Panda

(Ailurus fulgens), Photo: Dreamstime

The lesser pandas are found in South and Southeast Asia, in western China and the Himalayas. They live in temperate forests at altitudes between 1,800 to 4,000 meters. It is not as well-known as the big panda, which is a symbol of environmental protection. The lesser panda is approximately 1.64 to 2ft (50 to 64 cm) long with a furry tail from 0.91 to 1.64ft (28-50cm) and it can weigh 6 to 13lb (3 to 6k). Its fur is brown to reddish. The panda’s face is round and predominantly white with reddish-brown ‘tear marks’ under the eyes.

Pandas in Mythology: Pandas were specially worshipped by the Chinese Han Dynasty (206 -24 BC). Through the poet Bai Juyi, we get to know that it was believed that the pandas had special mystical forces. It is said that they can avert natural disasters and expel evil spirits. Another Chinese belief involves the giant panda. According to the legend, the panda originally had a white coat, but a leopard attacked one of them and a girl, trying to defend it with a bamboo stick, was killed by the feline.

Pandas gathered around the tomb, wearing black ribbons as a sign of mourning. The black color faded with their tears and when they rubbed their eyes, they turned black. When they cover their ears to stop listening to the cries, they also turned black.

The Panda in the interpretation of dreams: Bears as well as pandas show us the state of our unconditional love. Can we allow closeness in our relationships or do we feel insecure?

The Panda Essence gives us peace and tranquility; it also strengthens our capacity to see what is fundamental in our life. We learn to do things with joy and concentrate on the important things. We learn to be more adaptable.

On the body level: We learn from the lesser panda to increase our skills and our sense of balance. In the same way as this skillful climber moves through the trees, we too learn to move with more security through life. We learn to rely on our own strength. It also helps us to be more adaptable to changes in temperature; heat waves can bring balance on the energy level.

On the emotional level: The lesser panda helps us to increase our self-confidence and our self-worth and as a result we can consciously release fears and develop greater courage and confidence. We learn, from our inner peace, to adapt our own strength and become more relaxed.

On the spiritual level: The essence helps us go through life with a firm goal. We are not easily distracted by trifles, we turn to our inner guidance and we can organize our lives with a clear goal in mind.