What Does the Elephant Symbolize in Spirituality & Religion?

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Learn the spiritual significance of elephants across many cultures

Co-authored by Marcus Pruitt, BS Reviewed by Jason Zuk

Last Updated: January 20, 2025 Fact Checked

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• Elephant Spiritual Meanings
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• Cultural & Religious Symbolism
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• Dream Meanings
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• Good vs Bad Omen
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• Elephant Energy
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• Elephant as a Spirit Guide

|Show more |Show less

Throughout history, elephants have been powerful symbols with many spiritual meanings. In this article, we'll provide a thorough explanation of the elephant's spiritual significance, including its various meanings, through the lens of history and culture. We'll also cover what it means to you dream about an elephant and why you might want to choose the elephant as your spirit animal. Read on to learn the more!

What is the spiritual meaning of the elephant?

Elephants symbolize strength, wisdom, and perseverance. Their ability to remain stable in the face of challenges symbolizes perseverance and power, while their strong minds and gentle demeanors symbolize connection with your own inner wisdom and ability to self-actualize.

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Section 1 of 6:

What does the elephant symbolize in spirituality?

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   Wisdom Elephants are some of the wisest, smartest animals on the planet. Throughout history they have been symbols of wisdom, especially during tough or conflicting times. elephants are masters of controlling their own fate. They are reminders that you determine your own fate. They symbolize the wisdom that it takes to reach your goals and serve as a reminder to embrace your inner wisdom and use it to guide you throughout life.

   • During conflicting times in life, the elephant encourages you to lean into your intelligence and intuition for the answer. Rely on the wisdom of the elephant to guide you as you explore your intuition to make better choices.
   • Elephants remind you to recognize your own power and to practice wisdom when exercising that power. You have power to improve your life and the lives of those around you.
   • The elephant encourages self-sufficiency by giving you strength in life’s tough moments, inspiring hope and strength.
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   Strength Elephants are some of the strongest animals on the planet. They teach us to recognize our own power and remind us that we all have the strength to change the world for the better. When you feel weak or vulnerable, the elephant tendency to persevere in difficult times can serve as a reminder that you’re stronger than you think.

   • Call upon the elephant when you need to be reminded of how resilient you are.
   • When you need to feel reverent in your life, call on the elephant. The elephant’s large, magnificent stature is often revering and calls for respect.
   • When you’re stressed or anxious, elephants remind you that willpower and perseverance are the best ways to cope with difficult tasks.
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   Prosperity In Hinduism, elephants serve the Goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, good fortune, abundance, and beauty. So it’s no surprise that they symbolize prosperity. They are also connected to grey rain clouds, believed to bring bountiful harvests in their wake.

   • People in Asia and India have called on the elephant to protect them from predators and encourage good luck. When you’re in need of luck, call on the elephant to help turn things around.
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   Protection Elephants are strong and protective, relying on their senses to seek out danger and stop it. They use aggression when necessary, but are gentle towards those they love. Elephants are nurturers who will do anything to protect their loved ones. They serve as reminders of your own instincts, encouraging you to protect and nurture yourself and others so you can develop your skills and passionately pursue your goals.

   • Nurture yourself by eating healthy foods, exercising, and giving yourself grace during difficult times.
   • Nurture others by being there for friends or loved ones when they are struggling and showing them love and compassion.
   • To protect your home and encourage wisdom and strong connection, place twin elephant statues in your living room, or the room of the person you’d like a stronger connection with.
   • When you feel the need to protect others, call on the elephant spirit for strength.
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   Stability Their long legs and large stature make elephants stable and grounded in the face of adversity. They are well-connected with the earth and use their powerful senses to inform their decisions and maintain stability. In spirituality, they can be called upon during times of instability, serving as a reminder that you can rise above your challenges, lean into your intuition, and remain grounded during tough times.

   • The elephant’s long legs represent stability in the face of challenges. When you are feeling unstable and need a reminder that you’re strong, stable, and capable, call on the elephant.
   • Elephants serve as a reminder to stay in touch with the earth and be present, especially in moments where it feels hard to do so.
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   Slowing Down Elephants, although strong and fast, know when to take things slow. It’s not like elephants are constantly moving at top speed. When you find yourself rushing through life and stressing about everything that needs to get done, slow down and call on the elephant for a reminder to relax and breathe, because everything will be okay.

   • The elephant serves as a reminder that when things take a while, they are usually worth the wait.
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   Repressed Anger Although it’s one of the gentlest animals in the animal kingdom, elephants have been known to become violent without warning. This represents resentment and anger. If you suppress your anger, the elephant can guide you when you need to express that anger. It also shows how strong anger is when used wisely.

   • Elephants show how anger feels and how it unfolds, serving as a guide for letting it go freely.
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   Sensitivity and Intuition The elephant is extremely sensitive to its surroundings and relies on past experiences to inform its next move. Its strong senses and emotions encourage you to become more in tune with your sensitivity and use it as a gift. Breathe deeply, pay attention to your surroundings, and use your intuition and sensitivity as strengths that encourage you to think deeply and feel the emotions of others.

   • Your sensitivity is nothing to be ashamed of. Be open and honest about it to encourage a stronger emotional connection with yourself and others.
   • The elephant’s intuition serves as a reminder that when you trust your gut, everything will be alright.
   • Call on the elephant spirit during conflicting moments to lean into your intuition.
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   Femininity The elephants live in a matriarchy, which means their women stay together for life to raise their young and protect one another. When you want to lean into the energy of a matriarch and encourage nurture and mutual protection, call on the elephant.
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    Longevity Wild elephants are known to live up to 56 years, which is very long in the natural world. Due to their long lifespans, elephants are viewed as a symbol of vitality and longevity. If you desire a life full of longevity and strength, call on the elephant.
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Section 2 of 6:

Cultural & Religious Symbolism

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   The Hindu God, Ganesha, represents overcoming obstacles. Highly respected in Indian culture, Ganesha removes obstacles and allows you to see your inner beauty no matter what life throws at you. He represents the fact that you can start from anywhere and still become great.

   • Ganesha has the head of an elephant and the body of a human.
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   In Africa, elephants symbolize wisdom, royalty, and strength. African art and tales often depict elephants as strong, fabulous beasts who represent strong social bonds, family values, trust, and loyalty. Nzame, the Supreme African God, appointed the elephant as one of the animal rulers due to its great wisdom. Elephants are so revered in African culture that they receive proper burials.
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   In China, elephants represent good luck, wisdom, and high vibration. An elephant is a key figure in feng shui, the Chinese philosophy of positioning things in your surroundings to emphasize chi flow. Elephants build good chi and are used for protection from harmful energy. An elephant statue represents good luck and protection, especially when placed at your front door.
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   For Christians, elephants symbolize the strength of prayer. In the story of Noah’s Ark, the elephants eat so much food that they threaten to tip the Ark over. In response, Noah prays to God and is instructed to tickle the hyena. This scares a mouse into hiding under a head of cabbage, which scares the elephants to opposite sides of the boat and restores balance.
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Section 3 of 6:

What do dreams involving elephants mean?

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   Dreams with elephants represent wisdom, strength, or a need for action. Seeing an elephant in your dream can mean that you’re in need of strength. It can also represent great loss or a need for wisdom. Some interpretations of an elephant in your dream include:

   • Seeing an elephant in your dream may represent a need for wisdom and understanding. You may be subconsciously yearning for new information or understanding about the world, and an elephant in your dream encourages you to tap into your own wisdom and knowledge from life’s experiences.
   • Being attacked by an elephant or seeing an elephant attack others may mean that someone in your life is encouraging you to do something that is against your best wishes. They may be intimidating you to enact their vision, rather than going with your own.
     • Being attacked by an elephant can also mean that you need to address any problems in your life that you have been avoiding.
     • Being chased by an elephant can represent someone chasing you to make you do something that goes against your wishes.
   • Riding an elephant in your dream can represent a burden that you can’t carry on your own. If the ride feels controlled and the elephant seems calm, this can represent patience and good fortune.
   • Dreaming about an elephant being hunted can represent a fear of something bad happening to you. It can also mean someone in your circle is making you suffer. If the elephant escapes in your dream, it can mean that you have the strength to overcome life’s obstacles before they become too great to bear.
   • Dreaming about an elephant with babies can represent coming life changes. It can also mean you’re struggling to bring new ideas and practices to life.
   • Dreaming about a caged elephant can symbolize your personal potential for power or strength. An elephant still has their strength in a cage, which can represent how you still have strength despite challenges you’re facing.
   • Dreaming about an injured or dead elephant symbolizes great loss. It may be a sign that you’re still grieving over a recent loss, whether it be the end of a relationship, the death of a family member, or something else.
   • A white elephant in your dream represents purity, goodness, and joy. White elephants are known to bring hope, fortune, and wisdom in Buddhist cultures. Buddha’s mother even dreamed of the white elephant before Buddha’s birth, symbolizing the birth of a great person.

Section 4 of 6:

Are elephants considered good or bad omens?

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   Historically, elephants have been a symbol of good luck and prosperity. Their size and intelligence once led people lost in the forest back onto the right path. Their strength also protected people from predators, making them a symbol of strength and protection. The elephant was even used as a good luck talisman in ancient cultures across the world.

   • Throughout history, elephants have been thought to bring strong, prosperous harvests.
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Section 5 of 6:

What does the "energy" of the elephant mean?

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   An elephant’s energy is powerful, positive, and reflects femininity. The gentle giant uses its strength to protect and nurture others, and that reflects in its energy. The elephant has a strong feminine energy due to its intuition and compassion, which encourages a positive outlook on life. It also has a strong family focus and uses its power to build up past and future generations, further attributing to its positive energy.

Section 6 of 6:

Elephant as a Spirit Guide

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   As a spirit guide, the elephant represents learned wisdom, strength, and overcoming obstacles. The elephant represents the ability to gain wisdom through life experiences. It also represents physical and mental strength, encouraging you to overcome any obstacles put in your way and achieve the aforementioned wisdom. The elephant spirit guide encourages you to find a lesson in every experience and to use the lessons you learn to strengthen your inner resolve.
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   Call on the elephant in your time of need with an elephant talisman. By calling on the elephant during times of need, you will incorporate the spirit into your life. You may find yourself becoming more comfortable with your inner feelings and wisdom. Get an elephant talisman to encourage good luck and protection from harm. Embrace the elephant by practicing balance and giving grace to yourself and others.

   • When you’re having a hard time dealing with life’s obstacles, call on the elephant for wisdom and guidance.
   • Elephants are a great spirit animal, as they encourage reliance on inner strength and wisdom.
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