Insects as Spirit Guides

Like birds, Flying Insects are Spirit Guides and Totem animals that are related to the element of Air.  Many people have a strong dislike of these animal allies, but if you can put aside your fears and "icky" feelings you may find that we actually have a lot to learn from the amazing lives of insects!  Similar to the exercise of bird observing, take some time to notice and observe the types of insects that you encounter on a regular basis.  Learn about their life cycles and how they live and interact with their environment and other insects and animals.  You might find that the insects around you on a daily basis have a message for you!!

 

TransformationMost insects go through some kind of major transformation.  A caterpillar goes through a metamorphosis to become a butterfly.  Flies transform from maggots to flies.  Cicadas and Locusts go through a metamorphosis that can actually take up to 10 years to complete.  When you encounter flying insects, ask yourself what kind of transformation you are going through.  What stage of your transformation are you in?  Are you still a caterpillar, preparing to make a chrysalis?  Are you inside your cocoon, undergoing dramatic changes in solitude?  Are you emerging from your cocoon and learning how to spread your wings and fly?  Keep in mind that sometimes it's hard to recognize that we are undergoing a period of change, and even harder to see the end result when we are going through pain or hard times.  The caterpillar probably doesn't know that it will one day become a butterfly... it just knows when it is time to go into a cocoon.  The transformation of insects can teach us a lot about faith and trust in our own instincts and intuition.  If we fight the change and just continue along our path, ignoring our inner urges to transform, we might miss out on our chance to become a butterfly!

 

Community

Insects like Bees and Wasps can teach us a lot about community and communication.  Insects that live in colonies have a complex yet beautiful and simple structure in which each insect has a specific job.  They may be scouts, harvesters, protectors, or breeders.  We all have roles we play in our lives, sometimes for just a short period of time and sometimes for extended periods.  Think about the roles you play in your life and whether you are giving those roles the attention, dedication, and energy they need.  Colony insects also have a lot to teach us about communication.  A scout bee will locate a food source, fly back to the hive and communicate with the harvesting bees with a series of body movements and touch.  In a beautiful dance the scout bee will give exact directions to the other bees, who will then fly out to collect the pollen to bring back to the hive.  If you are encountering bees or other colony type insects, think about your own methods of communication, and how you are vocalizing or expressing yourself to the people in your family or work place.  Proper communication can make all the difference in our group interactions!

Insect Totem & Spirit Guide Meanings

If you are interested in learning about the spiritual messages of some insects, check out this page I found!  Remember to pay attention to your surroundings and you will find that the element of Air is speaking to you quite clearly and frequently, with the air, the wind, the weather, birds, and insects!

 

Also check out my previous post on DRAGONFLY.