How are you shellabrating #WorldTurtleDay ? 🐢

Did you know the day was created as a yearly observance to help people celebrate and protect turtles and tortoises and their disappearing habitats around the world?

NEVER BUY a turtle or tortoise from a pet shop as it increases demand from the wild.

NEVER REMOVE turtles or tortoises from the wild unless they are sick or injured.

REPORT THE SALE of any turtle or tortoise of any kind less than four inches. This is illegal throughout the U.S.

REPORT THE CRUELTY or illegal sales of turtles and tortoises to your local animal control shelter.

Learn more about what you can do!

You can also join the clean ocean movement and pull pounds of plastic from the ocean to protect marine animals like turtles!

4ocean is one of the only companies in the world that directly manages a global ocean cleanup operation and employs professional, full-time captains and crews to recover plastic and other harmful debris from the world’s oceans, rivers, and coastlines seven days a week. All of their efforts are funded primarily through the sale of their products.

I have a little turtle tattoo because I think they are really cool but also because I love the meaning and the symbol turtles represent.

The turtle and ancient wisdom of the Earth

The American continent is referred to as “Turtle Island” in the Native American folklore. It is said that the Turtle carried the weight of the land of that continent on her back. This image is also present in Hindu and Chinese cultures, where the turtle is the animal carrying Mother Earth  and holding the world in balance.

The turtle is considered to have brought about the creation of the universe from its body. Each of the turtle’s anatomy represents a section of the foundation of the earth. The base shell offers the horizon, to make allowance for the sun and moon to rise and set. The top shell is the topography of the land. The body itself stands in for the waters that flow as the life-blood through the veins of the earth.

One reason is the continent’s shape. The North American area has the shape of the turtle’s shell with a spiny ridge, the Rocky Mountains. Protruding from the shell are the tail of Mesoamerica; the limbs of Florida, Baja California, Alaska and Quebec-Labrador; and the head pointing toward the North Pole. The continent also has 13 regions that correspond to the 13 plates that are on turtle’s shell.

Many traditional elders say the natural, sacred way to govern ourselves was taught to us by way of the nature of the turtle.

Mayan tribes make mention of their story. In the earliest days, when the Earth was covered with water, the animals tried, one by one, to create land, so they could stop swimming and rest. After all the other animals tried and failed, it was Turtle who—despite suffering some derision from the others, even though they themselves had failed—dove down many, many times to the bottom of the primeval sea, holding her breath far longer than any other creature can and, by bringing up a small mouthful of dirt each time, eventually created this continent.

The Mohawk tribe has a little different story: “In the beginning, all the families of the world lived together on the shell of a turtle (Turtle Island). However, as time went by, they began to argue and even fight with each other. Seeing this, the Creator pulled the shell’s 13 sections apart, separating them by impassable, undrinkable gulfs of salt water to prevent them from continuing to bicker with each other.”

Having the turtle as totem means that you have an affinity with the ancient wisdom of the earth. You are naturally tuned into the elements, land, plants, people and animals. You carry your home on your back figuratively speaking and feel at ease wherever you are.

The turtle is also linked to the spirit of the water and the fluid nature of emotions.

The turtle represents the way of peace – whether it’s external or internal. It is considered as the Peace-Maker in Native American traditions. This animal is also often associated with the feminine principle or feminine energy, which foster peace and harmony with all things.