Animal Guidance Series: Manatee Medicine

Is life hectic and fast paced these days? Are you experiencing stress and overwhelm? Perhaps you don't feel as healthy as you'd like. Then call on the manatee to make steady and consistent progress in your life. Overall, the manatee is the spiritual sign of peace, calm, strength, serenity, and emotional balance. Seeing a manatee can be a reminder to slow down, practice self-care, and appreciate life. This gentle compassionate creature teaches us to apply inner wisdom and embrace emotions, and try not to change or control everything around you. In Okinawa, people regard the manatee as a messenger from the sea. One story tells that it was a manatee that first taught humans how to mate. In the South Pacific region there are many stories of the manatee, or “sea cow” as they call it. Their full glory includes women who transform into sea cows to help lost fishermen at sea find their way. They believe that if the creature ever becomes extinct, they also would become lost or extinct. West African stories speak of the lady manatee once an innocent young girl bathing in the water. A stranger took all of her clothes, so she turned into the lady of the sea, a water spirit who offers healing power and aids in fertility. 

Overall call on the manatee for compassion, curiosity, peace, generosity, breathwork, spiritual love, tranquility, shapeshifting, trust, maternal love, and the ease and flow of the element of water. So, call on the manatee, “Call IT in With Dar!”

Transcript

Is life hectic and fast paced these days? Are you experiencing stress and overwhelm? Perhaps you don't feel as healthy as you'd like. Then call on the manatee to make steady and consistent progress in your life. Overall, the manatee is the spiritual sign of peace, calm, strength, serenity, and emotional balance. Seeing a manatee can be a reminder to slow down, practice self care, and appreciate life. This gentle compassionate creature teaches us to apply inner wisdom and embrace emotions, and try not to change or control everything around you. In Okinawa, people regard the manatee as a messenger from the sea. One story tells that it was a manatee that first taught humans how to mate. In the South Pacific region there are many stories of the manatee, or “sea cow” as they call it. Their full glory includes women who transform into sea cows to help lost fishermen at sea find their way. They believe that if the creature ever becomes extinct, they also would become lost or extinct. West African stories speak of the lady manatee once an innocent young girl bathing in the water. A stranger took all of her clothes, so she turned into the lady of the sea, a water spirit who offers healing power and aids in fertility. A 3000-year-old cave in Malaysia features cave drawings of this lady of the sea. In New Guinea, the manatee is considered a symbol of strength. In Costa Rica, it is their national symbol. In West Africa and India, manatees live between freshwater and saltwater. They have an amazing ability to process salt so that it never harms them. The creatures prefer warm water about 60 degrees or above and are susceptible to death from cold stress. This might be surprising to you because they look so fat, but their body is mostly stomach. They eat up to 1200 pounds of seaweed and algae a day… spending most of the day eating the manatees never appear rushed and they rest often while traveling. This creature can remain slow and steady because it has no natural enemies. Female manatees give birth to only one calf that nurses for two full years. Therefore, it is a symbol of maternal care in some cultures. A fun aspect about the manatee is that they ride the waves and they do barrel rolls, taking time out to play. The manatee spirit animal symbolizes play, tranquility, peace, trust, curiosity, steadfastness, compassion, generosity, protection, love, breathwork and shapeshifting. One of the key messages of the manatee for humans is to slow down. Rushing can lead to mistakes and missed details. Some shamanic traditions revealed the manatee as a healer, and used their bones to cure diseases. Manatee medicine is one of solidarity, needing time alone, yet creating deep connections to others that can be healing. Remain alert so that people don't take advantage of you and your sweet disposition. Manatee medicine involves self care and learning how to protect oneself from the pains of emotional abuse and negativity. Trust your gut for more clarity and greater insight like the manatee! 

Overall call on the manatee for compassion, curiosity, peace, generosity, breathwork, spiritual love, tranquility, shapeshifting, trust, maternal love, and the ease and flow of the element of water. So call on the manatee, “Call IT in With Dar!”