Are you scared of cockroaches? Ever wondered what they represent spiritually, as an animal totem?
Then this article is for you! As a professional psychic, I believe that everything in life can be a sign from our Higher Self and Spirit Guides – even bugs.It’s summertime in Brisbane and I have a confession to make. Recently I’ve developed a phobia of cockroaches. This fear has been growing, as there are quite a few living in our current house.We live next to the forest and are used to wildlife (snakes, birds, lizards etc) visiting us, especially when we chant or meditate. However the sight of cockroaches in the baby’s nursery and on my toothbrush (!!) sent me squealing to my partner Kris this week.
Kris is a vegetarian, who is constantly saving critters from imminent death. He’ll stop for even the smallest spider or frog and help it to safety no matter where we are. On the other hand, I like animals but also eat meat (it’s one of the dietary changes that helped me to recover from an eating issue). I also went to an agricultural high school, where we used to make insect collections and raise animals for slaughter, so I come from a different angle. I still bless my food and eat organic, but see myself at the top of the food chain, whereas Kris believes all living things are equal.
Anyhow – so I asked Kris to find a humane way to get rid of the cockroaches. He Googled it, and decided to make a banana-honey-Vaseline trap. Here’s what happened next:
Sarah: Kris, have you caught any cockroaches yet?
Kris: Um, it looks like I need to make a better trap.
Sarah: How come?
Kris: Well, the honey is pooling at the bottom of the container, so the cockroaches are just lapping it up and walking away. I just watched one have a drink.
Sarah: Great, so you created Happy Hour in our kitchen. I was hoping to evict the roaches, not create a hotel for them!
We both laughed, until I had tears in my eyes. It’s so typical of Kris that he would end up pampering the cockroaches.
He’s the kind of person who catches butterflies with his bare hands. They love to sit on his finger. So it looks like I need to practice detachment until Kris finds a better solution. In the past, I’ve heard that cockroaches are a sign that we need to let go of keeping up appearances. Have a read of the following ideas and let me know what you think?
The Spiritual Meaning of Cockroaches
-In numerology, Cockroach adds to 41/5, the same vibration as the phrase Yin/ Yang. The number 5 relates to the Throat (5th) Chakra, or neck, which is about seeing things from both sides and being flexible with our opinions. The Yin/ Yang symbol represents balance – nothing is ever completely black or white, except in our thinking.
In other words, there are benefits to having cockroaches around. Did you know that cockroaches are a food source for other species? They also return nitrogen to the soil, which is essential for plant growth. Plus, children who are exposed to cockroaches, pets and other household dirt are thought to develop better immune systems. Scientist are even studying cockroaches for their health benefits – they are being used for medicine in China even as I type this.
What Do Cockroaches Represent? What is their Animal Totem Meaning? Cockroaches represent authenticity. They don’t hide who they are or what they do. They just get on with their lives, whether you approve of them or not!
If you keep seeing cockroaches, or have a fear of them, it might be time to ask yourself:
-Where do I wear a mask? Where do I say one thing and do another? Do I put on a happy face when someone is actually making my skin crawl?!
-Where do I need to clean up in life? E.g. physically/ emotionally.
-Where are there ‘bugs’ in my thinking?
-Am I willing to do the ‘dirty work’ needed to eliminate my baggage? Or do I stand back and criticise myself instead?
-Do I see the world as a hostile place, where everything is a competition and I have to ‘kill or be killed’?
-Do I share what I have? Cockroaches are extremely cooperative and guide each other to food sources so the group can thrive.
-Where am I barely surviving? Cockroaches can live without food for a month, but that doesn’t mean they enjoy starvation.
-Do I judge people who have less money or choices than me?
-Do I feel safer in the shadows, even though I need the light?
-Have I been feeling isolated? Cockroaches are social creatures who need physical contact with each other for good health. Read more in this BBC article.
There are many ways to overcome a fear of cockroaches, including hypnosis, NLP, kinesiology etc. but in my experience, you’ll only be cured when you understand that nothing in this world can harm your Immortal Soul.
I hope this article has given you some new perspectives on cockroaches and their spiritual or metaphysical significance. I’m not advocating that you let them overrun your house (remember, the Yin/ Yang is about balance!), but I do encourage you to look beyond appearances when they turn up in your life. In this beautiful Universe, everyone and everything is made of the same energy – when we judge others, we cut off from part of ourselves, and lose power.
A final, true story: The last time I tried to kill a cockroach, I grabbed a magazine and went to hit it. Just before I delivered the fatal blow, I looked at the picture on the cover. It was the Dalai Lama! I looked into the eyes of the Dalai Lama, back at the eyes of the cockroach and then put the magazine down. I swear, the cockroach cheered before it ran away. Call me soft-hearted but my life changed that day. I realised that I could keep pumping out violence into the world, or start living consciously. I chose the latter! Thank you critters, Kris, and the Universe, for opening my eyes forever. P.S. Byron Katie had her awakening after a cockroach walked over her foot – read Jena Griffith’s article for more. Jena and I met recently in Brisbane – she also analyses hands for a living. See our story, for my take on fingerprints and personality.
Related Links
Detox Relationships Meditation – helps you clear buggy thinking
Fear of Spiders – What’s the Spiritual Meaning? Spider Animal Totems and 35/8 Numerology Explained
