Next up in our deep dive into the The Wild Unknown Animal Spirit deck is the Hyena, second in the suit of fire. The fire suit starts with the first animal, the Fire Ant. The Fire Ant invites consideration of how we are spending our energetic currency. Are we quick to anger? Are we spending time with others who bring out the worst in us? Are we moving from a place of calm or mindfulness?
All things to consider.
Now, we arrive at the Hyena. Residing in the second position, we have themes of the numerology of two. The numerology of two is highly feminine and intuitive, connected with the High Priestess of the tarot. See my deep dive here.
From the website Numerology.com, it says, “The Numerology number 2 is known to numerologists as a supremely feminine force, one that represents both grace and power. It is cooperative, always aiming to bring peace and balance back to a relationship or situation. This Numerology number is also very sensitive — of all the numbers, it has the strongest intuition. It is able to sense currents and feelings instinctively, then use these clues to connect with others empathically.
At its very core the 2 in Numerology represents partnerships — the coming together or balancing of two individual people, concepts, or things. While it holds great power over any situation, it wields it with such diplomacy and tact that the result is not control and authority, but harmony and teamwork. It is a mediator, able to see two sides of a situation in an unbiased way and guide others down the middle road.”
These will be recurring themes with the Hyena from this deck.
Finding Humor with the Hyena
Hyenas are some of the coolest, strongest, and most vocal animals to be found in Africa. They are skilled hunters, live in matriarchal groups, and communal. Their hunting rate is around 60-90%, and they have adapted to be both scavengers as well as adept hunters.
They are also one of the longest lived animals with, living decades in the wild! For an animal that is a predator, we are already seeing a lot of the feminine energies that was represented with the numerology of two.
From the website Wild Tomorrow, where most of these facts come from also says, “However, hyenas, surprisingly, are some of the best mothers in the animal kingdom, investing more energy per cub than any other terrestrial carnivore. Hyenas give birth to 1 to 3 tiny jet-black cubs (some call them pups because early naturalists thought they resembled bear cubs). Genetically, hyenas are closely related to civets, genets, and mongooses, therefore falling within the cat group of carnivores, hence the use of the term “cub”. Hyena cubs are “precocial”, meaning they are born in a more advanced stage of development with their eyes open, teeth intact, and muscles ready to go, unlike many of the cat species where cubs are born largely blind and helpless for several weeks.
As we move into the card, we will need this type of tenderness, as we will see.
It makes sense that many of the themes with this card are laughter, humor, wit, sarcasm, and a smile. As stated above, the hyena is the most vocal animal in Africa, with an iconic laugh. Anyone remember the hyenas from the Lion King, especially Ed who could never stop laughing? This iconic laugh comes into play with this card.
Coming after the Fire Ant, we are invited to use that thoughtfulness, discipline, calm, and sensitivity to further our desires and priorities. We are asked to takes these urges and desires from the depths of ourselves and take them forward, breathing life to our inner flames. The problem: that discipline needed from the Fire Ant hits an impasse here. Sometimes, humor really is the best medicine. Other times, it is a mask because we are afraid to bear this deeper part of ourselves. This tender spark of spirit is vulnerable, and many would not treat it so kindly.
The needed balance with the Hyena comes in the form of authenticity. Laughing when we need to laugh (even in times of darkness!), and when we need to be serious, or approach things from a more serious point of view. The deeper question when this card comes forward is: where are we smiling because our spirit is radiating, and where are we hiding vulnerabilities that could lead to deeper connections?
To be clear, laughter is a balm for the soul. I remember a few months after one of my cats has passed, and I was living in a dense fog of grief. And you know what brought my soul some comfort? The DVD collection of George Carlin HBO comedy specials. Watching his standup, it was the first time I had TRULY laughed in weeks. I needed to laugh. The laughter didn’t erase my pain or my grief, but it allowed me a moment to just BE, even as I was grieving.
Guidance from the guidebook
Some key references from the guidebook
Keywords / phrases: Humor, Wit, Sarcasm
When in balance: charming, witty, fun to be around
When out of balance: scrappy, petty, suspicious
To bring into balance: sobriety
Following the guidance from the guidebook, working with the Hyena asks you to consider where are you joking, crowd pleasing, or being the court jester, and how is it affecting deeper drives or wants that are not getting authenticity or needed energy because you are too busy throwing out a gag? With the Hyena, we often put on a happy face to tell everyone we are fine, but deep down we are not fine.
Now, some people are truly not worthy of our deeper vulnerabilities, but the problem with the Hyena is that over time the smile becomes a projection that those who love and know us can see. Even with people we don’t know, we can often see the mask of humor, sarcasm, or bravado. It is often easy to tell. Those who more authentic and vulnerable don’t have to work so hard to cover up their deeper truths. When we are around these people, we often feel safer to express our own deeper selves, creating a space of witness and safety.
The beauty of the Hyena is that humor is a form of spiritual evolution. Laughing and being with those who bring out our authentic smile are a gift. We need to lean more into that energy. Out of balance, we are wasting time and energy trying to put the smile on, when what our spirit really needs is for us to be serious, intuitive, and tend our sensitivities, like those mother hyenas! When this card comes forward, it is an invitation to consider where our smile is genuine, and where it is a mask we think we need to keep on all the time.
Speaking of the card, I want to highlight something that is important (if Kim Krans put it in there, I will be looking at it). In the image at the very top of this blog, you will see a first quarter moon. This may seem odd for an animal that thrives in the sun and heat of Africa, with the elemental association of fire. We would think this card would be more fiery and bright. The first quarter moon is the halfway point between New and Full. This moon phase is a time of momentum, a needed push to fulfill our intentions set at the New Moon.
From the Moon Book by Sarah Faith Gottessdeiner, First Quarter Moons are also a time of making intuitive choices, pivoting, aligning, refining, overcoming hurdles, balance, creating discipline, trust, healthy boundaries, and connecting to our will. I hope this correlation is immediately obvious. Kim Krans gave us a full moon to help us make these reflections of humor versus serious easier to understand. At this junction, where can we lean into the themes of the moon phase she gave us, even that is not the phase we are in. The invitations hold to this animal. We need to laugh as we find something funny, but this animal is a touching nudge into where we need to push forward and trust that our choices and authenticity are refining the path forward.
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Ashlie McDiarmid
Hello there! I hope you liked this blog post. As a tarot and oracle reader, my goal with my blogs is to offer you content, resources, and access to the tools that have transformed my life.
I believe that your own intuition is the deepest form of knowing, but here in my little corner of the internet, I share insights based in intuition and instinct. I share my love for nature, witchcraft, and the wild spirit.
- If your spirit is at home in wild places
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