Dragonflies hold deep spiritual meaning when they come into your life and they deliver great messages when they are your spirit animal. Join SpiritualBlossom to learn all about the symbolic meaning of dragonflies and find out what it means when you dream about them.
Out of the corner of your eye, you see a gossamer flicker of sparkling colors seemingly levitating on thin air. Such a glorious sight might seem like something out of a fairytale, but luckily it’s not, you are seeing the dragonfly. You might think it’s mere coincidence, but sometimes, seeing a dragonfly is deeply meaningful. What do dragonflies symbolize and what does it mean when you dream about them? Read on to find out what it means when dragonflies are your spirit animals and what truths you can learn from them.
What’s a Dragonfly?
Dragonflies are winged insects, and there's about 3000 different kinds of them. They are predators, and even know how to ambush prey mid-flight. The first ancestors of dragonflies appeared around 325 million years ago and there are dragonflies everywhere in the world except for Antarctica. They spend most of their lives in their larval form and this stage can last up to five years. The adult dragonfly stage can last for a number of months or just a year, however, so they live most of their life as youths. They eat fish, other insects, tadpoles, and other tiny creatures. Birds, fish, amphibians, and mammals love to eat dragonflies.
They are about 1 to 5 inches in length and some extinct dragonflies had a wingspan of up to 30 inches. They can fly forwards, backwards, sideways, and hover at one spot for a minute or even longer. They can perch with their bodies held vertically so that they expose as little of their body to the sun as possible and they do this to keep from getting too hot in summer. Some males stick around to guard the female and the eggs after mating, and dragonflies sometimes mate multiple times before they die, laying hundreds of eggs each time. They come in a wide array of colors and some of them have transparent wings. Some dragonflies’ colors even change as they age.
Dragonflies Spiritual Meaning
What does it mean when a dragonfly lands on you? Some say it’s a message that you will hear good news about somebody you care about, and others say that seeing a dead dragonfly means you will receive some bad news. Dragonflies mean so much more than just these things, however. Because of the environment where they live, dragonflies represent transformation, and the way they move about means that they represent happiness. They represent spirits, and they also represent wishes.
Transformation
Dragonfly larvae hatch in water before they emerge, and thus they represent water. When they emerge as adults and fly, they represent air. Because of the changes that they go through, they represent transformation. Some people believe that when a dragonfly comes to your house, you're being told that some major changes are about to happen. For some people this is a call from the powers that be to embrace changes and for others it is a reminder of how life is constantly changing, and we have to change with it. When relationships change, sometimes we have to let people go and you can read all about different ways to do that here : The Ultimate Guide on How to Let Someone Go
Happiness
Some people believe that when a dragonfly lands on your fishing pole, it means that you're going to catch a lot of fish, and this symbolizes prosperity, which makes people happy. Some people believe that dragonflies hover over areas of water where there are a lot of fish, and other people believe that dragonflies promote life, because they eat mosquitoes. All of these “jobs” that dragonflies do make them beneficial to human beings and so a lot of people are very happy when they see dragonflies. Some people believe when a dragonfly lands on them, that they bring good luck. Another thing to be happy about is a new relationship and you can read about the stages of relationships here: What Are the Phases of Relationships?
Spirits
The Zuni say you should never harm or kill a dragonfly, because it would be the same thing as killing a god. If you kill a dragonfly, the Zuni believe that bad things will happen to you. Some Pueblo tribes of the United States believe that dragonflies are supernatural creatures or gods that can hurt anyone who bothers them. A superstition Says that if a pregnant woman stares into the eyes of a dragonfly, her child can be born with visual problems. In Japan, the Bon people have a belief that the dead return to visit the living at a certain time of year, and this just happens to be when dragonflies appear. So they believe that dragonflies carry the souls of the dead and should be respected. To read about a holiday that venerates the dead, Samhain, see here: All About Samhain
Wishes
To some people, dragonflies represent prosperity or good luck. This is why some people will make a wish when they see a dragonfly and believe that making a wish right then will help to make sure it comes true. Some other people believe that dragonflies carry prayers and wishes to the powers that be, and that if you make a wish and tell a dragonfly to deliver it to a spirit or deity, they will. An especially good thing to wish for when you see a dragonfly as positive change because of how they symbolize transformation. So, make a wish when you see a dragonfly! To read about another lucky symbol, the lotus flower, see here: Lotus Flower Meaning and Symbolism
The Meaning of Dragonfly Dreams
Sometimes you don't see dragonflies while you're awake. You see them in dreams while you're sleeping. Dragonflies in dreams can represent all of the things that they represent symbolically and in folklore, but in dreams the details explain the meaning. Color, size, and what dragonflies are doing can help you to understand the meaning of the dream and the messages that they are trying to bring you.
Dreams About a Red Dragonfly
Red dragonflies symbolize love. One superstition says that if you dream of catching a red dragonfly, it means you will get married within a year. Red dragonflies symbolize more than romance, however. They symbolize any loving relationship and can symbolize things that you are passionate about. If you dream about a red dragonfly landing on a grave, an ancestor that you love dearly is trying to get in touch with you. If you dream about a red dragonfly eating another dragonfly, it symbolizes being victorious over someone who would call you their enemy. To read about another beautiful red creature, the cardinal, see here: What is Red Cardinal Spiritual Meaning?
Dreams About a Blue Dragonfly
If you look on the Internet, everybody seems to disagree on what blue dragonflies symbolize. Blue symbolizes healing, water, and our planet itself. Considering all of this, dreams about blue dragonflies symbolize life. Most especially if you have had a health scare, or you are waiting on medical test results, dreams about blue dragonflies let you know that you will be healed. If you've not had any health scares but you're having problems in a relationship, blue dragonflies encourage you to try to reconcile and put your differences aside and heal the relationship. There's an old saying that says ”where there is life there is hope”, and when you dream about the blue dragonfly, you're being told that you have much life left and plenty of wonderful things to be hopeful for. To read about dream interpretations see here: Your Guide to Dreams and Interpretation of Them
Dreams About a Black and White Dragonfly
If you dream about a black and white dragonfly, the meeting is the surprising one. When people say that you “think in black and white ", that means that you have an inability to understand all of the tiny details that can go into something. Sometimes a situation is not all one way, and we should not limit ourselves because of stubbornness. When you dream about black and white butterflies, your spirit guides are counseling you not to succumb to rigid thinking, and to open your mind to all of the possibilities. Sometimes we think we know all the answers, but we really don't. Dreams about black and white dragonflies remind you to stay open and optimistic, because you don't have the entire story. To read more about dream interpretations see here: Your Guide to Dream Meanings
Dreams About a Giant Dragonfly
When you dream about giant dragonflies, it can mean a number of different things. If you dream that you are being carried high in the sky by a giant dragonfly and you're afraid that it's going to drop you, the dream is telling you that your fears have complete control of you, and you should release them. If you dream that a giant dragonfly is your friend, that means that big changes are coming, and better times are on the way. If you dream about a group of giant dragonflies around you, it means that you are about to make a big decision that's going to change your whole life, and you have a lot of thinking to do. To read even more about dream interpretation see here: Your Dream Bible and Dream Analysis Guide
Dreams About Swarming Dragonflies
An old superstition says that seeing swarms of dragonflies portends rain. Rain represents a lot of different things to different people. It can be disastrous, or it can give the world much needed water so that everything can grow. If you dream that dragonflies are swarming around you and you feel the need to run from them, it means that you have multiple problems that you have to face and you cannot escape them. The only solution is to take care of the problems while you can. If you dream the dragonflies are swarming around you and bringing you blessings, especially after a difficult time, the “rain” that they represent is a healing rejuvenating thing and you can look forward to that. To learn about dreams of another creature that can swarm, read about dreams of spiders here: Dreams About Spiders- Meaning and Symbolism
Dreams About a Green Dragonfly
Green represents wealth, growth, and fertility. If you dream about a green dragonfly landing on you, you are about to be blessed with abundance. If you dream about a green dragonfly perching inside an empty hole, especially if you have been having financial hardships, some money is about to come your way. If you have been trying to conceive a child, and you dream about a green butterfly landing on you, chances are you will conceive a child successfully and you will be a parent soon. If you dream that green butterflies are flying away from your place of work, it is a sign from the universe that you will have better chances at a financially beneficial career if you leave that job and take a different one. To read about green Earth Zodiac Signs see here: What are Earth Signs on the Zodiac?
The Dragonfly as a Spirit Animal
People talk about spirit animals every day, but what does that mean? Spirit animals are animals that we have a spiritual connection with, and we just seem to understand what they're trying to communicate. Nobody knows exactly why humans have a connection with spirit animals, but people who have a relationship with a spirit animal know that they're lucky. Some people believe that everyone has a spirit animal, and the dragonfly is one creature that might be your spirit animal. How can you tell if the dragonfly is your spirit animal? If dragonflies seem to be around you most every place you go, the dragonfly is probably your spirit animal. If they land on you regularly, and you feel an unexplainable sense of kinship with them, the dragonfly is probably your spirit animal.
What if you can't tell which creature is your spirit animal? How can you find out what your spirit animal is? Some people do a deep meditation, and their spirit animal comes to them in a vision the first time they try, but sometimes it's not so easy. Not everybody knows how to reach a deep state of meditation, and even if you're practicing, sometimes it can take years to reach that level. Thankfully it's not always necessary to do that to find out what your spirit animal is. Give yourself one year or even longer, and do regular journeys out into nature, recording any encounters with animals that you see in a special journal that you carry just for this purpose. You may discover your spirit animal very quickly, and you may be pleasantly surprised to find that you have more than one spirit animal. Just don't give up if you don't get instant results because remember, spirituality is a lifelong journey, not a quick project that you check off your to-do list. Another animal that might be your spirit animal is the butterfly and you can read about it here: What Does a Butterfly Symbolize?
Dragonflies symbolize spirits, happiness, transformation, and making wishes come true. Pay attention when you dream about dragonflies, because they deliver great spiritual messages when they visit you in dreams. When the dragonfly is your spirit animal, they teach you all their gifts, but it might take a bit of work to discover what creature is your spirit animal. May all your encounters with the dragonfly be spiritually meaningful and may then bring you great blessings. So Be It.
Would you like to know more about the spiritual messages that dragonflies bring? Reach out to a SpiritualBlossom psychic to find out today. Make sure to sign up for our horoscopes and get them delivered to your email's inbox.
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 SpiritualBlossom. She has written for Mysticsense and PaganPagesOrg emag.
