Hare

Intuition; creative ideas; the crazy irrational notions we sometimes call intuition. This probably arose because of the hare’s habit of suddenly bounding up from its hiding place unexpectedly, as intuitions often do. The hare can also depict the victim or hunted feeling; swiftness; timidity or shyness. The hare occasionally appears as a supernatural figure giving advice; or as a sacrificial animal. As such it depicts our ability to make great changes in life, or to draw on potential that has enormous unexpressed resources.

In past cultures the hare was often given great respect. It stood for intuition, rejuvenation and resurrection, and thus of the immortal nature of humans. The hare was sometimes the messenger of the gods. It was also seen as a fertility symbol, and was predominantly female and connected with the moon. In this connection the hare is the Easter Bunny, connected with the Moon Goddess Oestra or Eostre. The Native Americans saw the hare as a hero/saviour, the personification of light. For some reason early Christianity saw the hare as representing lust – but many animals represent lust in Christianity as this religion has had a huge struggle with sexual drives. It seems to be a faith that has difficulties with sexuality. The Jewish faith see hares as unclean. This rests on a law that only grass eaters with cloven feet should be eaten.

The Winnebago North American Indians saw Hare, like Trickster. He was in animal form and has not yet reached mature human form. He was seen as the founder of human culture-the Transformer. The Winnebago believe that the Hare gave them their famous Medicine Rite, and so he became their saviour as well as their culture-hero. This myth was so powerful, that those who used the Peyote Rite were reluctant to give up Hare when Christianity was offered them. So they merged him with the figure of Christ, and some said they had no need of Christ since they already had Hare.

The picture shows an ancient picture of three leaping hares. The symbols is from old English churches in Devon and Cornwall, but the image was also linked with the Moon Goddess. The gestation period of the hare is 28 days, and so there has always been a link with the moon and human menstrual cycles. Easter was originally a festival celebrating the period of fertility.

Example: I was walking across open moorland, followed by a crowd of people. I was their leader, and was supposed to be leading them to “Salvation”. The only thing was, I had no idea in which direction salvation lay. We came to a barbed-wire fence and stopped. I was considering the best place to cross, when I noticed a rabbit beyond the fence. My dog was with me, and leapt on the rabbit to kill it as in my previous dreams, but this time the rabbit fought back and bit his foot, and he stood back respectfully, as he would if a cat clawed him. I now saw that the rabbit had turned into a huge and powerful hare, with four pink furry babies. Then the hare spoke to me, saying, “Where are you going?”

‘I told him we were looking for salvation. He listened, then quietly said “Turn back. Go back to whence you came. At this I became irritable and said, who was he to tell us what to do. There were so many so called authorities telling people how to discover truth, and yet most of them either disagreed or hadn’t found it themselves.

‘The hare looked at me and suddenly disappeared. Then, in a few moments it reappeared. This impressed me tremendously. I felt it was a sign of complete self mastery, and knew the hare was the master. He then said again, “Go back, and carry on with your accustomed tasks. Do not seek wildly the Kingdom of Heaven, for you already have what you seek within you. Your seeking only hides it.” Now the hare speaks again. “Go back,” says he. “For what you search is within you already, as the plant is within the seed. Go back therefore, carry on your accustomed callings, and wait, for it is nigh upon you from within and without. But wait, and you will know it.” Then we all turned around and went back to our village, and carried on our usual tasks, knowing that in time, we would realise our heaven.

Useful Questions and Hints:

Does the hare give you a message, if so can you put it into words?

Is there any warning indicated in the dream – if so what is it?

Is there anything new or vulnerable arising in you intuitively?

See Mammal Brain – Using Your Intuition – Techniques for Exploring your Dreams – Edgar Cayce