Next in the series of moving through each animal in the Wild Unknown Animal Spirit deck, we come to the creature that stirs fear and the subconscious- the Shark.
The Shark is an animal that carries an emotional trigger for a lot of people. Many dislike or fear the Shark, while others push for a more understanding connection to this creature.
As mentioned before, this deck has numerical value for the cards, but Kim Krans chose the animals for their specific unmentioned numerical spot based on the level of consciousness that they portray.
The Shark is in the eleventh position in this deck. From the website WORLD NUMEROLOGY, it says this about the number.
“The 11 is the most intuitive of all numbers. It represents illumination; a channel to the subconscious; insight without rational thought; and sensitivity, nervous energy, shyness, and impracticality. It is a dreamer.” Click here to read the full article.
We will see these themes as we dig into the energy surrounding the Shark.
Coming Up from the Depths with the Shark
Ask anyone how they feel about sharks, and they most likely will not give you a neutral answer. People either love them, fear them, or hate them.
Movies like Jaws have become iconic, stirring that fear into a cinematic masterpiece that keeps you on the edge of your seat for hours. Shows like Shark Week bring these animals front and center to our fear, and like anyone who loves true crime or a good horror movie, something is intoxicating about staring directly at what you fear the most.
True stories like the soldiers aboard the USS Indianapolis who had to survive in shark-infested waters for days are the stuff of nightmares. However, sharks are not inherently evil. Yes, they have big teeth and live in the shadowed darkness of the open ocean, but they are not evil creatures. You are more likely to be killed by lightning than by a shark.
That is not to say that a fear of sharks isn’t real or valid. Sharks play on our minds, inviting us to examine what we fear or what we hold within the deep recesses of our psyche. Other than that, they are and represent a primordial spirit. They give us a connection to the ancient world. They call us into a living mystery, and for that, I think they are pretty cool.
From this deck, the Shark surfaces (no pun intended), when something needs to be exposed or brought to the surface in our lives. The first line reads: The Shark is only dangerous when we don’t acknowledge it. From a metaphysical standpoint, this means that when this card comes forward, there is something that is creating an edge within us. The way we soften that edge is to no avoid it, but take a good, hard look at it, and acknowledge its presence, and the tension it is creating within.
Shark energy comes forward, and this card comes forward, when we over-analyze and stress over things that are more superficial than substantive. If we are afraid to say what we really feel or to be authentically ourselves, Shark energy is at play. The shark, as mentioned above, is a hated animal by many. In using this card and working with these energies, it would do us well to be authentic to what we feel and think.
Lurking in the depths are parts of ourselves that want to be integrated and returned to the surface. When we deny and ignore the things that lurk within us that want to come to the surface, we feel their presence more. The energy of the shark is not a facade. It is real, honest, and authentic, for better or worse. There will be those who dislike your authenticity. The Shark says to pay that no mind. It is better to be yourself, regardless of what others think, than to try and mold yourself into something “palatable” for others.
Guidance from the guidebook
Some key references from the guidebook
Keywords / phrases: Directness, Exposure, Revealing True Nature and Desire
When in balance: intriguin, captivating, mysterious
When out of balance: sneaky, destructive
To bring into balance: honesty
Following the guidance from the guidebook, working with the shark includes being direct, exposing something, and revealing your inner truth and what you want in this world. When the shark comes forward, it is time to stop and see if you are putting on airs or if you are living true to what you want and need. There is also an invitation to reflect on whether you surround yourself with people with whom you can’t be authentic. If so, why do you keep engaging with these people?
As mentioned above, the shark has an intriguing charm and mystery. They captivate us in both good and bad ways. Those who live authentically often have this same captivating charm to them, because we can feel the magnetism of their true nature. We feel the raw power of that person just living in their truth. When out of balance, shark energy is sneaky and destructive. This makes sense.
If we want that level of power, but aren’t prepared to stand on the principle that comes with living authentically, we will try to sneak around the systems. We will be destructive to avoid accountability because accountability = authenticity. The best way we balance the energy is by being direct and honest. When we are honest and not trying to overly smooth or sugarcoat something, it creates a trigger in many others, who aren’t used to this kind of directness. The point is not about hurting someone else’s feelings. The point is simply to reveal, be true, and to tell the truth. It may be uncomfortable, but it is the only way to speak straight, and from the heart.
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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
- If you want to more deeply trust your own intuition
- If you want resources or connections to tarot, oracle, witchcraft, and wild sovereignty, then welcome!
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