The seal is symbol of courage at sea for the Nootka people of the Pacific Northwest. As a creature that moves in water and on land, the seal is a symbol of elemental balance and harmony. The very word "seal" is likely to conjure up images of the "performing seal', balancing a ball on its nose, but in fact that's the sea lion, its close relative. The scientific term for both the seal and sea lion is Pinnipeds, meaning "feather foot" or "wing foot".
Being a creature of the water - though it delivers its young on land - the seal is a symbol of the creative forces, intuition, and the powers of the imagination. It communicates under water with a variety of barks, moans, yelps and sighs. The mating calls of the seal are well known to the Inuit, who "tune in" to these "love songs" by dipping their kayak paddles into the water and then putting their ear to the handle. By listening to these reverberating sounds, an Inuit hunter is able to locate the seal's whereabouts. For the Inuit, the seal is a symbol of prosperity and good fortune.
Those who look to the seal as an animal guide - or see themselves with a seal tattoo - are likely playful, and may want the tattoo as a reminder not to get too serious. "Going with the flow" is a powerful seal message warning against fighting the currents and changing tides, but instead to open to opportunities that are available to them. Seal people are often highly creative and imaginative.
See also: Spirit Guide Animals, Marine Tattoos, Haida Tattoos, Nautical Tattoos and Mermaid Tattoos.
