What is the meaning of the fox?

The fox means beauty, good luck, cleverness, independent spirit, mischief and protection. Like the other animals that are part of the canid family, foxes are playful-minded animals.

Its symbolism is present in cultures around the world, because its distribution is wide, covering all continents of the world, except Antarctica. In Brazil, there are three species of fox that are also linked to folklore and superstitions, as well as the cultures of the original peoples of this country.

In this article, you will learn about the symbolism of the fox, going through various cultures, with its myths and legends belonging to basically the entire globe. Also included are its relationship with shamanism, the gypsy deck, its use as a tattoo, and much more. Get ready to connect with the energy of this beautiful and misunderstood animal.

Symbology of the fox

The symbolism of the fox is related to the culture in which it appears. However, as we will show below, some of its characteristics are considered universal, such as intelligence, independence, fun, beauty, protection, good luck and cunning. Learn details below.

Intelligence

The fox is a symbol of intelligence. Throughout the ages, its character linked to quick thinking and intellect has been stabilized as universal. Due to its impressive ability to escape from its enemies, the fox is considered a highly intelligent animal.

Unfortunately, due to this ability, it continues to be hunted since it is taken as a trophy of superior intelligence for those who captured it. Contrary to what many people think, hunting or mistreating foxes is not a sign of cleverness: this attracts great bad luck or even curses for those who caused it harm.

When you see a fox, you must reaffirm your intelligent nature, without hurting it, so that its power may be manifested in your life.

Independence

Foxes are predominantly solitary animals. Unlike their close relatives like the wolf and the dog, they prefer to hunt independently. However, this does not mean that they do not value bonds with other foxes.

Fox couples usually spend their lives together, and the male always brings the hunt to share with his cubs and mate. Their cubs even stay together with their parents until they learn to hunt on their own. For this reason, it is not uncommon to find families of foxes walking together in the wild.

Spotting them, especially during the rainy season, is a sign of good luck, so turn to the energy of the fox whenever you want to develop your independence and autonomy.

Fun

Just like domestic dogs and other animals, foxes are fun-loving animals. It is not uncommon to see foxes stealing balls and other toys so they can play with each other.

Their amusing reputation makes many people try to touch them in their natural environment, but this should be avoided because, even though they are friendly animals, they are wild and consequently unpredictable.

Whenever you wish to bring a greater sense of fun and the positive feelings we feel when we are having fun, ask this animal spirit for help in manifesting these characteristics in your life.

Beauty

The fox is an animal of unique beauty. Its fur is always beautiful, ranging from orange and golden tones, in the case of foxes that live in more arid regions, to the white of the snow fox.

Due to their stunning beauty, their skin is often coveted for fur coats, an extremely cruel industry that not only causes environmental problems, but brings a tide of negative energy to those who wear them, due to the energy of death and cruelty that is impregnated in them.

To attract the beauty of the fox into your world, just contemplate this being in its natural environments or admire it in meditative processes. You can call it as spirit animal to grant its beauty.

Protection

The fox fur has a function that goes far beyond beauty: protection. Foxes inhabit many areas inhospitable to humans, such as deserts and glaciers and to protect themselves from the weather, their fur is essential.

And that is precisely why foxes are seen as symbols of physical as well as spiritual protection. In addition, there is another important characteristic that underpins the fox's protective nature: territoriality.

Foxes defend their spaces tooth and nail and are willing to do anything to protect those they love, also using for this purpose their instinct and intelligence. Use your energy when you want to defend your boundaries and those you love.

Good Luck

Foxes are symbols of good luck, for they possess skills that maximize opportunities. Their body allows them to be flexible, able to hide in small crevices to hide from enemies or wait for the moment to capture their prey and this ensures their success in their endeavors.

Her omnivorous diet also aids her good luck, as she can feed on fruits and small animals when meat is scarce. And this power of being ready for opportunities also brings good luck to foxes.

So call for your spirit when you want to prepare yourself for the opportunities that may come your way, the way a fox would.

Astuteness

Cunning is a trait commonly associated with foxes. This is because the fox is an extremely sensitive animal, the kind that can pick up influences and vibrations in the air, anticipating attacks from its enemies and impending dangers.

Her perspicacity, ends up getting her out of disastrous situations in a shrewd manner, relying on her natural beauty and dexterity.

Because of this power to read situations well, interpreting them in instinctive ways and based on one's own experience, the spirit of the fox is usually called upon to grant these characteristics to those who desire them.

The fox totem teaches

A totem contains the powers of the animal it represents. By coming into contact with the fox totem, you will learn important lessons about overcoming obstacles, as well as in developing dexterity and skills to get yourself out of potential pitfalls in life. More details are given below.

Overcoming obstacles

The analytical thinking and intelligence of the fox totem allows her to easily overcome obstacles. This is due to her highly protective and intuitive nature, which does not spill over into the realm of what belongs to her, as does her sense of self-preservation.

As we have shown, the sagacity of the fox is an innate characteristic of this animal. Its high adaptability, added to its intelligence, helps it to avoid obstacles and overcome them effectively. Call for the spirit of this animal whenever you find yourself in difficult situations and it will soon show you the way to overcome.

Be smart

The fox is a naturally smart animal. This cleverness, ensures not only its survival, but also the development of its skills. If the fox is your guardian animal, you will learn to deal with his instincts and use his wit to analyze all the events that occur around him.

This will allow you to overcome challenges and use your keen intellect and intuition to counteract negativity and escape all the traps that are laid before you. You will also be able to use your beauty aligned with your cleverness to not only combat the evils that beset you, but also to achieve what you desire.

Developing skills

When you connect with the fox totem, you begin to develop abilities linked to this fabulous animal. Among these abilities are:

- Analytical thinking to overcome obstacles, predict bad situations and read people's intentions;

- Physical, emotional, financial, energetic and spiritual protection for you and those you love;

- Good luck taking advantage of life's opportunities;

- Internal and external beauty;

- Flexibility to face challenges and see in them opportunities for growth;

- Lightness to look at life from a positive perspective, with more fun.

Remember to possess a small fox talisman at home to represent the energy of this animal in your life and attract it.

Meaning of the fox in different cultures

The fox is associated with myths and stories from different cultures. Like any symbol, the symbolism of the fox varies according to the culture in which it is inserted. Therefore, we present in this section its meanings in the bible and in several mythologies from Europe, Africa, Asia and Americas.

The fox in the Bible

In the Bible, foxes are mentioned in a metaphorical way in some passages. Usually, these passages are negative, but notice that they don't say the animal is an evil being, but they treat it as a being that can compromise the agriculture of the people of that time.

As an example of a passage, in Song of Solomon 2:15, we read, "Catch us the foxes, the little foxes, that hurt the vines, for our vines are in bloom." Presently, especially due to the popularity of foxes, metaphors involving foxes in a negative way are in disuse, as the wonderful attributes of this beautiful animal are recognized.

The fox in Greek mythology

In Greek mythology, the fox is present in several of Aesop's fables, the most famous of which is "The Fox and the Grapes", which contains an important moral about envy: envious people tend to criticize something they can't have.

In the myth of the Fox of Têumesso, she was a huge beast sent by the god Dionysus, to devour the children of the city of Thebes. This ran as a form of punishment that the god sent to the Thebans due to their insolence.

According to the myth, the king of Thebes, Creon, decided to fight the fox with his magic dog, Lélape. Seeing the battle taking place, Zeus interceded and transformed the animals into two constellations: Greater Dog (Lélape) and Lesser Dog (Tehumess fox).

The fox in Africa

In Africa, different African ethnicities and peoples view the fox differently. The Dogon, for example, people of the central region of Mali in West Africa, conceive of the fox as a playful god who also acts as a messenger.

In the southern part of the African continent, the Tswana people have a proverb in which the fox is the central element. It says "only foxes dirty with mud survive". This proverb refers to the sagacious nature of the fox, reminding that it is often necessary to put your hand in the dough yourself in order to improve your life.

The fox in Celtic mythology

In Celtic mythology, the fox is a central figure in the myth of Dia Griene, daughter of the Sun. According to the story, the god of the underworld kidnapped Dia and took her to his kingdom. After pleading for her freedom, the god of the underworld granted her release, but she could only return to earth in the form of a fox.

In countries of Celtic origin, the fox is seen as an animal with positive and negative characteristics, the latter to a lesser extent. However, after the conversion to Christianity, the fox started to be seen in a negative way due to biblical metaphors.

The fox in Norse mythology

In Norse mythology, the fox is present in the figure of the 'fylgja', a supernatural being that accompanies a person from birth. The word 'fylgja' means 'companion', and these spirits are a kind of guardian animal of different species, one of which is the fox.

Still in Northern Europe, this time in Finland, a Scandinavian country, the fox is described as a playful and cunning being, but it hardly represents anything evil. In some stories, the fox is able to defeat wolves and bears due to its intelligence.

In addition, northern Finns believe that foxes conjure the aurora borealis as they run through the snow-covered hills. The Finnish word for aurora is 'revontulet' and means "fox fires".

The fox in Mesopotamia

In Mesopotamia, an ancient civilization that existed in the Middle East. The fox is present in Sumerian mythology through the myth of Enki, in which its waters bring life to a barren land. In it, the fox is used to call the goddess Ninhursag.

Ninhursag is the mother goddess of the mountains and one of the seven great deities of Sumeria. Being one of the sacred animals of this goddess, the fox appeared as her messenger, being a kind of link between the divine and human beings.

The fox in Japanese folklore

In Japanese folklore, the fox is a being endowed with supernatural powers capable of metamorphosing into humans. In Japanese, the word for fox is 'kitsune' and it gains more supernatural powers and wisdom as it ages.

The kitsune also have the power to create fire and lightning, and can enter people's dreams, as they have the ability to unfold time and space at will. In Japanese culture, the fox is seen as an important fighter to defeat the forces of evil.

The fox in Peru

In Peru, the fox was a sacred animal for the Moche people, who inhabited the north of the country between the first and seventh centuries. In the culture of these original people, the fox was a warrior who possessed the gift of strategy to face battles. Thus, the fox would never use his physical strength to fight but his intellect.

Therefore, many archaeological remains of this people often contain depictions of foxes in their art that has been preserved.

The fox for the native Americans

In the Native American nations, the fox is present in the cultures of people such as the Apache, Miwok, Achumawi and the Blackfeet. In them, the fox is a god of creation, giver of fire to mankind.

In Miwok mythology, a silver fox teamed up with a coyote to create the world and teach people how to survive in it. In addition to these native peoples, the Meskwaki people were always associated with the figure of the fox and so are recognized to this day as 'the fox people'.

The fox to native Canadians

Native Canadian peoples view the fox in a predominantly positive way. To the Dogrib people, the fox is sacred, for it was the animal that saved these people. In this myth, there was no food for the people who were starving to death. A fox appeared, entered the smoke tent, and said that the people should wait outside with their spears.

After entering the smoke tent, the fox wagged his fuzzy tail, scattering the smoke and causing a thunderous noise. Suddenly, a herd of caribou came out from inside the tent which was enough to feed the people during this difficult time.

The fox as a tattoo

The fox tattoo is an extremely positive symbol. It means that you are a self-confident person, endowed with wisdom. Your tattoo also attracts the intelligence of the fox to escape from dangers and bad situations, as well as its protection against any evil.

Moreover, the fox is a symbol of beauty, joviality and fun, so it is also used to manifest physical beauty on your body as well as radiate a spirit of joviality and fun. Also, remember that the fox is an autonomous and independent being and tattooing it can imbue your body with this energy.

The fox in the gypsy deck

The fox is the card number 14 of the gypsy deck. Its meanings are associated with agility, attention, caution, cleverness, intelligence, betrayal and traps. When it appears in your game, pay attention to the people around you and analyze well the situations because it indicates that something is going to happen and you need to be prepared not to suffer a very intense shock.

Beware of lying, cheating and underhanded people and be with your eyes wide open so as not to fall into any traps.

Although many people interpret this card in a negative way, it is a positive card, because when we know that something bad can happen, we can act to prevent the unfolding of this bad event from affecting our life. Make your planning and be aware.

The fox in shamanism

In shamanism, the fox is considered the totem of cleverness. This is because they often break into houses and take what they want, escaping without being noticed. An encounter with a fox for shamanism is a sign that it is important to pay attention to events and people around you.

With the help of the wisdom of the fox, you will be able to realize which areas of your life need to be improved, so that you can increase your defenses and have more discernment regarding the people who are in your personal and professional life cycle, for example.

In addition, you will be more aware of the choices you make for your life, with essential wisdom to guide your choices and actions.

What is the spiritual significance of the fox?

The spiritual meaning of the fox is connected with its intelligence and dexterity. This animal is graced with analytical skills, able to rid your body and spirit of energies of physical, mental and spiritual dangers.

Her sagacious nature grants her good luck, since she can see opportunities that come her way, making the most of them. In a world where violence and terror are inseminated in people's heads, the fox is the healing energy capable of bringing protection and grace.

She elegantly combats its ills, bringing with her fire to illuminate ignorance, thunder to chase away evil spirits and bring nourishment, and, most importantly, the dawn to remind the world that there are beautiful and vibrant colors beyond its gloomy palette of gray tones to which we are constantly exposed.