Have you ever wondered what does the Indian elephant represent?
In this edition, the Cultural Friday explains the Indian superstition of using elephants’ statues to decorate many places.
The elephant is associated with Buddha and the Indian deity Ganesh and can be used to symbolize power, wisdom, strength, protection of the home, fertility, and general good luck. Many Feng Shui practitioners believe that elephants should have their trunks facing upwards to represent prosperity, good luck, and success.
Nine ways the elephant can be used in a home:
1. Bringing good luck into the home — Place a statue of an elephant, or a pair of elephants, at the front door facing inward to signal good luck and blessings entering the home.
2. Protection— Place an elephant or pair of elephants facing outward to protect the home and to prevent the loss of chi from the home.
3. Promote love and fidelity – Display an elephant or a pair of elephants in the bedroom to promote love and faithfulness between a couple..
4. Bonding between mother and child – Place a statue of a mother elephant and her baby, a symbol of the love and bonding between a mother and her children, in your Family or Children section to strengthen the bond.
5. Fertility – Place an elephant statue beside the bed or place a pair, one on either side of the bedroom door, to welcome in “infant” energy.
6. Knowledge and academic success – Place a statue in your child’s bedroom, on his or her desk, or wherever s/he does homework. The elephant is a symbol of knowledge and academic success.
7. Energize the Career area – Place an elephant near the door or the Career area to symbolize wisdom and power.
8. Work success – Place an elephant near the front door or the door of the office to attract power and to protect the person from bad energy in the office.
9. Good management – Place an elephant on your work desk facing out to symbolize intelligent leadership, poise under pressure, and cautiousness.
Now that we know the different ways to place the statue, which one will you choose to use it?