Cardinal Spirit Animal: What Does a Cardinal Symbolize?
A welcome visitor at any time of the year, the cardinal is a familiar sight across large parts of North America – but there’s more to this bird than just its cheerful appearance since it can also be a powerful spiritual ally.
So in this post, we have all the info you need about cardinal spirit animal to help you understand if this is the right match for you.
Cardinal Symbolism
Let’s start by looking at some of the symbolism associated with cardinals to see what these birds represent.
1. Cardinals and Christianity
The cardinal takes its name from the cardinals of the Catholic church. These high-ranking members of the clergy traditionally wear distinctive red robes, and the cardinal bird was named after them due to the similar color of its plumage.
2. Home and the family
Cardinals are known to stay in one place year-round rather than fly away to warmer areas for the winter, and as a result, they symbolize the family and a strong connection to home.
3. Defending one’s territory
Not only do they stay in the same place all year, but male cardinals will also aggressively defend their territory against other males.
This makes cardinals symbolic of setting boundaries and limits and not allowing people to trespass on your ground, either literally or metaphorically.
4. Love
When cardinals pair off, they stay together, and as such, they represent the bonds of love and staying faithful to your partner.
Coupled with this is their striking red color, which makes them evocative of romantic love – something that is reinforced by the ritual courtship displays they undergo before mating.
5. Cheerfulness and joy
When cardinals appear, most people are happy to see them. They are bright little birds with chirpy songs, and when you see one, it can hardly fail to brighten your mood.
For this reason, to many people, cardinals are a symbol of cheerfulness and joy, bringing a small touch of extra positivity that can help brighten up their day.
6. Hope
When you see a cardinal during the dark and dismal months of winter, it can help remind you that after the coldest part of the year, springtime is never far away, and before you know it, everything will start growing again.
This means cardinals are a symbol of hope for the future and a reminder that even during the darker moments of your life, better times will always return.
7. Fertility and parenthood
Cardinals can rear two, three or even four broods of chicks per year, and this means they are associated with fertility.
Due to their caring nature as parents, with both the mother and father having a role to play, they can also be seen as representing parenthood and the parenting instinct.
Cardinal Spiritual Meaning
Next, let’s think about the spiritual significance of cardinal birds.
1. Nature and the divine feminine
Cardinals are thought to be closely connected to nature and the idea of the divine feminine as well as to the passage of the seasons and the yearly cycle of life, death and rebirth.
Furthermore, it is traditionally believed that cardinals lay 12 eggs per year, and the number 12 is also connected with the 12 months of the year and the constantly changing seasons, throughout which cardinals remain ever-present.
This is another reason why cardinals are thought of as being a spiritual symbol of the changing seasons and the cyclical nature of the universe.
2. Christian symbolism
As we’ve mentioned, cardinals take their name from the high-ranking members of the Catholic clergy.
Furthermore, the red color of cardinals is significant for Christians since it recalls the blood of Christ and his death on the cross to atone for the sins of mankind.
3. Comfort for the recently bereaved
According to the popular saying, “when cardinals appear, angels are near”, and many people believe this to be true.
In addition, many people who have recently suffered bereavement have reported suddenly feeling a deep sense of peace concerning their departed loved one on the arrival of a cardinal bird.
It is believed that cardinals are deeply spiritual birds with a close connection to the spirit world, and according to tradition, they often appear to people in mourning to bring relief from the feelings of grief and loss.
4. Messengers of the gods
According to many traditions, birds are seen as the messengers of the gods due to their ability to fly high in the skies, bringing them close to the heavens.
Many believe that cardinals in particular serve as messengers for the gods or for beings from the spirit realm, so when they appear, it is thought they bring messages from the other side that need to be properly interpreted.
5. Intuition
As we grow and develop spiritually, we learn to listen more to what our intuition tells us, and cardinals are birds that can help show us how to become more attuned to what our intuition is saying.
How Do You Know if the Cardinal Is Your Spirit Animal?
Having looked at what the cardinal symbolizes and what it means spiritually, you may now want to know if this bird is the right spiritual animal for you – so let’s think about how to decide if the cardinal is your perfect match.
1. Your family is the center of your life
For people with the cardinal as their spirit animal, nothing is more important than their family, and their home is the center of their universe.
Even if you travel far from home, you will never forget your roots or where you came from, and you would also be willing to do anything for the people you love the most.
Does this sound like it describes you and your outlook on life? Then the cardinal could be the right spirit animal for you.
2. You are a cheerful spirit
Cardinals are naturally cheerful animals, and people with the cardinal spirit animal tend to be so too.
Even when things seem to be going against you, you always manage to stay optimistic, and this infectious positivity helps lift the spirits of those around you too.
If this sounds familiar and is something you recognize in yourself, choosing the cardinal spirit animal can help enhance your natural positivity, allowing you to maintain an optimistic outlook while bringing positive energy to all those you come into contact with.
3. You are a creative person
People who take the cardinal as their spirit animal are often creative types, so if you consider yourself to be a creative person, the cardinal could be a great choice for you.
Furthermore, with the cardinal by your side, you will find your creative talents blossom even more thanks to the creative energies the cardinal spirit animal brings.
4. The number 12 resonates with you
Do you feel a particular resonance with the number 12? This is the number most closely associated with cardinal birds, and if you feel some kind of strong connection to this number, it’s a good indication that the cardinal spirit animal is a good match for you.
Cardinal Totem
There are many lessons we can learn from the cardinal, and here are some of the things the cardinal totem helps us remember as we navigate the challenges of our daily lives.
1. Don’t be afraid to be more assertive
The cardinal is not a violent or aggressive bird, but when its territory or family is threatened, it never backs down from a fight.
This doesn’t mean the cardinal totem tells you to go out and pick fights too, but it does mean this totem animal is there to help you stand up for yourself or to be more assertive when circumstances demand.
For example, if you always seem to be the one who draws the short straw at work and are always assigned the tasks that nobody else wants to do, the cardinal can help you make your feelings known so that everybody else helps with the unpleasant jobs too.
Alternatively, if you are the kind of person who is always a little too passive or accepting, by channeling your inner cardinal, you will find you are more able to stand up for yourself rather than let others push you around.
2. Show your true colors
The male cardinal has a striking bright plumage that’s intended to stand out He isn’t ashamed of who he is, and he isn’t afraid to be seen – and the cardinal totem can help you be the same.
Sometimes, if you find yourself acting in a certain way for the benefit of others or pretending to be someone you are not to try to fit in, the cardinal totem can help you be yourself instead, urging you to be bold and show your true colors.
You might feel that if you don’t conform, people won’t accept you – but if you remain true to yourself, the people closest to you will accept you for who you are and not for who you think you should be.
The cardinal totem can also help remind you that if some people can’t accept you for who you really are, they aren’t the kind of people you should care about anyway.
3. Believe in yourself
Although they are small birds, cardinals are filled with self-belief – and in moments when you lack confidence or begin to doubt your abilities, the cardinal totem can remind you to believe in yourself and your capabilities.
4. Trust your intuition
Cardinals are spiritual birds of instinct, and the cardinal totem can also help you learn to trust your intuition.
At times when you have a big decision to make, the cardinal can help you see more clearly which choice you have to make.
And sometimes, when your gut is telling you that something is wrong and you may be in some kind of danger, the cardinal totem can help you hear what your intuition is telling you, allowing you to escape before it’s too late.
Cardinal Omens
Finally, let’s have a look at what it might mean when you suddenly catch sight of a cardinal bird.
1. A guardian angel is nearby
Many people believe that cardinals are especially spiritual birds and that they often appear when an angel or other spirit is nearby.
It could be that a guardian angel is watching over you and preventing you from coming to harm, and if you feel a spiritual sensation in the presence of a cardinal, you should pay attention to any other signs that might be around you.
For example, watch out for things like angel numbers or other messages that you might be receiving to see if the angel or spirit is trying to communicate with you.
2. A departed loved one is safe in heaven
As we’ve already mentioned, many people feel a sudden sense of peace and relief when a cardinal appears following the death of a loved one.
Many people believe this is a clear sign that your loved one has reached heaven safely and is sending you a message telling you that all is well, that they are still with you and that you are still in their thoughts.
3. Somebody is encroaching on your territory
Sometimes if you meet a seemingly agitated cardinal, the message can be different. In this case, it could be a sign that somebody is encroaching on your territory, so you should keep an eye on the people around you.
Does it mean that somebody is moving into your space at work? Or perhaps it could mean that somebody has an unwelcome eye on your partner.
In any case, such a visitation by a cardinal should put you on your guard.
4. Good news is on the way
According to many folk beliefs, cheerful cardinals are often harbingers of good fortune and happiness – and often people experience a noticeable improvement in their mood on seeing one.
As a results, if one visits you unexpectedly, it could simply mean that something good is about to happen to you and that you’re about to experience some uncommon good luck.
A cheerful friend and powerful spiritual ally
As we’ve seen, if you have the cardinal as your spiritual animal, it can help bring positivity to your outlook while boosting your confidence and sense of self-worth.
It’s a bird that can help you hear what your intuition is telling you and act accordingly, and it can also help you stay true to yourself rather than doing things just to fit in.
The cardinal spirit animal can help you be more assertive if you tend to be shy or passive, and it can also help you release your creativity and reach your artistic potential.
