Jaguar

Key words: courage, confrontation with death, initiation, shamanism, secrecy, psychic vision, intuition, integration, solitary and self independence

Nature & Symbolism

Jump without fear in the darkness, with eyes of jaguar you'll see unseen. With its strenght you have power to overcome any obstacles.

Jaguars live in Central and South America. It is top predator of this region. Jaguars prefer habitats like jungles and swamps, but also like semi-arid mountainous regions, so long as the area is forested. The jaguar is also one of the few cats to like water, and often can be seen playing in it.

Jaguar is very ancient and powerful power animal/totem. It embodies aggressiveness, courage and power. For some, the jaguar represents the power to face one’s fears, or to confront one’s enemies. However, they are also associated with vision, which means both their ability to see during the night and to look into the dark parts of the human heart. According to Mayan beliefs, the journey of the sun across the sky and the darkness of night represented the infinite journey of human consciousness and its transformations. The midday sun’s position was compared to the Eagle, flying high in the sky. The hidden sun was said to be Jaguar, whose spotted skin represents the stars glittering/shining in the night sky. According to that belief, in Mayan mythology, the jaguar was seen as the ruler of the Underworld.

The jaguar also is important for shamans who often associate the jaguar as a spirit companion or nagual, which will protect them from evil spirits and while they move between the earth and the spirit realm. Some believe, that shamans can shapeshift in jaguars themselves.

How Jaguar could help you?

If you facing difficult situation in which you are afraid, jaguar give you courage and strength. Teach how to trust personal instincts, trust oneself. Jaguar could help with passing through confrontation with dark forces (even from ones unconsciousness) and transformation. Helps to see new opportunities, even no one else can see anything. Guards from evil.

How you can help Jaguar?

Humans are the main threat to the jaguar. Humans hunt the jaguar for sport, for its spotted hide, and to protect their domestic stock. The jaguar is endangered because it is hunted for its fur, and farmers kill the jaguar because it killed their cattle. It is threatened also by habitat loss. To save this big cat from extinction, we must protect rainforest. Here there are ten things you can do to save rainforest