Values Triangles

Power & Prestige

The Power Triangle

The Power Triangle is projected through the 1st, 5th, and 9th animals of the zodiac: the Squirrel, the Dragon, and the Monkey.

The Squirrel — The Seeker

The Squirrel, as the first animal of the zodiac, is on a quest to acquire power. It pursues it primarily through vigilance and social positioning — gathering intelligence, reading the hierarchy, and arriving before the competition. Forever curious, it thrives in group dynamics not because it craves cuddly belonging, but because networks are where advantage lives: who knows what, who controls access, who blinked first when the hawk passed overhead.

The Squirrel's relationship to Power is as a Seeker, always keen to acquire more, but not in a craven way. For the Squirrel, it's more like a never-ending game of readiness — one they love to win as often as possible, especially when they can spot the overlooked opening or stash the crucial bit of info that pays off at exactly the right moment. Squirrels have a sort of lovers' relationship with power: they are truly enamored of staying ahead, at times in awe of those who hold the high ground, and often simply exhilarated by the chase itself.

The Dragon — The Royal

The Dragon's relationship to power, on the other hand, is as the Royal of this triangle. It simply has power, and wields it according to its whims. It knows how things ought to be, quite confidently, and directs them to be so without further ado. Dragons are the protectors of their domain, and view whatever is under their purview as their personal kingdom.

They can be quite possessive, of lovers, partners, projects, or employees, but with that possessiveness comes a fierce guardianship and an exacting respect for quality. For them it is treasure they are guarding, and they know treasure when they see it. Their natural air of authority means that even when they are not technically in charge in a hierarchy, they find a way to issue directions anyway, often to the chagrin of those who are officially their superiors. This relationship with power lends them a natural ability to command the center, and they are most fulfilled when their lives give them scope to flex this power.

The Monkey — The Mage

The Monkey, as the third and final animal in this group, manifests power as the Mage. Born with an innate understanding of power dynamics, and great lovers of games themselves, they wield it almost subconsciously. For them, what they are doing is simply logical, but from the perspective of others it can sometimes look like intricate machinations. They are very clever, sometimes even putting on a show of lesser understanding in order to slowly bring their opponent around to their perspective.

Their power is akin to that of the Man Behind The Curtain in the Wizard of Oz. Not right out on stage for all to see, but rather intelligently doing what must be done offstage, as they recognize that accomplishing the goal is the most important thing, not who gets credit for it. There is a reason that Monk and Monkey sound similar: they are both more interested in what's going on behind the scenes of the show the rest of us call reality. As the Mage of this triangle, they sometimes appear not to have any power at all, but this is merely the appearance.

Stability & Security

The Security Triangle

The Security Triangle is demonstrated in the 2nd, 6th, and 10th animals of the zodiac: the Buffalo, the Serpent, and the Phoenix.

The Buffalo — The Seeker

As the first animal of the Security triangle, the Buffalo is the Seeker of Security. This means work, commitment, and dedication to something tangible. It recognizes the inherent value in what can actually be touched and firmly relied upon, and endeavors to create this type of stability in its own life for those whom it is loyal to. The Buffalo is persistent, preferring the traditional approach and methods that are tried and tested. Consistent effort produces lasting results, so the Buffalo accomplishes tasks which others would have given up on long before.

They are innately dependable, and innately suspicious of those who are not. For them, the herd is paramount, and providing security for their loved ones is a badge of honor, however much suffering must be endured to achieve this security. It may take years, but the Buffalo will build it.

The Serpent — The Mage

Lying at the very nadir of the zodiac is the Serpent. Spending most of its life in full, direct bodily contact with the Earth, it embodies the wisdom of the planet, and can be understood as the Mage of Security. Initiated into the mysteries of what Security truly means, the Snake has become it, and can therefore find it nearly anywhere.

Snakes are infinitely adaptable, having a felt, intuitive sense of what is safe and what is not. Their security is almost a secret, as they may not appear particularly stable to the outside because they are constantly changing, but in reality they have the ever-present ability to achieve security all at once, in an instant, twining themselves around whatever branch or structure is at hand. The secret is in their flexibility and adaptability, their willingness to reform themselves in the face of circumstances. They accept situations as they are and adjust themselves accordingly, only working to change things if necessary and once they are already firmly interwoven into the structure themselves.

The Phoenix — The Royal

The Phoenix, as the Royal of this triangle, proclaims Security. For them, stability and security are simply the way things are, and they are not shy about letting others know it. Their display of Security ensures it for the loved ones around them, thus they command in the Yin way that a Queen does, their very opulent presence making it known that the space is indeed safe, secure, and welcoming.

They are big on displays, and keenly aware of the importance of appearances. The Phoenix delights in hosting, presenting, and creatively managing the environment. They recognize that finery and displays of quality are both reassuring and relaxing as they convey the promise of security symbolically. It is a form of strength demonstrated through luxury, aimed at the visual right hemisphere of the brain and meant to be understood through showing rather than telling — though they are rarely hesitant to tell you just how they feel. The idea is proclamation, presentation, exposition — put it out there, show it to the world, let it be known!

Inspiration & Idealism

The Inspiration Triangle

The Inspiration Triangle is kindled in the 3rd, 7th, and 11th animals of the zodiac: the Tiger, the Horse, and the Wolf.

The Tiger — The Royal

The Tiger, as the Royal of this triangle, embodies Inspiration as naturally as a flame gives heat. Majesty, conviction, and the bright certainty of what ought to be are not things it argues for — they simply radiate from it. Others feel the ideal in its presence before a single word is spoken: lifted, challenged, reminded that life can burn hotter and mean more. The Tiger does not chase Inspiration so much as stand as its living proof.

They are fierce protectors of what they believe in, and their authority in this realm is unmistakable. Protectors of causes, lovers, and visions alike, they defend the beautiful and the true with a passion that brooks no compromise — not by demanding loyalty, but by leading through example until others choose to follow. Their natural charisma means that even when they are not officially in charge, the room tends to orient around their sense of what matters. As the Royal of this triangle, the Tiger holds the center of Inspiration with effortless intensity, and is most fulfilled when life gives them scope to embody the ideal in full view of the world.

The Horse — The Seeker

As the second animal of the Inspiration triangle, the Horse is the Seeker of Inspiration. This means a restless hunger for the open horizon — for the next ridge, the next possibility, the next glimpse of what life could become if one simply kept running toward it. The Horse does not merely admire ideals from a distance; it gallops toward them. Freedom is its currency, and the wind in its mane the feeling of conviction itself. When something captures its imagination, the whole being surges forward: hooves pounding, senses wide, the mundane world left behind in a cloud of dust and promise.

Their relationship to Inspiration is that of the devoted pursuer, forever drawn to what could be rather than what merely is. They are passionate to a fault, sometimes mistaking the exhilaration of the run for arrival at the goal itself. Yet this very restlessness is their gift: they carry others along in their wake, and their infectious momentum can awaken whole groups to their own untapped longing. For the Horse, an ideal without motion is unbearable — and so they run, leap, and lead from the front.

The Wolf — The Mage

The Wolf, as the third and final animal in this group, manifests Inspiration as the Mage. Initiated into the deeper mysteries of what ideals truly cost and what they truly mean, the Wolf understands that Inspiration is not always loud or visible. Sometimes it moves through loyalty, through the pack, through songs sung in darkness and plans laid in silence. They know how to nourish the flame without scorching the earth.

Wolves are strategic idealists. They can sense which visions will endure and which will burn out, and they invest accordingly — in people, in causes, in the long night before dawn. Their inspiration is relational and wild, rooted in belonging yet unafraid of the untamed edge. They may not be the first to proclaim the dream, but they are often the ones who keep it alive when others have lost heart. As the Mage of this triangle, the Wolf sometimes appears merely practical or guarded, but beneath that lies a devotion to the ideal as fierce and enduring as winter itself.

Peace & Harmony

The Harmony Triangle

The Harmony Triangle is expressed through the 4th, 8th, and 12th animals of the zodiac: the Cat, the Deer, and the Bear.

The Cat — The Mage

The Cat, as the Mage of this triangle, understands Harmony the way a cat understands a sunbeam — not by analyzing it, but by settling into it with perfect instinct. Playful, quirky, and uncannily lucky, they combine sweetness and sharpness in equal measure, knowing exactly when to soften a room and when to flash a claw. Their attention leaps as quickly as they do, and with each leap they adjust the emotional weather almost without anyone noticing how it happened.

Cats do not preach peace; they engineer it. A well-timed purr, a comic distraction, a sudden change of subject delivered with such charm that resentment simply has nowhere to land — these are their tools. They are masters of the light touch, restoring balance through wit rather than weight, and their gift is to make harmony feel effortless even when the work behind it is quite clever indeed. As the Mage of this triangle, the Cat sometimes appears merely self-interested or aloof, but beneath that lies a deep attunement to the mood of the group and a quiet devotion to keeping it whole.

The Deer — The Seeker

As the second animal of the Harmony triangle, the Deer is the Seeker of Harmony. The Mysterious Deer — mysteries even to themselves. Something about them seems otherworldly: graceful yet odd, like they have only one foot in this dimension and the other one still searching somewhere softer, quieter, more at ease. They are forever drawn toward peace not as a fixed destination but as a felt sense of rightness, a balance just beyond the tree line that they can almost taste but never quite hold.

Their relationship to Harmony is that of the gentle pursuer, forever attuned to discord and longing to restore what has fallen out of tune. They are sensitive to a fault, sometimes disappearing into their own inner landscape when the outer world grows too harsh, yet this very sensitivity is their gift: they notice what others miss — the slight tension in a voice, the harmony that could return if only someone had the patience to wait for it. For the Deer, peace is worth seeking even when it proves elusive, and their quiet persistence often brings stillness to rooms that did not know they were restless.

The Bear — The Royal

The Bear, as the Royal of this triangle, embodies Harmony as naturally as a hearth gives warmth. The Bountiful Bear — with the delightful habit of finding the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, enjoying the honey inside, and sharing it with all they hold dearest. For them, peace and plenty are simply how life ought to feel, and their generous presence makes it so. Others settle in their company without being asked, as though some ancient part of the soul remembers that here, at last, there is enough.

They are protectors of the good life, not through force but through abundance. A full table, a welcoming den, a willingness to let loved ones simply be — these are the ways the Bear reigns. They understand that true harmony is not the absence of difficulty but the presence of refuge: a place where joy can be tasted, rest can be taken, and sweetness can be passed around without tally or condition. As the Royal of this triangle, the Bear holds the center of Harmony with unhurried authority, and is most fulfilled when their world offers room to gather, nourish, and share.

Rainbow Companions

Yin & Yang Pairs

Hidden within the zodiac like a diamond, the six Rainbow pairings unite Yin and Yang animals in complementary partnership. Each pair balances inward and outward strengths — one tending to lead in the world, the other tending to deepen, soften, or complete what the first initiates. When both appear in a person’s totem pole, or in close relationship, they often find in each other a natural counterweight.

• Squirrel + Buffalo
• Tiger + Bear
• Cat + Wolf
• Dragon + Phoenix
• Snake + Monkey
• Horse + Deer

Shadow Companions

The Rainbow’s Inverse

Each animal also has a Shadow companion — the inverse of its Rainbow bond. Where the Rainbow draws out one’s true colors through light, the Shadow is darkly magnetic, exposing faults with perfect clarity (all the better to improve upon them!). Both bonds are intensely magnetic; the difference is that the Rainbow reveals what already shines, while the Shadow reveals what must be faced and worked upon. We definitely need both in this world, and so we are often attracted to both! There is no escaping one’s Shadow: it offers the challenging gift of showing flaws and differences plainly, so they can be worked out rather than avoided.

• Squirrel + Deer
• Buffalo + Horse
• Tiger + Snake
• Cat + Dragon
• Wolf + Phoenix
• Monkey + Bear

In Practice

The Dragon & The Cat — Two Different Lenses on the Same Choice

For example, the Dragon is in the Power Triangle. This means it tends to judge things based on how its power will be affected. The Cat is in the Harmony Triangle, so it tends to judge things based on how its peace will be affected. When deciding between alternative courses of action, the Dragon will tend to place a greater weight on the consequences for its reputation, while the Cat would be more concerned with whether or not its harmony is at risk.

The Dragon may thus choose a more confrontational course of action to reap the benefits in the realm of Power and Prestige, while the Cat may choose a more circumspect approach, seeking instead the preservation of its Peace and Harmony.