As a long-time tarot reader and intuitive guide, I’ve spent decades working with the images, energies, and stories held within the cards. One of the most overlooked, but most powerful, teaching aids in the tarot is its animals. Symbolic animals in the tarot often hide in plain sight on the cards, but when we pay attention, they reveal deep spiritual messages and archetypal truths.
I’ve also spent years coaching clients on how to work with animal totems and their symbolic power, and I can tell you: the animals in the Rider-Waite-Smith deck aren’t random. They’re intentional, potent, and ready to help you expand your awareness. Let’s walk through them together.
Table of Contents
Lion
Appears in: Strength, Wheel of Fortune, The World
Symbolism: Courage, power, passion, mastery of instincts, divine strength
The lion in the tarot is a fiery creature of will and raw energy. In Strength, the lion is tamed not through domination, but through grace and inner calm. In the World and the Wheel of Fortune, it holds cosmic space as a guardian of the fixed fire sign Leo, emphasizing longevity and cosmic order.
Reflective question: Where in your life are you being called to lead with courageous vulnerability instead of brute force?
Bull (or Ox)
Appears in: Wheel of Fortune, The World
Symbolism: Stability, endurance, grounded power, patience
The bull is a sacred symbol of the earth element and the fixed sign Taurus. It asks us to slow down, stay rooted, and trust the value of persistence. Its presence in these cosmic cards speaks to the quiet force of unshakable endurance.
Reflective question: What area of your life needs more grounded, long-term effort instead of quick fixes?
Eagle
Appears in: Wheel of Fortune, The World
Symbolism: Spiritual insight, higher vision, transformation, divine awareness
Representing the higher expression of Scorpio, the eagle invites us to see from above, where personal pain becomes part of a wider spiritual pattern. Its presence is a reminder to rise above drama and perceive with soul-sight.
Reflective question: How can you rise above current challenges to gain a broader, more empowered perspective?
Dog
Appears in: The Fool, The Moon
Symbolism: Loyalty, instinct, trust, guidance, companionship
In The Fool, the dog is a joyful, curious companion, encouraging the leap of faith. In The Moon, the dog becomes more complex, a symbol of domesticated instinct standing in contrast to the wild wolf. It invites us to reflect on how we balance safety and exploration.
Reflective question: Are you listening to your inner guidance, or only to the parts of you trained to play it safe?
Wolf
Appears in: The Moon
Symbolism: Wild nature, mystery, deep instinct, the call of the unknown
The wolf is the wild counterpart to the dog in The Moon. It howls to the unconscious, the mystery, the parts of us not yet tamed. When the wolf appears, we are pulled into deeper shadow work and mystical initiation.
Reflective question: What wild, intuitive part of you is longing to be acknowledged and honored?
Horse
Appears in: The Chariot, Death, all four Knight cards
Symbolism: Momentum, freedom, disciplined movement, life transitions
Each horse in the tarot speaks differently. The white and black horses of The Chariot represent opposing drives. The pale horse of Death carries transformation. The knights’ horses move with purpose, reflecting their elemental mission. Horses represent power that must be guided.
Reflective question: Where are you being called to channel your momentum with more intention?
Crab (or Lobster)
Appears in: The Moon
Symbolism: Emergence, hidden emotions, subconscious, protection, transformation
Crawling from the waters of the unconscious, the crab in The Moon card signals emotional truth rising to the surface. It has a shell to protect its softness, reminding us that transformation often feels vulnerable.
Reflective question: What emotional truth is trying to surface, and how can you support its safe emergence?
Fish
Appears in: Page of Cups
Symbolism: Intuition, creativity, emotional messages, spiritual whispers
The fish popping out of the Page of Cups’ chalice is one of the most delightful symbols in the deck. It’s a surprise, a spark of spirit, an intuitive nudge. The Page looks curious, open, and ready to receive.
Reflective question: Are you open to receiving emotional or spiritual insight in unexpected ways?
Snail
Appears in: Nine of Pentacles
Symbolism: Patience, natural timing, humble movement, slow abundance
The snail quietly inches across the foreground while the woman in the card stands in opulence. It reminds us that slow growth is still progress, and real abundance often takes time to bloom.
Reflective question: How can you honor the value of slow, steady progress in your life?
Snake
Appears in: Wheel of Fortune
Symbolism: Shedding, descent into matter, temptation, primordial wisdom
Slithering down the wheel, the snakes in the tarot symbolize the descent into the material world, or the temptation of ego. But it also carries ancient wisdom, the kind that regenerates and transforms.
Reflective question: Are you resisting a necessary shedding, or are you ready to grow into a new skin?
Sphinx
Appears in: Wheel of Fortune
Symbolism: Riddle, enigma, integration of opposites, spiritual mastery
The Sphinx crowns the Wheel with inscrutable calm, holding a sword of truth. The sphinx represents the mystery of fate and the inner knowing required to stay centered amidst life’s changes.
Reflective question: What riddle in your life is asking you to sit with mystery rather than demand answers?
Birds (dove or others)
Appears in: Ace of Cups, Lovers, Two of Cups
Symbolism: Peace, love, spirit connection, divine message, higher heart
Birds flutter through the tarot as gentle messengers of love and divinity. In the Ace of Cups, the dove represents the descent of divine grace into the heart. In the Lovers and Two of Cups, birds reinforce union and spiritual partnership.
Reflective question: What message is your heart ready to receive or send with love and clarity?
Ram or Goat
Appears in: The Emperor (throne), The Devil (goat figure)
Symbolism: Authority, primal force, leadership, temptation, wild instinct
The ram’s head on the Emperor’s throne reflects calculated leadership and determined will (Aries energy). The goat in The Devil card represents base desires, shadow attachments, and the illusions of bondage.
Reflective question: Are you embodying your personal authority, or letting your instincts run the show unchecked?
Final Thoughts
When you begin to see these symbolic animals of the tarot, you start to understand that the cards are not just visual helpers; they’re living landscapes. The animals offer access points into the wild, wise, and wonderful layers of your inner self.
So the next time you draw a card, ask yourself: What creature is here with me? What is it trying to teach me? Your readings will deepen, and so will your relationship with the natural, and mystical world.
Mighty brightly,
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