Dolphins are a symbol of good luck, admiration and affection in many different cultures across the world. For the ancient Greeks, dolphins were seen as kind and well-meaning animals, and a good omen to sailors if they were spotted out at sea (a sign of positive times ahead). They believed that dolphins were messengers of Poseidon, the god of the sea and protector of all water creatures. Taras, the son of Poseidon, was even saved from a sinking ship by a dolphin sent by a senior. The ancient Romans thought of dolphins as spiritual beings who were in charge of the mythical processes of life, death and rebirth. In ancient Greece and Rome, access to the outside world was exclusively through the Mediterranean and it’s no wonder people fell in love with dolphins as they sailed on the sea. Nowadays, love for dolphins is shared around the globe as many people see them as intelligent, sociable creatures that can do tricks and even save sailors in trouble. 

In many parts of Asia and Africa, the elephant is a symbol of good fortune, intelligence and dignity. For Buddhists and Hindus, the white elephant is a sacred animal. Chinese people often place two pairs of elephants at their front door to bring home good luck. Elephants get this reputation in Asia largely because they are tame and have performed tasks and worked for humans for thousands of years. African elephants are physically larger, and less easily domesticated than their Asian friends, which makes them a symbol of power and social stability. Africa’s love of elephants can be traced back to 8000BCE in rock art, and elephants have played an important part in many African ritual ceremonies ever since. Despite these differences between Asian and African elephants, many people believe that an elephant's trunk pointing upwards is a key symbol of good luck - they will shower good fortune on every person who passes by. 

Despite being treated as scary and spooky creatures in Western culture, bats are a symbol of good luck and happiness in Chinese society. In fact, the Mandarin Chinese for bat sounds the same as the word for fortune. In Chinese art, red bats are often painted flying around Zhong Kui- a king of ghosts and demons in Chinese folklore. It’s believed that the bats working together can drive evils and bring home safety and success. According to the Book of Documents (one of the five classics of ancient Chinese literature ), there are five kinds of fortune you can wish for—long life, wealth, good health, a peaceful death and virtue (being a good person). Displaying five bats together often represents these five fortunes. Interestingly, bats have had a change of identity in Japan. Influenced by Chinese culture, bats were once seen as a good luck symbol but now they’re seen more as a creepy animal as Japanese culture has shifted to embrace Western culture and values. 

The wheel is a special symbol of good fortune in Buddhism. Known as the ‘Wheel of Life’, it represents the circle of birth, death and rebirth that spans over six realms—a heavenly realm, a realm of jealousy, an animal realm, a hell realm, a realm of hungry demons, and a human realm. It’s not your usual good luck symbol though. The ‘Wheel of Life’ is seen as something to help your thinking- to help you find your own way towards inner peace. Equally important in Buddhism is what’s called the ‘Wheel of the Dharma’. This is made up of a circle with an axis, eight spokes and an outer circle that symbolises the teachings of the Buddha (the founding father of the Buddhist religion). For Buddhists, good fortune does not come to those who are greedy and ignorant. But rather to people who work hard towards achieving spiritual growth through meditation. The wheels are just tools for you to use, for good or bad. It’s left to your own interpretation.