Cicadas are synonymous with hot climates and the warm summers. They are frequently found in the Southern United States, as well as various places in Asia.
They have been studied for centuries by cultures around the world, who have placed meanings upon them. These creatures have short lifetimes but have been proven to be very meaningful for many individuals and cultures around the globe.
If you are interested in finding out more about the short-lived Cicada and all they could mean to you, keep reading.
Symbolism and Meaning Of The Cicada
The Cicada can mean a number of things depending on if you are looking at it from a power, spirit, or totem animal. Similarly, their meanings in dreams and tattoos will differ greatly in some respects.
Generally, however, the Cicada is thought to be symbolic of rebirth, renewal, resurrection, transformation, and even fertility.

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The Cicada as a Spirit Animal
When the Cicada comes to you as your Spirit Animal, it may be a warning that you need to emerge from your hole and make yourself known to the world.
Hiding will not do you any good, and neither will sitting on the sidelines watching as everyone else achieves their goals. If the Cicada appears to you, you need to get up and start working on improving yourself so that you can push forward in life.
As the Cicada times their reemergence from the ground, you must time things in your life, too. Cicada Spirit Animal may appear to you to remind you to be patient and time the decisions in your life.
Your internal clock may not be quite right – maybe you are not sleeping at a good time – Cicada Spirit Animal will remind you to fix this.
Your biorhythm is extremely important, and you cannot make good decisions if your body and mind feel aimless and deprived. Once you have your cycles sorted out, you can make good decisions.

Additionally, the Cicada Spirit Animal may come to you to tell you that it is time to rid yourself of everything that is holding you back.
Like the Cicada sheds its skin as it grows, you need to shed everything that is not of use to you, that is holding you back, or that you have outgrown. This will allow you to stretch out and reveal who you are, and enable you to fully express yourself.
Like any change, this will not be comfortable, but it is necessary. Once you become aware of your past and all that holds you back, you then have the power to make a change and renew yourself in a new form.
Communication skills are incredibly important in day-to-day life, but also with yourself. You need to learn what your true voice is and how to effectively use it.
This will be unique to everyone, and it is essential to remember that you need to learn to communicate with your Higher Self frequently. By doing this you can gain inner wisdom, and nothing will be able to stop you in life.
To summarize, the Cicada may appear as your Spirit Animal if you:
- Need to stop hiding and make yourself known to the rest of the world
- Require to be rid of things that are holding you back
- Need to renew yourself or be reborn
- Require to learn to communicate better
- Need to reset your internal clocks
- Require to learn to communicate with yourself better
The Cicada As A Totem Animal
If the Cicada is your Totem Animal, you are probably a person who stands out from the crowd. You live life to the fullest and enjoy every breeze and sound you experience.
Sometimes, however, you like to take a step back and take a moment to have some time for yourself. You can fluctuate between singing your favorite songs at peak volume to lightly humming it to yourself.
Chances are, you love the sounds that nature has to offer. When you are out in nature, which is often, you always have one ear out to listen for the birds or sounds of running water.
The environment you find yourself in might give you clues and signs to help you make decisions, and you look out for them. Summer is your favorite, and the warmth it brings gives you joy like nothing else.
In the winter, however, life seems to get a little darker for those born with the Cicada Totem Animal. The cold does not suit you, and it never has, so you need to take proper care of yourself during this time.
Using things like sun lamps and getting your fill of cozy foods with plenty of vitamin D will be good for you. You might also like to try hobbies that are known to feed the spirit, like cooking or reading.
You need to try to stay happy until the sun shines again, but you also need to make the most of the colder months.
As someone born with the Cicada Totem Animal, you probably like to be around people and like to be a part of the community.
You enjoy expressing yourself in all kinds of art forms and like to connect with others. The friends you make are not fair weather, but will last a lifetime and will be with you until the end.
hose around you will learn that even though you are outgoing, you also need your time to yourself and the opportunity to reflect.
To summarize, if the Cicada is your Totem Animal, you:
- Love to socialize and be part of the community
- Like to reflect constantly
- Are happiest in the summer
- Dislike the winter and cold weather
- Stand out from the rest of the crowd
- Enjoy nature
- Live life to the fullest
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The Cicada As A Power Animal
You may need to reach out to Cicada Power Animal if you are beginning to feel like you are not empathetic enough towards both yourself and others. You may need help letting people into your life and allowing them to get past your hardened outer shell.
A Cicada Power Animal will help you to recognize when you should and should not be afraid of something, and when to let people in.
Cicada Power Animal can help you find your balance when it comes to being cautious or protecting yourself. Often, life is a matter of perspective.
Once you are able to empathize with people and understand their motives, you can better understand your own beliefs and thoughts. This will help you connect with people and effectively know which people you should or should not allow in your inner circle.
To summarize, you may call upon the Cicada Power Animal if you need help:
- Balancing your vulnerabilities
- With protection
- Getting a better perspective
- Being empathetic

The Cicada in Religion and Culture
The Cicada can be seen being mentioned in many cultures around the world. Although not many religions speak about the Cicada directly as they do with other creatures, they are mentioned in myths and legends all around the world.
In places like North America and Asia, Cicadas are mentioned numerous times by numerous people and cultures. These creatures were important to many Native American tribes and cultures, and also several cultures and sub-cultures in China and Japan.
Native American Symbolism of the Cicada
In many Native American cultures, like the Navajo, the Cicada is an influential symbol. The creation story of the Navajo, the Cicada, played an active role in exploring new worlds. In the Oraibi culture (in Arizona, the Cicada is a symbol of resurrection.
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Far Eastern Symbolism of the Cicada
Cicadas are sometimes used in burial customs in some Asian countries. Jade figurines of Cicadas are made and placed with the deceased – this is meant to ensure that the person who has passed will have a peaceful afterlife.
Doing this also means that the spirit of the person will be able to emerge, just like the Cicada does when they want to answer a message from loved ones or help them.
In places like Japan, the Cicada is a symbol of summer. These insects only live for a short time – about a month – but summer would not be summer without them.
Moreover, Cicadas are mentioned in numerous Japanese tales and poems, including ‘The Tale of Genji’, one of Murasaki Shikibu’s literature works.
In China, the Cicada is symbolic of harvest, fertility, and immortality. They are seen as the life-saving principle within the universe and are popular toggle designs in outfits. These artistic depictions of the Cicada are frequently made from jade, a beautiful green stone.
The Cicada is used in Feng Shui for longevity and to protect people against gossip.
What Do Cicadas Mean In Dreams?
Cicada dreams can be symbolic of a number of things. The meaning will depend on where you see the Cicada, when you see it, what it is going and even how many of them there are.
In general, however, Cicadas are symbolic of positive things but, like any dream, there can also be unpleasant meanings or even warnings.
According to many, dreaming about Cicadas means that you will soon come across various challenges in the upcoming days.
The dream is a message that you will need to solve these problems, rather than sweep them under the carpet and try to ignore them. To do this, you might have to go to others for help and gain wisdom to get through the rough patch.
Seeing a Cicada in your night vision could be a sign that you need to stop following the people around you. It is time to follow your own path and complete your own destiny rather than being a sheep. You need to make your own decisions and choose what is right for you, not those around you.
Dreaming about singing Cicadas is often a sign that you will soon be getting some good news in your life. This good news is likely to come from a loved one or someone else who is important to you. It can be about anything, so the possibilities are endless.
If you watch Cicadas emerge from their nests in the ground in your dream, be prepared for what is about to happen.
Good things are coming to you, and your days of struggling are about to come to an end. This dream means that it is finally your time to shine and live your life. You can finally take in a deep breath and enjoy some peace and prosperity.
Cicada dreams can be a sign that your health, or the health of your loved ones, is good. This message is sent to you just to put your mind at ease but is quite rare. Similarly, Cicada dreams can also mean that you and your loved ones are not struggling financially.
However, Cicada dreams can also symbolize that you are not being your authentic self. You may be trying to fit in too much, and are losing your identity. This dream can be taken as a warning that you need to be true to yourself and take action.
There are a few other meanings for Cicada dreams, which will be summarized below:
- Catching Cicadas in your dreams: You may be experiencing a health issue, and this issue is likely to get worse in the near future.
- Dreaming of dead Cicadas: If you dream about dead or dying Cicadas, you are probably going to be experiencing many difficulties and problems in your life, possibly in the near future.
- Dreaming about many Cicadas: Dreaming about a lot of Cicadas could mean that you will soon be getting some good news.
- Killing Cicadas in your dream: If you kill one or more Cicadas in your dream, this is a warning that you will soon find yourself fighting or arguing with your friends about something.
- Cicadas flying everywhere: If the Cicadas are flying all around you in your dream, you are getting a message that you will have success in your career.
- Chirping or singing Cicadas: Hearing the sound of singing Cicadas means that bad news is coming.
- The Cicadas sound irritated: Dreaming about annoyed or irritated=sounding Cicadas is a sign that you are either in good health already or that you soon will be in good health.
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The Cicada in Tattoos, Astrology and Spiritual Meanings
Cicadas can have different meanings depending on where they are being analyzed. Their tattoo meanings might differ from spiritual and Zodiac symbolism.
At times, you may want to learn to appreciate that sometimes things are as simple as they seem, and you do not have to search for meaning in everything you see. Cicadas, beautiful and strange as they are, can sometimes be appreciated simply for what they are.
However, if you are looking to find meaning in tattoos and astrology, then there are plenty of options for that, too.
Tattoos
People with Cicada tattoos might bet this insect to remind them about time and the timing in their life. The Cicada is known for its amazing timing when it emerges to breed, and only comes out when it has the fewest enemies. The Cicada tattoo can remind you that every event in your life has happened at the right time to get you to where you are now. This timing will continue on as long as you keep making the right decisions. It might be the perfect time to start that new career, or move to another country, or even invest in something. Although the tattoo itself cannot give you the answers you seek, it will remind you to be aware of them.
The Cicada is also symbols of rebirth and change. Throughout your life, you will change and be reborn through your experiences. As the Cicada becomes mature, it sheds its shell and is reborn as an adult. The shell they leave behind remains in perfect condition, unbroken and unscathed. This can be symbolic of the person we leave behind when we change and are reborn into the person we want to be, or at least get closer to it. Similarly, this rebirth of the Cicada can symbolize the rebirth we b=go through when we go from child to adult. We leave your childhood and our old life behind to start something new, becoming an entirely new person in the process.
Becoming a new person means getting rid of the old tendencies and habits that you do not want to be a part of your life. Like the Cicada leaves behind its intact shell, so must we in order to move forward and change. This insect spends a large part of its life in a safe place, like many of our childhoods are, and when they finally leave it they are reborn.
Cicadas are also symbolic of the past, present, and future. When the insect is in the ground, it represents the past, and when it comes to the surface it represents the present and future. Someone with a Cicada tattoo may have it to show that they are moving forward in life and are leaving the past in the past. They have their future to look forward to.
Many people associate the Cicada with sexuality and seduction – this is because of the mating song they sing. Their song can be heard from miles away, despite the insect being so small, and if you get too close while they sing your ears could even hurt.
It may sound strange, but many people will get a Cicada tattoo to symbolize romance or sensuality. Since the male Cicada will sing until the female arrives, they put in a lot of work to find their partner. This might be something that some would want to represent if they get a Cicada tattoo.
Not only can Cicadas be symbolic of rebirth and new life, but also the sun. These insects can symbolize our connection to the sun, as they love the heat. On hot summer days, they sing loud and let the world know of their presence.
The sun itself can represent nourishment, happiness, and outward expression, and the Cicada embodies these. Having a tattoo of a Cicada could be a reminder that you can and should express yourself. The words we say have meaning and can have an effect on the people around us.
This means that, although we need to express ourselves, we should also be respectful in how we do it.
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Astrology
While there is no official Cicada Zodiac sign in any known astrology, there is a ‘Southern Version’ of the Zodiac.
In the Southern Version of the Zodiac, you might consider all the regular Zodiac signs such as Pisces, Virgo, Libra, etc., and compare them to Southern creatures. For example, the Zodiac sign Taurus is compared to a Bullfrog, Virgo is an Armadillo, and Aries is the Cicada.
The Cicada version of the Aries Zodiac is described as someone who is both always ready to fight and always screaming.
Take from that what you will, but it is entertaining nonetheless.
Spiritual
The Cicada’s spiritual meaning is often linked with renewal, rebirth, personal change, and transformation. These insects go through changes in their life, much like butterflies and some other insects do and reappear as their final form.
This kind of insect and the change it goes through has always been symbolic of rebirth and renewal, as the insect emerges as a new creature. This renewal can be linked to the changes that people go through in life and the experiences that change them.
The Cicada in Mythology and Folklore
Cicadas are mentioned in many mythologies and folklore around the world, but they all point to the same thing – resurrection and rebirth.
As people noticed the cycles of the Cicada, they quickly began to associate them with the idea of being reborn and rising again. As a result, no matter where you look, the Cicada represents the same thing in mythology.
An Overview Of The Cicada’s Symbolism and Meanings
The most common Cicada symbolism include:
- Cooperation
- Empathy
- Endurance
- Expressiveness
- Illumination
- Long life
- Love
- Patience
- Personal Change
- Rebirth
- Renewal
- Transformation
- Worship

Final Thoughts
The Cicada is an interesting insect that can be symbolic of many things. They have many meanings that are shared across the world, such as renewal, rebirth, and transformation.
Despite that, they are held to varying degrees of importance in different religions, as some make no mention of them.
Even though they may not be recognized worldwide for their symbolism, they are important to many. These creatures are smart and well-loved in the areas they are native to, such as the Southern United States and parts of Asia.
If you feel like you have a connection with the singing Cicada, find out more about them. This insect may be the next one to help you get through the difficulties in life and help you be more empathetic and open-minded to the people around you.
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