Otters are small mammals that live near rivers and lakes. They easily get by on the land and in the water because they have extremely good swimming skills. Otters often help people by building dams.
As spirit animals, otters are representations of people who are imaginative, hard-working and creative.
Otter traits and characteristics
Active – Otters love to move around, swim and they always look like they are up to something. They are usually on the ground when they are gathering branches and cutting smaller trees, so that they can build a dam.
Hard-working – Otters are very hard-working and they enjoy building their nests. They gather branches, smaller trees and rocks to build a dam or a nest for themselves and their young.
Intelligent – When you see an otter building its nest or a dam, then you realize how much hard work and thinking it is necessary for these animals to create it. They even lay basis for their dam made out of rocks. This often hard and complicated work still astounds people and we all ask ourselves, how did they come up with this idea.
Otter as a totem
As totems or spirit animals, otters are symbols for family, healing, playfulness and ingenuity. People born under this sign or protected by this spirit animal are very imaginative. Their creativity goes beyond borders and they always surprise us with new ideas. This creativity and imagination is something they are born with and cannot be learned.
Otter people use their creative minds in all lines of work, so they don’t have to be painters or artists to express their creative way of thinking. Their imagination is helpful when they need to think of a way out of a problem, so this trait can universally be applied to any career choice.
People born under this sign are also very curious. They love to be in the center of action in order to gather precious information. Knowing more than they need helps broaden their viewing point. This is why they always seem to be one step ahead of everyone else and they always know how to react when something unexpected happens.
Curiosity can also be one of their negative traits especially if they focus it on wrong things. They can then become too nosey and overly interested in other people’s lives while theirs are standing still.
People born under this totem are family people. They enjoy spending time surrounded by family and friends and nothing can replace that feeling. They enjoy having large families, so they end up having several children. That feeling of togetherness and community is something they need in their lives and that is when they are their best.
Otter people adore children and they would do anything to protect them. This can sometimes make them seem overprotective but that is all a part of their nature. They want their young to feel secure and loved by their parents.
Otters are symbols for playfulness. These people love having fun and they know how to create fun moments for others around them. They will be the first ones to plan a fun event or a trip for their family members and friends. Having this kind of person in your life means you will never be bored or depressed.
Otter people are also very wise. Their wisdom is something that comes through experience and personal adventures. They are always there to offer support to their friends and family through valuable advice.
These people are very hard-working and dedicated to their goals.
Even though they tend to dream big, they always end up being satisfied with things that are essentially most important in life, and that is family and friends.
Having a well-balanced life is important for them and they will fight hard to make this happen.
Otter as a symbol in a dream
Dreams about otters are generally positive. Otters are symbols f family, friendship, hard-work and imagination.
If you had a dream about otter in general, this dream is a positive sign that brings you a lot of things to be happy about.
Everything you start at this moment is going to be successful and fruitful. This is the right period to think about investments and new business ideas that are going to be bring have a positive outcome.
If otter in your dream was swimming in the water, then this dream is a representation of some struggles that are about to appear in your life.
These struggles won’t be too hard so don’t get worried. You are going to be able to resolve them if you stay focused and hard-working.
If otter in your dream was building a dam, then this dream is a sign of business success. This success is going to come to you in a form of promotion or a new business opportunity. You should definitely be on the lookout for new opportunities and chances to show your full potential.
If otter in your dream was far away, then this dream is a symbol for success that is slightly out of your reach. You have been working hard in the past period but opportunities seem to slip out of your hands. Instead of getting angry and agitated you should keep working hard because your chance will come.
If otter in your dream was speaking to you and you didn’t understand it or couldn’t hear it, then this dream is a warning sign. Maybe you have become too lazy and you keep letting your life pass by you.
Otters in dreams are also symbols of prosperous relationships and romance. They are symbols you want to dream about when things in your relationship are not going smoothly because they bring signs of good luck.
Otter as a symbol in different cultures
Otter symbolism is very strong. Many cultures around the world recognized this hidden symbolism and used its behavior to portray people’s characteristics.
In Native American culture there are many myths and legends about otters. They are seen as tricksters by some tribes and lighthearted. Even though they are a little bit mischievous they are not evil or cunning. They set up traps to have fun and entertain, rather than to harm someone.
In other tribes otters are symbols of honesty and loyalty. In some tribes like Chippewa and Muskogee Creek, otters have been used as clan animals. Otters have been presented on totem poles and used in various rituals across Northern America. Otter ski and fur was used in rituals as well and they were often sacrificed as gifts to the spirits.
In Celtic culture, otters were symbols of humor and a little bit of magic. They protected certain people and helped them find their unique qualities. In Ireland, they are sacred to Manannan mac Lir a sea god and the Great Mother Goddess.
Celtic culture had a name for otters and called them water dogs. They gave them dog traits which means otters were playful, loving and extremely loyal. Otters were protectors of swimmers and sea travellers. They protected them from waves and streams.
In Native American astrology, if you were born between January 20 and February 8 then you were born under the sign of otter. These people are considered to be optimistic and little bit mischief. Family is important for you and you would do everything to protect it. Friends are also valuable in your life and you wouldn’t let them down for anything in life. You are very imaginative and creative and only you can turn a crazy idea into something valuable.
In Europe, otters are considered to be hard-working and creative. They were often used as symbols of clans across Europe and today many sports teams have otter mascots as their symbols. In cartoons and movies they are often a little bit mischief but at the end of the day they are our friends.
