Animal Guidance Series: Iguana Medicine

The Benevolent Dragon is an appropriate nickname for today's animal spirit of the Iguana. The Iguana symbolism is restful, content, fulfilled and acutely aware. These creatures spend the majority of their life soaking up the sun on a warm day, moving only to feed and enjoying life. (That actually sounds like me at the beach when I traveled south for the winter). Just slow down and just be okay. Overall Iguanas traits are stoic, intuitive, content, relaxed, cooperative, grateful, fast and camouflaged. Although the Iguana is restful and relaxed, one of its greatest strengths is its quick reaction time and camouflage. Together this makes them great escape artists. They can also hold their breath for up to 30 minutes. So if they want to dive 40 or 50 feet from a tree into the water to escape, they can swim using their powerful tail. 

So call in the Iguana to slow down and just be! Call in the Iguana to be stoic, intuitive, content. relaxed, cooperative, grateful, fast yet camouflaged. Call in the Iguana! “Call IT in With Dar!”

Transcript

The Benevolent Dragon is an appropriate nickname for today's animal spirit of the Iguana. The Iguana symbolism is restful, content, fulfilled and acutely aware. These creatures spend the majority of their life soaking up the sun on a warm day, moving only to feed and enjoying life. (That actually sounds like me at the beach when I traveled south for the winter). Just slow down and just be okay. Overall Iguanas traits are stoic, intuitive, content, relaxed, cooperative, grateful, fast and camouflaged. Although the Iguana is restful and relaxed, one of its greatest strengths is its quick reaction time and camouflage. Together this makes them great escape artists. They can also hold their breath for up to 30 minutes. So if they want to dive 40 or 50 feet from a tree into the water to escape, they can swim using their powerful tail. In the Native American culture, lizards are a symbol of wisdom and healing. And the Iguana isn't singled out. The Mayans have an astrological sign for the Iguana under the element of fire, reflecting its sunbathing qualities, the Celtics also connect the Iguana to the fire element and translate that into strength in battle. In the far east, despite the abundance of Iguanas, they are not given any special significance that I could find. The Afro Mexican community has a set of dances called the Textila, which includes animal patterns important to their culture, the Iguana is included among these and recognized as a wise spirit. In Peruvian tradition, the Iguana is immortalized in rituals and on their pottery, as the constant companion of the gods. The Iguana is native to tropical areas, such as Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. There are 45 recognized species, and several of these are on the endangered list. While most eat plants, there are a few that also eat insects. But after eating, they all bask in the sun, and that's actually to aid in their digestion. Iguanas use their tail for balance, maneuvering, swimming and self-defense. If threatened, they can cause a distraction by thrashing their tail around for a quick getaway from a predator, they can actually break off their tail and escape. (The tail grows back in about one year). Thankfully, the Iguana species has few natural predators, their spiky spammer spinal combs along their back make them difficult to swallow. Male Iguanas can get aggressive with other males to attract the female of the species. But physical fights are actually very rare. Interestingly, the Iguana has a third eye on top of its head that looks more like a scale than an eye and it detects changes in lightness and darkness as a warning of danger. The other two eyes provide very keen eyesight. Depending on the Iguana and their species, which species they're from, they can live up to 60 years of age. If the Iguana is your power animal, you are very relaxed, maybe even to the point of appearing lazy to others. Yet you are actually very alert and aware of what is going on around you. You receive information all the time, and then decide on your next move. You intuitively know when to remain still or quiet, as well as take action. When you do it, it is purposeful, quick and effortless. You are very fast and accurate in determining the motivation and character of other people. Overall, you instinctively know the right thing to do, and rarely make emotional or impulsive decisions. So call in the Iguana to slow down and just be! Call in the Iguana to be stoic, intuitive, content. relaxed, cooperative, grateful, fast yet camouflaged. Call in the Iguana! “Call IT in With Dar!”

Transcribed by https://otter.ai