Coyote

The Coyote is a clown in the natural world, and many Native American tribes view the symbolism of the Coyote as that of trickster, shape-shifter, and transformer.

I always enjoyed watching Whil E Coyote - master of A.C.M.E gadgets, as did my mom when I was a kid. It’s funny how he always chased the Road Runner and got smashed into little tiny pieces.

The Navajo never kill Coyote because of their belief that it accompanied man and woman into the entrance of the first physical world. In the same myth, the Coyote brought seeds of life in order to sew new growth upon the Earth. This myth depicts the Coyote as a bringer of life and a symbol of birth.

In a similar way, Whil E Coyote always sort of “brings life” in that he seems to “resurrect” after he falls off of big cliffs or after getting crushed by big rocks.  It isn’t quite resurrection since he never really dies, but the circumstances would be that he would die if it were real, so it is like resurrection in a sense because he always walks away virtually unharmed and in one piece.  I’m sort of a Whil E Coyote myself, because I make clever works of art and I’m handy with ideas. I’m a wordsmith, which takes cleverness.

The Shoshoni believed the Coyote to be an indication of an ending. To see a Coyote meant the bringing of natural shifts in the balance causing an end. Basically the Coyote is like a "way-maker" of new direction symbolically representing the cycle of life and death in nature.

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When coming into our awareness, the coyote presents itself as a totem of high voltage energy.  An interesting observation that could translate into a symbolic idea is its quality of instinct. Undoubtedly the Coyote is pure instinct.  This is why they have been given the mantle of "cleverness" and "shape-shifter". They're sharp, highly sensitive, and the most adaptable of all dog-like animals in the wild.

The Coyote tells us to be mindful of our actions. Be wary of playing tricks on ourselves or others. The coyote also reminds us that the consequences of our actions affect more than just ourselves. The Coyote sometimes tells us to learn from our mistakes and because of this learning process we become free from getting trapped. This learning can mean communicating with "our pack" for better understanding (advice, open dialog, sharing experiences with our closest kin). Or learning might be a solo thing like recognizing a personal mistake, seeing its consequences and not making the same mistake again.

This wondrous creature also reminds us that no matter what form we take in life, or how many difficult situations we may find ourselves in, we can always see another side. That's what shape-shifting is about.

Coyote animal symbolism includes: Skill, Instinct, Ingenuity, Enthusiasm, Transformation, Inventiveness, Intelligence, Playfulness, Resourcefulness.