Since the time of Antiquity, we’ve heard tales of beautiful single-horned mythical creatures that were believed to be blessed with magical healing powers: Unicorns. Many archeological studies have claimed that Unicorns did exist about 30,000 years ago from now. However, the fact that they aren’t around today has not been able to diminish their charm among us.
Whenever we talk of unicorns, the picture of a magnificent, white horse-like creature with one horn at the center of its forehead appears in front of us. But how many of us can imagine these creatures in black?
Although many of us are unfamiliar with them, Black Unicorns have existed in some cultures for far longer than their white cousins. To many, they represent power, passion, ruthlessness, strength, and uniqueness. However, others consider them to be a symbol of death, darkness, and destruction. Whatever their beliefs must be, all of them agree that these creatures are indeed much stronger, faster, and deadlier than the white ones.
In this article, we are going to tell you everything you need to know about the symbolism and spiritual meaning of the Black Unicorns. We will also discuss what it means to dream of them, get their tattoo, and have them as a totem and a spirit animal.
Nightmare: the black unicorn
The black member of the Unicorn family is known as the Nightmare. Although these unicorns are not very popular among us, they are probably one of the oldest in their family.
In some cultures, they are believed to be the forefathers of the White and Rainbow Unicorns that became extinct slowly and steadily as the population of their fairer descendants thrived in the world.
Black Unicorn Appearance
Although people belonging to different cultures have depicted the Nightmares differently, today we will talk about the most common picture we can draw after assessing all of their portrayals, a picture that is most widely accepted by the believers.
Most people would expect these unicorns to simply be a regular unicorn painted in black. This, however, is far from the truth. These unicorns are considerably taller than their siblings and have a charcoal black body. Their horn is black as well unless it is powered by the moon because it acquires an iridescent blueish glow.
They have red irises, a smooth, pitch-black hide, and unusually thin and long legs. While the other Unicorns have hooves like the horses, these possess claws instead. It is also said that their nostrils are fuming most of the time. They do not possess wings like some of their relatives but have a long and shiny mane.
Black Unicorn Traits and attributes
The first and foremost thing you should know about the Nightmares is that they are skilled and ruthless hunters. The branch-like claws they possess are proof of it. They are believed to be obligate carnivores, and can also scavenge on rotting flesh. Many also claim that they love to feast on human flesh more than anything else.
The Nightmares are also extraordinarily fast runners, with their extra-tall height and long legs giving them an edge over the other unicorns. They’re instinctively loners and are not known to make friends.
The Nightmares have a reputation for being brutal killers. They don’t kill and eat their victims right away; instead, they bite them once, injecting them with venom and then waiting around for them to die a slow and agonizing death as the poison spreads through their body. It is only when life has left them that the Nightmares feed on their carcass.
The magical powers possessed by Black Unicorns
Unicorns have always been known as divine animals that possess certain magical powers, such as the ability to heal the wounds of others and rid them of any kind of poison. All kinds of Unicorns, regardless of their color, are known to possess these powers. But is there any special power we need to know about that only the Black Unicorn possesses?
Yes. Unlike the White or Rainbow Unicorns, which are filled only with goodness, the Black Unicorns are also known to have lethal powers like:
A venomous horn
While other Unicorns heal people by touching them with the tip of their horn, the horn of the Black Unicorns can do more than that. The powers of their horn can change depending upon the kind of creature it touches; if it touches a kind and good-hearted being, it will have no negative effect and will heal them if required.
However, when it touches someone who is evil at heart or has harmed the Black Unicorns in any way, it will pierce their skin and might even poison them.
The ability to create a rift in time and space
The horn of the Black Unicorn is said to absorb the power of the full moon. Once it is charged by the moon’s powers, it appears to be glowing with a bluish light. At its full capacity, this glowing horn has the ability to create a hole in the dimensions, which is how they can step into any place at any given time.
Black Unicorn symbolism
Now that we have learned a little about Black Unicorns, their traits, and powers, it is time to talk about what these formidable creatures symbolize to us. Depending on the perspective of people, their symbolism keeps changing.
Let us look at two of the important symbols that are commonly associated with them:
Death and ill-fortune
Some people think of the Black Unicorns as simply the antithesis of the White Unicorns. They fail to realize that they can have an identity of their own, too.
For these people, who consider the White Unicorns to be the harbingers of prosperity and good luck, the Black ones stand for just the opposite: death and ill-fortune. They are believed to be dark creatures that can only bring destruction in their wake. If someone encounters them, it is considered to be a bad omen.
Freedom and Power
Others, who treat them as a separate entity, believe them to be the symbol of utmost freedom and unparalleled power.
It is evident from their shape and form that the Black Unicorns are by far the most powerful of all their family members. And with their power comes freedom; freedom to pursue their innermost desires, to be whoever they want to be without sparing a thought about others’ opinions.
What does it mean to dream of a Black Unicorn?
Most people associate the dream of Black Unicorns with impending darkness because of their color. This, however, is not true. Like the other Unicorns, the appearance of a Black Unicorn in your dream is more often to help you than harm you.
An aggressive Black Unicorn
If in your dream, you encounter a seemingly angry Black Unicorn that is shrieking, with their nostrils fuming heavily, it is most likely a reminder of something wrong that you have done in the past. Such a dream is a warning that you need to make amends for your misdeeds if you do not want to suffer the consequences.
A Black Unicorn nudging you
Being nudged by a Black Unicorn is symbolic of being afraid of moving forward. Sometimes, when we come across a life-changing opportunity, we get too scared to fail, which is why we are hesitant to go ahead and grab it. If you find yourself in a similar situation, the Black Unicorn in your dream is a sign that you should take a leap of faith, and it will all end well for you.
What does it mean to get a Black Unicorn tattoo?
All of you must have seen someone who has a Unicorn tattooed on their skin. But what about the Black Unicorns in particular? Why should you get their tattoos? Well, here’s why:
The desire for power
The Black Unicorn’s symbolism of power is most obvious from their appearance. They are taller, faster, and more formidable than their siblings, which gives them power over them. Those who are looking for a similar kind of power can relate to their tattoos.
The will to stand out
While the White and Rainbow Unicorns are loved by more or less everyone, the Black ones are often treated as an outcast. If you look at it from a different perspective, you can see how being shunned can be freeing.
Since the people are too afraid of these creatures, they don’t know what to make of them. This makes them free from the need to fit in and conform to the notion others create for them. Getting their tattoo is a sign that you, too, are a free soul who would rather stand alone than trying to lose yourself in the crowd.
Black Unicorn in mythology
Although the Black Unicorns have not been depicted in many ancient cultures, the Ancient Greeks believed them to be the true unicorns. They initially depicted all unicorns as black, and the concept of white unicorns was introduced to them much later.
In Ancient Greece, the Black Unicorns were magical creatures that had all the positive traits we associate with the White Unicorns today. They were the harbingers of good fortune and were known to possess the power of healing. Some Ancient Greek texts claim that if someone drank from their horn, they would be immune to any kind of poison.
If you study their cultural texts, you will find that the Black Unicorns were present in their world much before the white ones came into existence. This might be a sign that they were, in fact, the forefathers of the White Unicorns.
Black Unicorn in Literature
Although the Black Unicorns don’t find much representation in the ancient cultures of the world, in Literature, they have often been embraced as a symbol of strength, freedom, and uniqueness. Let’s take a look at some literary works that talk about these unicorns:
Novels about Black Unicorn
The author Terry Brooks has written and published a book series called the “Magic Kingdom of Landover”, and the second book of the series is named “The Black Unicorn”.
In the book, the positive traits of the Black Unicorns are focused on, such as intelligence and power. Throughout the book, the Black Unicorn aids the people of the kingdom fight and win against evil. The unicorn is wild and untameable by humans for the most part of the novel, symbolizing these creatures’ unparalleled strength.
By the end of the book, we come to know that the Black Unicorn is, in fact, the manifestation of all the White Unicorns that have been wrongly imprisoned in the kingdom. The intensity and desperation of these unicorns have turned them black. It gives out a clear idea that the Black Unicorns are much stronger than their white siblings.
Poems about Black Unicorn
The American writer Audre Lorde has written and compiled an anthology of poems titled “The Black Unicorn”. All the poems of the book are based on the themes of racial discrimination. They depict the struggles and challenges that the writer had to go through for being a black woman.
For Lorde, the Black Unicorn was a symbol of power as well as the pain of being an outcast in society. For although she was strong, she was also solitary. The loneliness of a single Black Unicorn among all the White Unicorns symbolizes the pain the minorities felt in America back then.
Black Unicorn totem
The totem of the Black Unicorn comes to you in your darkest times, when you have lost too much and cannot bear to fall down any further. They will lift you up and transform you into your most ruthless and determined self.
These totems will motivate you to achieve the things you have always dreamt of and not let anything or anyone come in your way. For them, success is everything. Those who are strong are unstoppable until they have made all their dreams come true.
Black Unicorn spirit animal
Only the rarest of the rare can have the Black Unicorns as their spirit animal, for these creatures are not everyone’s cup of tea. They are especially not the right spirit for those who are faint of heart. To be guided by them, you must harbor a certain inner strength that makes you different from the others.
People who are guided by the spirit of Black Unicorns do not think much of the concept of black and white. They are often the believers of grey and judge everything and every one based upon their worth in the grand scheme of things. These people are not the most tolerant lot and have difficulty in standing weakness or stupidity. They are driven and have dreams that are larger than life. It is not easy to please or satisfy them.
As lovers, these people often keep testing the power dynamic in their relationship. They are always the dominant ones, for it is almost impossible to get the upper hand with them. But they are also fierce and passionate lovers, the kind that can bring the world to your feet.
You should think twice before misleading or betraying them. You wouldn’t want to be on their bad side, for they don’t believe in forgiveness but in vengeance. And the wrath of the spirit of Black Unicorns will stop at nothing before it destroys you.
When to call upon your Black Unicorn spirit animal?
The spirit of the Black Unicorn might seem a little daunting but is fully capable of getting a job done. You can call upon these spirits when:
- You feel like you have been taken advantage of because of your kindness. Kindness is a blessed virtue, but too much of it can make you suffer in unimaginable ways. The world is, after all, not the best place for those who are too compassionate. The Black Unicorn will teach you how to put yourself over others and how to stand up to the people who think they can subdue you.
- You need strength in something you are about to do. Black Unicorns are a powerhouse of strength and will provide you with everything you need to succeed in your path.
Black Unicorn symbolism and spiritual meaning (endnotes)
With their magnificent size and formidable personality, the Black Unicorns are a force to reckon with. They represent power, strength, passion, desire, and freedom. People who have them as their spirit animal can be your greatest allies or worst enemies. You should be careful around them.