Cockroach: Spiritual Meaning, Dream Meaning, Symbolism & More

Are you adept at seeing through people’s guises? Do you need guidance in the dark? The humble cockroach could be there to guide you through. 

Mastering the art of shapeshifting and survival no matter the cost, the cockroach is a wily insect. It can survive anything that is thrown its way.

Even in a nuclear winter, a cockroach will prevail, and can successfully make its home wherever it needs to.

The cockroach is an insect that is built to endure all hardships. 

When you think about spirit animals and guides to help us along our universal path, the cockroach is definitely not at the top of the list!

In fact, it’s easy to ignore altogether. The cockroach is usually a symbol of revulsion. No one wants one in their home and to look at them makes us feel dirty and gross.

However, he may surprise you. The cockroach is a strong symbol of endurance, resilience, and overcoming the odds.

Do you feel you could use some of the cockroach’s strength in your current life predicaments?

In Shamanic perspectives, the cockroach is a creature of darkness, he crawls from the shadows and is associated with deep secrets and mysteries.

Darkness is a normal part of life. We need it to renew ourselves and the light only exists if we can balance it out with the realm of darkness.

There are things we cannot know, and mysteries beyond our grasp but within the darkness, there is also space to heal and regroup ourselves before we can tough it out in the daylight. 

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The cockroach can also symbolize community, certain types of cockroaches can share the shelter, forage together, and share information.

They use chemical signals to cooperate in the wild and work together for a common goal.

There are over 4000 different types of cockroaches in the world, many of which have been around since the era of the dinosaurs and beyond!

They symbolize continuity, adaption, and development. Some breeds can even live up to ten years! 

From an ecological point of view, it may not seem important but it is an essential part of the food chain and supports the survival of birds and lizards.

They can also be used as food and are a basis for many folklore medicines and cures. 

Spirit Animal

As a spirit animal, the cockroach can bring several different points to your attention. The most important message it brings is to survive.

You may feel as if you are failing, and unworthy of love and attention. It may seem odd, but it tells you not to give up no matter what the situation is.

They can weather all storms and stand strong in the face of adversity, and the cockroach spirit animal can help you to weather your storms as well. 

You may see the cockroach in a negative light, from a purely human perspective, but open up your mind and see it as a creature of the universe.

In the same regard, the cockroach can be a sign that you are judging someone too harshly. Are you looking at someone at face value and refusing to see the true potential of someone?

Perhaps it’s time for you to rid yourself of your preconceptions and view a person or situation in a more positive light.

Embrace the cockroach spirit animal and gain some new perspective. It may be just what you need right now to push forwards. 

The cockroach may be there to ask you to question your decisions and choose your next step carefully.

You may be at a crossroads in your life, do you choose the path of safety and comfort, or do you risk it all where the rewards could be plentiful? Do you choose to give up or will you persevere? 

Day by day, the cockroach is tenacious and wily, he can traverse any terrain and is even resistant to some radiation.

Where others falter and give in, the cockroach can survive, and not just that, he can thrive. 

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Totem Animal

Those with the cockroach totem have unlimited tenacity. They can get through anything and are the hardiest, even if they are also the most challenged and persecuted. 

Those with the cockroach as their totem are grounded in reality, they see the truth of the world, have the strength to face their challenges head-on and can keep their heads above water without giving in. 

The cockroach totem is social and relies on others, but can stand firm by themselves if they need to, those with the cockroach totem may like to talk about shared interests and can adapt to social situations and get the most out of people around them. 

With the cockroach as your totem, you have the power to reinvent yourself, take on new challenges, and bring the best, most renewed version of yourself to every situation.

You also have the power to get to the bottom of things and press until you find the truth about people and situations that others may avoid.  

Power Animal

You can look to the power of the cockroach when life seems hopeless.

Call on the cockroach when you feel like all hope is lost and you can’t seem to find your way through the darkness, he can help you make it through the toughest of times.

He can find his way out of any situation and navigate the darkest of paths, your first instinct may be to retreat from the cockroach’s guidance and give up but he is a stalwart ally and will not fail you if you put your trust in the cockroach power animal. 

If you find yourself flailing in social situations and losing your grip on other people’s interests, turn to the cockroach power animal as he can help you communicate your needs better to others and share in his message of cooperation for the greater good of all parties. 

If you are at the precipice of heavy change and transformation, you may be scared to take the leap of faith, the fear of failing is holding you back.

Just think of the hardy cockroach who seems small and insignificant in the path of the universe but is tougher than he looks.

He can take on the impossible. Whatever challenges are thrown in your path, it will guide you through. 

Native American Symbolism

Whilst there is no specific meaning assigned to the cockroach in Native American folklore, they can be a powerful omen. 

If a cockroach appears in your home, it is a sign that you are about to receive an unwelcome house guest.

If you are visited by a swarm of cockroaches or other insects, it is a sign of dark magic and linked to a curse on the household. 

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Dreams

If you have a dream in which a cockroach is present, have a think about how it visited you as this can alter the meaning of the dream. 

It is usually a message that in order to survive you may have to adapt and change in order to weather a coming storm.

As the cockroach can manipulate its body to slip past unnoticed, it may be time for you to leave a situation that is causing you harm in order to protect yourself and ensure your survival.

If you have a bad gut feeling that you have been ignoring, it may be time to wise up and take action in order to protect yourself. 

If you see a cockroach eating food or scraps, it may be taken as a sign that your hard work is about to pay off, perhaps you have survived on the bare minimum for long enough and your reward is on its way for all your self-sacrifice. 

Alternatively, if you have a dream that cockroaches are crawling on your body, it is your sign that someone will try and test your patience.

A hurdle may be ahead of you that you will not be able to control, but whilst you may not be able to control the outcome, you can control how you react to the situation and speak openly and honestly about your thoughts and feelings.

Deception and self-delusion have no place in the coming situation, it is time to confront your feelings and communicate as the cockroach would. 

A dream of a dead cockroach can mean two very opposing things depending on your interpretation.

You will either be overcoming a trying time and you should get ready for regeneration and new life, or it is a warning that you need to look after your spiritual, and mental health by escaping a situation and ensuring your survival. 

Far Eastern Cockroach Symbolic Meanings

The cockroach is known as Xiao Quiang, which means ‘little mighty one’ in China. Though the cockroach may be small, it can withstand so much.

It can also regenerate limbs and is a symbol of survival against all odds. Some people consider it unlucky to kill one in your home. 

Tattoo Meaning

The cockroach will not rest until its goals are achieved, it will travel to the ends of the earth and persevere through the most trying of times to get what it wants.

Situations that would mentally and physically destroy another animal, the cockroach can master.

Therefore, a cockroach tattoo can symbolize tenacity and strength against the craziest of odds. 

The cockroach can also be a symbol of humble beginnings and not forgetting where you come from even when you succeed, which you inevitably will!

Hard work, talent, and intelligence are all traits that the cockroach can symbolize, those who have cockroach tattoos may have overcome great odds and used these skills to make the most of a bad situation. 

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Spiritual Meaning

The spiritual meaning of the cockroach is to never give up. You can power through the most unfortunate of situations with the cockroach by your side.

The spiritual meaning of the cockroach is to persevere and find your inner strength in order to survive. 

All that matters is getting past the hurdle in front of you. If you are visited by a cockroach, do not see it at face value.

The spirit of the cockroach is there to show you that all you have to do is believe in yourself.

You too can be like a cockroach. You can survive and thrive if you just keep going forward on your journey. 

The spirit of the cockroach tells you that you must look past face value. A situation may seem hopeless at first glance.

How will you overcome this? Would everyone else crumble in this situation?

Yes, maybe they would, but you are not just anyone. You are more than you first appear and much like the cockroach you will beat the odds and survive. 

Cockroach in Astrology & Zodiac Signs

The cockroach does not have any specific meaning or animal symbolism in the zodiac but is universally acknowledged as a symbol of strength, perseverance, and hardiness. 

Cockroach in Cuban & African Folklore

The cockroach is historically used as a term to describe people who are facing hardship, persecution, or extermination, but will not be easily overcome.

It is a derogatory term historically used to dehumanize people and make them seem subhuman, and thus easier to overcome. 

The cockroach however can be seen to have a dual meaning here, those who earn this derogatory terminology are often hardy, strong-willed, and will not be bowled over by invading and most often colonial forces. 

The cockroach in African folklore often represents someone who is a realist and tells things like they are, not sugar coating the truth.

They are also symbols of minding your own business and knowing your place. 

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Symbolic Meanings

Final Thoughts

So you see? The cockroach is not so bad after all. He can overcome even the most spectacular of odds and come out stronger on the other side.

He represents teamwork, strategy, and coping through the roughest of situations. Use the lesson of the cockroach and be careful to not judge a person or a situation at face value.

There may be a message you can gain from them. The cockroach is often used as a representation of something that will not die.

Use its symbolism to power you to move forward, the cockroach is there to lend you its strength in your darkest hour and you will survive whatever you are being challenged with. 

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