The Cardinal Symbolism & Spiritual Meaning

A reminder to assert yourself

This crimson bird exudes an aura of power that inspires others around him.. This bird shares the mantra that this animal shares with every other cardinal: “assert yourself!”

The Cardinal is your guide when you need to declare your own sense of self-worth and hear the message that you are valuable. Watch out for this bird’s red coat as he will not sit still, but will instead push you forward. He encourages you to take risks in your life and to stand up for what you believe in.

Are you ready to be strong and feel confident? The Cardinal will push you to take action in your own life. He reminds us that we should not wait for change but rather create change ourselves. It is better to act than wait for a miracle, he says. Listen to the Cardinal’s message of potential, of strength and of how it does not matter if others do not recognize your talent because they will as long as you believe in yourself.

The Cardinal’s red feathers are the symbol of passion and courage

Well known for their multitude of colors, the primary color of the feathers is red. Red, as we might think from its name, is the color of passion and courage. These qualities are synonymous with the Cardinal spirit animal: our soul has a fiery kind of energy that drives it from one good deed to another. This energy needs an outlet – otherwise it could end up being destructive (which is why this bird has been associated with fire).

The Cardinal’s red feathers represent the wings through which we can fly to our goals and to new horizons. Therefore, when we’re in doubt, when our plans seem quite flimsy to us, or when the future seems too uncertain, we can take refuge in our faith that everything is going to work out for the best, because this Cardinal spirit animal has underlined that it will.

The Cardinal, an emblem of adaptability and flexibility

The Cardinal is a small bird that can easily adapt to different types of environments, which means the qualities they possess can also be easily integrated into our lives. Not only does this bird have this ability to adapt, it also has the ability to persevere and go through a lot of hardships. These are characteristics that we should all want in our lives as well.

The red Cardinal reminds you to take advantage of the opportunities offered to you. If you observe the behavior of this bird in nature, you will see it for example taking advantage of the holes pierced in the maple trees by woodpeckers to drink the sap that flows from them. Or the red Cardinal, usually sedentary, knows that a cold snap will soon hit his home, or that food will be in short supply, and he will choose to migrate, without necessarily going very far.

Just imagine how much less stressful life would be if we didn’t have to worry about being able to deal with difficult people or situations. The Cardinal has strong stamina and fortitude and it’s very easy to relate to these characteristics because we all have them in one form or another. Having a positive outlook on life can be important as well, because it helps us maintain control of our lives and the situations that we find ourselves in.

It reminds us how important it is for each of us to develop our inner guidance system. When we develop our inner guidance system, we become empowered and clear about what is right for us versus what is wrong for us in life. This spirit animal reminds us that we must have a clear sense of purpose and direction, and formulate a personal spiritual philosophy today in order to have a clear inner guidance system.

The red Cardinal is a symbol of the possibilities you possess in this life. It asks of you to reach out for these possibilities and not to be held back by anything. This bright bird symbolizes the ardent dynamism of spiritual growth, so we can create a new life that serves the highest good.

Connect with your own magic through nature

The red Cardinal represents the love for nature, as well as the link between ourselves and the divine world. This is a link that we can never lose, as it is always present in our being. As our power animal, it asks us to preserve this close connection with our spiritual side if we want to become an adept soul who has a good balance between its material side and its spiritual side.

As an enchanter, the Cardinal spirit animal teaches us how to get in touch with our own natural magic by learning his language of symbols, colors, and emotions. The red Cardinal is cloaked with these symbols. He shows us how to live in harmony with nature, peace, and spirituality. He teaches us how to let go of narrow-minded our desires and needs, so we can better connect with the greater universe.

The Cardinals are spiritual agents of transformation who teach us how to transform ourselves for the better. They appear in dreams and omens to guide us by showing us where we have been lost or where we need more light.

The Cardinal Personality Traits

The main personality traits of Cardinal people are:

• charismatic
• confident
• have a lot of energy
• passionate
• very creative, expressive
• persistent
• action-oriented
• outgoing
• optimistic
• generally very sensitive
• resonates with nature

Cardinal people know how to turn their inner fire into a source of inspiration for others, motivating and encouraging them.

If the Cardinal is your power animal, you’re an active person who knows how to seize opportunities as they arise. If you are a Cardinal, you have a certain degree of initiative and decisiveness. This will enable you to act quickly and capitalize on opportunities that present themselves. You might often take the initiative in social situations because you know that if you don’t, this opportunity will probably never happen again!

Being a Cardinal is usually associated with a sense of justice as well as an ability to see beyond obstacles. This makes you especially valuable for organized groups or public organizations. Cardinal people are often very generous. One reason is for their generosity is that they appreciate the needs of others and they don’t like to see someone without the necessary support.

The Cardinal is an excellent career advisor, a counselor or a humanitarian doctor. They are also good at leading people, including being able to motivate and lead others to success. On the other hand, if your profession doesn’t allow you the opportunity to express yourself freely, your feelings will be bottled up inside you, causing negative reactions in your physical or emotional balance.

Another common personality trait of the Cardinal type is the desire to learn, to acquire knowledge, to broaden your horizons. You might be dissatisfied with any situation that prevents you from realizing this desire. You are also open-minded and receptive, which will help you stay flexible and be able to constantly learn more new things.

If you want success in life, love and friendship, the Cardinal will share his secrets with you because he is an optimistic person who knows that life can bring great things. He is interested in everything and has a special place for beauty and love in their lives.

The Cardinal type also loves freedom; they don’t like being tied down or stuck in a situation where they can’t move freely. As a result, they may want to change jobs in order to have more time for themselves.

Finally, the Cardinal is a generous person who has a positive outlook on life and who knows how to deal with people in a compassionate manner. He will try to understand them and be as supportive as possible. He will treat his friends or colleagues with respect and trust them.  This makes the Cardinal a good friend and leader; his friends trust him because he trusts them back.

The negative shadow side of the Cardinal

It’s been said that our personalities are made up of two parts: a dark side and a light side. The darker, more troubling parts of our personality often get ignored because our conscious mind has learned how to keep these shadows in check. The dark side of the Cardinal may be associated with seeming very proud and overly assertive. Others may perceive you as being arrogant, which is not usually the case.

You may have the tendency to want others to recognize your personal worth and value and can be overly assertive, especially when people challenge your beliefs or accomplishments. Your overstated assertiveness is possibly the reason why others call you “bossy”. It is remarkable that even though your voice may seem too dominant for some, it remains nevertheless captivating because it does not lack kindness and warmth.

You have a superior personality, which can make others feel inferior. Your sense of self is so strong that no one or nothing can shake it. You may be rather self-confident, and very enthused with life’s events. You may be the kind of person who always needs to show off her intelligence and achievements. More confident than others around you, you may boast of your qualities and achievements. This is not a bad trait in its own right, but it can sometimes lead to arrogance since your superiority will make other people feel inferior.

When to call the Cardinal for help

Here are common situations when you can call the Cardinal for help:

• When you need a boost of energy and enthusiasm
• If you are feeling morally and physically weakened and need assistance with gaining strength again
• When you need to move forward in life
• At the beginning of a project or during a transition period in life
• If you are feeling unproductive and are not sure what to do or where to begin next
• If you feel that your passions may be underutilized
• When you want other people to recognize your talents and affirm you
• When you want to protect yourself against negative thoughts, people, or situations
• If you feel judged or criticized and want to boost your self-esteem

Life lessons from the Cardinal

The Cardinal spirit animal is a reminder that everything changes and that nothing in life is permanent. Therefore, unless we are aware of change and e,race it in some ways, we are not alive to the world.

The Cardinal wants you to remember that you can soar high while keeping your feet on the ground. He wants you to be grounded in what matters most: your family, your friends, yourself and what makes you happy from day-to-day while being able to aim to your ideals.

The red Cardinal also wants you to be fearless in standing up for who you are and what you believe in as it will only make things better for those around you…not just for yourself. Selfishness has its place but don’t overdo it! This animal guide wants you to be responsible.

The Cardinal spirit animal is a reminder that doing what is right is necessary at all times, even if it means putting yourself at odds with commonly held beliefs or social conventions. This red bird also reminds you that sometimes you need to venture outside of your comfort zones and do things you have never done before. It is important to take risks as this will help you grow and become a better version of yourself.

« Every day is an opportunity for growth. » says the Cardinal.

Your bright red Cardinal reminds you that it does not matter how many times you read the same book, or how many times you listen to the same song; they never become boring. It wants you to remember this when things become routine and dull because it is always better to try something new than to stick with something that has become boring.

The Cardinal spirit animal shows us that we are born with talent, intelligence, wisdom and intuitive perception. Similar in some ways to the raven spirit animal, it also wants us to remember that we have more power than we think. The Cardinals

teach us that too often we believe there is only one way of doing things when that isn’t always true – there is always another way.

The Cardinal spirit animal can inspire us to live a better and happier life by reminding us that it is never too late to start making changes. Even if sometimes things get tough, there will always be hope for a brighter new tomorrow. This spirit animal makes sure that we don’t give up or stop trying because every day is an opportunity for growth.

What does it mean when you dream of a red Cardinal?

When the Cardinal appears in a dream, it usually helps you to understand important aspects of your waking life. His apparition in dreams is always positive and beneficial.

Here are a few interpretations of dreams about Cardinals.

The Cardinal symbolizes the need to go back to the right path. The red Cardinal strongly advises you to organize yourself in a drastic way, and to stick to your plans. If you want to succeed in the project you’ve set in motion, you’ll need to be serious and methodical.

If you dream of two Cardinals, it is probably a dream of shared love that makes you happy and feel romantic. Perhaps you desire this kind of love relationship in your waking life. In any case, the red Cardinal shows you how to build a promising relationship, by being gentle, tactful and considerate, and by choosing the person who will be on the same wavelength as you.

The Cardinal signifies the entry into an active and prolific period of your life. This is the time to launch yourself and accomplish a project that is close to your heart, multiplying yourself and not counting your efforts. The Cardinal promises you great success, whether in business, profession, or romance.

Interesting facts about the red Cardinal

When a male red Cardinal sees himself in a reflective surface, he doesn’t understand that he’s facing his own reflection and he will persist in chasing this intruder from his territory. He will put so much ardor in it that he will come out of this fight against himself exhausted, and destabilized by the ardor that his adversary has opposed him.

During the nuptial parade, the red Cardinal is full of delicate intentions for his partner. He sings his most beautiful songs to charm her, offers her seeds or berries from beak to beak, and especially shows her the extent of his territory, because the female is also sensitive to the aura of power of the male she has chosen.

The red Cardinal is sedentary, but it can choose exceptionally to migrate according to dangers putting its life in danger. It knows how to adapt to the circumstances. It is a bird full of vitality, active, which functions especially in couple and which grants importance to its nest and its family.

Myths and legends associated with the Cardinal

The Native American often consider birds in general as messengers of the Great Spirit. The Cardinal by its color, is assimilated to the Sun and it has the same power to destroy what is bad in a life, to make then reborn, being ready for a new existence.

Because of its color, the red Cardinal is considered by the Christian religion as the carrier of the blood of Christ who sacrificed himself for humanity. It is also representative of the resurrection, and especially of the eternity that awaits us in paradise.

Take-aways

The Cardinal is a fascinating spirit animal because it can help us transform. Call upon its power to help you to live the life you want ! This spirit animal wants you to be successful in doing things that will make you happy and proud of yourself. It is a perfect reminder to take charge of your life and do what needs to be done in order to feel fulfilled.

It shows you that it is never too late to take a chance because every day is an opportunity for growth and expansion. The red bird reminds you that there are no mistakes in life – only lessons. It teaches you to believe in your abilities and have faith in your dreams, as it believes that all things can be accomplished with hard work, patience and trust in yourself and others. If you can trust your instincts, there will be good times and bad times but that is all a part of the journey.

Inspirational message from the Cardinal

I am a bright red Cardinal
Ready to swoop into your life and cheer you on,
And give you hope.
In all of my life,
I never thought that I could do better.
There was only one way to live and to love.
But now I see there are many ways,
And that everything changes like the season.
Now I know what I should have known from the start:
That this journey is not about mistakes or success,
It’s about how much you grow and what you learn!

Other Traditions and the Cardinal

Native Americans also believe that the red Cardinal, when it appears, is sent to us by our ancestors, especially the forefathers who communicate to us, through the bird, their message of benevolence and help.

In China and Japan, the red Cardinal is the equal of the phoenix, the fire bird, which rises from its ashes even more beautiful and stronger. It is believed that this special bird heralds a radical transformation, or warns against bad influences.

Elena Harris

Elena Harris is the chief editor of Spirit Animal. Her approach combines the traditional wisdom of ancient cultures with the latest scientific research to bring a fresh, engaging perspective to the world of spirit animals.