Ostrich totems symbolize grounded wisdom, being practical, and staying balanced.
In Native American tradition, each person is said to be attached to nine companion animals that escort and guide them through life. Most of these totem animals --- many of which are not native to North America --- appear at different junctures in life to teach specific lesson or to provide instruction for completing certain tasks. Each person has one main animal guide, or totem, such as the ostrich, that operates as the main guardian spirit.
Ostrich Wings
Birds and flight represent a connection with higher power or ethereal knowledge, and being open to wisdom. Even flightless birds carry this connections to wisdom and knowledge. Like all birds, the ostrich has wings, yet it doesn't fly. The flightless ostrich represents being grounded. It can use its long legs and neck to obtain the ethereal knowledge and wisdom, and use its lack of flight to ground that knowledge and wisdom for practical use. The ostrich uses its wings for balance when running, symbolizing the need to stay balanced when life seems to be racing by. The ostrich totem is a reminder to stay grounded.
Ostrich Appetite
The ostrich's hearty appetite is said to correspond to an appetite for more and greater knowledge. They also swallow stones as digestive aides which correlates with the need to assimilate, or digest, knowledge before acting on it. Knowledge acted on without digesting it first, tends to lead to flighty and inappropriate actions. It is another way of staying grounded.
Ostrich Feet and Legs
The ostrich runs at high speeds, easily outrunning its adversaries. Its feet are extremely strong, with a kicking ability that can kill in self-defense. The ostrich uses its speed to run away from its nest and act as a decoy to protect its eggs and new hatchlings from harm. If the ostrich shows up as a totem it may be trying to point to the need for using knowledge to move forward or to protect oneself. On the other hand, it may be pointing to the need to leave a situation to protect others from harm.
Burying Its Head in the Sand
The old myth about the ostrich burying its head in the sand out of fear or as a way of avoiding what's going on, is just that --- a myth. In fact, the ostrich doesn't bury its head at all. It lowers its head to lower its profile, making herself and her eggs less noticeable. If the ostrich totem appears in this position, it signifies the need for self-protection, for avoiding situations that would leave a person vulnerable.
Socializing with Other Animals
The ostrich frequently intermingles with other animals, like zebras and antelope, that stir up insects for the ostrich to eat. This can be seen as a sign of the need for people to intermingle with others with new ideas that can stir their mental growth. In addition, the ostriches and its companion animals alert each other when predators are nearby. This type of communal living among humans allows for tribal protection as well as the ability to counsel one another.
Related posts
The ostrich lives on grassy plains across parts of Africa.The ostrich belongs to the order Struthionformes, a group of birds that includes other flightless species such as the emu, rhea and cassow...
Ostriches are native to Africa, but are now raised on farms around the world.Ostriches belong to a group of birds called the ratites. This is a family of large flightless birds that includes the k...
Ostrich produces lean, iron-rich red meat.Don't be surprised if you find the "other red meat" on the menu of an upscale restaurant or at the local farmers market. As ostrich meat gains p...
Ostrich Fun FactsThe ostrich is the largest species of bird on Earth and the heaviest, a creature that lives in Africa. The ostrich is unable to fly but can run very fast, aided by the structure o...
Hatch your own ostrich eggs.Ostrich grow to be about 9 foot tall. They are raised for meat, feathers and leather. They are fast moving birds that lay large eggs. An ostrich egg is about 6 inches l...
