Hyena Symbolism & Meaning

Are you trying to escape the shadow of pessimism? Struggling with knowing who to trust in your life? Hyena, as a Spirit, Totem, and Power Animal, can help! Hyena teaches you how to be light of heart, mind, and spirit while helping you identify who has your back when you need it the most. Delve deeply into Hyena symbolism and meaning to find out how this Spirit Animal Guide can encourage, animate, and guide you!

Hyena Table of Contents

• Hyena Symbolism & Meaning
• Spirit Animal
• Totem Animal
• Power Animal
• African & Asian Hyena Symbolism
• Hyena Dreams
• Back to all Mammals
• Back to all Spirit Animal Meanings

Hyena Symbolism & Meaning

The Hyena Spirit: It is a creature whose laughter is the gift that lifts the world. We often take life too seriously. The Animal might come across as humorous. Hyena’s short hind legs short, longer forequarters, rounded bottom, large head, and maniacal-sounding laugh make the creature look like its sulking or sneaking off to play a few dirty tricks! While they look much like a Dog, they’re more closely related to Mongoose or Cats—Hyena laughs at the oddity of it all in good humor.

Throughout history, the Hyena has gotten bad reviews, perhaps this is because of their scavenging behavior. Yet, scavengers are the world’s cleaning crew. Hyenas are an essential part of the African ecosystem. It is the most abundant carnivore playing a pivotal role in the food chain. They waste nothing and teach humankind the value of things that they often overlook or think unimportant. As a Spirit Animal Guide, Hyena has ties to resourcefulness, balance, and gratitude.

Hyena’s vocal calls give the creature’s symbolism and meaning even greater depth. When Hyena makes its vocalizations, the sounds are haunting, flowing over the landscape so that other Animals, including humans, can hear their calls up to eight miles away! Zoologists call the sounds Hyena makes “giggling.” One sound warns of trouble: The Hyena is on the run from a predator, and the alert call allows other Animals in the area time to scatter and hide.

Communication is among the Hyena’s attributes because its warning calls, just with a change of inflection, have many purposes. Hyena’s mindful chortle shows its age, social rank among other Hyenas, and even acts as a letter of introduction. They use their voice to organize strategic food-gathering groups, gather allies in the face of a formidable predator, and establish dominance. A Hyenas have complex relationships based on, in part, their verbalization and a rich repertoire of visual cues.

Some ancient people thought Hyena could imitate human language. People considered Hyena witty and wise, but also a bit of a cad in matters of love. Perhaps people’s negative views of Hyena are because it’s difficult to tell male and female Hyenas apart. The female has a pseudo-penis, making physical interactions exceedingly difficult. Writers like Ovid considered them as hermaphrodites; this gives Hyena associations with confusing masculine-feminine gender roles. The creature’s sexual ambiguity also gives Hyena attributes ties to Trickster Energies.

There are several species of Hyena, each of which offers different spiritual associations. The Spotted or Laughing Hyena has a chirping vocalization, and the creature has a pack mentality when hunting for nourishment, representing light communication and group cooperation. The Spotted Hyena is a petite, solitary creature and far more focused on scavenging, nomadic style, making it an emblem of flexibility and independence. Brown Hyena’s coloring gives the Animal ties to the Earth Element. The earthy nature of the Brown Hyena makes it territorial, and an excellent defender of boundaries.

Hyena is intelligent, demonstrating innovative thinking when engaging in various tasks. When predators are within sight, Hyenas assess the threat and only become aggressive if they know their numbers are more significant than the enemy. Often, Hyenas can outrun a predator as their legs offer considerable endurance. Here, the creature symbolizes stamina, cleverness, escapism, and sometimes, ferocity.

While they compete for food, without cooperation from the pack members, survival becomes far more difficult. By comparison, breeding is competitive, with only chosen males getting a chance to reproduce. So, competition and cooperation are a large part of Hyena’s symbolism and meaning.

Hyena Spirit Animal

When Hyena arrives in your awareness as a Spirit Animal, opportunity awaits; this Guide comes supporting you. There’s a way to make the most of this moment. Hyena’s arrival may announce healing on the horizon thanks to this turn of fortune.

The Hyena Spirit Animal arrives when becoming more flexible will benefit you. Hyena says, “Lighten up.” Your Animal Ally comes to people who have forgotten how to have all-out fun. Play a little. Do silly things. Somberness closes your heart; joy fills it to overflowing. Hyena’s motto is, “Laughter is good food for the soul.”

Another reason Hyena may arrive in your life is because you need to find a new figurative pack: One that has your back. There’s trouble brewing within your social circle. Let Hyena help you sniff out the problems so you can sever relationships no longer serving you, mend fraying bonds, and establish healthier friendships.

When your communication skills appear to fall flat, Hyena Spirit Animal steps in as a translator and teacher. Often, you’re not speaking the same figurative language as others, making understanding more difficult to achieve. Hyena counsels learning the subtle nuances of body language and aura reading to improve how you relate with people and how others receive the messages you convey.

Hyena Totem Animal

As you might guess, those with a Hyena Totem Animal have a wicked sense of humor. In early childhood, a Hyena Person is likely the class clown. But Hyena People have empathy for the heartbroken and grief-stricken. So, you’re also the person who always knew the best way of making someone smile when they were hurting.

If Hyena is your Birth Totem, you are productive when working in group settings. You like the protection and collective energy it offers. Typically, the groups you take part in have people with diverse personalities and styles. As a Hyena Person, it’s not surprising when you find yourself in the lead, which also suits you just fine. Hyena likes to be in charge.

With Hyena as your Birth Totem, you’re strong, willful, and your discernment is keen. You are always clear about what you want to do and who you trust. You never knowingly break a promise. People cannot hide deceptive motives from you. Your keen eye and sensitive instinct make others wary, but their nervousness passes as they get to know you better.

In relationships, the Hyena Totem Animal manifests with tons of charm and charisma. However, you will never fit into a tidy role, preferring to adapt to conditions and challenges as they arise. You seek people with powerful personalities. Alternative lifestyles appeal to you. However, there will be times when your friends or partner must understand you need alone time; it gives you a chance to clear your head and sort your emotional priorities.

For careers, those people with the Hyena Totem Animal find jobs in the sports industry attractive, although one’s interest can also translate into a hobby. There’s a competitive drive deep within, and the Hyena Person loves to win. Some Hyena People enjoy teaching too, where they can show off their knowledge while doing something positive in a group setting. No matter what, jobs with a leadership role hold the highest appeal.

Hyena Power Animal

Call on Hyena as a Power Animal when you should choose your words with care to protect a relationship or a situation. Hyena empowers your instincts. The ideas are already profound, so now it’s a matter of taking the next step. Hyena arrives to support you as you put plan into action for achieving your aims.

Invoke Hyena as a Power Animal when looking to protect yourself and the things most important to you. If you feel someone secretive or hiding ulterior motives, your Animal Ally knows when to fight, seek reinforcements, or escape. Hyena helps you strategize and achieve success.

When working in a group setting and finding yourself awkward, Hyena Power Animal creates a smooth flow of energy; you know how to do the same. Now it’s time to trust that brilliant mind and skill set.

African & Asian Hyena Symbolism

In East Africa, Hyena appears in myths as a hero who brings the Sun to the cold Earth. West African cultures suggest Hyena represents immortality, fertility, and love. The latter culture also depicts Hyena with traits revealing the darker side all humans possess.

There are claims certain mystics can turn into a Hyena. One tribe, the Bornu, have a special word for the Mystic Shapeshifter, bultungin translating as “I change into a Hyena.”

In the Middle East, Hyena became a treacherous Trickster. Some stories suggest Hyenas might be an incarnation of mythical Djinns or creatures with the power to mesmerize.

Hyena Dreams

When Hyena appears in your dream, the project you are engaged in will not be pleasant. Often this is an omen of quarreling. Dreaming of Hyena may also indicate that someone depends on you too much. The person might be intrusive or doesn’t give you enough space. It’s time to demand respect for your boundaries.

A group of Hyenas in your dream represents focus on family dynamics, whether it’s with a family by blood or choice. It can also signify business relationships. Consider how well are the Hyenas are interacting; the information gives you more substantial insights into the dream’s meaning.

A Hyena growling at you warns of nasty rumors, even potential slander against your excellent reputation; there is a cunning, but cowardly enemy working against you who stays well out of sight. If you run away from the fateful encounter in your dream, then you prefer avoiding the situation when meeting it head-on is the only reasonable option.

If the Hyena makes its laughing sound, listen to its tone. Some sounds are a warning, while others provide insights into your true nature. Are you boisterous? Are you gentle with your words? Do you need a little humor in your life? Consider your communications with care.

The day on which you dream of Hyena changes its potential meaning. Dreaming of the creature on Thursday or Friday, for example, means your interactions with management at work will prosper. Dreams of the Hyena on Monday or Tuesday presage unexpected financial issues.

If the Hyena in your dream seems playful, it’s a message you should have some fun. Life has become dull and filled with undue stress. A little laughter eases distress.

When Hyena follows you in a dream, there is trouble on your path you can’t avoid. Sometimes this speaks of your health. Better self-care and attention are necessary now.

Hyena Symbolic Meanings Key

• Balance
• Cleansing
• Communication
• Defense & Survival
• Intelligence & Evaluation
• Gender Roles
• Hierarchy
• Humor
• Movement & Strategy
• Group Dynamics, Cooperation & Teamwork