TL;DR- Spiders thrill, terrify, and fascinate us, but do they have a deeper spiritual meaning for people than just that? Sure, they do! Seeing spiders might mean one thing, but spiders in a dream meaning is considered even more powerful. What does it mean when you dream about spiders? Join Spiritual Blossom to find out the meaning of spiders and what dreaming about spiders means.
Spiders are beautiful in some people’s eyes and horrifying to others. They burrow underground, climb trees, and some even glide across water before disappearing beneath the waves only to rise again with a glistening fish to eat. They even reside in our homes, catching insects for us. Perhaps most importantly, they visit us in dreams. Some people welcome them, others exterminate them. Are they beneficial or a threat? Join Spiritual Blossom for our spiritual investigation about the meaning of spiders and learn what they mean when they come to us in dreams.
What is a Spider?
Spiders are creatures you are likely to see wherever you go. They have established homes in early every habitat on land except in the frigid climate of Antarctica, and there are over 50,000 different species known to man- so far. They are eight legged arachnids, meaning they have their exoskeleton, or their skeleton, outside their bodies. They breathe air, and live on land although some species of spiders have adapted the ability to walk on water, hunt underwater, and have the ability to create air bubbles around themselves so they can be underwater for up to an hour. Read about gods and lore of the waters and seas here: The Folklore, Myths, and Gods of the Sea (spiritualblossom.com)
A lot of kinds of spiders build webs made from silk they create with their own bodies, and these webs not only trap prey, but serve as their homes. Interestingly, some spiders, like the wolf spider, do not build a web, and have a den instead. The smallest spiders are as tiny as 0.4 millimeters long, and the largest ones get as big as 11 inches long like the Goliath Birdeater tarantula found in South America. Almost every kind of spider creates venom, and this is to subdue its prey. Thankfully, for us, few spiders have enough venom to kill humans, however. Most spiders can jump farther than their own size and some can lay thousands of eggs. Some spiders can live for as little as a year and some can live for more than 40 years.
What Do Spiders Symbolize?
Spiders symbolize countless things to different people, but there are a few things that spiders symbolize to a lot of people. One thing they represent is weaving, specifically, weaving webs of fate. Death and luck are represented by spiders and spiders also represent persistence.
Weaving Fate
The spider represents weaving the web of our own lives, and therefore our own fate. It is said the Norse god Odin transformed into a spider to weave some webs of fate. In Hopi lore, Spider Grandmother helped create all life, and when she takes the form of a spider, she resides underground, like in a kiva. Like a spider weaves a web one section at a time, each thing we do decides a lot about our future. Each achievement we unlock, each step we take towards a goal, and each thing we do in response to what other people say and do creates situations that the universe has a reaction for. Like spiders, weaving webs, we create life. One sign that is great about being in the driver’s seat of their own life is Virgo. Read about them here: Virgo Traits and Love Compatibility (spiritualblossom.com)
Death and Luck
The spider and its web symbolize many things, one of which is death. It is true that spiders trap their prey in webs, and they keep their prey there until it is time to eat it. They also appear and disappear to hidden places and represent the underworld to some people. Do spiders kill? Any creature that eats meat does, but that means a lot of human beings are the same way. Some people consider the fact that spiders kill insects good luck and feel especially blessed when a spider has taken up residence in their house or outside on a patio or porch. They see it as a sign of luck and good fortune as well as protection. One number that symbolizes luck is the number 7. Read all about it as a Life Path number here: The Journey of the Seeker: Insights into the Life Path Number 7 (spiritualblossom.com)
Persistence
King Robert the Bruce of Scotland once had an extraordinary encounter with a spider, and it taught him a powerful lesson. It is said he was sheltering in a cave in Rathlin Island, Northern Ireland, during his battles to win independence from England for Scotland. He had gone into hiding there, after multiple defeats, and it was in this cave he saw a miraculous sight. He saw a spider trying to weave a web, and it slipped and fell multiple times, but every time it fell, it got back up and continued trying. Finally, it built its gleaming web. He took it as a lesson in determination. This lesson paid off because in 1314, he and his warriors won the battle of Bannockburn and by 1328, Scotland won its independence.
Like the spider, when we have worked hard for something, and we see our attempts seem to fail, it might seem like an omen to just give up and go do something else instead. Sometimes, we have to, but sometimes, all we have to do is keep trying, like Robert the Bruce’s spider ally, and we can achieve great things. One of the most tenacious, and determined signs is Capricorn. Learn about them here: Capricorn Zodiac Traits and Love Compatibility (spiritualblossom.com)
Why are People Afraid of Spiders?
Who would think such amazing creatures would be scary? Truthfully, fear of spiders is a pretty common fear. Fear of spiders is so common, there is an actual phobia of them called arachnophobia. Baptist Health lists arachnophobia as one of ten most common phobias and it is estimated in a Wikipedia article that 3.5 to 6.1 percent of the population suffers from this phobia. Arachnophobia - Wikipedia But what is the reason something no bigger than the human hand, and maybe even smaller than the human pinkie fingernail instills such fear in so many people? It is suggested that it is an evolutionary response from many generations of living side by side with spiders, some of whom are venomous to humans. Although few spiders can hurt people, some indeed, can, and do. Burke Museum says that out of the over 50,000 different kinds of spiders, only about 25 of them have enough venom to harm people. Myth: Some spiders are poisonous and others are not. | Burke Museum. The good news is that even the deadliest spider bites can usually be treated if you get to a hospital fast enough.
Are Spiders Bad?
Whether spiders are bad or good depends on who you ask. If you ask the fly caught in a spider’s web, spiders are bad. If you ask somebody who does not like flies in their house, and they have a spider that catches houseflies for them, spiders are great. If Smithsonian Magazine’s article is to be believed, there are 25 million metric tons of spiders on earth and they eat between 400 and 800 metric tons of food each year. Spiders Eat Up to 800 Million Tons of Prey Each Year | Smart News| Smithsonian Magazine This includes things that are not beneficial to humans like mosquitoes. By the way, of all the living organisms that kill people, mosquitoes kill the most of us, so in that way, maybe a spider saved your life, and you don’t even know it.
They also eat roaches, which spread disease, and they eat various insects that destroy crops. They are used to make medicines, believe it or not, and the silk from their webs can be used to stop bleeding and treat burn wounds. It’s still important to find out what kind of spider has taken up residence in your house, however. If you find something like a black widow spider, or a brown recluse, these are two deadly species of spiders, and you can get rid of them. Otherwise, spiders are beneficial, and they are not bad at all. Read about another animal that is not bad, but that scares some people here: The Magic and Superstitions of Black Cats (spiritualblossom.com)
Spiders in Dreams
Seeing a spider might symbolize insect control, never giving up, or even being in charge of your own fate, but in dreams, they mean other things. Some of the most common spider dreams include dreaming of spiders weaving webs and dreaming of eating spiders. Other people dream of being bit by spiders and others dream of killing spiders. Perhaps the most surprising dream of spiders is not any of these, but dreams of making friends with spiders.
Dreams About Spiders Building Webs
If you have a dream and it is about a spider weaving a web, the dream is telling you that your abilities will make you succeed. All you have to do is apply yourself. If you have been having self-doubts, the spider in the dream is showing you how to roll up your sleeves and get to work. You have what it takes to make your dreams come true, and it is time to get started making them happen. You’ve got this! One sign that is great at working on things is Virgo and you can read about them here: Virgo Traits and Love Compatibility (spiritualblossom.com)
Dreams About Eating Spiders
The thought of eating a spider might sound revolting, but believe it or not, in some parts of the world, they are considered delicious. In your dreams, if you dream you are enjoying eating spiders, it means you are devouring the competition and gaining strength from taking down those who would stand against you. This dream tells you to stand strong, take up for yourself, and have confidence that nobody can dominate you. Yum! One sign that loves great food and to feed the people they love is Taurus and you can read about them here: Taurus Zodiac Traits and Love Compatibility (spiritualblossom.com)
Dreams About Spider Bites
If you dream you are being bitten by a spider, it means the spider is warning you that something bad is about to happen. This is a good dream to have even if it is scary, because you have warning and can prepare yourself. If a spider bites your leg in a dream, be aware of toxic relationships that cripple your ability to function in life. If a spider bites your hand in a dream, you are about to be betrayed by somebody who is “biting the hand that feeds them”. In this case that is you. If you dream that a spider bites you on the face, it is about your image. You are either lacking confidence, or somebody is saying bad things about you that could tarnish your reputation. One sign that does not speak against the people they love is Leo, and you can read about them and their loyalty here: Leo Traits and Love Compatibility (spiritualblossom.com)
Dreams About Killing Spiders
Another common spider dream is about killing spiders. If you dream you kill spiders in dreams, it means that you are overcoming all obstacles. Nothing can stop you. You might feel exhausted or overwhelmed by having to overcome so much, but the dream tells you that it’s all worth it. You have the power to stop everything that would get in your way and vanquish all who would set themselves as an enemy to you. You are, in essence, “squashing things like a bug” that challenge you. One sign that is unafraid to rise to any challenge, no matter how daunting it may seem is Aries, and you can read about them here: Aries Zodiac Traits and Love Compatibility (spiritualblossom.com)
Dreams About Befriending Spiders
Another spider dream you can have is about making friends with spiders. This dream is instructing you to examine an issue from another point of view, especially if you have been told to fear somebody or something. Often times, people or creatures are misunderstood, and sometimes, we jump to conclusions, assuming the worst in situations. Open up, ask questions, and find things out before you make a decision. This thing, situation, or person you fear might just turn out to be greatly beneficial for your life. One sign that is serious about their friends is Sagittarius, and you can read about them here: Sagittarius Traits and Love Compatibility (spiritualblossom.com)
Beautiful, diverse, and existing on land, water, and in the trees, spiders have terrified us since the dawn of time, but they are not man-eating monsters. They make up a lot of the population of the earth, and they may be right beside you, and you don’t even know it. Besides symbolizing great things like luck, perseverance, and weaving your own fate, spiders save human lives by eating insects that kill us or make us sick. Even better, they bring us very important spiritual messages in dreams. Maybe spiders are the best creatures after all!
Would you like to know about what your dreams mean? Reach out to Spiritual Blossom’s psychics anytime to get an expert dream interpretation. Online Psychic Readings | Spiritual Blossom Make sure to read all of our articles to learn about lore, astrology, love, and magic. Articles & Media – Spiritual Blossom
About the Author: Lady Saoirse has studied magic and lore for most of her life but started walking her own Magical Path after being spiritually reborn in the desert. Today she is a High Priestess for The Temple of the Goddess, she is a psychic advisor and spiritual counselor, she shares her gifts as a Psychic and Content Writer for Spiritual Blossom. She has written for Mysticsense and PaganPagesOrg emag.
