Dragonfly Spirit Animal: What Does a Dragonfly Symbolize?
Dragonflies are striking creatures that rank among the most stunning of all insects, and many people may feel a deep affinity with this enigmatic animal.
A dragonfly can be a powerful spiritual ally in our journey through life, so in this post, we look at the spiritual meaning of dragonflies as we bring you all the info you need about the dragonfly spirit animal.
Dragonfly Symbolism
Dragonflies are beautiful yet delicate creatures that seem almost not of this world, so it is not surprising that they also hold a rich symbolism for many people. Here are some of the things they can symbolize.
1. Change
Dragonflies start their lives as larvae beneath the water, and they then develop into nymphs. It is only in the final stage of their lives that they metamorphose into beautiful adult dragonflies, and this is why they are strongly symbolic of change and development.
2. Striving to be better
In the popular imagination, nobody sees a dragonfly larva as anything beautiful or glamorous, but after struggling to survive and always looking to the future, dragonflies finally emerge as one of the most glorious insects of all.
For this reason, they symbolize the struggle to always improve. Although these animals start as lowly larvae, through determination and never giving up, they can grow into something far more wondrous, and this struggle is something they symbolize perfectly.
3. Courage
Although dragonflies are tiny, delicate creatures, this is not something that ever deters them. Rather, they continue to strive to live and develop into an adult dragonfly, when they can take to the skies and breed, finally achieving their goals.
This means they can also be a symbol of courage and the kind of bravery that is required to reach one’s ultimate objectives.
4. Adaptability
Dragonflies need to be able to adapt to their environment and events around them at a moment’s notice if they hope to survive, and as such, they are also a powerful symbol of adaptability.
5. Taking your chances
Dragonflies spend most of their lives in the larval and nymph stages, and the time they have as adult dragonflies is extremely short.
As soon as they emerge, they need to fly up and mate before they die, which represents taking your chances when they come to you since you might not get a second opportunity.
6. Live for the day
For similar reasons, dragonflies represent living for the day and seizing the moment. Dragonflies don’t have time to procrastinate or wait until the perfect moment – because if they did, it would already be too late.
This is why they are a powerful symbol of making the most of the present because you never know what the future will bring.
7. Fragility and the ephemeral nature of beauty
Dragonflies are unarguably beautiful creatures, but despite their courage and strong will, they are also extremely delicate – their fragile wings can easily break, and their beauty can be lost in a moment.
This means they symbolize the fragility of beauty and also its ephemeral nature. Beauty can disappear in a moment, and the experience of beauty is often fleeting, after which, it is gone forever.
Dragonfly Spiritual Meaning
Due to the rich symbolism of dragonflies, they also carry deep spiritual meaning for many people, and here are some of the things they can represent to us on a spiritual level.
1. Embrace spiritual change
Dragonflies epitomize change, and on a spiritual level, they also remind us to embrace spiritual change. Nobody is born with full spiritual awareness, and our spiritual journeys can be full of profound revelations.
However, as we learn more, our spiritual understanding changes and grows, and this is something that we should embrace rather than fight. Then, by doing this, we can continue to grow and learn more about the universe and the spiritual space we inhabit.
2. Strive to develop spiritually
It is in a dragonfly’s nature to fight and strive to achieve its ultimate goal of emerging as an adult and flying up to find a mate.
In a spiritual sense, this also tells us that we should always strive to develop and grow until we reach the kind of spiritual awakening or enlightenment we seek.
Sometimes it can seem difficult – we might lose heart or feel like we want to give up since our spiritual goals may seem so far away.
However, it is only by continuing undaunted and undeterred that, like a dragonfly emerging from the water, we can finally break through and come to a fuller spiritual understanding of ourselves, the world and our place within it.
3. Being close to the spirit world
Dragonflies are often seen close to water, and they seem to spend their whole lives somewhere between the world of the water and the world of the sky.
They don’t belong to water like fish, but yet they don’t belong to the sky like birds – rather, they inhabit a realm between the two, and this connection between two separate worlds makes them a connection between the physical world and the spiritual world too.
This means another spiritual meaning of dragonflies is that we need to keep connected to both the spiritual and the physical world to lead happy, fulfilling and rewarding lives.
We shouldn’t concentrate too much on the physical world since neglecting the spiritual side will lead to imbalance in our lives. However, we are still part of the physical world, and we need to learn to balance the two aspects, like yin and yang, to live in perfect harmony.
4. Don’t be afraid to be yourself
Dragonflies reflect the light and shine with iridescent colors, so sometimes it can be hard to see clearly what color a dragonfly really is.
This can be seen as representing the nuanced aspect of our personalities and our spiritual beings, and the meaning of this is that we should embrace all the various aspects of our inner selves and never be afraid to be who we truly are.
How do you know if the dragonfly is your spirit animal?
The dragonfly has many admirable characteristics, so how can you know if this small but brave and beautiful insect is the right spirit animal for you?
Here are some of the signs that you have a deeper connection with dragonflies that could make this the perfect match.
1. Always willing to try something new
If you are the kind of person who is always willing to try something new, the dragonfly could be the right spirit animal for you to choose.
As we have seen, dragonflies are not afraid of change but rather embrace it since they know instinctively that change is an essential part of what they are, and ultimately, it is what will bring them success.
This means if you are the kind of person who is always willing to try something new or to think outside the box – instead of getting stuck in your ways and always doing things the same way because that’s the way they’ve always been done – the dragonfly could be your spirit animal.
2. An explorer
Dragonflies emerge from the water and set off to explore their new world with an intrepid boldness. They have never seen the great wide world before they poke their heads above the water for the first time, but this doesn’t deter them for a moment.
Instead, they set off to discover whatever awaits them, and if you share this kind of innate curiosity and insatiable desire to explore, then the dragonfly is an animal that has a deep resonance for you and one that could be the perfect spirit guide.
3. Courageous yet delicate or vulnerable
We’ve already mentioned how dragonflies are beautiful yet delicate, but this doesn’t make them afraid to pursue their goals.
Perhaps you too feel fragile, delicate or vulnerable, but this doesn’t affect your inner belief or your courage to pursue your dreams.
Indeed, understanding the danger and still choosing to face it makes you a far braver person than someone who has no fear through ignorance – and if this is something you can relate to, you could well be a dragonfly person.
Dragonfly Totem
People with a dragonfly totem can learn much from the dragonfly, and here are some of the most important lessons these indomitable creatures can teach us.
1. Remember that change is positive
Sometimes we can be afraid of change and we can resist it because we don’t know what the future may bring. However, a dragonfly totem reminds us that we should not fear change since it is universal and can never be denied.
On the contrary, if we learn to welcome and embrace change, we can face the future in a much more positive frame of mind.
And when we do this, we can be ready to grasp all the new opportunities that change inevitably presents to us rather than allowing them to pass us by.
2. Learn to adapt to new situations
Sometimes unexpected events can occur in our lives, and they can leave us floundering and unsure of how to proceed.
However, our dragonfly totem reminds us to be adaptable in the face of the unexpected rather than withdrawing into ourselves and allowing our fear to rule.
We can only play the cards that life deals us, so we need to learn to make the most of them rather than complaining about our hand.
3. Allow your true colors to shine through
Sometimes people can try to act in a certain way to please those around them, but this is not being true to yourself.
However, having a dragonfly totem can help us be true to ourselves and express ourselves honestly and openly rather than trying to hide our true nature for the benefit of others.
4. Follow your intuition
Dragonflies have a deep connection with the spirit world, and they are also creatures that are driven by instinct.
As a result of this, a dragonfly totem can help us find the courage to trust our intuition and allow it to guide us rather than overthinking everything in the face of difficulty, either in the physical world or in the spiritual realm.
5. Look to a more positive future
Sometimes, we can go through difficult times in our lives, and the future can seem bleak. However, dragonflies always look forward to a brighter future when they can emerge as an adult to fly off in search of their destiny.
For this reason, a dragonfly totem helps us keep positive and look to the future with optimism – because however bad things get, there’s always a brighter tomorrow.
Dragonfly Omens
Finally, here are some of the messages dragonflies can bring when they appear in our lives.
1. You are about to go through a period of change
If you see a dragonfly, it can be an omen announcing a period of change in your life. It could tell you that something momentous is about to happen in your life, and you should prepare yourself to make the most of it.
It could be that you are going to start a new job, you might be about to meet your soulmate or perhaps a new baby is on the horizon.
In any case, always remember that change is inevitable, so you should face it with optimism rather than fear.
2. You shouldn’t be afraid of change
If you see a dragonfly when a period of change has already begun, the meaning can be slightly different.
Perhaps the change that is underway is making you feel anxious or afraid, in which case the dragonfly can appear to reassure you that everything will turn out for the best.
3. You should seize the moment
An alternative message that a dragonfly can bring is that you need to live for the day and seize the moment because right now, you are allowing your days to slip by without making them count.
Don’t be afraid to chase your dreams or to make the most of every moment since the worst thing we can do is come to the end of our days and find that we have a heart full of regrets.
4. Don’t be afraid to face your challenges
Dragonflies are courageous creatures who are not daunted or disheartened by their diminutive size.
This means that when a dragonfly appears to you, it could be there to remind you not to be afraid of challenges or obstacles in your life but rather to face them head-on since this is the only way you will be able to overcome them.
A powerful spirit animal to choose
If you choose the dragonfly as your spirit animal, it is an animal that can teach you many lessons about how to live a positive and meaningful life, helping you embrace change while also bringing you the courage to face your challenges and live your life to the fullest.
