To see green fields in your dream, symbolize great abundance, freedom, and happiness. You may also be going through a period of personal growth. Alternatively, this dream may simply be an expression for your love of nature.

To see freshly plowed fields in your dream, signify growth, early rise to wealth and fortunate advancements to places of honor.

To see dead or barren fields, signifies lack, pessimism and your jaded prospects for the future.

To dream of dead corn or stubble fields, indicates to the dreamer dreary prospects for the future.

To see green fields, or ripe with corn or grain, denotes great abundance and happiness to all classes.

To see newly plowed fields, denotes early rise in wealth and fortunate advancement to places of honor.

To see fields freshly harrowed and ready for planting, denotes that you are soon to benefit by your endeavor and long struggles for success.

Seeing green fields in your dream, symbolizes great abundance, freedom, and happiness. You may also be going through a period of personal growth. Alternatively, this dream may simply be an expression for your love of nature.` Seeing freshly plowed fields in your dream means growth, early rise to wealth and fortunate advancements to places of honor. Seeing dead or barren fields means lack, pessimism and your jaded prospects for the future.

Dreaming that you’re in a field can have differing meanings, you have to look at all the details carefully and make an interpretation based on how it made you feel; still, green and pleasant fields are usually a symbol of happiness and great prosperity in your personal and working life. If the field has withering crops and is dried up it signifies completely the opposite. If you are in a newly ploughed field it can signify that you will achieve everything you want so long as you put in the hard work, you reap what you sow as it were.

An emblem of faithfulness, and it is in this sense that it appears so often
at the feet of women in the engravings on mediaeval tombs; in the same way the
lion, an attribute of the male, symbolizes valour (20). In Christian symbolism, the
dog has another sense, deriving from the function of the sheep-dog: that of guarding and guiding the flocks, which at times becomes an allegory of the priest (46).
In a more profound sense, though still related to the foregoing, the dog is—like the
vulture—the companion of the dead on their ‘Night Sea-Crossing’, which is
associated with the symbolisms of the mother and of resurrection. It has a similar
significance when it appears in scenes depicting the Mithraic sacrifice of the bull
(31). In alchemy, it was used as a sign rather than as a symbol. A dog devoured by
a wolf represents the purification of gold by means of antimony.

To see a dog in your dream, symbolizes intuition, loyalty, generosity, protection, and fidelity. The dream suggests that your strong values and good intentions will enable you to go forward in the world and bring you success. The dream dog may also represent someone in your life who exhibits these qualities. Alternatively, to see a dog in your dream, indicates a skill that you may have ignored or forgotten. If the dog is vicious and/or growling, then it indicates some inner conflict within yourself. It may also indicate betrayal and untrustworthiness. If the dog is dead or dying, then it means a loss of a good friend or a deterioration of your instincts.

To dream that a dog bites you on the leg, suggests that you have lost your ability to balance aspects of your life. You may be hesitant in approaching a new situation or have no desire to move forward with your goals. Alternatively, it symbolizes disloyalty.

To see a happily barking dog in your dream, symbolizes pleasures and social activity. You are being accepted into some circle. If the dog is barking ferociously, then it represents your habit of making demands on people and controlling situations around you. Are you "barking" too many orders? Alternatively, it could also indicate unfriendly companions.

To dream that you are buying a dog, indicates your tendency to buy your friends or buy compliments and favors. Alternatively, it suggest a need for you to find companionship. If you are being guided by a dog, then it suggests that you are having difficulties in navigating out of a situation or problem.

To dream that you give or send your dog away, indicates that the decisions and choices you are making now may be misinterpreted as disloyalty. You have to do what is right for you and not worry about what others think of the decision. Alternatively, it signifies rejection of friendship.

To dream that you are dressing up your dog, signifies your attempts to cover up your own character flaws and habits.

To see a black colored dog in your dream, symbolizes the shadow aspect of a friend. The dark side of someone close to you is being revealed and you are able to see through to their true intentions.

Also consider the notions associated with the word dog, such as loyalty ("man's best friend") and to be "treated like a dog".

Seeing a dog in your dream, indicate a skill that you have ignored or forgotten, but needs to be activated. Alternatively, dogs may symbolize intuition, loyalty, generosity, protection, and fidelity. Your own values and intentions will enable you to go forward in the world and succeed. If the dog is vicious and/or growling, then it means some inner conflict within yourself. It may indicate betrayal and untrustworthiness. If the dog is dead or dying, then it indicates a loss of a good friend. Alternatively, it represents a deterioration of your instincts. Dreaming that a dog bites your on the leg, suggests that you have lost your ability to balance aspects of your life. You may be hesitant in approaching a new situation or have no desire to move forward with your goals. Seeing a happily barking dog in your dream, symbolizes pleasures and much social activity. If the dog is barking ferociously, then it represents your habit of making demands on people and controlling situations around you. It could also mean unfriendly companions. Dreaming that you are buying a dog indicates your tendency to buy your friends or buy compliments/favors. Alternatively, it suggest a need for you to find companionship. Dreaming that you are dressing up your dog means your attempts to cover up your own character flaws and habits.

Dogs in dreams could symbolise a large variety of ideas and concepts, but mostly they are symbolic of the dreamer's defensive structure and may represent personal boundary issues. Carefully consider all of the details and the mood in your dream. First, if you have a dog, it may be natural to dream about him. We become emotionally attached to our dogs and we dream about them just as we dream about anything else that is important to us. Otherwise, dogs could symbolize loyalty and hard work.

If you hear a barking dog in your dream, your unconscious could be warning you of danger. A growling dog can be a warning that someone you know is being untrustworthy.

If you dream of being bitten by a dog, you could be engaging in activities that will cause you problems later on in waking life.

If someone calls you a dog, it is a negative reflection on your personality. If you are being treated like a dog, you are most likely being abused in some way.

On the metaphysical level, dogs are considered to be the guardians of the underworld. Finally, dogs could represent the more basic or "animal" parts of our nature and some think that they specifically represent male energy.

Dog Meaning and Dog Symbolism

To me, dog meaning and symbolism rings my bells in the realms of communication, and I elaborate on that the theme of communication on my "Dog Meaning and Symbolism in the Tarot" article.

I'll let you in on a little secret: Once upon a time, the sound of barking dogs put my nerves in a "tilt." Worse than scrapes down a chalkboard; barking and yapping dogs would send me in a nervous tailspin. I'm an audio-attuned person, and certain sounds just send rancor through my nerve-ranks.

Thankfully, that nerve-crushing reaction subsided when I met with an Iroquois native. Naturally perceptive, she noticed my jangled state while we were passing a group of neighborhood canines. Acting on her observations, she took the time to explain the intricacies and importance of "dog-speak." She shared with me how canine language is complex and vital to how dogs communicate their well-being (or otherwise), their views and the status of their community. Embracing her Iroquoian wisdom, I viewed (heard) dog-speak in a whole new light.

Now, every time I hear dogs baying in my awareness - I get quiet. I listen. I realize their speech is an opportunity to gain vital information on the status of my environment (and theirs). Intonation, pitch, guttural inflection, repetitious patterns....they all contribute to the overall message a dog is conveying. If you listen close, you can pick up on their language. It can be a true oracle. Try it sometime.

A short-list of dog meaning includes symbolic attributes like:

Fidelity
Loyalty
Assistance
Intelligence
Obedience
Protection
Community
Cooperation
Resourcefulness
Communication
Sensory Perception

The theme of communication becomes heightened when we peer into histories and discover dog meaning and symbolism is connected to the metaphysical realms. The dog has long been considered a liaison between the physical and non-physical dimensions. Ancient Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Celtic and beyond have all prescribed the dog as a sacred guardian of the Otherworlds - those realms outside our daily/mundane experience. If you hear of dogs being symbols of death - this is the connection: Dogs are the guardians of ephemeral domains, and can even serve as spirit guides in non-physical journeys.

Consider Anubis, the Egyptian god whose charge is to insure safe transitions from common reality (physical life on Earth) into the Afterlife experience. With the head of a jackal (of canine ilk), Anubis dons the super-powerful sensory perception of the dog. Further, that dog connection represents the epitome of protection, guidance, loyalty and adherence to the flow of unseen spiritual energy. To be sure, safe passage from "life" to Afterlife will be seen to success under the governance of the dog/jackal-headed Anubis. In this ancient light, we get distinct impressions of: Security, Guardianship, Protection.

Dogs are sacred to Hecate, the Greek-Roman overseer of lots of things - but surely a matron bound to protect that which is misunderstood. It seems (to me) where there is senseless lashing out against that which is misunderstood, Hecate comes ferociously in justification - her dogs baying with equal verve at her side. Death, darkness, wild wandering, lunar moodiness, midnight journeying...Hecate defends the soul's right to wander in these little-known, oft-misunderstood alleyways. With her highly perceptive hounds guiding the way (and protecting the body as the spirit wanders), astral travel becomes eons easier.

Interestingly, Hecate and her hounds will also speak for (and protect) those who cannot do so for themselves. Newborns. Hecate and her dogs represent an Alliance for Defense and Protection to those who cannot defend themselves: Babies, Children, the Meek, the Mild, the Mad and the unjustly Maligned.

In Celtic symbolism, dogs are a representation of heroism. They embody heart-pounding attributes such as: Courage, Persistence, Virility. This, in large part is due to a Celtic dog's role in hunting. Dogs were even trained by the ancient Celts to assist in battle. So here we see that same thread of defense, protection and action for the good of the clan. An interesting paradox: Celtic dogs are also symbolic of healing. They are often associated with Nodens, a Celtic god of nutritive waters, hunting and healing (water is often synonymous with healing in Celtic wisdom). Dogs have also been portrayed with Sucellus, the Celtic god of protection and provision (from an agricultural view).

Native American Indian tribes have long depended upon the dog for their helpful guidance and assistance in everyday chores. Before horses, there were dogs and they were trained to help the tribe in agricultural efficiency as well as hunting. In fact, when horses were introduced to North America by the Spaniards, the term "sky dogs" was dubbed for horses because they were as helpful as their canine allies. In Native American wisdom dogs convey symbolism of: Assistance, Fidelity, Community, Protection, Friendship and Communication.

The dog is a totem of faith, reliability and mentoring. Its basic instinct is to serve a master, and even though it is often mistreated, it always answers with love. Since the dog strives to be respected by its master, it is, of course, possible to spoil it with the wrong training. Ultimately, the dog is the guardian of its master and willing to do anything for him, possibly even follow him into death. Traditionally, the dog is also guardian of secret areas and ancient knowledge. The dog's heart is filled with compassion, and it is willing to overlook human weakness. The dog can help bring these qualities to life in a person. He teaches us about mentoring, that is being the person who believes in us more that we believe in ourselves. The dog teaches us to examine one's loyalty toward one-self and others, and if a dog has arrived in your life it is a question about whether you are truly giving support.

Protection, companionship, faithfulness, warnings. Dog is a symbol of friendship and the unconditional ability to love and accept. They exhibit loyalty and are fierce protectors when needed. Examine the type of dog and what it says about you. What behaviors do you have or would like to have of the dog? Are you showing compassion for others? Are you a good companion and protector balanced with playfulness and joy? Are you serving humanity in the best way you can? Dog can teach you strength in the above qualities.

According to Piobb, the Graeco-Roman conception of the ocean
encompassing the earth was a graphic representation of the current of energy
induced by the terrestrial globe (48). Setting aside its grandeur, the two most
essential aspects of the ocean are its ceaseless movement and the formlessness of
its waters. It is a symbol, therefore, of dynamic forces and of transitional states
between the stable (or solids) and the formless (air or gas). The ocean as a whole,
as opposed to the concept of the drop of water, is a symbol of universal life as
opposed to the particular (38). It is regarded traditionally as the source of the
generation of all life (57), and science has confirmed that life did in fact begin in the
sea (3). Zimmer observes that the ocean is ‘immense illogic’—a vast expanse
dreaming its own dreams and asleep in its own reality, yet containing within itself
the seeds of its antitheses. The island is the opponent of the ocean and symbolic
of the metaphysical point of irradiating force (60). In keeping with the general
symbolism of water, both fresh and salt, the ocean stands for the sum of all the
possibilities of one plane of existence. Having regard to its characteristics, one
may deduce whether these potentialities are positive (or germinant) or negative
(destructive) (26). The ocean, then, denotes an ambivalent situation. As the begetter of monsters, it is the abysmal abode par excellence, the chaotic source
which still brings forth base entities ill-fitted to life in its aerial and superior
forms. Consequently, aquatic monsters represent a cosmic or psychological situation at a lower level than land-monsters; this is why sirens and tritons denote a
sub-animal order. The power of salt water to destroy the higher forms of land-life
means that it is also a symbol of sterility, so confirming the ambivalent nature of the ocean—its contradictory dynamism (32). The ocean is also to be found as a
symbol of woman or the mother (in both her benevolent and her terrible aspects)
(56). As Frobenius comments in Das Zeitalter des Sonnengottes: ‘If the blood-red
sunrise is interpreted as the “birth” of an astral body, then two questions arise:
Who is the father? And how did the mother come to conceive? And since she, like
the fish, is a sea-symbol, and since our premiss is that the sun plunges into the sea
and yet is born in it, the answer must be that the sea previously swallowed up the
old sun and the appearance of a “new sun” confirms that she has been fecundated.
The symbolism here coincides with that of Isis whose twin lunar horns embrace
the sun.’ This appearance of the sun and its disappearance back into the deeps of
the ocean confirm that the ‘Lower Waters’ signify the abyss out of which forms
arise to unfold their potentialities within existence. Thus, the ocean is equated
also with the collective unconscious, out of which arises the sun of the spirit (32).
The stormy sea, as a poetic image or a dream, is a sign of an analogous state in the
lower depths of the affective unconscious. A translucent calm, on the other hand,
denotes a state of contemplative serenity.

To see an ocean in your dream, represents the state of your emotions and feelings. It is indicative of spiritual refreshment, tranquility and renewal. Alternatively, the dream means that you are feeling empowered and unhindered. You have a positive outlook in life and are not limited by anything. If you are sailing across the ocean, then it signifies new found freedom and independence. You are showing great courage. If the ocean is rough, then the dream represents some emotional turmoil. You are doing your best to handle life's ups and downs.

The state of life will be as the ocean is perceived to be in dream, viz., calm and
peaceful life when the ocean is calm and troublesome life when the ocean is stormy, etc.

To dream of the ocean when it is calm is propitious.
The sailor will have a pleasant and profitable voyage.
The business man will enjoy a season of remuneration,
and the young man will revel in his sweetheart's charms.
To be far out on the ocean, and hear the waves lash the ship, forebodes disaster in business life, and quarrels and stormy periods in the household.

To be on shore and see the waves of the ocean foaming against each other, foretells your narrow escape from injury and the designs of enemies.

To dream of seeing the ocean so shallow as to allow wading, or a view of the bottom, signifies prosperity and pleasure with a commingling of sorrow and hardships.

To sail on the ocean when it is calm, is always propitious.

Seeing an ocean in your dream, represents the state of your emotions and feelings. It is indicative of some spiritual refreshment, tranquility and renewal.

It traditionally represents our great unconscious, memories, emotions, and individual soul and collective experiences. Look at all of the details in this dream. Is the water clear or murky? Is it calm or turbulent? Are you catching fish, or are you stranded and afraid? Look, listen, and try to comprehend the messages in this dream. No one is in a better position to give meaning to your dreams than you can. Concentrate and learn for yourself.

To remember something in your dream, indicates that you have learned something significant from your past mistakes or previous experiences. The dream may also serve as a reminder of something important that is occurring in your waking life. You are so worried that you will forget something that the preoccupation has made its way into your dream.

To dream that you are being forced to do something, indicates negative feelings that are being pushed out of the unconscious. Feelings of hate, aggression or anger which you may have suppressed need to be addressed head on.

To see a baby in your dream, signifies innocence, warmth and new beginnings. Babies symbolize something in your own inner nature that is pure, vulnerable, helpless and/or uncorrupted. If you find a baby in your dream, then it suggests that you have acknowledged your hidden potential. If you dream that you forgot you had a baby, then it suggests that you are trying hide your own vulnerabilities; You do not want to let others know of your weaknesses. Alternatively, forgetting about a baby, represents an aspect of yourself that you have abandoned or put aside due to life's changing circumstances. The dream may serve as a reminder that it is time for you to pick up that old interest, hobby, or project again.

If you dream that you are on your way to the hospital to have a baby, then it signifies your issues of dependency and your desires to be completely care for. Perhaps you are trying to get out of some responsibility. If you are pregnant in real life, then a more direct interpretation may simply mean that you are experiencing some anxieties of making it to the hospital when the time comes.

To dream of a crying baby, symbolizes a part of yourself that is deprived of attention and needs to be nurtured. Alternatively, it represents your unfulfilled goals and a sense of lacking in your life. If you dream that a baby is neglected, then it suggests that you are not paying enough attention to yourself. You are not utilizing your full potential. Alternatively, this dream could represent your fears about your own children and your ability to protect and to provide for them.

To dream about a starving baby, represents your dependence on others. You are experiencing some deficiency in your life that needs immediate attention and gratification.

To dream of an extremely small baby, symbolizes your helplessness and your fears of letting others become aware of your vulnerabilities and incompetence. You may be afraid to ask for help and as a result tend to take matters into your own hands. http://www.dreammoods.com

To see a dead baby in your dream, symbolizes the ending of something that was once a part of you.

To dream that you are dipping a baby in and out of water, signifies regression. You are regressing to a time where you had no worries and responsibilities. Alternatively, such a scenario is reminisce of when the baby is in the fetus and in its comfort zone. In fact, some expectant mothers even give birth in a pool, because the environment in the water mimics the environment in the uterus. It is less traumatic for the baby as it emerges into the world. So perhaps, the dream represents your search for your own comfort zone.

To dream of crying babies, is indicative of ill health and disappointments.

A bright, clean baby, denotes love requited, and many warm friends. Walking alone, it is a sure sign of independence and a total ignoring of smaller spirits. If a woman dream she is nursing a baby, she will be deceived by the one she trusts most.

It is a bad sign to dream that you take your baby if sick with fever.
You will have many sorrows of mind.

If you are nursing a baby, it denotes sorrow and misfortune. If you see a baby that is
sick, it means that somebody among your relatives will die.

Dreaming of a baby in your dream means innocence, warmth and new beginnings. Babies may symbolize something in your own inner nature which is pure, vulnerable, and/or uncorrupted. If you dream that you forgot you had a baby, then it suggests that you are trying hide your own vulnerabilities; You do not want to let others know of your weaknesses. If you dream that you are on your way to the hospital to have a baby, then it means your issues of dependency and your desire to be completely care for. Perhaps you are trying to get out of some responsibility. If you are pregnant, then a more direct interpretation may simply mean that you are experiencing some anxieties of making it to the hospital when the time comes. Dreaming of a crying baby, is indicative of a part of yourself that is deprived of attention and needs some nurturing. Alternatively, it represents your unfulfilled goals and a sense of lacking in your life. Dreaming about a starving baby, represents your dependence on others. You are experiencing some deficiency in your life that needs immediate attention and gratification. Dreaming of an extremely small baby, symbolizes your helplessness and your fears of letting others become aware of your vulnerabilities and incompetence. You may be afraid to ask for help and as a result tend to take matters into your own hands. Dreaming of a dead baby in your dream, symbolizes the ending of something that is part of you. Dreaming that you are dipping a baby in and out of water means regression. You are regressing to a time where you had no worries and responsibilities. Alternatively, it is reminisce of when the baby is in the fetus and in its comfort zone. In fact, some expectant mothers even give birth in a pool, because the environment in the water mimics the environment in the uterus. It is less traumatic for the baby as it emerges into the world. So perhaps, the dream your search for your own comfort zone.

Many people from time to time will have babies or small children in their dreams. If these newborns are strangers to you, you can assume that they represent you. You are the baby and the dream is telling you something about your development in a particular area of your life. At times of great change and renewal, a baby may appear in a dream and represent your potential and a new beginning. Some of the meaning of the dream may be obtained by considering what the baby looked like and was doing. Generally, babies represent innocence and are symbols of the purest form of a human whose possibilities are endless. However, if the baby’s appearance is odd, and if your interactions with it are bizarre or unusual, you need to consider your own well being (psychologically) and think about what personal experiences and psychological hang-ups have prevented you from growing.

To dream of dying, foretells that you are threatened with evil from a source that has contributed to your former advancement and enjoyment.

To see others dying, forebodes general ill luck to you and to your friends.

To dream that you are going to die, denotes that unfortunate inattention to your affairs will depreciate their value. Illness threatens to damage you also.

To see animals in the throes of death, denotes escape from evil influences if the animal be wild or savage.

It is an unlucky dream to see domestic animals dying or in agony.

[As these events of good or ill approach you they naturally assume these forms of agonizing death, to impress you more fully with the joyfulness or the gravity of the situation you are about to enter on awakening to material responsibilities, to aid you in the mastery of self which is essential to meeting all conditions with calmness and determination.]

To dream that you are energetic, symbolizes growth, activity, expansion and insight. You need to channel your energy in a positive way.

Symbolic of the world, the body and the grave (20), and also regarded
as an essential symbol of containing (and concealing). Rabanus Maurus (Operum,
III, Allegoriae in Sacram Scripturam) lays particular stress on this aspect (46).
Nowadays, however, the whale seems to have acquired more independence as a
symbolic equivalent of the mystic mandorla, or the area of intersection of the
circles of heaven and earth, comprising and embracing the opposites of existence
(51).

To dream of seeing a whale approaching a ship, denotes that you will have a struggle between duties, and will be threatened with loss of property.

If the whale is demolished, you will happily decide between right and inclination, and will encounter pleasing successes.

If you see a whale overturn a ship, you will be thrown into a whirlpool of disasters.

To see a whale in your dream, represents your intuition and awareness. You are in tuned with your sense of spirituality. Alternatively, a whale symbolizes a relationship or business project that may be too big to handle. You are feeling overwhelmed. The dream may also be a pun on "wailing" and a desire to cry out about something.

Seeing a whale in your dream, represents your intuition and awareness. You are in tuned to your sense of spirituality. Alternatively, it indicates a relationship or business project that is too enormous to handle.

For most people, dreaming about whales is a pleasant experience. These huge water dwelling mammals may be symbolic of the connection that exists between the unconscious and conscious mind. They may represent the dreamer's level of awareness, perceptiveness, and intuition. Some think that they represent our emotional power or are messengers from the spiritual realms. If the waters are rough and the whale was unpredictable or on the attack, think about the emotional environment in your everyday life. Under such unpleasant dream circumstances, these large animals may represent overwhelming emotional or psychological issue and problem.

Whale Totem Meaning

Where the edge of land ends and the fringe of vast oceans begins is a threshold of mammoth proportions. To garner in-depth understanding of symbolic whale meaning, we've got to pay homage to its environment, the oceans of our planet.

The oceans, and water in general holds age-old symbolism of emotional depth (I've written about potential water symbolism here, if you're interested). As humans, we all experience an array of emotions. Some are on the surface; we can experience these emotions easily because they float on top of our life-experience as driftwood on the surface of the water. We can observe these top-layer emotions clearly, they are familiar and we deal with them daily. Other emotions, however, run very deep within us. Some emotions we burry beneath the fathoms of our consciousness; these emotions are the leviathans of our being - the lumbering beasts we dare not let surface.

From this perspective, we can easily relate to the depth and breadth of water with the essence of emotions. Given its habitat is the water realms, the totem meaning of the whale largely deals with emotions too. The whale symbolizes emotional creativity, well-being, nurturing as well as emotional depth.

Those who are magnetized by whale energy will tend to be incredibly deep in sensitivity. The depth of feeling whale-totem-people endure can be overwhelming. Whale people are super-perceptive about the feelings of those around them, and this can manifest into an internal pressure that can be quite crushing. The whale can help with overwhelment of feelings and even temper the onslaught of emotions picked up from other people too. If you are extraordinarily affected by the emotions of others, or your own emotions are so intense as to cause discomfort, your whale totem can help.

Why? Because whales are masters of:

Navigation: Moving through emotional depths
Communication: Effectively expressing emotional experiences
Conservation: Using emotional energy for fuel and not being consumed by emotional floods

I love poking through old myths and parables, especially when exploring totem meaning and the whale has plenty legends to its name. From Native American to Islam, the whale is featured prominently in ancient lore. Take the prophet Jonah. It's a classic passage in the Bible. I'm fortunate to know a several Biblical scholars, and I've talked to these folks (thanks to Robert, Jim and Diane!) about the deeper symbolic meaning of Jonah's three days and three nights in the bellies of the mega ketos ("great fish" in Greek), dag gadul ("big fish" in Hebrew), and the nun in Arabic - all terms describing the huge fish-whale who swallowed Jonah in the Biblical account. My Bible-savvy pals relate the story as an allegory of deliverance of the Jews from Babylonian capture. The great mother of Babylon's first queen (Semiramis) was Derceto, and the Babylonian sea goddess Derceto (a behemoth being of the sea) is the very same 'great fish' who swallowed Jonah. This perspective illustrates the Jews' liberation from Babylonian captivity with Jonah being expelled from Derceto's belly.

What intrigued me further was discussions deeper emotional allegory associated with Jonah's account. Imagine the emotional duress Jonah endured. Charged with the task (from God, no less) to travel to Ninevah and speak to the people about the righteous path of God. Now, at the time, Ninevah was quite inhospitable, and it was highly unlikely they would be keen to hear what Jonah had to say. Knowing this, Jonah retreated from his responsibility, essentially hiding from his soul-purpose (God) and that's when the mammoth beast of the sea swallows him whole.

We've all been in Jonah's sandals. We've all had a scary task to set before us, a heavy task with potentially frightening responsibilities placed on our shoulders. When we turn away from these responsibilities (knowing what we should do, yet refusing) it churns up massive emotional upheaval. We become swallowed ourselves in an emotional quagmire. We stew in our emotional soup, until we reach a boiling point. We all struggle with emotional buildup over choices we need to make, or even those choices we cannot bear to execute. Some of us, after days and nights of stewing within the womb of the soul, finally emerge (spit from the whale, so to speak) with renewed determination and a rekindling of faith. Others of us return to the emotional abyss until we can process our fears and indecision into a more refined state of being.

This kind of emotional swallowing, digesting and processing is key to whale totem meaning. Luckily, the whale can facilitate emotional clarity, and help us navigate through the often ambiguous and confusing seas of emotion. Whales themselves are incredibly nurturing; we see this in how they raise their young as well as their close-knit connection to others in their community herds or pods. Whales, and those with whale totems have a natural affinity for helping, especially promoting well-being within their community. People who are attracted to the whale often feel devoted to a greater cause, and although they may struggle with their own personal emotions, they tend to naturally conjure healing powers towards others in emotional trauma. Does this sound familiar to you? If you have these tendencies, I encourage you to swim deeply with the whale in your meditations and prayers. Navigating the emotional waters with the whale by your side will afford guidance and clarity.

Whales ask us to embrace the unknown, and that's precisely why they are so connected to the emotional depths of the oceans. To be sure, our current circumstances are born from an emotional womb. In other words, our reality is intrinsically connected to our thought and our emotional choices. It can be frustrating and confusing to track down the emotional origin of the stuff that's manifested in our lives, and the whale can help us understand, on a deeper level, the actions that have caused unrest in our daily life.

In many sects of Native wisdom, the whale is symbolic of the beginning, the creation of all life on earth as we know it. They aren't the only ones. Countless cultures around the globe associate themes of creation, birth and rebirth with the whale. Other symbolic suggestions to add to whale totem meaning include:

Deeper Awareness
Cosmic Consciousness
Emotional Rebirth and Understanding
Nurturing and Devotion to Community
Appreciation for Beauty, (especially song and dance)
The Importance of Balance (emotional and otherwise)

I hope these philosophical ponderings about whale symbolism and whale totem meaning has inspired you to dive more deeply into the cetacean realms. Perhaps these insights might inspire you to meditate and soulfully contemplate the presence of the whale in your own life. To be sure, joining with whale energy in your devotionals will eventually lead you to a cohesive view - an expansive clarity into the deeper fathoms of your emotional worlds.

The whale is the keeper of the Earth's history and secrets. It keeps alive the memories of the legendary motherland of Mu, which was once located in the west of America and to which all Native American tribes trace back their origins. The whale was once the witness of the great disaster to which the motherland fell victim. People who own the power of the whale are often very perceptive and can, with the help of this gift, access all the information that exists in the universe. They often have telepathic powers, but the source of their knowledge frequently remains unknown to them. It is only with time that they realize how to utilize their powers. The whale teaches one to find and blend with one's own original sound, because it carries the history of all living beings. It shows that the right frequency can heal and, with the help of the whale, you can learn to connect with the ancient language that was used for communication before language in its current form was developed. The whale always guides the way to discovering the meaning of your own life.

The whale gives you the ability to know the wisdom of the ages - from the time before time.

Inner awakening, creation, movement, strong sense of family, sprout in creative imagination, reaching within or outside to find inspiration, don't hold back your endeavors, be strong and move swiftly. Whale shows how to dive deep within to awaken your creativity, imagination and intuition. He teaches awakening inspiration so you can see your own beauty reflected into the world. It is time to create you own song, your own rhythm in which for creative imagining takes place. Are you using your true creativity? Whale will teach how to access the power and magic of the creative - emotional - passionate force.