Spider Symbolism

Money Spider Superstition

Linyphiidae is a family of spiders popularly called Sheet Weavers or Money Spiders.

These spiders are very small. These tiny spiders widely known as Money Spiders have been and still are considered very auspicious.

If a Money Spider runs is seen moving around on you, it is said the spider has come to spin you some new garments and introduce you to a wealthier lifestyle.

White Spider Superstition

It is generally believed among superstitious people that seeing a white spider is especially lucky.

Changes for the better will occur and an increase of wealth is headed your way.

Spider Images on Coins and Jewelry Symbolism

In Ancient Rome they believed spiders could help bring more money into their lives.

Many Romans would carry gold or silver coins with images of spiders on them to prevent poverty.

They certainly believed having spiders around would enhance their wealth.

To this day using spider symbolism in jewelry is not uncommon around the world.

Giving someone spider jewelry or another nice object with the spider symbolism is a nice gesture to wish the receiver wealth and prosperity.

Seeing a Spider Superstitions

In Ancient China it was believed that seeing a spider drop down from its web was especially auspicious.

This was a certain sign that you would be blessed with gifts and good luck from heaven.

In European folklore it made a difference when you observed a spider.

Seeing a spider in the morning was unfortunate and considered unlucky in Europe.

Some say it was because weaving in the morning was an act of desperation and something only poor people did.

People who were in a satisfying financial situation would only weave in the evening.

A well-recognized superstition is that if you see a spider in the afternoon you can expect to receive a gift very soon.

Spider in Dreams Meaning

Old folklore claims that dreaming of spiders is a good omen.

It is told that if you dream about a spider you will have more money and success in the near future.

Hopefully the spider in your dream does not bite you.

Dreaming of a spider that bits you may indicate that you will lose money.

Modern dream interpretations may often explain that dreaming of a spider spinning or a cobweb could imply you are being manipulated or trapped in a situation you are unhappy with.

Killing a Spider Superstition

Killing a spider is considered extremely unlucky.

Killing a spider will imply that you shall lose money. That certainly is not desirable for anyone.

If you absolutely must kill a spider, it is told you need to apologize to the spider first.

Be sure to tell the spider it is nothing personal.

That may reduce the bad luck headed your way.

In Vietnamese folklore it was told that the spirit leaves the body when a person goes to sleep and will take the form of a spider.

Killing a spider was considered tragic and very unlucky for the person who committed the act.

The Spider Anansi

In West African and Caribbean folklore we find spider god called Anansi. He was a major god of storytelling and wisdom.

The name “Anansi” is from the Akan language of Ghana and literally means “spider”.

Anansi has become extremely popular also in modern culture.

In some parts of Sothern Untied States Anansi has transformed to “Aunt Nancy”. There are tons of fascinating stories about Anansi well worth reading.

Spider Symbolism – Native American

The spider was known as the “Thinking Woman” by Pueblo and Hopi Indians.

The Thinking Woman was powerful. She created the universe and world as we know it according to legend.

The spider goddess also could destroy it if she was dissatisfied. She is also known as the Earth Goddess or Kokyangwuti.

Some also call her the Spider Grandmother.

According to legend the Spider goddess resided at Spider Rock in Arizona, USA.

The Christmas Tree Spider Legend

Some people in Germany and the Ukraine hang a spider ornament on their Christmas tree.

The reason for doing so is based on a sweet legend about Christ and the spider. This legend is also goes by the name “The Silver Spider”.

Once there was a poor widow who wanted everything perfect for Christmas.

This mother could not afford to buy gifts for her children, but she still intended to try to do whatever she could to make Christmas very special for her children.

She loved her children dearly. At least she could make her home look as nice as possible within her means.

She worked extremely hard, cleaning and polishing every spot in her home.

The spiders who resided in her home got frantic.

They realized the woman would surely kill them if they were discovered.

Something had to be done. The only solution the spiders saw was to hide in the attic until Christmas was over and it was safe to come back down into the main living quarters.

The woman did a wonderful job and got everything done in time.The last thing she did was to bring in the Christmas tree.

Happy and satisfied she then went to bed.

The spiders in the attic were quite miserable. They longed to see the Christmas tree.

When the house was quiet and dark they concluded it was safe to crawl down and take a sneak peek at the Christmas tree.

The spiders were ecstatic. It was the most beautiful tree ever.

They got carried away and spend hours crawling all over the tree.

The Christ Child and the Cobweb

Early the next morning the Christ child arrived to bless the home. The Christ child was stunned when he saw the Christmas tree.

It was completely covered with cobweb.The Christ child understood what had happened. He adored the spiders as they also are the creation of God.

He realized that the woman living in the home probably would not appreciate the work of the spiders.

With gratitude and love he carefully touched the spider’s web.

Something magical happed.The spider’s web started to sparkle and shine of gold and silver. It was a spectacular sight!

Waking up on Christmas day the widow was lost for words when she saw the Christmas tree was covered when silver and gold threads.

Tears of joy and gratitude rolled down her cheek. The widow and her children had truly been blessed.

As a reminder of this special legend many hang tinsel on their Christmas tree.

Some will also include a spider ornament to make the tree perfect.

Athena and the Spider Arachne – Greek Myth

In Greek mythology Athena was the daughter of the mighty Zeus. Athena was goddess of wisdom, science and war.

She contributed to make life for humans a lot easier. This goddess gave the humans the olive tree, a gift so valuable the people voted her patron goddess of Athens.

Athena also taught the humans how to weave.

A young girl named Arachne loved weaving and became overly confident.

She bragged that she was the best weaver of all time and could weave better than any human or god. Athena was furious; how dare this girl claim to be the number one weaver?

It was outrageous and unthinkable that a mere human have greater talent than the goddess herself.

Athena challenged Arachne to a weaving competition. Arachne was good but Athena was better.

Athena had quite a temper and tore the work of Arachne into shreds. Arachne realizing her mistake of boasting she could outshine the great goddess became miserable.

She took off her belt and used it to hang herself.

Athena calmed down and took some kind of pity on the girl.

The goddess transformed Arachne into a spider.

Arachne and all her descendants would forever more spend their lives weaving. Interestingly the Greek word for spider is Arachne.

The Spider and The Prophet Muhammad

As the Prophet Muhammad started talking publically about his faith, the tripe leaders of Mecca were convinced that the Prophet Muhammad was a serious threat to their way of life and their old religion.

The Prophet Muhammad gained followers and an alarmingly fast rate. The tribe leaders concluded that an assassination was in order.

This was in June 622. The Prophet Muhammad was warned of the plot that the tribal leaders had to take his life.

During the night the Prophet Muhammad and his dear friend Abu Bakr slipped out and fled from Mecca.

Abu Bakr was the first person to declare that he was a Muslim outside the family members of the Prophet Muhammad. In 623 the Prophet Muhammad married Aisha who was the daughter of Abu Bakr.

Some sources state she was six years old when she married the Profit Muhammed.

The marriage was first consummated when she was nine years old and Muhammad was 53 years old.

Other sources state that Aisha must have been ten years old when she married the Prophet Muhammed and fifteen when the marriage was consumed. Read more about the age of Aisha here.)

At dawn it was discover that the Prophet Muhammad had disappeared.

The tribe members immediately went to search for the man they considered a threat to society.

The Prophet Muhammad and Abu Bakr found refuge in a cave.

Once inside the cave a spider appeared and started spinning a web.

The spider’s web quickly covered the entrance of the cave.

When the tribe members arrived to the place of the cave, they quickly moved on.

They took one glance at the web and concluded that no one recently had entered the cave.

The spider’s web had saved the lives of the Prophet Muhammad and Abu Bakr.

Read about the dreamcatcher