Porcupine - Pagan Symbol of Innocence
Totem and Power Animal’s Medicine is Defensive Magick
Jun 25, 2009
The porcupine is non-aggressive and has a powerful weapon to use when necessary. AmerIndians saw her quills as weaponry which suggested an ability to ward off evil. They would weave the quills with fiber to make cloth for protection.
Porcupine the Animal
The North American porcupine, a quill-bearing rodent, is chunky, herbivorous, short-legged and slow-moving. Nocturnal and solitary, she spends much of her time in trees. The two large, front gnawing teeth continue growing as long as the animal lives. There are up to 30,000 quills interspersed among the dark, coarse hairs of the porcupine's back and tail.
When threatened, the porcupine places her snout between her forelegs and spins around, her back facing the predator. She doesn’t throw her quills. If attacked, she flails her tail at the enemy. Dozens of barbed quills detach easily from the skin to be embedded in the attacker. Her predators include wolves, fishers, bobcats and pumas.
Some people think hedgehogs and echidnas are in the same animal family. They aren’t. Hedgehogs are insectivores; echidnas, monotremes and one of the two mammals that lay eggs.
Porcupine Symbolism
Keynotes on the symbolism of the porcupine include innocence and renewed appreciation of wonder. Autumn is her time of power. She is an animal symbolic of faith, intelligence, defensive magick, humility, trust, wisdom, innocence and the adventure of discovery.
Porcupine, like Otter, is loving, gentle and non-aggressive. Like Skunk, she uses a warning before defending herself. She teaches people how to make magickal shields that protect them from negativity and psychic and magickal attacks. Her quill is symbol of a brave warrior, shielding against evil.
Porcupine and Bear – AmerIndian Legend
Porcupine was looking at a hollow log. She was full of wonder as she tried to think of what she could do with it. Could be a playhouse that nature made for her? Maybe she should climb on top of it and roll back and forth or scratch her back on the outer bark. Perhaps, she should look inside to see if there was any vegetation for her dinner. While she was pondering what to do, Bear was approaching her. She was excited. A playmate to share her log with!
She greeted him and asked him if he wanted share the log and play.
Bear snorted, “Porcupine, I’m too old to play. I’m looking for honey, so get out of my way.”
Porcupine told him he was never too old to play. She said that if he forgot what it was like to be a cub, he would always be grumpy and crotchety.
Bear was stunned and thought about what Porcupine said. All of the other animals ran away from him. Brothers and sister Bears ignored him when he growled at them. Maybe Porcupine was right. She trusted him not to eat her. She offered to be his friend.
He looked at her and felt something stirring inside him Bear remembered the games of the days when he was a cub. He began to feel joy.
“Porcupine, you reminded me of the joy I had when I was a cub. In becoming strong, I became too logical. I was scared of what others might think if I dropped my gruff façade. I feared that others wouldn’t treat me with respect. You taught me that when I was being a stuffed shirt, I caused others not to like me. Thank you. I’d love to join you in playing with the log.”
Bear remembered how to play again and learned Porcupine’s innocence.
Related Animal Symbolism
Readers who enjoyed this article might be interested in Bear as a Powerful Pagan Symbol along with Otter Pagan Symbolism and a Legend and Skunk as a Pagan Symbol for Respect.
Sources:
- Animal Magick, D. J. Conway, (Llewellyn Publications, 1996).
- Animal-Speak, Ted Andrews, (Llewellyn Publications, 2002).
- The Medicine Cards, Jamie Sams & David Carson, (Bear & Company, 1988).
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