The Elephant instantly reminds of.....
"Ganesh" I whisper as the card reveals itself to me as if my soul has been calling for this energy for a long time. If the Lion is the King of the jungle, then the Elephant is The High Priest or Priestess; The Wise Elder, full of knowledge and wisdom. An image comes to me; a herd of elephants clearing a way as they walk through the jungle, maybe to their final resting place the elephants graveyard. Ganesh is known as the remover of obstacles on your life path and can remove anything both of a physical and spiritual nature. It is common to see Ganesh acknowledge first in Hindu religion (I was not raised hindu! please correct if I am wrong, this is based off research) and therefore is synonymous to 'The Gate Keeper' archetype, the guardian of the threshold between this realm and the spiritual or ancestral one. Adding to this Ganesh is also known to place obstacles in our path to steer us in the right direction!
Since purchasing this deck I have pulled this card a few times, she seems so familiar to me. I get a deep feeling of relief... I guess... or, actually... maybe it's a sense of security and support when I see this card. Perhaps this is because in the natural world, Elephant society is dominated by the female; The Matriarch, the oldest and most experienced of the group is the leader of the herd. Here the elephant reminds us about tradition, as the matriarch is often the female most related to or associated with the previous matriarch. The matriarch is often easy to spot..
She will be the one other females gravitate towards; she has a responsibility of caring for her herd and passing on the ways of their group. Elephants are known for nurturing of each other and having a deep sense of community encircling all generations of females. This reminds me of the Wisdom we get from the Feminine Trinity; Maiden, Mother and Crone. Maybe I keep pulling this card to remind of the tremendous support surrounding me in the form of my spiritual mother, Mother Goddess or maybe I just need to trust the quiet voice guiding me from within; after all, it is said that Elephants can communicate Telepathically. They have an ability to hear sounds that are undetectable to the human ear and pick up on very subtle vibrations through their feet!
The more `I contemplate this beautiful and powerful creature, its connection to traditions and Ancient Wisdom, the more I can see how this has manifested in my own life. I have a very deep connection to my family despite it being scattered and not having as much knowledge of my own roots! I always seem to just 'know' when my son or sister is about to come home, and much of what they try to hide from me is revealed in my dreams.
In my family I AM The Matriarch; losing my Nan (who was a Mother and best friend to me, my whole Trinity in one being) was the greatest pain I felt until I lost a woman who stood in for my own Mother. She was my Spiritual Mother and guided me through so much. It is easy to take for granted this deep and profound role and overlook how important our guidance as women is!
SOME CHARACTERISTICS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ELEPHANT
Authority
Awareness
Confidence
Family Love
Patience
Pride
Stamina
Strength
Dreamtime and Dream Work
Will and Intent
Environmental Protection and Guardianship
Kim Krans creator of The Wild Unknown ANIMAL SPIRIT DECK(and Tarot Deck) describes this card as "arguably the most auspicious figure in the deck" and she definitely is. There is no doubt to me that this card exudes wisdom and being of the Fire Element denotes passion, action and change. Clearer of the way; Keeper of Ancient Knowledge this card helps and supports us on the path of Transformation into ourHighest Selves.
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