The fifth animal from the Wild Unknown Animal Spirit deck is the Panther. As we have seen with the previous fifth animals in the other suits/elements, this animal is going to speak to change, challenges, obstacles, and overcoming unknowns or adversity.
It makes sense that the animal that resides at this position is as ferocious as the Panther. The element of fire is chaotic, fierce, destructive, yet ultimately transformative.
The Panther is going to lead us through change and into an alchemical renewal of the spirit, but this won’t be easy, as no big or great change ever is. Take comfort in knowing that everyone has faced this animal at some time in life. Even you have experienced the themes that this animal speaks to, and hindsight is a gift, so as we move through this card, think about times in your life when the Panther has confronted you.
Similar to the Fives in the tarot, the numerology here is about the change already mentioned, but there is freedom and independence with this number. When we step outside the comfort zone, we do face adversity, but here we explore the depths of ourselves, and find ingenuity, curiosity, and a will to explore ourselves and the situation so we can persevere.
Purging and Annihilating with the Panther
It does need to be said that the Panther is not a specific species of cat. It is either a leopard or a jaguar with a dark black coat due to melanism.
You could also work with the Leopard or the Jaguar to bring in some of the same energy that will be discussed here in connection with our oracle card, because the only difference is the location and the color of the coat.
Big cats in general have this alchemical quality to them, and encourage us to step into a brave ferocity to meet certain situations and overcome hardship.
The Panther oracle card from this deck comes in when we need to move, or are already moving through a period of great upheaval. This energy is often not wanted in our lives. This is because the ego wants everything known, understood, and sectioned into easy-to-understand boxes. But, we are in the element of the spirit of fire. Nothing about this element is going to be straightforward. Fire illuminates the dark recesses of our spirit and pulls on the essence of self. This unique energy within us shifts, morphs, and moves in ways that challenge the ego, but it is ultimately a guide for us to step into our higher selves.
The Panther comes forward when our path needs a forceful push towards growth, alignment, and change. This all sounds wonderful, but the deeper teaching of the Panther is that your new life is going to cost you your old one. If we keep doing things the same way, we will only ever grow to the capacity of the container that we are currently in.
The Panther breaks that notion and requires a sacrifice. This sudden shift requires us to take a metaphorical butcher’s knife to our current status quo. The oracle card uproots us suddenly from the known and forces us into a wild space where we have to recalibrate and find our bearings once again. You may have felt this energy with sudden and hard shifts in life, like a breakup, being let go from a job, or having a spiritual awakening.
The Panther’s goal is to lead us to a more fulfilling and brighter life, but the process shakes us to the core. It is a force or a situation that we did not ask for, but we cannot go back. We can only go forward, and trust that when we look back on this moment, we will have a sense of awe of how much forgotten strength and trust we are truly capable of finding within ourselves.
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Guidance from the guidebook
Some key references from the guidebook
Keywords / phrases: Annihilation of the Unnecessary
When in balance: brave, productive
When out of balance: self-destructive
To bring into balance: get rid of the unnecessary
Following the guidance from the guidebook, the way to embrace this ferocious energy is to lean in and be part of the process. The Panther asks us to be brave because when we get to the other side of this situation, we will be in a better place and in deeper alignment with the life we are meant to live. The Panther asks us to trust it. It will bring forward a more wild life for us, one that is beautiful and radiant. However, like anything in nature that is red in tooth and claw, there must be a sacrifice that is made on the altar of our wildness.
When you are in this process, the best thing to do is be part of this co-creation and get rid of what doesn’t serve you anymore. It could be cleaning out your closet. It could be removing people from your life. It could be changing behaviors that perpetuate this old version of you. Although not mentioned in the guidebook, I also advocate for finding others who will be supportive. For me, this was getting into therapy, which has been so helpful.
Having a support system is invaluable in times of deep change because these people encourage your growth, see the unending beauty in you, and allow you to try, fail, or succeed without judgment. This journey is ours and ours alone, but others walk with us on this path, and when we feel like the purging from the panther is too much, their love and support can help us dust off the dirt, dry our eyes, and continue 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
- If you feel the need to claim your autonomy as ritual
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