Sea turtle symbolism and spirit animal meaning

Do you or someone you are close to have a special relationship with the sea turtle? Have you always been attracted to sea turtles, were the sea turtles your favorite part of "Finding Nemo," or have you recently been seeing sea turtles and are wondering what it all means?

If this is not your first time exploring animal symbolism, you have probably done a web search, or looked in a book, or even pulled out your trusty spirit animal oracle deck to get an idea of what the sea turtle is trying to tell you. And while you may have received some decent info, more often then now, those sources can leave you feeling incomplete...like they did not really hit the mark. This can be frustrating, and it is easy to just feel like giving up.

But don’t give up too soon. The trouble with all those sources you have been looking at is that they miss the essential ingredient in understanding the message your spirit animal has for you....YOU. That’s right, YOU are the essential missing piece in getting the complete and personal message from your spirit animal. So, let’s start bringing you into the equation right now.

Sea turtle symbolism: message and meaning of the sea turtle exercise

Below is a passage about the sea turtle. As you read it, pay attention to your emotions. Notice whenever you feel a strong emotion. It might be a YES that is so me...or a NO WAY. In either case, pause and write down what you responded to and what you felt. OK...ready? Here we go.

The turtle symbolizes going with the flow, settling in for the long journey. Turtle reminds us that life is the journey, not the destination. We often believe that there is an end, an achievement, a measurable result or goal that we are moving toward. But in fact life is a flow, an ever evolving process. Turtles also represent the many stories we gather throughout our lives, many of which are not our own. There comes a time when we must let go of the stories we have learned in order to tell our own.

Did anything you read cause an emotional response? If it did, read over what you noted down. Give yourself 5 minutes to write about each thing that caused an emotional response. Write fast and free, without editing or limiting yourself. Everything that comes to mind is important.

If nothing resonated with you in the passage above, no worries. The message sea turtle has for you is even more personal. Read on for 3 steps to help you discover the true, unique and personal message your spirit animal has for you.

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Sea turtle symbolism: Three steps for uncovering the unique message the sea turtle spirit animal has for you

These three steps will help you discover the deeper, more personal meaning and message your animal has for you. I recommend following at least one of these three steps to gain deeper understanding of the unique message of your spirit animal.

1. Write about your animal. Write everything that comes to mind. Write without concern for spelling or punctuation. Write to get it all out, every last association, memory, preconceived notion, and judgement. Write stream-of-consciousness and pour everything out onto the page. Doing this, you will get all the superficial associations out of the way and connect to the deeper meaning and message your animal has for you.
2. Study your animal. Research all it's qualities, where it lives, what it does, what it eats, what kind of relationships it has. Create a journal about your animal and really get to know it. If something strikes you, write about it in more depth to discover what about it has meaning for you. Be open to surprises. Often memories and associations arise unexpectedly that deliver messages we need to hear.
3. Make a collage about your animal. Collect images of your animal and of places, objects, patterns, and colors that you associate with your animal. Glue them to a piece of cardboard, heavy paper, or foam core. Add any special words or messages on the board.

BONUS STEP: Do a soul scribble to discover other messages your animal has for you.

By following one or all of the above steps you will uncover the true message your spirit animal has for you and come to a deeper level of appreciation of all it can do for you.

Continuing to work with your spirit animal

As you evolve and grow your spirit animal may return to you with new messages. Aspects of your animal which did not resonate in the past will suddenly have meaning. Be open. Do not lock your spirit animal into the messages it first delivered. Instead, greet your spirit animal with fresh eyes, as if meeting it for the first time, and receive the insights it is bringing you.

Sea turtle symbolism: the story behind the painting

Curious about the story behind the painting featured in this post? Hop over here to watch the 3-minute video where I describe the message and meaning and the behind-the-scenes for the painting of the sea turtle here.

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