Minotaur Symbolism & Meaning

Minotaur is the Greek mythical creature that is part human and part Bull. The term Minotaur translates as “Bull of Minos” and was depicted as having the head and tail of a Bull and the body of a human. The Minotaur was an important myth among the Greeks and it was believed the Minotaur lived in the center of the Labyrinth on the island of Crete.

Minos fought to gain rulership of Crete and, seeking proof of the approval of the Sea God Poseidon, he asked for a White Bull. Thus, the White Bull was granted to Minos and Poseidon then expected Minos to sacrifice the Bull out of reverence. However, the bull was such a sight to behold, that Minos couldn’t bear to sacrifice him and instead tried to keep him hidden away.

Minotaur Table of Contents

Minotaur Symbolism & Meaning

As punishment, Poseidon deceived Minos’s wife into mating with the Bull and the Minotaur was the result of their union. On the word of the Oracle at Delphi, Minos ordered the construction of a labyrinth near his home and it was here that the Minotaur was kept.

Various accounts shift the exact appearance of the Minotaur. For instance, Ovid came to describe him as part man and part Bull and later into the Renaissance the Minotaur was described as resembling a Centaur with the upper body of a man and lower body of the Bull.

In Etruscan lore, the Minotaur is not depicted as having been slain by Theseus. The Greek stories of the Minotaur being killed by Theseus is believed by some to mark an Athenian-centric portrayal that may have symbolized the political disconnection between Athens and Minoan Crete.

By some accounts, the Minotaur is an embodiment of a Solar Deity and thus is associated with vitality, strength and power. However the Minotaur is kept hidden in a labyrinth and this conveys symbolism of having to unwind levels and layers in order to uncover greater wisdom or insight. As you study the Minotaur, so may you delve more deeply into the power and symbolism of the Labyrinth and with Ariadne who’s thread helped Theseus find his way into and out of the Labyrinth. Thus the lore of spirals, Spiders and web weaving can relate to Minotaur.

Minotaur represents the fear we have of what lurks in our unconscious minds. The Shadow side of our nature and the power that our imagination and inner layers may seem to have. Minotaur can also represent the human instinct to guard the conscious mind against the fear of death or anxiety about facing strange or new situations. Yet Minotaur can also reveal our inner power to face our fears.

Minotaur can unravel our fears of loss and desire to persevere and survive against the odds. As a creature associated with the Earth Element, the colors associated with Minotaur can be green or brown. As the progeny of the beloved White Bull, Minotaur can also be associated with the color white and therefore with purity or protection. Minotaur has also become synonymous with deep, internal chaotic energy and inner conflict between the drives of creation and destruction.

Minotaur is obviously associated with the zodiac sign of the Bull, Taurus. Yet the Minotaur’s connection to the unconscious, the Labyrinth and initiation of rebirth also connects the Minotaur to Taurus’s opposite sign, Scorpio.

Minotaur Spirit Animal

When Minotaur Spirit Animal is working with you, you may suddenly feel intensely embroiled in emotional conflict. You may have to fight your way through intense feelings including anger or rage. Yet Minotaur Spirit Animal isn’t pushing your buttons. He’s only helping by holding up a mirror so you can see what you’ve been repressing.

Minotaur as a Spirit Animal may arrive in your life during important times of integration and healing. But healing isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. As the Minotaur, associated with Solar Deity archetypes, yet kept concealed from sight in a labyrinth, suggests, you may be facing a Shadow side of yourself now that can ultimately help you bring your gifts to light.

When Minotaur Spirit Animal is working with you, you may encounter situations that challenge you to face your fears, even your mortality. Minotaur Spirit Animal is helping you to weave through the winding path of the Labyrinth as you forge connections between disparate aspects of your personality and embrace healing.

Minotaur Spirit Animal can also teach valuable lessons about healthy relationships. Are you confusing love with control? Are you trying to hide that which you love away because you fear being abandoned? Whether it be your love of a child, a puppy or a partner, if you are trying to conceal what is precious to you at the cost of a healthy balance in the relationship, Minotaur Spirit Animal may appear to you in order to help you remember not to hold on too tightly.

Minotaur Totem Animal

If you were born with Minotaur Totem Animal, you may have a strong and powerful urge to follow your passions. Though yours is not an easy path, you may have to struggle to be seen and heard. But when you do break through, you’ll be able to stand as a beacon of stamina, power and fortitude.

Those with Minotaur Totem Animal may have to overcome some kind of suppression or work to emerge from hiding their deeper brilliance. Your light is powerful yet you may not be comfortable with your strengths and talents. If Minotaur is your Totem Animal, you may have to work through conflicts regarding fear of the unknown or fear of loss.

By embracing impermanence and adopting a live for the moment perspective, Minotaur Totem Animal can help you recognize when your fears are robbing you of enjoying the life you could have. You may also have to overcome anxieties regarding the unknown in order to truly unleash your power.

As the combination of Bull and man suggests, Minotaur Totem Animal people can be notoriously stubborn. Yet this is the same source of strength that leads people with Minotaur Totem to fight for survival and never give up on their dreams.

Minotaur Totem Animal can also teach the importance of uncovering hidden talents and deeper subconscious wisdom. Your greatest fears may also lead you to your greatest strengths, and this is part of the gift of those who have Minotaur Totem Animal.

Minotaur Power Animal

Sometimes even the most enlightened lose their way. If you find yourself in the midst of a chaotic situation and you can’t see your way out, call on Minotaur Power Animal. Minotaur Power Animal can help you when you need to do Shadow work.

You’ll know when this time has come. When you find yourself using your creativity to fuel your deeper anxieties, rather than to divert it, it’s time to work with Minotaur Power Animal and bravely explore the unknown.

Minotaur Power Animal can help you find your way when you feel trapped, confined or lost. If you’re feeling stuck in a dead end job or an unhappy relationship, for example, Minotaur Power Animal can help you follow the trail of clues that guide you toward advancement and changes you need to make.

Minotaur Dreams

When Minotaur meanders down the winding path of your subconscious mind and appears to you in a dream, it may be a portend of a great initiation into spiritual wisdom. Minotaur appearing in dreams can indicate that you’re ready to face a challenging situation and turn fear into personal power.

When you dream of a Minotaur, consider whether you’re being so protective of your own vulnerability that you’ve created a maze to keep others at bay. Let Minotaur help you become more open to connection with others. A special treasure or something you love and cherish may be represented by a dream of a Minotaur.

Yet are you so enamored of your beloved treasure that you are hoarding it away from sight? Minotaur may appear in a dream to encourage you to find the balance between protection and isolation, control and raw emotion, strength and domination.

Minotaur Symbolic Meanings Key

  • Healing
  • Initiation
  • Instinct
  • Power
  • Vitality
  • Wisdom

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