Zebra: Individuality

While a zebra's most striking characteristic is its pattern of stripes, the various purpose this pattern serves reveals a deeper meaning.

The stripes serve as a protective camouflage against predators, who, unable to identify the animal they've targeted to pursue, hesitate for a vital second that can save a zebra's life. For herd members, though, the stripes have an opposite purpose. Each zebra has a unique pattern which identifies it as an individual.

Zebra therefore teaches us valuable lessons about the individual in a group. All social animals, humans included, benefit from life in a community. None of us, though, care to be anonymous herd animals. Zebras' distinctive markings teach us that we, too, can develop our individuality within a group setting.

The opposite meanings of a zebra's stripes relate to another meaning for Zebra. They teach us that nothing is black and white.

We all face seeming oppositions and contradictions in our lives. When they remain opposite, we experience energy blockages. However, when we can integrate these opposites, we experience the relief of tension, release of energy, and may become open to the realization of greater truths.

The leadership of a herd of zebras is based on flexibility rather than strength. Flexibility is a key ingredient in being able to integrate opposites and contradictions.

For all its black and white appearance, the zebra is thus a highly adaptable and subtle animal. Such characteristics help us as humans in our individual and communal journeys.

Zebra is one of the Wild Earth Animal Essences