Since the early 19th Century, many breeds of rabbit have become domesticated. These cute, furry creatures are intelligent, social, and love a good snooze in the day due to them being mostly active between dusk and dawn.
You will find the rabbit in many popular tales that have been told through the ages, as well as within religious scripts.
The purpose of the rabbit within such texts is usually to teach us life lessons as they are known as wise creatures.
They are also a favoured animal in many children’s books because of their cute exterior making them a friendly character to keep children engaged.
Read on to find out about rabbit symbolism, what our adorable bunny friends can teach us, and why the rabbit is viewed as such a lucky animal in many cultures.
Rabbit Symbolism: An Overview
When we think of Spring, we often think of those animals associated with it – one of these is the rabbit. Unsurprisingly, the rabbit spirit animal is associated with new beginnings and fresh starts. They also symbolise fertility, luck, and sensitivity.
White Rabbit Symbolism
White rabbits are gentle symbols of love and new beginnings.
Although all rabbits can be considered lucky in many cultures, the white rabbit is held in high regard for being a symbol of fortune and abundance.
Black Rabbit Symbolism
The black rabbit is also a symbol of good luck, but it can also represent silence and stillness.
However, the black rabbit is also commonly associated with death, reincarnation, and even black magic and witchcraft.
Is A Rabbit A Good Omen?
Yes – the rabbit is a good omen. Worldwide, from their associations with luck, fortune, new beginnings and fertility, the rabbit is widely accepted as a good omen.
However, it would be wrong for me to leave it there as historically there have been times when this was not the case.
Fishermen at sea in the 19th century would not mention rabbits whilst out on the water.
There was also a superstition in South Devon around that same time that if a white rabbit was spotted in the village of a person who was unwell, it signified that person’s life was coming to an end.
Why Is The Rabbit’s Foot Lucky?
There are many explanations for this, but one of the most interesting is that in the 1800’s it was thought that witches morphed into rabbits.
Unfortunately, rabbits were killed due to this belief, and the person who made the kill was considered to have been lucky – the foot of the rabbit often being seen as a trophy for this kill.
Another tradition was to cut off the rabbit’s foot whilst it was still alive, so that if they then observed someone in human form with their foot cut off that would mean that they had successfully identified a witch who could then be dealt with.
Rabbit Symbolism and Christianity
When we think of the Christian celebration of Easter, who delivers those Easter eggs to us on Easter Sunday? The Easter bunny of course! But why an Easter bunny? Why not an Easter seagull or an Easter cat I hear you ask?
Well, this stems back to the 13th Century. There was a Pagan Goddess called Eostra who was worshipped by those in Germany (known as the Teutons).
Eostra was the Goddess of spring and fertility. As you will have probably guessed from her name, this is where “Easter” originated from. And what was her symbol? The rabbit.
So, how did this Pagan Goddess’ rabbit symbolism become one associated with Easter which is a Christian celebration?
Pope Gregory assigned 40 Roman monks to England to convert Anglo-Saxons to Christianity in AD 595. The Anglo-Saxons had worshipped Eostra much like their ancestors the Teutons. It was at this point that the Pagan and Christian celebrations came together.
The Roman honouring of Jesus Christ’s resurrection was then combined with the tradition that the Anglo-Saxons had of having a feast on the Spring equinox in homage to Eostra.
Therefore, the celebration of Easter occurs on the first Sunday after the full moon which has happened after the Spring equinox and Eostra’s symbol, the rabbit, became associated with Easter.
What Does The Rabbit Symbolise In The Chinese Zodiac?
The rabbit is one of the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac and plays an important role in Chinese culture.
Individuals born in the Year of the Rabbit are described as peace-makers. With their sensitive and calm nature, they avoid any disruption to their tranquil inner world wherever possible – these people generally don’t do well with conflict.
With excellent intellect and fantastic attention to detail, they are quick to become a favourite in any workplace, and can usually adapt to different environments due to being quick-thinking, social, and creative – much like the rabbit itself.
The rabbit is considered to be the most fortunate of all the Chinese zodiacs, attracting abundance wherever they may go.
What Else Does A Rabbit Symbolise?
If you’re reading this article, perhaps the rabbit spirit animal is making itself known to you and you want to know why.
Let’s explore the reasons for this in more depth.
Fertility
Tied in with their symbolism of those new beginnings and fresh starts, rabbits symbolise fertility – you may notice that we often refer to them in metaphors related to reproducing for this exact reason, such as “breeding like rabbits”.
If you have noticed a rabbit unexpectedly crossing your path, or you are seeing images of rabbits more often than you may normally, and you are trying for children, you can take that as a gentle sign that the rabbit is trying to send some fertile energy your way.
Good Luck
If your luck is low, make sure you tune into your inner rabbit, for it is symbolic of good fortune.
Rabbit symbolism is considered good luck in many cultures around the world.
You may be an individual who is superstitious and says the words “rabbit, rabbit” before you say anything else on the 1st of the month. Some people believe that if they say these words as soon as they wake up on that day, then they will have good fortune for the remainder of the month.
Have you ever wondered where this came from? This stems from Alice in Wonderland which was written in 1865 by Lewis Carroll – you may recall the white rabbit in this tale brought Alice much luck and adventure.
Creativity
Perhaps you are feeling a little stuck and you need to get your creative juices flowing. Tuning into your inner rabbit will allow you to open up your imagination – again, much like Alice did when accompanied by the white rabbit!
With their need for exploration, these animals can teach us a thing or two about tapping into our creative energy and exploring both the world around us and within us.
Sensitivity
Due to being prey, rabbits have excellent senses which help them to detect predators, keeping them safe from harm.
All five senses are much more attuned to their environment than we could even begin to comprehend.
For this reason, rabbits are also symbolic of sensitivity. If you are noticing the rabbit spirit guide rearing its head more often in your day-to-day life, it may be a sign sent to remind you that you need to tune into your senses a little more; have more faith in your instincts and intuition and you won’t go far wrong!
How To Work With Your Rabbit Spirit Animal
If the rabbit is appearing for you, you need to pay attention to what your gut is telling you about a situation.
Your senses are there to guide you – you will recognise any predators that may be lurking if you just trust your intuition. Tap into your five senses and allow yourself to “feel”.
Extend this to nature and the world around you – use those senses to experience and tap into them to help ground yourself.
Remember that rabbits are extremely intelligent animals. Make sure that you are not underestimating your own mind and do not allow others to trick you.
Luck is on your side – manifest with all your will and your rabbit spirit animal will make sure those blessings that you are hoping for come your way.
Have you been taking life a little too seriously and not having enough fun? The rabbit is there to remind you to tap into your youthful, innocent, and playful energy.
You need to make more time to enjoy life – bounce, hop, and leap around if you wish!
Tune into nature, and play in the grass. Do what you need to do to tap into that rabbit energy to get you to live life again.
What Is The Spiritual Meaning Of Rabbits In Your Dreams?
Whether you’re looking for a new job, a new home, a spouse, or hoping to conceive, the rabbit appearing in your dreams is sure to be a good omen – a miracle is about to happen for you and the rabbit is crossing your path to encourage blessings your way.
If the rabbit in your dream is looking to escape, however, that can be symbolic that you need to leave a situation that is no longer bringing you joy.
Pay attention to what feels right for you and begin to make your safe exit plan. The rabbit wants to remind you that there really is a positive and fruitful life there waiting for you – you just need to take that leap away from that situation that you feel tied to.
Final Thoughts
As someone born in the Year of the Rabbit, I’ve always resonated strongly with this animal’s spirit, and I’m proud to know that the rabbit spirit animal is a key member of my spirit team.
If you are recognising rabbit symbolism in your daily life, be ready to welcome good fortune and opportunities into your life.
You may be a sensitive soul, just like the rabbit, but this is your strength, not your weakness.
To connect with the rabbit spirit animal, spend time outside in nature and allow creativity and inspiration into your life.
My name is Lianne – I’m the person behind Spirit of Sapphire.
I started Spirit of Sapphire in August 2017 after finally building up the courage to start reading tarot for people other than my loved ones.
At the same time, I embarked upon expanding my spiritual knowledge and skills and so attended various psychic mediumship courses and circles, and I also began to train as a Reiki practitioner.
I’ve designed this site to be a hub of spiritual knowledge. As I learn new things, I want to share them with you.
