The names tortoise, turtle and terrapin apply to different groups of turtles in the USA, but other countries either place them all in the same category or categorize them differently. All have the characteristic shell which is either made of bone or cartilage. There are over 250 species of turtles worldwide.
Eternal Life
Turtle spirit animal symbolizes longevity and immortality in many mythologies around the world. This may be due to the fact that turtle always looks old with her wrinkly, dry skin and belabored movement. Even freshly hatched out of the egg, she appears elderly.
The association with longevity could also be due to the fact that turtles live for a very, very, very long time. The oldest known tortoise passed away in 2006 at 250 years old, and a Galapagos tortoise named “Harriet” recently died 171 years after befriending Darwin.
Science is backing what mythology already teaches. Researchers have found that the internal organs of turtles do not age, which is a unique gift in the animal kingdom. The fountain of youth may very well be in the genome of the turtle.
Along with eternal life, or at least growing to be very old, the meaning of turtle is coupled with wisdom. The archetypes of the sage and crone parallel the medicine of turtle spirit animal. Does having a turtle spirit animal mean you’ll live a long life? It probably has no bearing on your lifespan, but how about your soul?
Turtle spirit animal reminds us that we are ageless. She points out the timeless quality of our soul and patiently prompts us to recall the broader picture of centuries rather than seconds, lifetimes versus break times. You are being called upon to develop your own inner sage to guide you along the path.
Slowing Down
Of course, turtle symbolism is about going slowly. That shell is heavy to carry and it limits the range of motion of turtle’s legs. We are all familiar with the story of the tortoise and the hare. However, this story is only one facet of the slow nature of turtle.
Turtle does not molt her entire skin at once like snakes do. She is always molting her skin in small pieces. Some members of the turtle family slough off the excess skin while others deposit it in layers as additional protective armor. This speaks of a gradual, continual and barely visible transformation. If you are hoping to wake up one morning and be a different person, turtle medicine suggests adjusting your expectations.
Turtle can stop the beating of her own heart, turning it on and off at will. Isn’t that amazing? The heart is often seen as a ticking clock, keeping time. We cannot escape the advance of time as our hearts must beat to keep us alive, but turtle spirit animal can teach us about how to slow down or even stop our perception of time. Ultimately, time is an illusion, a construct of the human mind.
Now is the time to let go of deadlines and forget schedules. Have you ever experienced one moment stretched over many? This is the meaning of turtle at work.
Patience
We all know the adage “slow and steady wins the race.” The meaning of turtle encompasses the amazing grace of patience. Patience is not simply suppressing restlessness or bearing annoyances, but settling into the “now” and embracing restfulness. Turtle spirit animal encourages you to check in on your capacity to be patient with others, yourself, and life, and she helps you further develop the grace of patience. Steady is not just about leisurely putting one foot in front of the other, but persevering in the face of obstacles that slow you down. The odds are against you on purpose so you slow down, develop an even temper, and practice diligent care.
Earth’s Creation
Turtle is more ancient than alligator, crocodile and snake. She knows a thing or two about the beginning of time. Her egg was buried in the sand or mud by her mother and she was born out of the Earth. Stories from North America to China speak of turtle’s shell making up the Earth. Turtle is a key player in countless creation stories and the symbolism of turtle is synonymous with the Earth itself. Thus, spirit animal turtle carries the qualities of the Goddess, the feminine, earth and water.
The Hindu god Vishnu transformed himself into a turtle to re-create the world after the great flood that occurs every four billion years. The turtle carried an elephant which, in turn, supported the world. Scientists have discovered that turtle likely communicates using subsonic sound, in the exact way that elephants do. Elephants also live long lives and are heavy and strong creatures. One is a mammal and the other a reptile, but there is a strange sisterhood here that is worth contemplating.
Home Wherever You Go
Turtle’s shell is made of around 60 bones, some of which are actually the ribs and backbone. The bones are then covered by a skin of horny scales. Dome shaped shells successfully prevent predators from getting a firm bite around the shield. Other shells of aquatic turtles are streamlined for swimming.
Turtle cannot crawl out of her shell. She caries her home wherever she goes. Whenever danger threatens, she retreats inside this effective shelter. Spirit animal turtle beckons us to recognize our own inner sanctuary as well as our home, Mother Earth.
If turtle has meandered into your life, consider reflecting on what “home” is to you and how that idea has evolved over time. Then take some time to offer gratitude to the places on the outer and the inner that provide you with the safety and security of home.
“There is no need to hurry, no need to seek shelter elsewhere… It is a time when you are ready to let go of any expectation you have had about yourself or other people… There is not need to do anything but rest in the fullness of who you are right now… Savor this quality of slowing down, of coming to rest and recognizing that you are already at home.” – Osho in the Osho Zen Tarot
Learn more about the science of turtles:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/12/science/12turt.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1
About Author, Stacey L. L. Couch
Stacey L. L. Couch, Certified Shamanic Practitioner, works as a publicist and journalist for Mother Nature and is the author of Gracious Wild: A Shamanic Journey with Hawks. She empowers people with the ability to explore life’s big questions by calling on nature, story and synchronicity as a source for guidance and healing. With her deeply rooted experience in the field of shamanism and passion for working with wildlife and rescue animals, Stacey has a unique blend of rational and mystical perspective that makes the world of shamanism easily accessible to others. She values mindfulness, wonder, and compassion in her daily spiritual practice. Learn More about Stacey.
About Author, Stacey L. L. Couch
Stacey L. L. Couch is a Spiritual Director who teaches about archetypes and symbolism. Her speciality is working with soul pioneers - those of you who are making it up as you go along the spiritual path. She works with beginner and life-long spiritual seekers. Through working with Stacey, lost seekers find their way home and professional spiritual guides receive mentorship. Stacey empowers people with the ability to explore their purpose and calling. Wisdom found in story, mysticism, and nature provide guidance and healing in her work. She is the author of Gracious Wild: A Shamanic Journey with Hawks. She values mindfulness, wonder, and compassion in her daily spiritual practice. Learn More about Stacey.
32 comments
Hi Stacey,
I was wondering are there meanings specific to the visits from a loggerhead turtle in addition to the generalized turtle information?
thanks,K
Yes Kay! Good question! The symbolism for any particular species of turtle is going to have its own nuances and difference from this overarching article. Sea turtles have similar themes to land- or freshwater-based turtles (longevity and home) which is what this article is based on, but they also carry their own unique set of meanings. Sea turtles aren’t as slow or limited in mobility. They can travel quickly on currents and life in the ocean means they aren’t weighed down like their terrestrial counterparts. This would show that the sea turtles embody more freedom and flexibility in the ability to find home wherever you are, swimming through life with ease and weightlessness. Do note, however, that they must come onto land to pro-create, so the sea turtle would show that any creative endeavors may take more time that you’re used to and potentially make you feel like you’ve been grounded. If a creative project feels slow, remember the courage of the sea turtle to leave her native home to bring her young into the world.
To write about Loggerhead Sea Turtles in particular would definitely be an entire article. That’s on my list of future things to do :o). In the meantime, I recommend you spend some time learning more about what they eat, where they live and their habits. They are most active during the day, so would help with conscious activities and planning rather than shadow work and unconscious patterns. They have the most varied diet of any sea turtle, so they embody for us the ability to flourish and be nurtured by many different things. Hopefully that gives you a good place to start.
Blessings, Stacey
Today i was driving and up the road there was a turtle turned upside down… does anybody knows what this means, spiritually. Or what message was being sent to me
THANK YOU FOR HELPING UNDERTSAND MY ANIMAL 🙂
You’re very welcome Damaris!
Who invented turtles
Hello Cassie, What an interesting question! I put it in the same category as “who invented humans?” There are countless myths about the “creator”, but I thought you’d enjoy this story of how Great Spirit used turtle’s shell to make North America… otherwise known as “turtle island”. http://www.firstpeople.us/FP-Html-Legends/AbenakiCreationStoryandTheImportanceofDreaming-Abenaki.html. This is not how turtle was created (or invented) but is an early creation myth involving turtle. Many Blessings, Stacey
Hi Stacey,
I wanted to ask you. For weeks now maybe a month everytime my husband and I go biking we like to go down to look at different waterfalls here in San Antonio Tx. Different rivers.. I see a big turtle swimming or sun bathing.. It never fails.. Why.? I wonder if you know why it keeps crossing my path?
Thank you.
Milissa
Hello Milissa, Typically a spirit animal crosses our path more than once to highlight an ongoing or developing kinship with the animal. You’ll want to look for more than one interpretation of what turtle spirit animal means to you as well as settle into the energy of turtle and see how it feels for you. This goes beyond a simple A + B = C equation and into a nuanced, multi-layered and deep relationship that includes and goes beyond messages and words. Have fun and watch what continues to show up and unfold. This can be a very exciting time. Many Blessings, Stacey
Hi Stacey! My name is Trevor and I had two questions for you. I was wondering about the connection between the elephant and the turtle. I feel drawn to both, but the elephant first and foremost. The second question is less about animals, but perhaps you have some animal insight into my question. I’ve recently come to the understanding that gratitude is essential, but I’ve been stumbling around in the dark trying to cultivate gratitude in my day to day life! Any tips or practices or animal lessons about gratitude you might could share? Thanks for your time and the wonderful article.
Hello Trevor, It is nice to meet you. The elephant and turtle share a symbolic connection to the quantum theory of vibration which states that at a sub-atomic level everything is vibrating. I’m not the best at physics, but here’s a great quote from a particle physicist named Don Lincoln, “Everything — and I mean everything — is just a consequence of many infinitely-large fields vibrating. The entire universe is made of fields playing a vast, subatomic symphony.” (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/blogs/physics/2013/08/the-good-vibrations-of-quantum-field-theories/) The elephant and turtle spirit animals, therefore, help us connect to this refined way of understanding the cosmos. It is a perception at once minute and vast. No longer can something be “dead” or “inanimate” or “inconsequential”. Everything is playing a line in the symphony. The symbolic longevity of the elephant and turtle shows how the wisdom of this cosmic way of thinking comes with age and through slowing down.
Thank you for your question about gratitude. One exercise is to write at the start of the day what you have planned that you are looking forward to. Write down 5 things. Then, at the end of your day write down what actually happened that you enjoyed. How many of those things did you actually have planned? This helps us see what awesome surprises arise in our lives and is a more interactive way to do a gratitude journal. Contemplate: Can you plan to enjoy your life? How can you be open to unplanned surprises that delight you?
Another exercise is to write down a list starting with the letter A and going through the letter Z of things you are grateful for in your day to day life. Nothing is too mundane. A hot shower, a quiet morning, a southern breeze, any of it counts. Contemplate: How can I love my life?
And lastly, going on walks outside with the intent of finding things you are grateful for in the natural world. I make a habit of this every day. Even when the weather is terrible and I’d rather be inside, I search for some spectacle that lifts me up. It might be a cloud formation, or a mix of unusual colors, or a particular bird song. Finding something photo worthy on every walk can force you to look closely.
Good luck and keep me posted as to how it goes! Many Blessings,
Stacey
I came home recently to find a baby turtle tucked in the corner of my doorway. I didn’t have the heart to leave it outside so I brought it in and the next day went to the pet store to get a small aquarium to put it in. I found out there that it was an aquatic turtle, then when home found out the maintenance people had taken a big turtle to a pond nearby the day I found the baby at my doorstep.
Any special care I should give the baby?
What does all this symbolize for me?
Hello Kathy, Thank you for looking after the little one. Have you been able to discern what species of turtle he is? Do you know if he is exotic or native to where you live? I would recommend contacting your local wildlife rehabilitation center or forest service office and asking for some expert advise on care. Baby turtles are usually on their own as soon as they hatch from the egg, so if the turtle is native to your area you may be able to release him back into the wild in a suitable location. In regards to how turtle symbolism applies to you, look at the different qualities of slowing down, patience, home, and longevity and see where you might be in your infancy with these qualities right now? Are you starting out in a new home or remaking your idea of home? Are you just learning a new way of patience? Hopefully that gives you an idea of where you can go with this. Best of Luck to you and keep us posted on the turtle’s progress! – Stacey
Hi Stacey, Thank you for this great article. I am hoping you can help me find meaning in what happened this week with an apparent desert box turtle. Monday, I noticed a turtle near my backyard labyrinth. I gave it a few morsels of cat food in a dish. It left me alone, wandered around my yard, let me video tape it and left. I thought my experience was special. Today, I was about to sit outside with some magazines when I saw the turtle coming towards me. I got a few morsels of cat food, but this time, it was not interested in food as it was coming from the area of our peach tree. Yet, it continued to follow me. In fact, it followed me through my patio and sat at my back door. It was kind of creepy. I am pretty sure this was a male desert box turtle and not completely sure if it was the same turtle I saw Monday. I get that I have to slow down as evidenced by a fall I had last week with injuries. But the absurdity of being “chased” by a turtle that could move almost as fast as me as I hobble along while healing is absolutely puzzling. Also, today’s turtle actually went into my labyrinth.
Hello Kate, What a wonderful job you’ve already done of finding your own meaning! I don’t think I could have set you on the path of discovery any more perfectly. I love the image of you being chased by the turtle, of the turtle waiting like a trusty dog at your back door, and the turtle climbing around in your labyrinth. You’ve already received the message about slowing down, but slowing down doesn’t have to be something you do. It can also be something that waits for you, that chases you and that makes it’s way into the maze of your thoughts. Slowing down can be a gift that comes to you to deliver much needed healing. Many Blessings to You on the Path, Stacey
Hello Stacey,
I am wondering if you can shed some light on an experience (lucid dream) I had in which at one point there was a turtle without a shell present?
Thank you in advance!
Mica
Hello Mica, The shell is often seen as the turtle’s “home” that he carries on his back. Are you without a home or without the feeling of home? Another way to look at it is that the shell is the protection, the walls, we put around ourselves to keep ourselves safe – for better or worse. This could have been an indication of those walls being absent and you being vulnerable. Pay attention to if you feel this is either good or bad. There are positives and negatives to both ways of looking at this symbol. Neither is “right”, but your judgement of them is worth tracking. Many Blessings, Stacey
Hi, I stumbled upon your sight because I have been thinking about an interaction I had with a large snapping turtle over a week ago. What an amazing life you lead, Stacey! As a health coach, nature lover, and environmentalist, I love how you’ve found your calling; what an amazing story. I look forward to following you.
Not sure if you have any insight with this, but while I was walking, I stopped to look over a bridge about 25 feet down and could see a large snapping turtle in the water. I continued to watch as he circled around in a 15′ turn under water and then came to rest directly underneath me. He then lifted his head out of the water and continued to look directly at me for a good thirty seconds, maybe it was more than a minute. I was just so surprised. I’m sure there’s a message here because I seem to receive messages from animals in my dreams. Thank you for your thoughts!
Hello Heather, How fun to connect with the help of turtle medicine. It sounds like we have a good deal in common and it will be great to stay in touch. In regards to your encounter with the snapping turtle, I have a couple of insights that may be of service for you. First of all, take into account that you were standing on a bridge. Bridges are symbolic of passages in life and moving from one way of being to another. Rather than having to leap across the gap and trust you will reach the other side, a bridge provides much needed support as you transition. Who and what are acting as bridges in your life right now? What transition is taking place? What is the big question you have about this change? That will help you know where to apply the message of turtle. Snapping turtles of course are known for their quick, sharp and powerful beaks. The focus here is on the mouth and the fifth chakra then. Have you been quick to snap up opportunities that come your way? How are you expressing yourself with confidence right now? Snapping turtle can help with these things. Also take into account that snapping turtles are very aquatic creatures, so the element of water and emotions comes into play as well. Hopefully that gives you more to play with as you decipher the meaning of this beautiful encounter. Many Blessings, Stacey
Hi Stacey,
Thank you for your kind and perceptive response. I am in transition with career and life, and have plenty of fifth chakra “issues” such as hashimoto thyroiditis. Expressing my needs is a difficult task for me and I’m working on that. 😉
Thank you again and I look forward to seeing what’s happening in your part of the world.
Heather
Hie ..my turtle died today ..he was perfectly fine and this afternoon he was dead..he was a star turtle ..is it a negative sign?? Or its just a normal life process?? He was just 8 years old..how should i take this??
Hello Priyal, I am so sorry to hear about the loss of your beloved turtle. I don’t know how long star turtles live, I am not aware of the circumstances of his death, and I’m not a veterinarian, so I can’t say as to why this happened. There usually are many reasons as to why things happen as they do. Everything is interconnected and, yes, death is a part of the natural cycle of things. Know that it is possible that his spirit can come back to help and work with you as a spirit animal. This video may give you some solace and hope that your relationship will continue in a new form: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nf_yPdN9Qtw&list=PLSn4p-l7AkLSf2wfdEn-L2-AeU_RyvOSl&index=4. Many blessings to you in your healing, Stacey
Hi Stacey, can you give me any insights on how to interpret 3 episodes where 3 different turtles are suffering? The first was a young turtle being attacked by another turtle, the second was a large turtle with something latched onto his neck and the third was a large turtle that was run over in front of my house and he was still alive while I moved him from being hit again.
Thanks for any thoughts or insights
Ann
Hello Ann, Gosh, I would guess that is hard to endure witnessing that much suffering all in a row. I’m especially mournful and sorry for the turtles, but also for you too. When extreme events happen and when they happen in sets of three or more, this is a strong call to stop, pay attention and re-calibrate. Seeing as turtles relate to a sense of home and at least one of these events was near your home, I encourage you to explore how your sense of home, security and safety may be under threat. It could also be that memories of traumatic or stressful events in your home or family may be resurfacing at this time. This all calls into question, “what does home mean to you?” Does it have to be a building and do you rely on others to provide it? Or can it be a feeling you find and cultivate in your interior, a feeling you rely on a higher power to help sustain and nourish. The holy mother comes to mind. It may be worth calling on her support and protection using whatever name resonates with you – goddess, Mother Earth, Mary, etc. Many Blessings, Stacey
Hello, thank you for such a generous share of information! I wanted to know your thoughts on this unexpected visit of a turtle in my life. I shared a meditacion of past lives as a treat from my yoga teacher for the last class of the year. The proposal was to search three past lives: one where i had suffered the most, another when i had more power and knowledge and made a bad use of them, and the last when i best use them. I saw nothing during the first, and in the second, just when i thought i wasnt going to see anything, a huge prehistoric turtle swims over my head. Since then, i started to remember dreams or events related woth turtles in my life to seek meaning. I apologize for any mistake, englush is not my first language.
Hello Calu, It sounds like your relationship with turtles has quite a bit of history to it. That definitely relates with the longevity of turtle symbolism! Just knowing that we are connected with spirit animals for years if not lifetimes is reassuring. It’s good to know we’re being accompanied and looked after so well. You may also want to spend some time looking at your other long term relationships and offering gratitude for the gifts they’ve brought you. I’m sure more insights will unfold over time as that is the nature of spirit animal companions. Many Blessings, Stacey
I have a fascination with all things skeletal.today at work, I found the skeletal shell of a turtle, regular North Carolina turtle. Looks to me like he just struggled through the grass, and brambles, until he just have up and died there. but I’m not sure. What do you make of that, as in, meaning or significance?
Thanks,
Luke
Hello Stacey,
Thank you for your wisdom of Turtles, I had the most amazing dream. I was by the water’s edge and I could see 2 people in a boat. Below them and out of their view were 2 huge (VW sized) turtles gliding past me. The water clear. the vision is still with me.
Would you have a comment on this vision…they were awe inspiring…