By Dominique Ainsworth<\/p>\n\n\n\n
JSHOP Reporter<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For Sabine Ainsworth elephants represent strength, protection, good luck and good fortune. This is why Ainsworth, a mom of four from Fairfax, Va., gave each of her children an elephant figurine similar to the ones she grew up with as a child. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
She often talks about growing up with elephant figurines peppered throughout her childhood homes, and how she came to incorporate them in her home now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe had this gray elephant in the house\u2026. We brought it back from Canada, we brought it to St. Kitts and different houses we lived in. It\u2019s still there today,\u201d Ainsworth said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The St. Kitts native talks about the personal connection and sentimental value of each elephant and how they are able to give her \u201ca memory of her [my] family,\u201d especially now that she\u2019s living in a different country and \u201chasn\u2019t been home for years.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ainsworth remembers being curious about the symbolic meaning attached to elephants and the first time she looked it up.\u201cElephants are supposed to bring good luck and strength and health and fortune to your life… , \u201c she said. \u201cI wanted to manifest that for [my kids] as well.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
She said that discovery is what led her to give each of her children an elephant figurine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s interesting how such a small object can hold so much meaning,\u201d Ainsworth\u2019s daughter, Sophia, said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ainsworth researched how elephant designs and figures are used in the Chinese practice of feng shui and the importance of their position, as well as the direction they\u2019re facing. It is said that figurines with the trunks facing up radiate positive energy, luck, prosperity and kindness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMy father always had elephants in the family room,\u201d she said. She also keeps elephants in the shared space for \u201cbonding and positive energy,\u201d as well as \u201cto welcome the home.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The symbolism and the role elephants play in Ainsworth\u2019s life can be shared by many other people. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Elephants play a role in several different groups and cultures. One notable group is <\/em>Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., one of the world\u2019s largest community service organizations. <\/em>Elephants are considered the Deltas\u2019 unofficial mascot, and alumnae will often have them in their homes as a symbol of strength and perseverance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Elephants are also important in African and Asian cultures. They represent inner strength and are used in a variety of cultural practices. In Ashanti tradition, they are believed to be the reincarnated souls of past leaders. In both African and Asian cultures, they are symbols of wisdom and protection. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Ainsworth said she also believes that elephants bring protection. When her father died in December 2020, the elephant symbols in her life provided a sense of comfort. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHaving the elephants now is a symbol and remembrance of him,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" By Dominique Ainsworth JSHOP Reporter For Sabine Ainsworth elephants represent strength, protection, good luck and good fortune. This is why Ainsworth, a mom of four from Fairfax, Va., gave each of her children an elephant […]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":2618,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"image","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[42,340,224],"tags":[353,339,352],"class_list":{"0":"post-2616","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-image","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-archives","8":"category-jshop-2021","9":"category-nabj-21","10":"tag-dominique-ainsworth","11":"tag-jshop-2021","12":"tag-sabine-ainsworth","13":"post_format-post-format-image"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nabjmonitor.com\/2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2616","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nabjmonitor.com\/2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nabjmonitor.com\/2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nabjmonitor.com\/2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nabjmonitor.com\/2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2616"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/nabjmonitor.com\/2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2616\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2617,"href":"https:\/\/nabjmonitor.com\/2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2616\/revisions\/2617"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nabjmonitor.com\/2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2618"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nabjmonitor.com\/2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2616"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nabjmonitor.com\/2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2616"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nabjmonitor.com\/2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2616"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}