Spider Symbolism: 7 Spiritual Messages of the Spider
Updated 2024.10.31
Spiders have walked the earth for as long as 380 million years and throughout time, they have been a common source of artistic inspiration.
Louise Bourgeois, a famous spider sculpture artist, likened spiders to her mother.
They are often considered to be a universal symbol for all mothers, repairing work, weaving and creation.
As Bourgeois says in this quote:
“The spider is a repairer. If you bash into the web of a spider, she doesn’t get mad. She weaves and repairs it.”
And in this one:
“The Spider is an ode to my mother. She was my best friend. Like a spider, my mother was a weaver. Like spiders, my mother was very clever. Spiders are friendly presences that eat mosquitoes. We know that mosquitoes spread diseases and are therefore unwanted. So, spiders are helpful and protective, just like my mother.”
Bourgeois is not the only one who likens spiders to motherhood, though.
In the Hopi creation story, Spider Woman is the goddess of the Earth. It is she who creates the first living beings.
Aside from being a metaphor for woman and motherhood, below are 7 spiritual messages of the spider:
1 - Work Together With Others
According to the Smithsonian, some spiders form colonies where they work together to create giant webs to capture their prey. They will then share what they harvest with each other.
Spiders may appear as a sign that you’ll get greater rewards when you work with others to achieve a goal. Consider ways to work with others in your community to achieve a desired result you can all benefit from.
2 - Practice Perfect Stillness
Spiders can “shut down” all activity and be still, living without food, for up to six months. They can spring immediately back into action when food is readily available.
If a spider has appeared, it can be a sign that it’s a great time to practice low activity or perfect stillness. Conserve your energy, rest or simply focus on your core needs - like breathing.
3 - Be An Architect Of Your Life
All spiders spin silk from out of their own bodies and they can spin up to seven different kinds of it.
This silk is stronger than any man-made or natural fiber on Earth. They use the silk for various things - as parachutes, nests, to wrap up their prey, creating drop or anchor lines, and making new silk.
When a spider comes into your life, it can be a sign that it’s time to be a master architect of your life.
Use the resources you have to spin a beautiful web that will attract what you’re seeking and then strike on it when the opportunity comes.
4 - Listen To The Vibes
Spiders have excellent hearing, but they don’t have ears.
They sense the vibrations with hairs on their legs. In a new study, scientists shared that spiders can also pick up these “hearing” vibrations through their webs, using the web as their ear.
If a spider has appeared in your dreams or meditations, it may be a sign to pay attention to the “vibes” around you. Notice the vibes in your network - this information could be especially valuable to you at this time.
5 - Reconsider Your Fears
Spiders are often feared, though only a few species are dangerous and spiders in general are really very shy and timid. They tend to run away rather than bite when provoked.
When a spider appears in your yard or in your path, it can be a sign that perhaps someone or something you are afraid of is actually much more tame than previously thought.
Spiders appearing can be an invitation to reconsider your fears, see if they still hold true today.
6 - Happy News Is Coming Soon
In ancient China, spiders were referred to as happy insects, a sign of good news on the way. Perhaps this is due to their webs, which often symbolize the attraction of abundance.
If a spider appears, it could be a symbol that good fortune is on its way from the Heavens to you.
7 - Share The “Beauty Way”
In Southwestern cultures, the Spider Woman teaches people how to weave and create beauty in their lives. Cherokee tales credit Grandmother Spider with bringing light to the world.
When a spider appears, it can be a sign to teach others how to live a life of light and beauty. It may also symbolize a “spider woman” coming into your life to teach you how to create beauty in the web of your universe.
So to recap, spiders can symbolically mean:
Work Together With Others
Practice Perfect Stillness
Be An Architect Of Your Life
Listen To The Vibes
Reconsider Your Fears
Happy News Is Coming Soon
Share The “Beauty Way”
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