Giraffe Symbolism & Meaning

Giraffe symbolism and meaning are prominent in African culture. Yet Giraffe Spirit has also extended its influence around the globe.

Do you seem to know things based on your intuition alone? Do you want to wade into the world of knowledge only accessible beyond the veil? Giraffe, as a Spirit, Totem, and Power Animal, can help! Giraffe teaches you how to heighten your psychic awareness to take on those tall tasks while holding your head high. Delve deeply into Giraffe symbolism and meaning to discover how this Animal Spirit Guide can support, illuminate, and uplift you.

Giraffe Table of Contents

• Giraffe Symbolism & Meaning
• Giraffe Spirit Animal
• Giraffe Totem Animal
• Giraffe Power Animal
• Giraffe Spiritual Meaning
• Giraffe Christianity Symbolism
• Giraffe African Symbolism
• Giraffe Far Eastern Symbolism
• Giraffe Celtic Symbolism
• Giraffe Tattoo Meaning
• Giraffe Facts
• Giraffe Sayings & Idioms
• Giraffe Dreams
• Giraffe in Astronomy
• Back to all Mammals
• Back to all Spirit Animal Meanings

Giraffe Symbolism & Meaning

Giraffe symbolism and meaning evoke images of humanity striving to join with the Divine.

Gentle Giraffe, with its long neck reaching into the heavens, symbolizes the ability to see the future and obtain things that seem out of reach. When your life is chaotic, Giraffe reminds you to keep your head up and avoid getting entangled in needless arguments; as an Animal Ally, Giraffe encourages you to “take the high road.” The creature signifies things that inspire and raise your energies or Spirit.

There’s little that proves a threat to this giant creature since it reaches a towering height of up to eighteen feet; Giraffe’s only vulnerability is the need to put its head to the water to drink. It’s a good thing the Animal can withstand the lack of water for upwards of a month. Here, Giraffe’s height symbolizes the wise use of resources, remaining grounded when reaching new heights, and attuning to the Divine’s guidance while maintaining a higher perspective.

A Giraffe does not attack without reason, but when this creature senses danger, it is swift and powerful when it reacts. While a Giraffe may not look threatening, one swift kick can from the beast can cripple or kill. Kicking is the means Giraffes use to protect their calves, affording the Giraffe Animal Ally the symbolism of safety and strength in times of need.

The prevalence of Giraffes in Africa means that they appeared in various stories, myths, and artistic renditions throughout the country. In African cultures, the creature represents distinctiveness and individuality because no two Giraffe spotted-fur patterns are alike. Giraffe signifies standing out and expressing your identity with pride.

Indigenous people have tremendous respect for Giraffes. One example of this reverence occurs in the Giraffe Dance. The practice is curative and based on a vision of Giraffes running through the rain.

Giraffe Spirit Animal

When Giraffe appears in your life, it may be a sign you’ll stick out your neck for someone. Your Animal Ally encourages you to use your heightened awareness, intuition, and intellect to help others who lack insight or wisdom. However, sometimes Giraffe’s meaning is a warning that you should avoid putting your neck on the line for individuals who might take advantage or those who might not appreciate the gesture.

When Giraffe appears as a Spirit Guide, often, it’s when you need to be more future-oriented. Your Animal Ally lifts its head high to reach for vegetation from the trees and gets a full, near-aerial view of the landscape. You, too, may need to adjust your perspective or open your mind to discover new opportunities beyond your present vantage point.

Giraffe Spirit arrives in your life when it’s time for you to acknowledge your innate prognosticative abilities. You may find that you know things others don’t; This “knowing” is something Giraffe urges you to use with caution. Psychic insights and visions often frighten people unless you use tact and diplomacy when delivering the message. Giraffe Spirit also reminds you not to get caught up in illusions. You won’t benefit from clinging to the past or spending all your time predicting the future instead of living it.

When Giraffe comes to you, you often feel disconnected from the Universe, or you are questioning life’s meaning. Folklore suggests Giraffe kneels to sleep, and when it does, the creature is meditating or praying. Your Animal Spirit Guide urges you to question if you’ve been staying connected to your Higher Self, Guides, Angels, and the Divine. If not, Giraffe appears to help you uplift your soul by showing you how to connect with the realm of Spirit. Live life prayerfully.

Giraffe’s other message has to do with the power of silence. While they have a tongue that spans over twenty inches, this creature makes noise rarely; at least no sounds humans can hear. More often, the Giraffe communicates with body language, specifically through its tail. In humans, the tail corresponds to the Root Chakra, where consciousness, courage, and intention reside. Quiet meditation is one means by which you can activate that Chakra. It is also a tranquil time during which God communicates profoundly.

Giraffe Totem Animal

If you have a Giraffe as your Birth Totem, you are graceful, quiet, and prefer a content life full of simple pleasures. You are happiest when you experience complete tranquility. Walking your talk matters to you, and you don’t use words without thoughtfulness behind them. As a Giraffe Person, you have no problem standing out in the crowd and are comfortable center stage.

Throughout your life, you’ll be better able to sense what’s coming–particularly when it pertains to you and those in your inner circle. You tap into your innate psychic gifts to guide you through troubling conditions or complicated relationships. You don’t like conflict, but when you have no other choice, you’ll use every ounce of your strength to defend what you hold precious and those you love.

An enormous challenge for Giraffe People is that sometimes they put the needs of others before their own. In doing so, sometimes you find helping others is to your detriment. See, Giraffe People see the bigger picture; their lofty awareness and intellect can cause difficulties with emotional bonding and communication. As the saying goes, it’s lonely at the top, and loneliness leaves you longing for genuine connections. Going the extra mile when being helpful is merely a way to initiate bonding with others.

If a Giraffe is your Totem Animal, don’t hold yourself down because of others’ jealousy. Reach toward your goals and continue to pursue your dreams. Giraffe is there to support you on the journey, ensuring you’ll reach the loftiest of heights!

Giraffe Power Animal

Invoke Giraffe as your Power Animal when you need help obtaining the honor, respect, or gratitude of others. With the Giraffe, many Animals have to look up to the creature because it’s so tall. Working with Giraffe Energy helps you keep your head held high, and others will not only look up to you but will also respect you, finding you dignified and honorable.

Call on your inner Giraffe when you have important decisions to make and seek guidance. Giraffe Spirit gives you the confidence to know that you are just in your action or making appropriate decisions. The creature also supports you when you want to connect with your Higher Self or seek Divine assistance. Here, Giraffe reminds you to appreciate what you have and give with a heart full of love while expecting nothing in return. Like the tall Giraffe, your elevated perspective, bright outlook, and heightened awareness lift your soul closer to the heavens.

Giraffe Spiritual Meaning

Giraffe’s spiritual meaning transcends all cultures. It is the intermediary between the Heaven and Earth planes and also between the Earth and Air Element. Earth provides grounding while Air inspires. Earth nourishes the body, while Air revitalizes the mind. Giraffe illustrates balance in a powerful way.

Giraffe’s long neck resembles the human spinal column, which is where the chakras are found. Thus, when you think of Giraffe’s spiritual meaning, you can easily be reminded of the importance of harmonizing and aligning the Chakras (energy points) along the spinal cord.

The Giraffe’s tendency to be gentle and peace-loving makes Giraffe an ideal symbol of harmony. Giraffes are pacifists unless challenged by a predator. This Animal Ally reminds us everyone can live together as one when we use our gifts and talents cooperatively. Work around obstacles rather than competing or creating scarcity. Tales about this animal are reminders of the importance of collaborating and sharing. Humankind would have never moved forward without these two efforts.

Giraffe Spirit is said to have reached food from higher branches, leaving lower-hanging fruit for those who need it. In this, Giraffe can also be a symbolic reminder of the Pagan tenet “Fairly take and fairly give.” Remember the difference between “wants” and “needs.”

As you walk with Giraffe, the energetic result focuses on doing no harm and leaving no trace. When you work with Giraffe, it teaches the need to be conscious of the impact our actions have on others and our planet. From our “carbon footprint” to whether or not we are walking through the world with grace or carelessness, Giraffe Spirit Animal can guide the way.

Be aware as your relationship with Giraffe grows, your clairvoyance is likely to thrive as well. Think of the height of this creature’s head. It turns all around, getting perspectives. Suddenly you understand the significance of things that weren’t clear before. If you’re a traveler, Giraffe’s eyes reveal wondrous experiences and knowledge of global ties.

In looking at a Giraffe, it’s impossible to miss its huge tongue, an unmistakable symbol of communication. However, Giraffe isn’t an open communicator. When you work with Giraffe, be patient. Words will be few but insightful and transformational.

Giraffe Christianity Symbolism

Christian symbolism is not ripe with Giraffe lore, but these amazing creatures make an appearance or two. For example, it was one of the many animals on Noah’s Ark. Some stories claim Giraffe didn’t initially have a mate and had to go off in search of a partner before boarding the Ark. By this account, Giraffe can represent the lengths to which you may go to find the perfect partner.

Early Christian artwork and art of the Renaissance tend to depict Giraffes as free-roaming rather than being held in captivity. Giraffe has come to embody the symbolism of all that is wild and exotic, not yet tamed.

The term “Zemer” found in Deuteronomy is said to be a translation from Greek and Latin terms for both Leopard and Camel. Perhaps people in this era saw Giraffe as a hybrid or somehow connected to these two very different animals. Mind you, this is just a theory.

While Giraffe isn’t part of the Bible, its unusual appearance gives way to Christian ideas about the Divine. Specifically, Giraffe is a magnificent testimony to God’s creativity and Divine plan, as Giraffes are ideally suited to their surroundings, thanks to their majestic neck.

Some associate the wording in Proverbs, warning against one becoming “stubbornly necked” as synonymous with being ignorant or closed off to God’s wisdom. By comparison, the Giraffe embodies flexibility. In this regard, Giraffe symbolism can relate to not being too stubborn.

Giraffe African Symbolism

As you might expect, Giraffes being native to Africa makes them prominent figures in African lore and spirituality. Considered gentle giants, Giraffe challenges the concept that the largest and strongest must be violent or aggressive to show power. In fact, Giraffe can easily be seen as emblematic of accord and humility. They don’t even hunt other animals for food.

Speaking of size, two of the world’s largest rock carvings are of Giraffes. The likeness is known as the Dabous Giraffes and was found in the Sahara. This prehistoric art is now being preserved so that more can be understood about the people who created it.

The carvings are remote and can’t be seen from the ground. There is some speculation that of all the animals, such attention was given to the Giraffe in prehistoric art because of this animal’s extremely unique appearance. Others speculate that shamans and religious leaders felt a strong connection to this remarkable creature. Examples exist of Giraffes with a line drawn connecting the animal to the tops of the heads of human-like figures, suggesting a spiritual or intellectual connection, shapeshifting, or the belief that Giraffes embodied the blend of human and Divine consciousness.

Of course, the elongated neck of the Giraffe lends itself to this animal being the subject of many myths about its evolution from a short-necked creature to the animal we know today. Some tales said Giraffes evolved to reach food higher off the ground where there was less competition. Others told of Giraffe’s long neck being the result of Divine intervention. By other accounts still, Giraffe was the last animal created and was formed from the leftover parts of other animals. This explains the Giraffe’s resemblance to Leopard, Camel, and other creatures.

One parable uses Giraffe as a parable explaining the importance of having a sense of purpose. According to this story, Giraffe was once the only animal who was not given a purpose, and this was a cause of strife. But one day, their long neck and unusual build meant Giraffe could reach the food needed to help the other animals survive. Thus if Giraffe Spirit is working with you, it may be time to explore how your unique talents and skills can benefit the community. If you’ve ever felt alienated for being different, Giraffe reminds you your unique gifts are actually your strengths.

The Shona People in Southern Africa have a myth of all the animals’ creation. Once alive, God began speaking to the creatures. The Giraffe, Twiga, stretched her neck as far as she could to hear all the Divine words. God was quite pleased and made her neck even longer so she could continue to hear His words easily. Extra effort yields extra rewards.

Similar tales from Africa paint the Giraffe as a peaceful and noble hero who saves others through the use of his unique long neck. In a story about a family of birds who had built their nest in a tree that was threatened by a growing brushfire, the birds cried out for help. But none of the other animals were suited to save their nest, with their chicks inside, from the advancing fire.

Except, you guessed it, Giraffe.

Are you the one who is always getting 3 a.m. phone calls from friends in need? Suppose you have a compassionate, peaceful nature and are always responding to the crises of others. In that case, Giraffe may be working with you to express compassion and extend healing by using your unique gifts. In this regard, Giraffe is associated with mercy and compassion.

Giraffe Far Eastern Symbolism

In the 17th century, Giraffes were transported to China as gifts for nobility. They were seen as magical harbingers of good luck and associated with a prosperous and successful period. As such, rulers used Giraffe symbolism to project their status and use them as an emblem of peace and prosperity. Rulers who had a Giraffe were blessed with Divine gifts. But should the ruler go too far, the Giraffe turned into an omen of defeat.

Giraffe is associated with Zheng He, the Chinese admiral who first introduced Giraffe to China. In this culture, the connection between Giraffe and the Divine, illustrated by the long neck, was also considered to be an omen that rulers had either a Divine blessing to reign or would be brought down in defeat.

In review, Giraffe was welcomed as a symbol of individuality and freedom in the Far East. This creature could see the entire world without any obstruction. If you come to Giraffe Spirit humbly and ask for liberation, it may grant it. Or, it may bestow the wisdom for making the necessary changes to achieve your goal and act of your own volition.

Giraffe Celtic Symbolism

Giraffe is not a significant animal in Celtic symbolism for obvious reasons. We can imagine what early Celtic people would have thought if they had stumbled upon a Giraffe, a being no doubt bizarre and far from home.

Yet we can make connections between the Giraffe’s symbolism and other elements of Celtic lore. If you feel compelled to work with the energy and symbolism of Giraffe, consider the animal’s gentle, large, efficient, resourceful and protective nature.

Perhaps, then, Giraffe will put you in the mindset of creatures more commonly found in Celtic lore such as Unicorn or even trickster animals such as Rabbit.
Why trickster?

Because in spite of their large size, Giraffe would be unlikely to bring harm. Unless you’re a tasty plant. The association between Giraffe’s long neck and the ability to see into different realms can also connect to the great diviners or shapeshifters of Celtic lore, even as this animal specifically was not found in Celtic lands.

Giraffe Tattoo Meaning

The graceful Giraffe makes for an impressive Tattoo. For some, the creator signifies harmony, good fortune, and accord. For others, the Giraffe portrait may act as a reminder to keep one foot on the ground, even when exploring the heavens. There is no question Giraffe is a nearly universal representation of the connection between Spirit and Material, between the Divine and humankind.

You may want to consider a Giraffe tattoo as an abiding emblem of knowing your limits. Stretch your neck only so far. Even Giraffe can drown if there’s enough water.

Beyond this, the gentle giant symbolizes compassion, devotion, and gentility. You can look through its eyes, beyond this moment, and embrace intuition. You are not limited by what you can see in the physical sense.

Giraffe Facts

One of the best ways to get to know any Spirit Animal is by learning more about their earthly counterpart. With Giraffe, we’ll start with the obvious. They are the tallest mammals on earth and can grow up to 18 feet tall (how’s the weather up there?) For all their impressive impact, these are sweet animals who feel no need to use their size for anything but eating, specifically leaves, berries, and branches from favored trees.

Did you know Trees also have a meaning? Click here to learn about Tree Symbolism & Meaning!

Sunscreen?

The dark tongue of a Giraffe protects it from getting sunburned! This creature uses its tongue to gather food. In so doing, it gets lots of exposure from the light. So this coloring makes perfect sense. Ask yourself if you’ve “put on” the right protection when you are in heated positions out in the spotlight.

Let’s Mingle!

Regarding group dynamics, Giraffe has them down to a fine art. They are incredibly social creatures who spend time with groups of 10-20 (called a Tower) regularly. They will mix and mingle without issue with other Towers throughout the day. Territorialism has no place in their Society. Giraffe Spirit abides by the motto: live and let live.

A Compound Animal

At one point in history, people thought the Giraffe was a cross between a camel and a leopard. Between the spots and the shape of a Giraffe, this connection had merit. You can consider these two animals’ energies as part of the Giraffe’s. Camel represents endurance, self-sufficiency, and wisdom. The leopard symbolizes power, courage, and determination.

Spot On

Humans have fingerprints, Giraffe has spots. Their pattern is unique. Besides setting them apart from each other for recognition, the spots have blood vessels beneath them that regulate Griaff’s body heat. So, get your spots on and be wholly YOU.

Factoid: World Giraffe Day is June 21 annually. Why? Because it’s the longest day of the year!

Giraffe Sayings & Idioms

“Sometimes facing opportunity is like staring at the knees of a giraffe”.- Laurie Beth Jones.

“It’s an incredibly difficult thing to bring a giraffe down. They can kill a lion with a single blow from their feet.” – Joanna Lumley

Giraffes are a good metaphor for avid learners, too, because they hold their heads up high, and one day we hope that our learners will grow into tall, elegant, and noble adults. – Paul Sevigny, PhD

Giraffe Dreams

What does a Giraffe symbolize when they gracefully appear in a dream?

Dreams about Giraffes often call into question your current perspectives about a person or situation. If your views are too narrow, you’ll miss something important. Otherwise, you may take unwarranted risks requiring greater scrutiny.

When focusing on the Giraffe’s neck, your dream may point to a situation in your waking life where you feel up to your neck in difficulties. The dream imagery may also symbolize the need to forego all else to save your neck when facing trying conditions.

If the Giraffe is kicking at something, your dream foretells a time when you must defend yourself or others around you. Make sure you consider the amount of forcefulness you use when asserting yourself. Remember, a Giraffe’s kick has a powerful and lasting impact.

If you see a baby Giraffe in the dream, you are progressing on an emotional or spiritual level, but there’s still room for growth. A baby Giraffe also symbolizes a lengthy endeavor or journey where you will have good luck facing challenges or obstacles.

Learn more about Giraffe Spirit by reading What if You Dream About a Giraffe? on WhatIsMySpiritAnimal.com!

Giraffe in Astronomy

There is a faint, large constellation in the Northern Sky called Camelopardis, the Giraffe. It was first introduced as a recognizable form in around 1612 by a Dutch astronomer. As with most constellations, it has a back story.

At the dawn of creation, each animal had a task Giraffer, however, had not been assigned one – something that would make him truly unique. One day Giraffe noticed the Sun going missing in the heavens and thought perhaps a guide would resolve the problem. So it was that Giraffe watched the sky, guiding the sun so it could never be lost. His task was so well done that stars were arranged in the sky in Giraffe’s honor. Today, that constellation bears the name of the Southern Cross.

Giraffe Symbolic Meanings Key

• Prayer
• Flexibility
• Intuition
• Personal Growth
• Divine Connections
• Big Possibilities
• Vision & Foresight
• Gentleness
• Kindness
• Heightened Perspective & Awareness