Iguanas are a common sight in many parts of the world. However, not many people can readily tap into their meaning, seeing as how not many really take time to observe them.
More often than not, our impression of these reptiles come when they scurry about amidst the earth and blades of grass. We don’t get to see them at their best — relaxing and bathing in the sunlight. And that is a pity, because these are moments we would do well to observe and learn from.
Iguana Symbolism Facts & Meaning: A Totem, Spirit & Power Animal
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Iguana Symbolism & Meaning
There are many animals that teach us how to relax and have fun, but perhaps none can do it in the same way as the Iguana. You don’t exactly see the Iguana smiling, or lying back, or sighing in contentment. Rather, you would see it sunbathing in an alert yet relaxed position. Its four feet and its tail are firmly planted on the ground, even as its eyes are drawn up to the heavens.
To the Iguana, relaxation does not need to be idle. In fact, for him, sitting back and taking a break is a productive endeavor. It is not simply a time to stop moving, but a time to sync in with the energies of the earth. It is like undergoing a maintenance mode, wherein you are consolidating everything and using this to move forward. This is some kind of “active resting”, making the Iguana unique in terms of the symbolism it offers.
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Iguana Spirit Animal
As a spirit animal, the Iguana tells us to stop being such a worrywart. Sometimes most of our worries are caused by us being too narrow-minded. By us having tunnel-vision and forgetting to consider other things in our immediate environment. The Iguana invites us to learn by its example. Even as it rests and bathes in the sun, it is watching everything and is aware of everything. This way the moment it starts moving, it can be precise and goal-oriented.
This, the Iguana teaches us, is one of the ways to be happy. This is why this animal seems so happy and content when it rests, because it knows this is a mere investment for the future.
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Iguana Power Animal
If you need to turn your resting period into a more productive experience, the Iguana power animal is your perfect bet. It grants a different kind of intuition, allowing you to sync into the forces around you and to use these forces for your own advancement.
The Iguana also has a hidden talent when it comes to survivalism — you will not just get the power of the mind but also the power of the spirit. In nature, the Iguana is among the lizards that can shed its tail when threatened or gripped by a predator. It also knows how to play dead, an effective tactic since there are not many carrions in its habitats. If the catfish can get down and dirty with completing their tasks, the Iguana can do the same when it comes to saving themselves.
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Iguana Totem Animal
People born under the Iguana totem animal seem to have eyes on all sides of their body. They are perpetually aware of their surroundings, and can easily act on the information they receive. You can never sneak up on an Iguana! As a plus, they do this so nonchalantly that sometimes it seems magical. They make the perfect secret agents.
It is good to be friends with an Iguana person, since they can almost always share their enlightenment to other people. They are great teachers, helping others find their own enlightenment not by spoon-feeding information but by helping them discover their own personal capacities. Meditation, reflection, and observation are not easy disciplines to teach, but they do it effortlessly.
The downside of being an Iguana person is that confrontations usually lead to emotional coldness. Either they detach themselves fully from the person (letting go of the tail) or they act as if that person no longer exists (playing dead). This is, however, until their natural wisdom takes over and they recover their goodwill.
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Iguana Native American Symbolism
To the Native Americans, the Iguana isn’t much talked about. Instead, we have lizards that occupy a good place in tribal folklore. Lizards are wise symbols of healing. The Mayans have a specific astrological sign for the Iguana, which is under the fire element, reflecting the Iguana’s affinity for the sun.
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Iguana Celtic Symbolism
The Iguana does not have a specific meaning to the Celtics, though it isn’t rare to see lizards among their animal symbols. To them, the lizard’s connection to the fire element can translate to battle prowess.
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Iguana Far Eastern Symbolism
Despite an abundance of Iguanas in the Far East, they are not given any special importance. Lizards, depending on the society, can have either good or bad meanings — perhaps reflecting how the Iguana sits in the middle of everything, observing and absorbing.
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Iguana in Dreams
When you see Iguanas in dreams, it is time to rise above the fears you currently have. The Iguana shows you the way by teaching you how to observe your surroundings, through it gaining the tools and skills you need to eliminate your fears.
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Iguana Encounters / Iguana Omens
When you meet an Iguana, it is important to observe the things around you. Maybe there is something that you need to focus on, but not so much that it blocks out other factors around you. Maybe you will encounter this in a grand way, and you need the Iguana’s survival ferocity in order to survive.
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Iguana Mythology and Folklore
The Afro-Mexican community has a set of dances called the Tixtla, patterned after animals important to their culture. Among these is the Iguana, which they recognize as a wise spirit.
In Peruvian tradition (especially that of the Moche people), the Iguana is a constant companion to a god. Such is their companionship that it is immortalized in potteries and rituals. Not in written language, though, as the Moche people did not leave written accounts.
But if we tap into the Iguana’s powers of observation, we can surely understand what this means!
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