Listen to the Animals: Cheetah

For this Tarot Notes feature, I pull one card from an animal-themed deck to represent an important message from that animal.

If you are interested in finding out who your own Animal Guides are, you can get an Animal Guides Reading through my _Etsy shop_ or my _Web Site_.

Today I am starting with the Ancient Animal Wisdom deck by Stacy James and Jada Fire (U.S. Games Systems, Inc.) To read my review of this deck, please click HERE.

My card is CHEETAH (22). 

Stacy and Jada see the Cheetah in this deck as representing the Divine Feminine. In numerology, the number 22 reduces to 4 (2+2), which Stacy and Jada say represents “discipline, order, devotion.” The appearance of this card encourages the Seeker to celebrate the divine feminine energy with the special women in his or her life, and to “acknowledge the yin energy on the planet as unconditionally beautiful and nourishing.” We are also encouraged to honor the divine feminine within ourselves, whether we be male or female.

The colors used on this card strike me as “fire” colors, which I normally associate with masculine energy. The color yellow is commonly associated with the element air, also a “masculine” element. I see strong Solar (traditionally male) energy rather than Lunar (traditionally female) energy here. Astrologically, the scales suggest the zodiac sign Libra, an Air sign, yet also a sign ruled by Venus, a strong feminine symbol. And the abstract figures facing each other at the top of the card are clearly female.

In Susie Green’s Animal Messages deck, illustrated by Csaba Pasztor (Cico Books), the Cheetah card means “A decision once made will be followed by unwavering action.” The Cheetah stalks its prey with unwavering patience and focus, then breaks into a run at just the right moment, using its speed to achieve the goal it decided to pursue.

Similarly, in Steven D. Farmer’s Messages from Your Animal Guides Oracle Cards (Hay House, Inc.), the Cheetah’s message is: “Get clear on your intention, stay focused, and move quickly to achieve your goal.” Associations provided for this card are “Speed; Focus; Insight; Passion; Swiftness; Elusiveness; Flexibility; Efficiency; Self-esteem; Powerful; Graceful; Purposeful; Energetic; Sensuous; Accomplishment; Directness.”

Like so many things, the Divine Feminine is perhaps more complex than we sometimes think.

Finally, here are some photos I took of cheetahs. I hope you enjoy.