The zodiac sign Aquarius is often associated with the water carrier or water bearer symbol. This represents the nurturing yet unpredictable quality of the water element. However, Aquarius is actually represented by a variety of animals and mythological creatures. The symbolism reflects the eclectic, innovative, cerebral, and autonomous nature of this air sign. Let’s explore the animal totems, myths, and meanings linked to the enlightened Aquarius.
The Water Bearer
The classic symbol of Aquarius is a person (often a woman) pouring water from an urn or jug. This dates back to the ancient Babylonians who were keen astronomers. They noticed that the sun entered Aquarius around the time of the yearly floods. So they associated the water bearer with the life-giving properties of water.
Later, in Greek mythology the titan Prometheus stole fire from the gods and gifted it to humanity. As punishment, Zeus chained Prometheus to a rock where an eagle pecked out his liver every day. The hero Hercules eventually shot down the eagle and freed Prometheus.
To honor his savior, Prometheus created humanity in Hercules’ image. He then drew water from the river Styx and poured it over the Earth, endowing humanity with reason and intellect. From then on, Prometheus was known as the ‘water bringer’ and associated with the enlightening force of the Aquarian Water Bearer.
The Mythology of Ganymede
In Greek myth, Ganymede was a beautiful Trojan prince abducted by Zeus. The king of gods became enamored with the youth and took the form of an eagle to carry Ganymede up to Mount Olympus. There, Ganymede became cupbearer to the gods, tasked with the duty of fetching their wine.
Later, Zeus honored Ganymede by placing him in the stars as the constellation Aquarius. The myth highlights how Aquarians often hold lofty ambitions. Yet they maintain a youthful innocence and naivete about worldly power. Aquarius is visionary, seeking enlightenment over glory.
The Alchemical Eagle
In esoteric alchemy, the eagle represents the divine spirit. Alchemists believed that spiritual enlightenment could transform mortal nature into an immortal, transcendent state.
Aquarius is associated with revolutionary ideas that transform society. Yet Aquarians are also interested in transcending earthly constraints to access profound wisdom. The eagle symbolizes this desire to go beyond mundane limits and soar to great heights of awareness.
The Sacred Ibis
In ancient Egypt, the ibis was connected with Thoth, the god of wisdom, writing, magic and measurement of time. Thoth had the head of an ibis and was tasked with recording the weighing of souls that took place in the underworld after death. An ibis emblem was used on the temple of Saturn in Rome when Saturn was associated with Aquarius.
The ibis probes the muddy waters with its long beak, seeking knowledge and hidden truths. As an air sign, Aquarius utilizes intellectual discernment to solve problems in unorthodox ways. The ibis represents how Aquarians value knowledge, science, and inventive thinking.
| Animal | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Water Bearer | Nurturing, Life-Giving, Unpredictable, Revolutionary |
| Ganymede | Idealistic, Visionary, Ambitious, Seeking Enlightenment |
| Eagle | Divine Spirit, Transcendence, Genius, Revolution |
| Ibis | Wisdom, Intellect, Discernment, Invention |
The Greek Gods Poseidon and Uranus
In some myths, the water bearer represents the Greek sea god Poseidon who ruled over the oceans, rainfall, floods and droughts. Poseidon was known for his stormy temperament and his trident depicts his ability to stir up tidal waves and turbulence.
This speaks to how Aquarians can suddenly and unpredictably provoke societal change. While generally calm, their righteous anger in the face of injustice can create radical reform and human progress.
Another association is Uranus, the Greek primordial god of the Heavens. Uranus was the son and husband of Gaia, Mother Earth. He represented the sky that covers the Earth and from which rainwater falls.
Uranus embodied rebelliousness and revolutionary thinking that challenged conventions. The planet Uranus was fittingly named after him. In astrology, Uranus is the ruling planet of Aquarius that depicts where we seek liberation and radical social change.
The Peacock
During the Renaissance, alchemists used the peacock to represent transformation and renewal. This royal bird was also associated with Juno, the queen of gods in Roman mythology.
For Aquarians, the peacock symbolizes their visionary mindset and desire to spread their perspective to provoke progressive reform. Yet like a peacock displaying its dazzling tail, the Aquarian ego enjoys being admired for their brilliance and cleverness.
The Lightning Bolt
In astrology, Aquarius is often depicted with waves of water or sometimes with bolts of lightning. Though water bearers pour out knowledge to quench thirst, their ideas can also electrify society with the flash of genius.
Lightning represents how Aquarians are conduits for divine inspiration that lights up humanity with new perspectives. Their out-of-the-box thinking illuminates original solutions that jolt us out of the status quo.
Mermaids and Nymphs
Aquarian energy is sometimes associated with mystical water creatures like mermaids, sprites and nymphs. In Greek myths, nymphs were minor goddesses of nature such as water nymphs, tree nymphs, and mountain nymphs. They represented the dichotomy between the purity of nature and the sensuality of divine immortal beings.
Mermaids and nymphs convey how Aquarians often feel like outsiders in society, neither fully part of the mundane world nor fully attuned to divine realms. Yet they suggest Aquarians do have a mystical, magical quality despite their aloofness.
The Phoenix
The legendary phoenix is a mythical bird that is cyclically reborn or regenerated by arising from the ashes of its predecessor. A phoenix obtains a new life by rising from the ashes of its predecessor.
This Aquarian firebird represents transformation, renewal, and enlightenment. Aquarians seek to burn down outdated structures to make way for utopian visions of the future. They have big dreams for humanity and aim high thinking they can change the world.
Conclusion
Aquarius is represented by various water creatures, birds of prey, and mythical beasts. These totems reflect how Aquarians pour out radical ideas to enlighten society. Like Prometheus, they steal divine fire – inventive genius and sudden flashes of intuition – to uplift humanity.
Aquarians are idealistic but aloof, longing to transcend limiting paradigms. They spread their wings and soar to great heights, summoning the courage to be visionaries who revolutionize the status quo. Their lightning bolt ideas illuminate new potentials.
Ultimately, the Aquarius animal symbols speak to this sign’s intellectual brilliance, humanitarian values, and their role as harbingers of cultural and societal transformation. Their ideas flow forth endlessly to spread enlightenment.
