world and to find the best opportunities as they come.
Lastly, it may be important to isolate exactly what form turtle is taking. Is it a sea turtle who is speaking to you? If so, you may want to investigate the influence and symbolism of water along with your animal spirit. If it is a tortoise, consider more Earth-based symbolism and longevity.
Turtle spirit can be a wonderful companion for meditation with its steady peaceful nature and Mugwort with its divine feminine and psychic qualities, pairs wonderfully with Turtle in this regard. Our Dream Blend, with Chamomile, Hops, Lavender, Damiana, Lemon Balm, Mugwort, Rosemary and Rose petals also works beautifully in this way.
We hope you enjoy delving into this more energetic side of these remarkable creatures….we certainly do! Remember that while these wonderous, ancient creatures are definitely tough and survivors through and through, they are also sensitive to changes in their environment and highly susceptible to danger from the rubbish we toss away in the oceans. May we remind ourselves to be more conscious of our use of plastics and conservation of the land and beaches turtles use to live and breed.
Find out more about sea turtle conservation at https://conserveturtles.org/
You can find our vibrant dried Mugwort here
And our visionary Dream Blend here
*Original Art by Hannah Newman