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Marten Symbolism & Meaning

Want logic to rule instead of your heart? Looking to get to know someone better? Marten, as a Spirit, Totem, and Power Animal, can help! Marten teaches you how to keep emotions in check while you take time to sense out the motives of someone puzzling you. Delve deeply in Marten symbolism and meaning to find out how this Animal Spirit Guide can support, instruct, and encourage you.

Marten Table of Contents

Marten Symbolism & Meaning

Martens and Weasels are members of the same family line and have some similar spiritual meanings in common, such as cleverness. Marten is a tiny creature, rarely measuring over two feet and weighing (on average) two pounds. Even with its modest stature, the Marten is a skilled swimmer and adept climber, aided by slender bodies and curved claws. Combine the Bird’s physical attributes with spending most of its life on land, and Marten has connections with the elements of Earth, Water, and Air.

Martens love the nightlife but aren’t much for winter weather. When snow flies, they dig into tunnels for protected movement and foraging. They defend the tunnels fiercely as part of their territory, covering as much as six miles for males and three for females. Marten’s warding nature comes from its disposition. It prefers a solitary path to group living.

One symbolic value for Marten is communication. They speak to each other through huffing, screaming, chuckling, and an impressive body language array. One portion of their exchanges comes during the mating season (June to August) when things get testy. The male aggressively postures for their chosen females to the point of fighting. The male then mates with several females and protects them against unwanted guests for three months.

The female Marten can postpone a developing embryo for up to two hundred days, choosing the time they feel best. Here, the Bird embodies exceptional maternal instincts! Blind at birth, the kits stay in the den until just over 40 days old.

There are various Martens species, some of which derive deeper symbolism from their color or choice of a dwelling place. The yellow Marten has happy, bright energies. A light brown Marten represents grounding, a black one–mysteries, and the Pine Marten embodies rejuvenation and health.

Marten Spirit Animal

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Marten is an inquisitive creature. It loves to sniff and smell things out. As a Spirit Animal, Marten suggests you do likewise with a perplexing person or situation. You need more information before deciding anything. Expand your awareness and dig deep.

When happy, Marten’s chirr. If your Spirit Animal is in a good mood, it is sign of peace and joy settling in life. You feel comfortable in your skin. Marten suggests embracing and celebrating your happiness.
The Marten Spirit Animal has close ties with Tree Wisdom and Magic. Like the Marten, Trees have a language all their own. So, consider pondering the meaning and symbols of trees and their energetic signatures. Marten will be a fantastic teacher.

You will find your Marten Spirit Animal to be a tough love type of Guide. It pushes you toward using logic and reason instead of always leading with your heart. One message from the Marten is, Don’t be clingy but don’t remain oblivious to others’ feelings.

When faced with a conflict, the Marten Spirit Animal reminds you there is no dishonor in backing away. Marten has an excellent talent for wiggling out of explosive situations. Let your Animal Guide help you. Note, however, if the situation has to do with children, the Marten may urge you to fight instead of fleeing.

Marten Totem Animal

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People with a Marten Totem Animal are highly curious and resourceful. When something captures their attention, they’ll investigate every detail and gather any information they feel useful for a future day. Working with a Marten Totem means such individuals rarely want for anything because they know how to solve problems in ingenious ways.

If your Birth Totem is the Marten, you are a staunch individualist who rarely accepts others’ help. Privacy is vital to you, as is remaining composed even in the face of chaos. Or course, you’d rather avoid conflict altogether. The sense of being in control is central to Marten Medicine.

Crowds make you antsy, awkward, irritable, and insecure. Your feelings increase further when forced into a group where you don’t feel you fit in with many people. When you find yourself in a stressful setting, it will be necessary to decompress in a quiet place without interruption. For a social life, small groups of good friends win your heart every time. These are the people who get to see your goofy side.

One thing you struggle with is maintaining friendships. You feel others should act like adults and handle things themselves. You will never betray a secret from someone in your circle, but you will do nothing to “fix” the sticky issue. When it comes to companionship, you need down-to-earth, uncomplicated people in your life. Anyone who bosses you around, manipulates situations, or acts haughty, you want soundly out of your life.

While your Marten Birth Totem influences your dislike of cold and snow, you adapt to it. The fluff doesn’t seem to put you off balance. When necessary, you know how to find a warm hiding-hole until the storm blows over.

Career-wise you are a lone soldier. You don’t work well in teams or under heavy supervision. You want to put your head down and get the job done without interference. Working at your own pace with a flexible schedule is best.

Marten Power Animal

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Entreat your inner Marten Power Animal when you’re embarking on learning anything new. Martens love information-gathering, even about things others might see as useless—those exact odd subjects pop up in conversation often. Marten is a good and patient teacher.

Call on your Marten Power Animal when establishing your sense of self and sovereignty. Martens prefer living alone and having sound self-dependence. You can trust your Power Animal to help you build sound personal foundations and boundaries.

A third good reason for invoking your Marten Power Animal is for investigations. Do you need the figurative scoop or missing details about a person or situation? Trust Marten to spot important shiny bits and pieces of information and help you assemble them into a cohesive understanding.

Native American Marten Symbolic Meanings

The meaning given to Martens in Native American stories is much like the Fishers, as brave heroes. Among the Anishinabe, Marten represents hunting prowess and fortitude. And along the California coast, Marten is a lucky Animal alongside other members of the Weasel family.

Marten Dreams

If you just caught a glance of a Marten running off in your dreams, check your belongings. Something small and valuable may be missing. When someone catches the Marten in your dream, prepare yourself for a quarrel among family or friends.

A Marten running on the ground in a dream represents some imminent danger, potentially by fire, or more figuratively, a heated situation. If the Marten presents itself as friendly to you in the dream, beware of two-faced friends. A person in your life shows kindness, but it is not sincere. If the Marten is white, it doubles the danger. If you don’t assess and adjust the situation quickly, the results may be devastating. Should you catch the White Marten, however, it means overcoming the entire matter using ingenuity.

An aggressive Marten in your dream points to male dominance, manipulation, or abuse. The person overestimates their worth and never holds back their anger. Make space between you and the person in question as quickly as possible. If the Marten is asleep in your dream, it represents your wish for greater self-control. Seeing a cage around the Marten in your dream means protecting your assets. Do not give loans out with serious consideration.

Far Eastern Marten Symbolic Meanings

There is a Japanese saying, “The Fox has seven disguises, the Tanuki has eight, and the Marten has nine.” The adage illustrates the Japanese belief the Marten could shapeshift better than either of the two other creatures. If a Marten crosses in front of you, it means bad luck is coming. Some feel the souls of people who died in avalanches return as Martens.

Marten Symbolic Meanings Key

  • Bravery
  • Cleverness
  • Curiosity
  • Forest Magic
  • Independence
  • Learning
  • Maternal Nature
  • Resourcefulness
  • Sacrifice
  • The Hermit