Ludy Lescot Symbols: Animals

Hemera

Dog (4 of Wands): Domestic helper, necessary companion (hunting, guarding) , loyal companion, bringer of good luck, lunar/solar, (Goddess: Hekate)

Cat (Hermit,7 of Swords, 8 of Pentacles): Home, hearth, secretive, nocturnal, supernatural, symbol of beauty and independence, lunar, (Goddess: Bast)

Wolf (Justice, Knight of Swords, 9 of Wands): Wild, free, intuitive. Symbol of communication, intellect and generosity, lunar (Goddess: Hekate, God: Mars)

Horse (Knights, Chariot, Lovers, 4 of Pents): Power, nobility, freedom, grace, solar (God/Goddess: Poseidon, Epona)

Lion (King of Wands): fierce, royal. Symbol of dignity, authority, ferocity. Solar (Goddess: Sekhmet)

Mother hen (Fool) :Symbol of maternal nurturing and caring.
From Wikipedia: “ In Indonesia the chicken has great significance during the Hindu cremation ceremony. A chicken is considered a channel for evil spirits which may be present during the ceremony. A chicken is tethered by the leg and kept present at the ceremony for its duration to ensure that any evil spirits present during the ceremony go into the chicken and not the family members present. The chicken is then taken home and returns to its normal life

Dove: (Sun, Empress) Bird of love, beauty, peace, spirituality (Holy Spirit) purity and fidelity. (Goddess: Aphrodite)

Horned Owl (King of Cups): Symbol of wisdom, mystery, transition, messages, intelligence, mysticism, protection, secrets. Nocturnal (Dark Goddesses)

Rabbit (Q of Pents): Symbol of fertility, spring , family and clan, the White Rabbit who leads Alice into Wonderland, trickster archetype in many cultures.Both solar and lunar. (Goddess: Eostre)

Raven (4 and 9 of Pents): Symbol of communication, mysteries, ancestors, traditions, secrets. (Dark Goddesses)

Eagle (Emperor): Symbol of protection, guardianship, dominance, control, freedom, command, action, authority, skill, focus, determination, vision, power, inspiration, ruler.

Lizard/Salamander (Ace of Wands): Symbol of vision, energy, emotion, renewal, transition, Spirituality, adaptability, resourcefulness.

Songbird/sparrow (3 of Cups): Symbol of joy, inclusion, creativity, simplicity, friendliness.

Snake (Justice). Renewal, energy (kundalini).
 

MaineGirl117

Additions:

Cat: 3 of Pent

Birds: Queen of Swords

Frog: The Star

Butterfly: 3 of Wands/ Queen of Pentacles/ Ace of Swords

Salamander: King of Wands

Rabbit: Page of Cups
 

Hemera

Ravens

I just found something that Marie-Louise von Franz has written about ravens in her analysis on some fairy tales (in " Shadow and Evil in Fairy Tales" Shambhala 1995)
"Black birds , ravens and crows are believed capable of knowing the future and of telling the hidden truth...Birds in general represent intuitive hunches: creatures which fly in the air, in the medium of the spiritual world, and have therefore to do with involuntary thoughts which are revelaed to be true"

"In the Middle Ages this archetypal symbol of the raven has been cut into two, into a light and dark aspect. It is both the symbol of the Devil and of dark mystical, spiritual connectedness with god. In Greek mythology the ravens belong to Apollo, the sun god.

The raven is thus messenger of the more unknown, the darker, less shining and more invisible side of the great god. Melancholy, deep thoughts and evil thoughts are very close to each other..The raven might lead either to possession by evil or into essential inner realizations which are always the dark side of the sun god."