Spider Symbolism
Something you have woven has born fruit! Congratulations!-Spider
Spiders are timid, delicate, agile and most of their creativity happens in the dark. The spider reminds us that the world is woven around us, that we are the center of our world. Yes, the fear of spiders is the most common of all the phobias.
Apart from fear, through the ages different cultures have attached meaning to spider sightings and dreams.
Facts about Spiders
- spiders have eight fragile legs
- eight complound eyes
- most spiders weave webs
- all spiders are predatory
- most spiders are poisenous
- female spiders are larger that the males
- procreation normally means the death of the male
- spiders are good mothers and stay with their eggs, some even carrying the eggs on their bodies, until they hatch
- spiders shed their skins to grow, much like snakes do.
Nearly all cultures have some sort of spider mythology, and folktales about these crawly creatures abound. From ancient times, there has been meaning attached to the spider. She has been seen as bestowing the power of magick over people and things. The web the spider weaves denotes control, which is completed as soon as the prey is wrapped up in the web. So too must people weave control into their own lives. The Spider symbolism serves as a reminder that people have choices in constructing their lives. When you see a spider, carefully evaluate the choices you are making.
- feelings of isolation in some situation
- protection in alluring and tempting situations
- feminine power or an overbearing mother figure
- a powerful force protecting you against your self-destructive behavior
- to kill a spider in a dream symbolizes misfortune and bad luck
- a dead spider in a dream implies that strong feminine temptation was overcome
- a spider spinning a web signifies reward for hard work
- spiders in dreams are symbols of creativity due to the intricate webs they spin
- spiders dreams may indicate being entangled or trapped in a sticky or clingy relationship
- spiders in dreams represents some ensnaring and controlling force
- someone or some situation is sucking the life right out of you
- a spider spinning a web in your dream could be a metaphor for the world wide web and global communication
- spider eggs in a web suggest that you are not able to fully acknowledge your potential
- being held back from self- expression
- a spider climbing up a wall in a dream – desires will be soon be realized
- a spider is coming down on you from the ceiling – you are unable to escape from a relationship
- a dream of baby spiders symbolizes a new or recent relationship
- To dream of being bitten by a spider – conflict with your mother or some dominant female figure
- To eat a spider or dream that a spider is in your mouth symbolizes control over a situation
In Native American symbolism, the Spider is a symbol of protection against torrential storms. In yet other Native American lore accounts, the Spider (personified as the Grandmother) was the teacher and protector of esoteric wisdom.
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| The Egyptian goddess Neith bearing her war goddess symbols, the crossed arrows and shield on her head, the ankh and the was staff. |
as she is associated with hunting. Along with hunting, she is also associated with the creation, specifically the process of recreation in the dawning and dusking of each day. Neith is also a weaver, and is often shown with a shuttle in her hand (a tool
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| Arachne |
the victor. However, Arachne was quite smug about the whole process. So much so, that Athena smote her with a mighty blow of conscience and a dose of guilt. Arachne took the dosage hard, and could not live with the intense feelings of guilt and sorrow so she killed herself. Athena felt awful over the whole mess and decided to resurrect Arachne in the form of a spider so that she and all her offspring would forever be the best weavers of the universe. Spiders are called “arachnids” after Arachne.
Rosemary Ellen Guiley says in her Encyclopedia of Witches, Witchcraft, and Wicca that in some traditions of folk magic, a black spider “eaten between two slices of buttered bread” will imbue a witch with great power. If you’re not interested in eating spiders, some traditions say that catching a spider and carrying it in a silk pouch around your neck will help prevent illness.
In some Neopagan traditions, the spider web itself is seen as a symbol of the Goddess and of creation of life. Incorporate spider webs into meditation or spellwork relating to Goddess energy.
If you find a spider roaming around your home, it’s considered bad luck to kill them. From a practical standpoint, they do eat a lot of nuisance insects, so if possible, just let them be or release them outside.
An old English folk saying reminds us that if we find a spider on our clothing, it means money is coming our way. In some variations, the spider on the clothes means simply that it’s going to be a good day. Either way, don’t disregard the message!
Spiders feature in my third paranormal romance, Roxanne’s Ghost, which will be released soon. My other tow books, Dark Moon and Moragh, Holly’s Ghost are available from Amazon in paperback, ebook and audio formats.
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