Armadillo

The armadillo, which is Spanish for "little armored one," is most famous for its armored shell, which is made from cartilage and bone. These bones provide an impressive defense and represent protection and a guardian-like quality.  Armadillos love digging and burrowing with their sharp, little claws.  Using their heightened senses they are able to detect life underground. They are masters at "hide-and-seek" and excel at finding what is hidden.  Every day, the armadillo may sleep up to a good eighteen some hours,

They also like the water, are generally found near some water, and can even walk underwater. A unique quality of this creature rarely found in others is that they are able to inflate their intestines in order to float upon water for a time, basking in the sun as they laze about the surface of an ambling stream. Its ability to maneuver effectively in water is a very important trait for us to remember about this animal. Water talks to us about going with the flow of our emotions, and the armadillo carries the same message. Are your emotions dammed up? How can the armadillo help loosen up emotional tension? Even during emotional flooding, the armadillo is a reminder we have the power available to us to float through emotional trauma.  Sometimes the only way to endure emotional storms is to coast through them. 

You could say that an armadillo’s defensive stance is its way of telling us to take up a protective position from within ourselves. Just as an armadillo curls into a sphere, therefore protecting its vital organs from threat, we too can initiate our own defense system to protect our hearts when the occasion calls for it.  According to whats-your-sign.com symbolic armadillo meanings are: trust, peace, pacifism, reclusive, neutrality, complexity, sensitivity, inquiry/curiosity, emotional excavation, and protection/guardedness. This speaks to us symbolically about searching, discovering, and getting to the "root" of the matter. If the armadillo makes an appearance, it may be time to do some research on a project you've been working. Or, perhaps it's time to dig under the surface of some questions that have been nagging you.

Whether it's launching your own investigation or doing some digging in your family genealogy, the armadillo can help.  They also can serve as a "tour-guide" to our buried secrets. When we start on a journey of exploration/research/discovery with the armadillo as our spiritual guide, we may feel more inclined to receive illumination and answers. 

People who hold the armadillo as an animal totem have a natural defense system, and can be incredibly self-protective. People like this are extremely perceptive and acutely attuned to the happenings in their environment. If you find the armadillo is your animal kin, you tend to have a bright intellect, which is fueled by a natural curiosity. Although armadillo-people can be short sighted, and may not have long-reaching vision for themselves or their world, they have a lovely sense of contentment. In fact, they are some of the best folks to hang out with because of their self-contending nature. This kind of attitude is extremely comforting.  People such as this also have great memories.  Inquisitive, introspective, thoughtful, grounded and keen to defend that which is precious.... these terms best describe those with the armadillo as their totem.

Those who hold fast to the armadillo are natural treasure hunters and can find items for us - real items, or even intangible goodies like epiphanies and insights.  Imagine an armadillo waddling out ahead of you on a hiking journey through details or data you may be going through.  When the armadillo burrows its way into your awareness as a totem or a messenger, it might be a good time to get some rest.  Relax, recover, recuperate and consider withdrawing from social engagements for a time of renewal. If the armadillo is coming into your consciousness, consider big themes like this. Is it time to mother or nurture ourselves? Is it time to become reborn?  Is it time to retreat, withdraw and become more reclusive?  These are all questions the armadillo asks us on our life's journey. 

  
Symbolic meanings of the armadillo include: Trust, Peace, Pacifism, Reclusive, Neutrality, Complexity, Sensitivity, Inquiry/Curiosity, Emotional Excavation, and Protection/Guardedness.