Crocodile Spirit
The Crocodile, Alligator or Caiman has inhabited the earth for millions of years. They bare the unstoppable, untameable creative forces of All That Is, the force and fury of primal energies. They symbolise creation and destruction and are the keepers and protectors of all knowledge. In many a myth and legend crocodiles are known as the keepers of ancient wisdom. When the crocodile enters your life, look for an opportunity to touch primal energies. There will be new knowledge and wisdom surrounding you.
Crocodiles are some of the best parents in the reptile world. A female crocodile builds a nest on the ground, and although she doesn’t sit on the eggs, she is on guard at the nest and assists the eggs to hatch. Sometimes both parents look after and protect the young. Around 9 weeks after laying the eggs, chirping sounds come from the nest – the babies are hatching! Whether males or females are born depends upon the temperature of the nest. If a nest is warm, males hatch. If a nest is cool, females. If the temperature is in between, both males and females hatch. Hearing the chirping, the mother uncovers the eggs, picks up the babies, and carries them to the water. If there are any unhatched eggs she will roll them around in her mouth until the shell cracks to help the babies hatch. They are around 23cm long and are able to swim and catch food right away, however they do still need protection, so they always stay close to their mother. They may even bask on her head or back. If in danger, the hatchling cries out bringing the mother to the rescue right away. Hatchlings sometimes stay with their mothers for up to a year or more.
Crocodiles come together only to reproduce and have distinct individual personalities. Those with this power animal are generally loners and only come together in groups if they absolutely have to. Crocodile folks can also make great leaders as they know how to survive in any situation and are strong enough to hold their own. There is also the opportunity to develop new wisdom but they must be careful not to be consumed by this knowledge. Each piece of the puzzle must be examined before moving onto the next.
Let us also consider the rough, bony covering of the alligator. It is an armor that can deflect bullets; however, the underside belly is soft. This speaks to us of duality and balance: the rigid and the vulnerable, the push and the pull, the mighty and the meek, the obvious and the hidden.
Alligator behaviors bear heavily on the implications of this animal totem. They are precision in motion. They remain hidden, poised, and held in a show of ultimate control. They waste no movement. Once they have seized their prey, they will roll under water, hiding their catch under a log. This speaks of preparation or, “stewing.” Alligators are timing personified. We would do well to learn from them to make our choices wisely and, once made, allow them to take their course.
At the crux of caiman and crocodile meaning is a prehistoric status. These creatures are ancient, and have evolved very little during their reign beginning over 50 million years ago. The crocodile represents a deep, abiding connection with the Mother (Nature), which is the most profound wisdom they have to share with us.
Spirit Crocodile
You carry the earth on your back
You are a divinity of darkness
Like evening devours the sun
With a cloak of comforting night
You teach me to protect myself
The lights are turned down low
When I’m looking out the window
As I grow a thicker skin
Yet still remember
Who I am
Chained to death and rebirth
Your symbolism floats
In chains of fate
As death strikes life is reborn
Renewed when the dawn
Takes back the light
From the night
Inventor to the drum
The first creature to have sung
Say the Chinese in ancient mythology
Your rhythm with the world is a flash of light
And harmony
Lord of the waters
King of earth and sea
Aztecs believe you gave birth to the earth
A celestial dragon scaled with abundance
Initiator of ruination and paradise taking flight
As one
Some see you as a monster of chaos
The absence of the sun
Your darkest realm aggressive
Expressed collectively in our
Unconscious
Together
Conductor of souls and dinosaurs
Your mysterious wallowing resembles
The beauty of hidden knowledge bound by light
Beneath the motionless stream of life
The absence of sight and an eclipse that will bite
Help me take charge when I am frightened
Show me the power of your jaws in my hands
Ready and willing to begin again as the evening ascends
And the morning returns again
With every cycle may your strength
Be here to nurture my good faith and
To return me to the sea within my heart
Standing firmly on the ground
Ready to strike at any moment
Without a sound
tHE tERRY tREE
Image | dkfindout.com
Intro Text Article | Reference | Jean Chevalier & Alain Gheerbrant | Penguin Dictionary of Symbols | Ina Woolcot | http://www.shamanicjourney.com/alligator-crocodile-power-animal-symbol-of-primal-energies-survival-part-ii | Avia | http://www.whats-your-sign.com/symbolic-alligator-meaning-and-crocodile-meaning.html
Crocodile sounds | http://www.soundboard.com/sb/Alligator_sounds_audio
tHE tERRY tREE 