Animal Symbolism
of the Cow
Animal symbolism of the cow include:
- Patience
- Nourishment
- Abudance
- Fertility
- Female Power
- Potential
- Possibility
- Calming
- Grounded
- Provision
- Beginnings
In many cultures the cow is symbolic of Mother Earth, and has been a symbol of fertility, nurturing, and power.
The cow is a lunar symbol, aligning itself with feminine (yin) qualities (for a list of yin attributes see my list here) among the Chinese yin-yang energies.
The Egyptian goddess Nut is sometimes depicted with the cow having four stars on its belly. This represents the four cosmic quadrants of the earth, and the respective flavor each directional energy freely flows through each of these corners.
Also in Egyptian mythology, Hathor was an ancient goddess worshipped as a cow-deity. Hathor was the Great Mother gooddess of joy, and was considered the nourisher of all things. She was originally a personification of the Milky Way, which was seen as the milk that flowed from the udders of a heavenly cow. She was also considered a protective goddess and an emblem of royalty.
In Norse mythology the cow makes an appearance as Audhumla whose utters emitted the four rivers of power - these provided nourishment for the giants (primarily the first giant, Ymir) that ruled the First World.
In Vedic literature the cow is also a symbol of abundance and fertility as it represents both earth and sky.
To Hindus and Buddhists, symbolism of the cow deals with patience and holiness. It is considered India's most sacred animal. The calm, tender nature of the cow wins this right among the Buddhists.
I hope you have enjoyed this page on cow animal symbolism. Return to the Land Animal Totems List.
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