As much as Americans love pandas, the Chinese love them even more because the panda is a symbol of strength, peace and good luck. The gentle creature is a connection with the Eastern way of life. A panda dying is not just sad, but an omen. One born is an auspicious event.
Despite its size the panda is a very docile creature. The black and white coloring is often compared to ying and yang, the marriage of feminine and masculine energies. The animal survives on a diet of bamboo grass. Even the daily act of eating as it searches for the grass and bends it down demonstrates its quiet determination. If the panda were on a hike, it wouldn’t stop to complain about the length of the walk, but would keep on going.
The baby Panda is born so small that it barely tips the scale at three ounces or 100 grams. At birth, it is 1/900th the size of its mother. The tiny creature is blind, unable to stand and hairless. It takes weeks before it even opens its eyes. The mother is a supreme nurturer nursing the child for a year. It is no wonder the mother panda symbolizes a deep compassionate love. The panda only has one cub at a time and on rare occasions, gives birth to two, but one will inevitably die to the intensive care needed to raise the baby panda. It's no wonder the fertility of pandas in captivity is watched closely. At times, a panda can represent infertility issues too.
The story of the panda and the little girl demonstrates the bear’s wide range very of emotions. Not only is the panda capable of a wide range of emotions, but it evokes a strong emotional response in humans. The panda models that it is okay to have emotions.
The panda exhibits at any zoo are extremely popular even making it difficult to see the elusive creatures. Most of us, even if we live in China, would never see a giant panda because they want it that way. They avoid human contact and live solitary, secretive existences. The panda understands the importance of withdrawing and having boundaries.
Being grounded and calm is considered another one of the bear’s traits. It’s not too surprising that it represents balance, harmony and gratitude. If a bear appears in your dreams, it may be time to look at what you’re doing. Are you out of balance? Out of harmony? It isn’t unusual to see memes of panda practicing the art of Tai Chi, which is a meditation that emphasizes balance and grace. It also could be a sign to check your boundaries or even examine your diet since the panda represents nourishment. It could be your spiritual diet as opposed to your food one. Are you taking time to recharge your spirit with nature, meditation, and solitude?
Gratitude while always a great attitude to have comes in more if the panda is your spirit animal. Panda people like luxuries even if it as simple as sleeping in the sun. An attitude of gratitude keeps these treats coming. If you could tune into the panda mind, you’ve never hear it say, “Bamboo again, for dinner. Yuck.” Instead, it might say something like, “I’m a grateful for the bamboo that provides daily energy.” No wonder the bear also symbolizes abundance. Often the difference between a happy and unhappy person is how they perceive what they have.
A panda bear person will enjoy long walks in nature, often alone. They often serve as peacemakers and can end arguments with a few wise words. If a panda is your totem animal, then you may need to slow down as opposed to rushing everywhere. What you want will come to you in time. The panda’s balance approach also warns us to spend money judiciously and to save for the rainy day ahead.
The panda is a powerful symbol. In ancient battles, if one side wanted to stop fighting, that side raised a flag with the evocative black and white creature on it.
Take the lesson of the panda to heart. It’s no wonder the World Wildlife Fund uses the panda image for its logo. Perhaps, they are trying to stop the war against ‘progress’ that is slowly destroying the bamboo forests where the panda lives. A recent craze to have bamboo flooring has contributed to destroying the panda's only home. Does anyone really need bamboo flooring?