Rabbit Totem and Symbolic Rabbit Meanings
You might overlook symbolic rabbit meanings because it seems to be such a small, timid creature. Bad idea. Rabbits offer big lessons about being more aware of our environment and protecting ourselves if we sense a threat. Rabbits are also a symbol of fertility, family and new life. Keep reading for all rabbit meanings here.
Symbolic rabbit meanings deal primarily with abundance, comfort, and vulnerability. Traditionally, rabbits are associated with fertility, sentiment, desire, and procreation. Rabbit meanings are also closely linked to the seasons, the changes of Mother Earth, and specifically Springtime.
Have you ever heard the term “madder than a March hare?” I have (my mom says it). It has to do with rabbits going bonkers around this time of year.
Rabbits feel the call of spring just as strongly as everyone and everything else – perhaps moreso.
Creatures of all kinds feel the tremors of springtime’s return and respond to it in wild courtship. It’s a celebration of life, and bunnies bounce right back into the swing of spring.
All of us know the power of population the rabbit has – they are legendary for their ability to reproduce fast and furiously. For that same reason, the rabbit is a perfect symbol for this spring which is fertile with themes like: New life, New beginnings and the undeniable current of growth. The rabbit is also a symbol of Ostara (see “Rabbit Meanings Around the World” below), an ancient fertility goddess whose symbols are rabbits, various flowers and eggs (more life/growth/fertility themes!).
A mother rabbit can have up to forty or more babies a year. That’s symbolic of the cycle of life, and they way life carries on generation after generation. This could hearken to our ideals of ancestry. Indeed in many cultures (Asian, for example) the rabbit is a symbol of longevity and a long family line. Rabbits’ renowned ability to have large litters of babies is also symbolic of creativity/creation.
“Never underestimate nature,
or the creatures that live within it.
From survival to symbolism –
the meekest often have the most
impact and meaning.”
~Avia
Some general symbolic rabbit meanings include:
Love
Luck
Family
Shyness
Speed
Growth
Rebirth
Harmony
Awareness
Abundance
Creativity
Perception
Esoteric Knowledge
Symbolic Rabbit Meanings via Physical/Behavioral Associations
Rabbits love to chew, and their teeth never stop growing. Symbolically, chewing implies repetition, contemplation, and breaking concepts down into component parts. Their diet is light and green, which implies symbolism of health and prosperity.
Rabbits are burrowers and their deep, maze-like tunnels symbolize connections with primal energy as well as Mother Earth energies. The rabbit encourages us to retreat within, get warm, and collect ourselves.
They also prompt us to connect with the Mother in deeper ways. Rabbits prefer to be on the ground; they are true earth element animals. We cannot help but be reminded of ground in their presence.
Rabbits and hares are nocturnal and share the same lunar symbolism. The moon is often depicted as a rabbit in many cultures, thus lending associations of deep intuition and emotional. For sure, the rabbit symbolizes reflection.