Possessing the ability to reproduce quickly, the hare has been a symbol of fertility and love since ancient times. Because of this connection with the feminine, it was also considered a lunar animal. In Ancient Greece it was believed that if a woman could not bear a child, she should eat a rabbit. The hare became the animal of the goddess of love Aphrodite, as well as an attribute of the goddess Hecate. Its strong connection with female deities made it a symbol of fertility and the rebirth of life.
Coat of arms of the Belarusian city of Kopys
In ancient China, the rabbit was also a symbol of longevity. The hare is the fourth sign of the Chinese horoscope. Those born in the year of the Hare are good-natured, lucky, prudent, tactful and loving. Buddhists believe that the hare voluntarily jumped into the fire and was roasted to feed the Buddha; the animal's compassion saved him from starvation.
Although today the hare is often considered a symbol of cowardice, in ancient times it also signified vigilance and the ability to run quickly, which is why Roman legionaries often depicted it on their shields. In Christianity, the hare has become a symbol of defenselessness and personifies a person who is forced to rely only on God in everything.
Spring flight of the goddess Ostara. From the name of this goddess in Germanic languages comes the name of the Easter holiday and the country of Austria, which in German sounds like “the country of Ostara.” The rabbit was an attribute of Ostara, and is now an indispensable companion of Easter. According to legend, the Easter bunny brings holiday gifts to children.
The maenads bring a hare to Dionysus as a symbol of autumn. Ancient Greek vase
The riddle of three hares
The mysterious symbol of three hares is found throughout Eurasia from China to England. It is believed that it is somehow connected with fertility and the lunar cycle, but its true nature has not yet been studied.
A. Durer. Holy Family. Below in the engraving the artist depicted three birds with one stone.
Three Hares Symbol
Phrase from the movie “The Matrix”
The phrase “Follow the white rabbit” was spoken by the main character of the film The Matrix. Then Neo received this message by email.
Soon a guy and a girl came to him and gave him a floppy disk. The man suggested that the main character go to a club to have fun. At first Neo refused, but then he noticed the girl had a tattoo of a white rabbit on her shoulder. He immediately remembered the message he had received and agreed to the offer.
In the context of the film The Matrix, the meaning of the phrase “Follow the white rabbit” means pay attention to the secret signs and do what they say.
Day and Year of the Rabbit
In the sacred Aztec calendar, Tonalpoguali, the eighth day of each month was called tochli, i.e. rabbit. It was a day of self-sacrifice and selfless service to people. The Aztecs believed that on this day one should strive to merge nature and spirit and in no case should one take actions against other people. The patroness of the day was considered the goddess of the agave plant and fertility Maya Guell, who had 400 rabbit children.
Aztec stone calendar
Rabbit Day Sector
Rabbit symbolism. What does the Rabbit symbolize?
The rabbit is a symbol of prosperity, abundance and fertility, mainly due to its reproductive ability.
A rabbit in your life means that you will have no difficulty in expressing your happiness and showing your affection to those you love.
Another characteristic of a rabbit is speed. You quickly do what you love and see opportunities that will bring you closer to your goals.
But that doesn't mean you like being the center of attention.
The rabbit spirit also represents shyness and modesty and means that there will always be things in this world that you will find difficult to do because of these personality traits.
The animal spirit of the rabbit represents perception and consciousness.
Like the Magpie Spirit, the Rabbit Spirit has a deep knowledge of other people and how the world works... and it does its best to enjoy it!
A rabbit in love brings good luck. That's why, if he gets in your way, it is quite possible that you will soon meet a new love who will make you happy for a very long time.
The symbolism of the rabbit is associated with loyalty, love and devotion. So when it appears in your life, you can consider it a good omen.
But to succeed in love, you must be willing to take risks, make sacrifices, and make commitments.
Do you identify with the rabbit? Positive and negative sides of your personality
If you identify with the rabbit, it's because you know how to be kind when the situation calls for it.
You have no problem letting your child out and are open to anything that can make you happy.
More on the topic: Symbolism of the hippopotamus. What does Hippopotamus symbolize?
Cheerfulness, resourcefulness and intelligence are qualities that characterize you, and you feel in harmony with the world.
You look for positive aspects in everything around you that will benefit your body, mind and soul. And you know how important healthy eating is to taking care of your health.
On the other hand, you are capable of behaving aggressively and jealously. Sometimes you get carried away by your feelings instead of thinking, which causes you to make bad decisions.
You love spontaneity and love to have fun and play.
What can you learn from a rabbit?
Rabbit can teach you how to transform to change your future. Rabbits are the most common "victims" of the animal kingdom, but they also have a great talent for running away in times of danger and slipping through the fingers of those who wish them harm.
This little animal teaches you that you should not accept yourself as a victim or allow yourself to be taken advantage of because you have the skill and talent to escape.
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Moon hare
The Chinese believed that a prophetic jasper hare lived on the moon. The lunar hare Tyuzet meant the cyclical nature of living nature - the rebirth of the living, its flowering, and then decline and decomposition, followed by a new cycle of birth. This symbolism is associated with the lunar meanings of the hare - metaphorically there is a connection with the different stages of the Moon - from young, born to full and then old, passing.
Constellation Hare. 18th century engraving
Chinese character for the year of the Hare
Moon hare. Japanese netsuke
The phrase “Follow the white rabbit” and the fairy tale “Alice in Wonderland”
Most people attribute the phrase “Follow the White Rabbit” to the fairy tale “Alice in Wonderland.” This work itself raises many questions, since it is thoroughly imbued with symbolism. Its author, Lewis Carroll, was an Illuminist and transmitted encrypted messages through his work. Therefore, in the fairy tale about Alice you can find more questions than answers.
The girl who ran after the white rabbit, just like in the film “The Matrix,” followed secret signs. At the same time, not knowing what awaited her inside the rabbit hole, she still took a chance and jumped there.
This brings to mind another expression: “The rabbit hole is deep.” Its meaning is that the visible part of an event or fact is very far from reality. This phrase is usually used in cases where some secret is too terrible, and no one can even imagine its scale. This is because from the outside, a rabbit hole looks like a small hole in the ground. In reality, rabbits build real underground tunnels with “halls” and passages.
In the fairy tale “Alice in Wonderland,” the phrase “The rabbit hole is deep” is deliberately emphasized. When the girl falls into a hole for an infinitely long time, so that she has time to eat and even sleep, it becomes clear that the secrets of the universe are very far from our understanding.
Hare among the Slavs
In Slavic folklore, the image of a hare is associated with eroticism, female fertility, love and even lust. However, along with this, the hare was also considered the personification of dark forces. The hare was caught in connection with a goblin, a devil and a witch. Beliefs tell about his ability to lure into the forest and pursue a hunter. It is a very bad omen if a hare crosses the path of a traveler. A.S. Pushkin, who was heading to the capital to participate in the Decembrist uprising, turned back when he saw a hare crossing the road, which may have saved his life.
Soviet stamp with the image of A.S. Pushkin
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How to celebrate correctly
Where is the best place to meet
The Rabbit is a domestic animal (as well as the Cat), so the best place to celebrate the New Year will be your own apartment or house. And this should be a fully family holiday - there should be no random or little-known personalities at the table, but only close people - relatives or friends.
What to wear
There's plenty to choose from this year! Not only shades, but also colors, as they say, in assortment, for every taste!
You can please the owner of the year and choose a black festive toilet. But in this case there must be a hint of water in it - glitter or appropriate accessories.
If you are a fan of the classics, wear dresses and suits in white and gray.
You can give it away and give it to Kitty. Here it would be useful to remember the old sign - a tri-colored cat is good luck. If you know how to combine shades, take action and attract good luck to yourself!
The rabbit is a domestic animal, so celebrate the New Year with your closest people. Photo: @nicole-michalou, pexels.com
This year you should avoid fancy and complex outfits. Rabbit for simplicity and naturalness! Leave complicated outfits and voluminous hairstyles for another time, but now choose naturalness.
Decorating the house correctly
There should be no flashy flowers in the house. Try to remove red and similar shades from the interior. We give preference to light colors and green. It is good to decorate the house with fresh flowers - cut or potted. You can make cute installations out of them. Remember, both the Cat and the Rabbit love nature and will be pleased with your idea.
Avoid animal prints - the owners of the year should not feel the competition. And a drawing of a zebra or leopard will be perceived exactly like that.
Create soft and cozy corners in your home - with blankets and pillows - in which you would like to spend more time and relax.
How to set the table
Let us remind you that this is a double Cat/Rabbit year, and therefore the treats on the table should satisfy the tastes of two animals at once.
Try to ensure that there are fish dishes on the table - aspic, salad, fried or salted fish.
Also be sure to have a lot of vegetables and herbs. Try to focus the table on salads and appetizers. It will be original and useful. And after a couple of hours of sitting at the table there will be no feeling of oversaturation.
The main dish can be baked chicken or pork.
When setting the table, use white colors and gold accents - candles, napkins, dishes. You can put a rabbit figurine on the table. The owner of the year will be flattered by this.
Black and white predictions
The gypsy dream book offers a very interesting explanation of why you dream of a black and white little eared cat or a black rabbit and a white one side by side.
Explaining why a two-color black and white representative of the hare breed is dreamed of, Hasse’s dream book advises to beware of two-faced persons.
If in a dream the dark and white were locked in the same cage, the magician Yuri Longo sees indecision and uncertainty in the symbol. Only by acting purposefully can you free yourself from the symbolic cage and achieve success.
What was he doing?
Often a large black rabbit symbolizes fertility and prosperity. The actions of the animal will help you understand the interpretation of the dream more accurately.
- If you dreamed about how a big black one ate, a desired child will appear in the family;
- If in a dream he was eaten by you, there is joy and abundance ahead;
- A frolicking hare lets you know that in reality someone is trying hard to hide their interest in you;
- Huddled in a corner out of fright - control your fear, otherwise you will attract what you are afraid of;
- It is undesirable to see a sleeping rabbit in a dream, a harbinger of a breakup or divorce.
Aesop's dream book offers his own interpretation of why a big black rabbit dreams about sleeping. The image symbolizes a decrease in activity, the beginning of depression.
What to expect from the year
The year promises to be quite stable. Major economic crises will most likely bypass us. You should not plan grandiose events for the year that should turn your life upside down. It is better to carry it out quite routinely, no matter how strange it may sound. Neither the Cat nor the Rabbit likes sudden movements.
But for marriage, the time is quite favorable. The owner of the year will appreciate the family!
Remember, no matter what you undertake this year, it is important to maintain a sense of proportion and dignity.
