What is the spiritual meaning of earwig?
Introduction
When it comes to insects like the earwig, we can often find ourselves repulsed by their presence.
To most, earwigs are nothing more than damaging insects that we should do our best to eliminate. However, if you listen to spiritual thinking, the earwig might have a bigger role in our lives than we first imagine.
For example, there are various forms of earwig spiritual meanings out there.
The earwig has a rich and interesting history, from their connection to religious scripture to their connections to magic and witchcraft.
To help you better understand the various forms of earwig spiritual meanings, let us break down some of the key factors about this creature.
Hopefully, you will feel more confident dealing with the earwig should it present itself to you in your daily life.
Instead of seeing them as a pest or a menace, the below will hopefully show you that the earwig is much more than this.
Earwig – Spiritual Meanings:
Are Earwigs A Sign Of Danger?
As you might be aware, many people see the earwig as dangerous.
Old tales tell us they will try to climb within our ears and bore a hole into our brains. This, naturally, is not true at all.
Many, though, naturally dislike the earwig because it has such a ghastly appearance. In general, though, most conventional ideas about the earwig are incorrect.
No, an earwig will not try and climb into your ear. No, it will not try and get to your bear. And no, it will not take control of you like some parasitic overlord!
Although the name earwig literally comes from these old tales, it is not true.
Thanks to these tales, though, many people are wrongly led to believe that the earwig is a dangerous creature. It is nothing of the sort. They might have a stinger, but they are unlikely to use it on you.
Often, an earwig will only really resort to violence when it has to fight off and survive.
In their day-to-day lives, the earwig is quite useful in the outdoor world.
They help eat pests that could damage the soil and land. If you come across an earwig in your garden, it is not something you should worry about.
They should be left alone and only dealt with if you find an earwig has made its way into your home. Even then, if left to their own devices, most earwigs will eventually make their way back outdoors and return to their normal existence.
Are They A Sign Of Invasion?
Given the earwig spends most of its time burrowing into your home through areas you cannot see, they are often viewed as invaders. Therefore, the earwig’s spiritual meaning is a sign of impending invasion and risk to many.
Consequently, looking closely at what an earwig might mean should they enter your home would be best.
If you feel like you are constantly under attack from various challenges in life, then the presence of something malign like the earwig is unlikely to help change that train of thought. By the same token, though, earwig infestations can be simply down to logic.
They like cold, damp areas that have moisture – if your home has dampness, then it is a place they might choose to reside, especially during the winter.
If you find earwigs in your home, it is not always a spiritual sign that you are being invaded. You need to first look for the logical reasons as to why an earwig might have turned up. Could they have found comfort in the form of your home because the conditions are right?
Of course, if you are dealing with the feeling that your life is constantly being invaded, then it might be easy to see the presence of earwigs as something more profound.
Earwigs In Our Dreams: What Does This Mean?
To many spiritually-minded people, our dreams are a natural breeding ground for spiritual thought and conclusions. As such, if you start to find that your dreams regularly focus on an earwig, it might be a sign that you are dealing with issues that must be resolved.
Earwigs in your dreams could be down to the face that you need to stay focused.
The earwig is an invasive being; thus, appearing in your dreams can seem like a worrying sign. It might be a deeper sign that you are facing off against a potential invasion of your personal space and life.
As such, it becomes vital that you can create a way to find out what is causing you to have these dreams.
By dealing with this invasion of your personal life, you might find that the earwig stops appearing to you in your dreams. However, some also see the earwig appearing in dreams as a sign to re-focus and to stay committed to the path that you are on.
The Need To Adapt
Another spiritual meaning of earwigs can be found in the idea that they are adaptable creatures – and it is, therefore, a sign that you need to adapt. The earwig constantly adapts to new environments and surroundings.
They are usually posed with new threats and challenges. Thus, the earwig can be a spiritual connector for those who feel we are losing a battle against day-to-day life.
Earwigs in your dreams or regularly seen in day-to-day life can be a spiritual representation of your need to adapt.
The earwig constantly adapts to new surroundings, and the earwig appearing in your dreams could be a sign that you need to do the same.
You might find that you are second-guessing yourself a lot: the earwig can help you see that you probably need to stay true to your instinct.
The Power Of Reflection
The other primary spiritual meaning of the earwig is that it can build around the need for personal reflection.
These personal reflections are so important because they can go a long way to helping you make sense of studying where your life is at this moment in time.
The earwig is commonly associated with the need to re-focus on the journey and the path ahead.
This frequently needs us to be self-reflective to properly assess where we are in life at this moment in time.
Before you begin to adapt or commit to a specific path, earwigs can be a sign that you need to reflect on everything that has brought you to this point.
Other Meanings About Earwigs
Earwigs In House Meaning: What Does This Represent?
If you find an earwig in your house, as mentioned above, we do not recommend that you feel any danger or terror.
The earwig is simply not going to bother you in that kind of way.
One common earwig spiritual meaning is that being in your home shows the presence of pests and potential dangers to your home. However, a less spiritual reason for the earwigs in households is the presence of dampness.
Earwigs love dampness and will take to any home with a damp presence in the walls. Most of the time, the earwig will find a place to reside in your damp home and out of the way.
This could be a basement/cellar-type location, or it could find damp places in your home that you cannot see. This could, for example, be behind cabinets or storage.
However, once the earwig is in your house, they will spend most of their time gorging on other creatures. This will include creatures like cockroaches so that they can do you a favor.
Many spiritual believers, though, see the presence of the earwig in houses as a sign that your home requires some cleansing. The earwig is not something that spiritual believers see as a positive sign.
Getting rid of the earwig is often recommended if you come across a collection of them in your house. If you have found some earwigs, do not hesitate to get rid of them.
We recommend using a humane option to eliminate the earwigs, though, as many people resort to more damaging methods that kill the creatures outright using insecticides.
The generally accepted earwig spiritual meaning when found in your home is that your home needs some cleansing or care. Whether or not you agree with this sentiment is entirely up to you – it is your home, after all!
READ MORE: Black and Blue Butterfly: Meaning
The Earwig In The Bible: What Does Scripture Say?
If you are a reader of scripture, then you will know that the earwig appears prominently within Leviticus in the Bible. This particular creature is mentioned in Leviticus when a list of unclean animals unsuitable for eating is given.
There are various reasons in the bible about why we should not engage with or eat the earwig. The most common reason given, though, is that the earwig is a ‘detestable’ creature that is unclean and contains a stinger. We should avoid eating anything with a stinger.
Why is this mentioned in the bible? There are various interpretations out there. Many believe that the reason the earwig is mentioned in the bible is their naughty behavior.
Even though earwigs are more or less harmless to us as humans, they are often viewed with a very negative glance by people who have just come across an earwig for the first time.
The earwig, then, is mentioned in the bible as something we should avoid eating because they are unclean and dangerous. However, in terms of an earwig’s spiritual meaning, little else is remarked upon in Leviticus. Instead, this section lists the earwig as a creature we should avoid consuming.
When one looks at the earwigs, it is easy to see why so many people find them uneasy to look at and interact with.
They look quite menacing, and the presence of that sharp-tailed stinger is why many people would avoid dealing with an earwig entirely.
However, despite what is mentioned in the bible, the earwig is not something we should necessarily fear. Per the bible, though, never put an earwig on your dinner plate – no matter how ambitious your diet is.
READ MORE: Cicada: spiritual meanings
Earwigs in Witchcraft: Are Earwigs Used In Magic?
Lastly, the earwig holds a pretty interesting purpose regarding spell casting.
For example, it’s common for many people to use earwigs in spellcasting because they have a unique ability, according to some, to pass on secrets about other people.
This could also be why the old tale about being in our ears comes from: many spells ask that you use an earwig to cast a spell on another person.
If you can catch an earwig and place it in your ear, some believe they share interesting secrets about other people. Whether that is true or not depends on your own spiritual beliefs. In witchcraft lore, though, the earwig can be a good way to learn secrets about other people – secrets that can be used to craft potent spells.
However, a more positive take on earwigs in witchcraft comes down to their use within magical amulets and ornaments. Many witches will store earwigs within an amulet or a piece of jewelry. It is believed that they might be capable of helping to repel evil energy and malevolent spirits.
Wearing an amulet that contains an earwig’s body or is made entirely from the body of an earwig can provide you with protection. This is a common belief within earwigs; it is why we so commonly come across amulets and jewelry at witchcraft events that might use an earwig within the design.
So, are earwigs used in witchcraft? Absolutely. Like many smaller insects and creatures, they make the ideal warding and protective aid in many of these spells and creations.
They are also commonly used in the creation of potions. Many witches will use various insects to craft different vials and potions, and the earwig is a commonly used ingredient.
There is, then, a long history of being able to associate earwigs with witchcraft. Whether or not you believe in their power to be used in potent spellcasting is up to you, but there are connections between earwigs and mysticism.
READ MORE: Green Lacewing: Spiritual Meanings
Final Thoughts
As you can see, there are various spiritual meanings of earwigs.
Some come down to religious scripture that marks them as unclean; others note that the presence of earwigs indoors indicates the need for a spiritual cleansing.
Others even suggest that these earwigs might be listening into conversation!
So, various spiritual meanings exist around the earwig.
Your challenge is finding the meaning you feel most comfortable with so that you can give it your utmost focus, attention, and concentration.
We all have our own beliefs, but the consensus is that earwigs are not the dangerous monsters they are made out to be in some parts of spiritual thinking and scripture.
They are, though, often signs of potential spiritual or material infestation that you should make clearing out a priority.
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Irina is a co-founder and author at AwakeningState.com, an online magazine launched in 2016 that aims to expand consciousness every day. Offering eye-opening articles on a range of topics, Irina strives to provide unique insights into personal growth, covering areas such as spiritual awakening, health, lifestyle, nature, and science.