queen of autumn - belgian hare

The main symbol on this card is the Belgian Hare. However, before I get into explaining the significance of the hare, I want to first hone in on the other colours/symbols that catch my eye.

There is a lot of green on the card, not just in the foliage but there's also a green hue in the background. Green is the colour of healing. In what form or why healing is significant in this card, we'll find out as we continue the interpretation.

There are a lot of flowers on the card and flowers are an invitation for us to express our feelings. The flowers that really stand out are yellow in colour, signifying positivity, optimism and self-belief so I feel we are being invited to express our feelings in exactly this way: in a positive manner, with self-belief and with the optimistic expectation of how we will be received once we openly express our feelings.

As the flowers are closely linked to the green foliage, I feel that this is where the healing comes into this reading. As you openly express your feelings with honesty and self-belief, in a positive manner, you'll make way for healing to take place. Perhaps you've kept your feelings hidden for fear of hurting another and, so, have let them fester. Expressing your feelings in an honest and positive manner will help you to release and heal.

If we dive even further into the flowers on the card, we see that the primary flowers are yellow lilies and buttercups.

Yellow lilies symbolise thankfulness and desire for enjoyment whereas buttercups imply a new beginning, joy, happiness, and friendship.

So, as you express your feelings, not only will you receive healing, you'll also set out on a new beginning that is filled with joy, happiness and friendship, simply because you've chosen to be open and honest with those around you and yourself. Additionally, as you express your feelings and enjoy the healing that comes with that, it brings you a sense of relief and a desire to step forward into a more enjoyable you, giving thanks for all you have and all you have received.

Let's now look in detail at the Belgian Hare, the symbol around which this card is created. What does the Begian Hare symbolise? What's its signifcance? And how can it pull together the meaning behind all the other symbols and colours we've already highlighted?

The Belgian Hare represents someone who is thoughtful, caring, creative, and ingenius; someone who is truly exceptional. Not only is this person caring and nurturing towards others (and, indeed, makes a great mother-figure), but has a great business sense too. This person is down-to-earth yet, at the same time, has a great eye for style and detail, coupled with a willingness to help others whilst keeping good boundaries. I feel the flowers surrounding the hare are significant here. In this context the hare is nurturing and caring yet maintains strong boundaries while helping others. Now's the time to step out from the undergrowth, express your feelings and set your boundaries with those you help, be they family, friends or clients.

The hare, in general, is an ancient symbol of fertility, creativity, and abundance. The domestic-bred Belgian Hare is known for birthing lots of babies which are so strong and resilient (unlike their rabbit cousins) that they can fend themselves shortly after they are born. With the new beginning that we mentioned above, with the letting go and releasing of feelings that we may have suppressed and not expressed, is now the time when you are free to birth new ideas and new opportunities? Now that you have freed up what may have been keeping you small, now you have room to be creative and to attract abundance into your life.

In the wild, hares (like rabbits) are prey animals and, so, are associated with survival through quick thinking and alertness. This also means they never take life for granted and never underestimate those around them. The hare is encouraging us to be thankful and express gratitude (again linking back to the flowers of expressing your feelings) for everything and everyone we already have in our life. By expressing gratitude for what we already have, we open ourselves up to receive more to be grateful for.

Finally, hares are a symbol of good luck. Through expressing your feelings, through healing, through appreciation and gratitude for everything and everyone you have in your life, through opening up to your creativity, quick thinking and allowing the ideas to flow, through setting boundaries, you're opening yourself up to wonderful opportunites that are coming your way.

Reference: This beautiful card is from Animal Tarot Deck by Doreen Virtue & Radleigh Valentine, illustrated by Dan Craig