Represents: Gentleness, innocence, nurturing
Deer are the embodiment of grace and speed. Does are very nurturing of their young, and stags are fierce protectors of their family and tribe. They know when to fight and when to run away. This ability to pick their battles wisely has led them to survive and to thrive.
The Gundestrup Cauldron, a relic of Celtic origin from the late La Tène period (around 200 BCE to 300 CE), depicts Cernunnos as a man wearing the antlers of a stag. As such, Deer is associated with the powers of the Lord of the Wild Hunt as the physical embodiment of all of nature. This makes Deer the lord of the forest.
If Deer is your totem, don’t forcefully push for change in others. Instead, gently nudge them in right direction, as a mother doe softly guides her fawns taking their first steps into the world.
Deer is the symbol of innocence and a lack of guile. If Deer calls to you, he is calling you to a fresh outlook on life. The call of the Deer is an opportunity to renew your relationship with nature and with the wild things.
Deer people are kind, loving and gentle people, but they are also adventurous. Most species of Deer are nomadic, so People of the Deer tend to be infected with a case of wanderlust. This doesn’t necessarily manifest itself in actual travel on a physical plane. It could also indicate travels of a spiritual nature, or seeking knowledge from a wide variety of sources in a wide variety of places.
Deer people know that the ultimate journey is the journey to love, and they seek and find opportunities to express their tender forms of affection. Their quiet spirits naturally attract kindred spirits to them; however they are sometimes vulnerable to people who have a predatory nature. If Deer is your totem, keep your nose to the wind so that you may detect signals from such predatory people in order to escape their ravenous energies as soon as possible.
When Deer enters your life, look for opportunities to increase your sensitivity to those around you. Deer will also lead you to opportunities for growth and wisdom; especially in areas related to the life force that is present in all of nature.
If you are a Deer, you know how to lead with gentleness, kindness and the wisdom of the woods.
Explore the significance of some common spirit animals by clicking a link below.