The spider is a symbol with three distinct meanings; sometimes they
merge or overlap, sometimes one or the other predominates. The three meanings
are derived from: (i) the creative power of the spider, as exemplified in the
weaving of its web; (ii) the spider’s aggressiveness; and (iii) the spider’s web as a
spiral net converging towards a central point. The spider sitting in its web is a
symbol of the centre of the world, and is hence regarded in India as Maya, the
eternal weaver of the web of illusion (32). The spider’s destructive powers are
also connected with its significance as a symbol of the world of phenomena. As
Schneider points out, spiders, in their ceaseless weaving and killing—building and
destroying—symbolize the ceaseless alternation of forces on which the stability
of the universe depends. For this reason, the symbolism of the spider goes deep,
signifying, as it does, that ‘continuous sacrifice’ which is the means of man’s
continual transmutation throughout the course of his life. Even death itself merely
winds up the thread of an old life in order to spin a new one (51). The spider is a
lunar animal because the moon (owing to its passive character, in the sense that it
merely reflects light, and because of its waxing and waning phases, taking these in
the positive and negative sense) is related to the world of phenomena, and, on the
psychic level, to the imagination. Thus the moon, since it holds sway over the
whole phenomenal world (for all phenomenal forms are subject to growth and
death), weaves the thread of each man’s destiny. Accordingly, the moon is depicted as a gigantic spider in many myths (17).

To dream of a spider, denotes that you will be careful and energetic in your labors, and fortune will be amassed to pleasing proportions.

To see one building its web, foretells that you will be happy and secure in your own home.

To kill one, signifies quarrels with your wife or sweetheart.

If one bites you, you will be the victim of unfaithfulness and will suffer from enemies in your business.

If you dream that you see many spiders hanging in their webs around you, foretells most favorable conditions, fortune, good health and friends.

To dream of a large spider confronting you, signifies that your elevation to fortune will be swift, unless you are in dangerous contact.

To dream that you see a very large spider and a small one coming towards you, denotes that you will be prosperous, and that you will feel for a time that you are immensely successful; but if the large one bites you, enemies will steal away your good fortune. If the little one bites you, you will be harassed with little spites and jealousies. To imagine that you are running from a large spider, denotes you will lose fortune in slighting opportunities. If you kill the spider you will eventually come into fair estate. If it afterwards returns to life and pursues you, you will be oppressed by sickness and wavering fortunes.

For a young woman to dream she sees gold spiders crawling around her, foretells that her fortune and prospect for happiness will improve, and new friends will surround her.

Seeing a spider in your dream indicates that you are feeling like an outsider in some situation. Or that you may want to keep your distance and stay away from an alluring and tempting situation. The spider is also symbolic of feminine power. Alternatively, a spider may refer to a powerful force protecting you against your self-destructive behavior. If you kill a spider, it symbolizes misfortune and general bad luck. Seeing a spider spinning a web in your dream means that you will be rewarded for your hard work. You will soon find yourself promoted in your job or recognized for your achievement in a difficult task. Spiders are a symbol of creativity due to the intricate webs they spin. On a negative note, spiders may indicate a feeling of being entangled or trapped in a sticky or clingy relationship. It represents some ensnaring and controlling force. You may feel that someone or some situation is sucking the life right out of you. Seeing a spider climbing up a wall in your dream indicates that your desires will be soon be realized. Dreaming that you are bitten by a spider, represents a conflict with your mother or some dominant female figure in your life. The dream may be a metaphor for a devouring mother or the feminine power to possess and entrap. Perhaps you are feeling trapped by some relationship.

Some believe that the spider is symbolic of an unkind and sneaky individual. Are you the spider building a web, or are you being dragged into one? A spider's web might represent entanglement and the general complexities of life. Depending on the details of the dream, it could also symbolise a smothering individual. Ironically, very old dream interpretations say that the spider is an omen of good luck! The spider and his web may be calling for an integration of the dream's personality leading to greater self-awareness and resulting in feelings of completeness. Therefore, the spider and her web may be considered profound and spiritual dream symbols that call for greater self-understanding and encourage us to derive meaning and satisfaction from the intricate framework and interplay of life.

Spider Symbolism

The Spider is an ancient symbol of mystery, power and growth.

We take our first lesson from the ancient symbol of the Spider by contemplating its web.

Just as the Spider weaves a web, so too must we weave our own lives. The Spider symbol meaning here serves as a reminder that our choices construct our lives. When the Spider appears to us, it is a message to be mindful of the choices we are making - and ask ourselves:

How are my choices affecting my life?
How can my choices improve my life?
How are my choices affecting others in my life?

Not only do Spiders and their webs draw attention to our life choices, they also give us an overview of how we can manipulate our thinking in order to construct the life we wish to live.

Spiders do this by calling our awareness to the amazing construction of their webs. Fully functional, practical, and ingenious in design - Spider webs serve as homes, food storage, egg incubators - seemingly limitless in their functionality.

When we consider this ingenious diversity, we can also consider the web-like construct of our own lives. How are we designing the most effective life?

When we see our decisions, choices and actions as far-reaching, effective tools in life - we can see how we weave a web that can either serve us or enslave us. The Spider symbol meaning beckons us to be mindful of our behaviors - be smart about the life we weave for ourselves.

We can derive more Spider symbol meaning when we consider certain subtle characteristics that represent ancient symbols of infinity.

The infinity symbol meanings occur when we consider most Spiders have eight eyes and all have eight legs. The number eight is also a symbol of infinity or lemniscate (an eight turned on its side). Also, the vibrational frequency indicates the meaning of number eight involves cycles, passage of time, and evolution.

Further Spider symbol meaning:

Cunning
Progressive
Female
Cyclical
Rebirth
Death
Crafty
Resourceful
Creation
Protection
Fate

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.

The meaning of Spider in India is associated with Maya. The term Maya comes from the Sanskrit root “Ma” which means no form or limit. The term Maya describes the illusory nature of appearances. The Spider’s association with Maya brings about the understanding that not all things are as they appear to be.

The Spider symbol meaning in Egypt, is akin to Neith, a complex deity usually depicted with arrows 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 used for weaving). It is this activity that gains her association with the Spider.

And of course, no conversation about the meaning of spiders is complete without discussing the Greek myth of Arachne, a mortal (although of noble stature) who was a spectacular weaver. Acclaim for her luscious lively looms spread over hill and dale and ultimately reached the immortal ears of Athena. Arachne claimed she was the best weaver, and thus prompted a challenge from Athena.

And so, they played a round of “dueling looms,” but no one could confirm 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.

One final note, if you've visited my website often, you know I'm a big proponent of individual interpretation. Symbol meanings are very personal and profound. I merely provide a foundation of symbol meanings; utlimately, only YOU can determine what the meaning of Spider is to you.

The Spider is a totem of responsibility and infinity. The shape of the spider and the number of its legs both show the number "eight," which represents infinity. The spider embodies the unlimited number of possibilities within creation. Doubling the number "four" indicates both the four winds and the four cardinal points. The spider instructs us to accept responsibility for anything that happens in our lives. We weave the web of our destiny. The victim who becomes caught in the web has not yet understood this lesson and has become entangled in a reality that appears to be unchangeable. The spider teaches that each being is responsible for its own plan of life. It is important not to lose oneself in deceptions of the senses, and it is helpful to write down one's progress to remember how certain strategies have led to success. The spider also stands for the development of writing.

The spider represents creativity and the weaving of fate. Everything you do in the present will help determine your future. The past always influences the present and the future. It also teaches the need to maintain balance between the past and the future.

Maintains a balance from past to present, helps in creativity and inspiration, helps understanding of illusions and reality, spiritual and physical balance, awakens sensibilities and weaves influences in development in your own world, stay focused on the center of things. Spider is gentleness and strength and will remind you of this pattern. She also will aid in communications and the written word. Are you creating to your fullest potential? Spider will teach the infinite possibilities of creative manifestation and the delicate strength of this balance. Notice the colors, patterns and behavior of the individual spider type for further insight to what Spider is saying.

On Roman coins, the peacock designates the apotheosis of princesses, just as the eagle does of victors (8). The peacock’s tail, in particular,
appears in the eighty-fourth emblem of the Ars Symbolica of Bosch as a symbol
for the blending together of all colours and for the idea of totality (32). This
explains why, in Christian art, it appears as a symbol of immortality (20) and of
the incorruptible soul (6). The common motif of the two peacocks symmetrically
disposed on either side of the Cosmic Tree or hom—a feature which came to
Islam from Persia and subsequently reached Spain and the West—denotes the
psychic duality of man (related to the myth of the Gemini) drawing its life-force
from the principle of unity (6). In the mystic horology, the peacock corresponds
to dusk (50). In Hindu mythology, the patterns on its wings, resembling innumerable eyes, are taken to represent the starry firmament (50).

To see a peacock in your dream, represents spring, birth, new growth, longevity, and love. It is a good omen, signaling prestige, success and contentment in your relationship or career. Alternatively, the peacock signifies pride, confidence and vanity. You may be showing off too much or are overly arrogant with your success and achievements. A peacock may also suggest that many eyes are watching you.

For persons dreaming of peacocks, there lies below the brilliant and flashing ebb and flow of the stream of pleasure and riches, the slums of sorrow and failure, which threaten to mix with its clearness at the least disturbing influence.

For a woman to dream that she owns peacocks, denotes that she will be deceived in her estimate of man's honor.

To hear their harsh voices while looking upon their proudly spread plumage, denotes that some beautiful and well-appearing person will work you discomfort and uneasiness of mind.

Seeing a peacock in your dream, represents spring, birth, and new growth. It is a good omen, signaling prestige, much success and contentment with your career. It may also be telling of your confidence and even arrogance over your success.

When you are dreaming about this bird, you may be conveying a message of beauty and pride. We all know that some pride may be a good thing, but too much pride is not so good. Consider all of the details of your dream and try to understand the message. Is the peacock in your dream beautiful and proud, but unassuming, or is he noisily flaunting his beauty to all that are willing to look?

Peacock Symbolism

The peacock is a possessor of some of the most admired human characteristics, and is a symbol of integrity and the beauty we can achieve when we endeavor to show our true colors.

In history, myth, legend and lore, the Peacock symbolism carries portents of: Nobility, Holiness, Guidance, Protection and Watchfulness.

Here is a keyword quick-list of peacock symbolism:

Glory
Vision
Royalty
Spirituality
Awakening
Immortality
Refinement
Incorruptibility

In Greco-Roman mythology the Peacock is identified with Hera (Juno) who created the Peacock from Argus whose hundred eyes (seen on the tail feathers of the Peacock) symbolize the vault of heaven and the “eyes” of the stars.

In Hinduism the Peacock is associated with Lakshmi who is a deity representing benevolence, patience, kindness, compassion and good luck.

Similar to Lakshmi, the Peacock is associated with Kwan-yin in Asian spirituality. Kwan-yin (or Quan Yin) is also an emblem of love, compassionate watchfulness, good-will, nurturing, and kind-heartedness. Legend tells us she chose to remain a mortal even though she could be immortal because she wished to stay behind and aid humanity in their spiritual evolution.

In Babylonia and Persia the Peacock is seen as a guardian to royalty, and is often seen in engravings upon the thrones of royalty.

In Christianity the Peacock symbolism represents the “all-seeing” church, along with the holiness and sanctity associated with it. Additionally, the Peacock represents resurrection, renewal and immortality within the spiritual teachings of Christianity.

Themes of renewal are also linked to alchemical traditions to, as many schools of thought compare the resurrecting phoenix to the modern-day Peacock.

Contemplate the powers of the Peacock when you need more vibrancy and vitality in your experience. The Peacock can also help you on your spiritual Path, and breath new life into your walk of faith.

The Peacock can rejuvenate self-esteem levels too. If you’re feeling “blah” and blue, imagine the glorious, techno-color display the Peacock provides. This puts us in a proper mood to embrace your own nobility. In no time, you’ll be walking tall and proud as a Peacock too!

Peacock will teach the power of watchfulness and the strength of mental, emotional and spiritual foundations and the structure and balance of those qualities. He allows greater wisdom to be accessed along with the awareness of the many different aspects of beauty that surrounds you. Peacock attunes us to see the entire moment with no past or future and instills confidence and dignity. There is an air of showmanship with Peacock so it's time to take pride in your endeavors. Are you showing your talents like you should? Are you seeing with your many "eyes"? Pay attention to intuition for there are many facets opening up. Peacock will help endurance of spiritual and physical matters.

The essence of the question involved here is contained in the saying of
Plotinus that the eye would not be able to see the sun if, in a manner, it were not
itself a sun. Given that the sun is the source of light and that light is symbolic of
the intelligence and of the spirit, then the process of seeing represents a spiritual
act and symbolizes understanding. Hence, the ‘divine eye’ of the Egyptians—a
determinative sign in their hieroglyphics called Wadza—denotes ‘He who feeds
the sacred fire or the intelligence of Man’ (28)—Osiris, in fact. Very interesting,
too, is the way the Egyptians defined the eye—or, rather, the circle of the iris
with the pupil as centre—as the ‘sun in the mouth’ (or the creative Word) (8). René Magritte, the surrealist painter, has illustrated this same relationship between the sun and the mouth in one of his most fascinating paintings. The possession of two eyes conveys physical normality and its spiritual equivalent, and it
follows that the third eye is symbolic of the superhuman or the divine. As for the
single eye, its significance is ambivalent: on the one hand it implies the subhuman
because it is less than two (two eyes being equated with the norm); but on the
other hand, given its location in the forehead, above the place designated for the
eyes by nature, it seems to allude to extra-human powers which are in fact—in
mythology—incarnated in the Cyclops. At the same time the eye in the forehead
is linked up with the idea of destruction, for obvious reasons in the case of the
single eye; but the same also applies when there is a third eye in the forehead, as
with Siva (or Shiva). This is explained by reference to one of the facets of the
symbolism of the number three: for if three can be said to correspond to the
active, the passive and the neutral, it can also apply to creation, conservation and
destruction. Heterotopic eyes are the spiritual equivalent of sight, that is, of
clairvoyance. (Heterotopic eyes are those which have been transferred anatomically to various parts of the body, such as the hands, wings, torso, arms, and
different parts of the head, in figures of fantastic beings, angels, deities and so on.)
When the eyes are situated in the hand, for example, by association with the
symbolism of the hand they come to denote clairvoyant action. An excessive
number of eyes has an ambivalent significance which it is important to note. In
the first place, the eyes refer to night with its myriads of stars, in the second
place, paradoxically yet necessarily, the possessor of so many eyes is left in
darkness. Furthermore, by way of corroboration, let us recall that in symbolist
theory multiplicity is always a sign of inferiority. Such ambivalences are common
in the realm of the unconscious and its projected images. Instructive in this
connexion is the example of Argus, who with all his eyes could not escape death.
The Adversary (Satan, in Hebrew) has been represented in a variety of ways,
among others, as a being with many eyes. A Tarot card in the Cabinet des Estampes
in Paris (Kh. 34d), for instance, depicts the devil as Argus with many eyes all over
his body. Another comparable symbolic device is also found commonly in demonic figures: it consists of taking some part of the body that possesses, as it
were, a certain autonomy of character or which is directly associated with a
definite function, and portraying it as a face. Multiple faces and eyes imply
disintegration or psychic decomposition—a conception which lies at the root of the demoniacal idea of rending apart (59). Finally, to come back to the pure
meaning of the eye in itself, Jung considers it to be the maternal bosom, and the
pupil its ‘child’.
(1)
Thus the great solar god becomes a child again, seeking renovation at his mother’s bosom (a symbol, for the Egyptians, of the mouth) (31).
1 The Jungian idea is expressed as a pun. ‘Niña’ means both ‘daughter’ and ‘pupil (of the eye)’. The
phrase ‘Niña de los ojos’ is like the English ‘apple of one’s eye’, which gives something of the feel of
the pun.—Translator

To dream of seeing an eye, warns you that watchful enemies are seeking the slightest chance to work injury to your business. This dream indicates to a lover, that a rival will usurp him if he is not careful.

To dream of brown eyes, denotes deceit and perfidy.
To see blue eyes, denotes weakness in carrying out any intention.
To see gray eyes, denotes a love of flattery for the owner.
To dream of losing an eye, or that the eyes are sore, denotes trouble.

To see a one-eyed man, denotes that you will be threatened with loss and trouble, beside which all others will appear insignificant.

Seeing your own eyes in your dream, represents enlightenment, knowledge, comprehension, understanding, and intellectual awareness. Unconscious thoughts may be coming onto the surface. The left eye is symbolic of the moon, while the right eye represents the sun. It may also be a pun on "I" or the self. If you dream that your eyes have turned inside your head and you can now see the inside of your head, then it symbolizes insight and something that you need to be aware of. This dream may be literally telling you that you need to look within yourself. Trust your intuition and instincts. Dreaming that you have something in your eye, represents obstacles in your path. Alternatively, it may represent your critical view and how you tend to see faults in others. Dreaming that you have one eye indicates your refusal to accept another viewpoint. It suggests that you are one-sided in your ways of thinking. Dreaming that you have a third eye, symbolizes inner vision and insight. You need to start looking within yourself. Dreaming that your eyes are injured or closed, suggests your refusal to see the truth about something or the avoidance of intimacy. You may be expressing feelings of hurt, pain or sympathy. Dreaming that you have crossed eyes indicates that you are not seeing straight with regards to some situation. You may be getting your facts mixed up.

To dream that you are pleasantly surprised, indicates that you are open to acknowledging and confronting your unconscious feelings.

To dream that you are unpleasantly surprised, suggests fear of the unexpected and unknown. You do not want to face your feelings.

Dreaming that you are pleasantly surprised indicates that you are opened in acknowledging and confronting your unconscious feelings. Dreaming that you are unpleasantly surprised, suggests fear of the unexpected and unknown. You are not wanting to face your feelings.

Dreaming that someone or something is smaller than usual, represents feelings of insignificance, helplessness and unworthiness. Alternatively, you may be literally trying to "knock" this person down to size. Perhaps it suggests that you or someone in your life has an inflated ego and need to be taught a lesson. Dreaming that you are small and everyone is normal sized, suggests that you are suffering from low self-esteem and/or a sense of helplessness. Perhaps you are being overlooked.

To dream of a stranger pleasing you, denotes good health and pleasant surroundings; if he displeases you, look for disappointments.

To dream you are an alien, denotes abiding friendships.

Dreaming of being an Alien, shows that there is an aspect of your personality that nobody have discovered yet. Maybe you do not know it yourself, and you will be surprised by your own abilities. It also shows that you are a person with lots of imagination and creativity, you try to find innovative solutions to all kinds of worries. When you dream that you are surrounded by aliens is an indication that you might be finding some difficulties ajusting to a new environment, new people or a new job. By dreaming that you are being abducted by aliens, and if you find that experience to be exciting and positive, it means that you are trying ot escape the harsh reality by finding some "out of this world" solutions, to very down to earth problems. You are a very sensitive person, full of dreams and hopes, but life has not been always easy for you. If you feel frightened and threatened by aliens who have abducted you, it means that you feel greatly threatened to lose your familiar inner circle, your family, friends and home.

Occasionally, people will have dreams about UFO's and aliens. What these dreams symbolise, collectively or individually is difficult to explain and understand. Meeting and talking to aliens may suggests that significant changes are coming into your life and, at the moment, things feel strange and foreign to you. If you dream that you are the alien, it suggests that you may feel detached from some parts of yourself and from others. You may be a stranger in your immediate surroundings, and some self-evaluation and familiarisation is suggested.

Of the four Elements, air and fire are regarded as active and male; water
and earth as passive and female. In some elemental cosmogonies, fire is given
pride of place and considered the origin of all things, but the more general belief is
that air is the primary element. Compression or concentration of air creates heat
or fire, from which all forms of life are then derived. Air is essentially related to
three sets of ideas: the creative breath of life, and, hence, speech; the stormy
wind, connected in many mythologies with the idea of creation; and, finally,
space as a medium for movement and for the emergence of life-processes. Light,
flight, lightness, as well as scent and smell, are all related to the general symbolism
of air (3). Gaston Bachelard says that for one of its eminent worshippers,
Nietzsche, air was a kind of higher, subtler matter, the very stuff of human
freedom. And he adds that the distinguishing characteristic of aerial nature is that
it is based on the dynamics of dematerialization. Thoughts, feelings and memories
concerning heat and cold, dryness and humidity and, in general, all aspects of
climate and atmosphere, are also closely related to the concept of air. According to
Nietzsche, air should be cold and aggressive like the air of mountain tops. Bachelard
relates scent to memory, and by way of example points to Shelley’s characteristic
lingering over reminiscences of smell.

To dream about the air, symbolizes creativity and intelligence. If the air is foggy or polluted, then it suggests that your thought process or mind is clouded.

To feel cold air in your dream, signifies discordance in your domestic relations and setbacks in your business affairs. You may be in danger of losing touch with reality.

To dream that you are breathing hot air, signifies the influence of evil around you.

This dream denotes a withering state of things, and bodes no good to the dreamer.

To dream of breathing hot air suggests that you will be influenced to evil by oppression.

To feel cold air, denotes discrepancies in your business, and incompatibility in domestic relations.

To feel oppressed with humidity, some curse will fall on you that will prostrate and close down on your optimistical views of the future.

Dreaming of inhaling unpleasant hot air might point to bad influences and bad forces at work against you, and cold air indicates some degree of failure professionally and emotionally.

To see your legs in your dream, indicate that you have regained confidence to stand up and take control again. It also implies progress and your ability to navigate through life. If your legs are weak, then you may be feeling emotionally vulnerable. If you dream that you are crossing your legs, then it implies defensiveness or your close minded attitude.

To see someone else's legs in your dream, represent your admiration for that person. You need to adopt some of the ways that this person does things.

To dream that your leg is wounded or crippled, signifies a lack of balance, autonomy, or independence in your life. You may be unable or unwilling to stand up for yourself. Perhaps you are lacking courage and refuse to make a stand.

If you are a woman and dream that your legs are hairy, then it suggests that you are domineering or that you dominate in the relationship.

To dream that one of your leg is shorter than the other, suggests that there is some imbalance in some aspect of your life. You are placing more emphasis and weight on one thing, while ignoring other important aspects that need attention as well.

To dream that you have three or more legs, denotes that you are undertaking too many projects. You are taking on more things that you can handle. Some of these projects will prove counterproductive.

To dream that you have a stick leg or a wooden leg, suggests that balance has been restored in your once chaotic or hectic life. You are able to stand up again with the help and support of others. Alternatively, the dream may be telling you to slow down.

If you dream of admiring well-shaped feminine legs, you will lose your judgment, and act very silly over some fair charmer.

To see misshapen legs, denotes unprofitable occupations and ill-tempered comrades.

A wounded leg, foretells losses and agonizing attacks of malaria.

To dream that you have a wooden leg, denotes that you will bemean yourself in a false way to your friends.

If ulcers are on your legs, it signifies a drain on your income to aid others.

To dream that you have three, or more, legs, indicates that more enterprises are planned in your imagination than will ever benefit you.

If you can't use your legs, it portends poverty.

To have a leg amputated, you will lose valued friends, and the home influence will render life unbearable.

For a young woman to admire her own legs, denotes vanity, and she will be repulsed by the man she admires. If she has hairy legs, she will dominate her husband.

If your own legs are clean and well shaped, it denotes a happy future and devoted friends.