Wondering about the spiritual meaning of the praying mantis is understandable, because even its name seems to carry symbolism. Per National Geographic, this insect got its name from the position they often hold their long front legs in. It resembles a person folding their hands in prayer. “Mantis” also comes from the Greek word for “prophet” or “seer.” But the spiritual symbolism goes beyond its name alone.
To dig deeper into the praying mantis lore, Parade spoke with Lisa Weikel, a shamanic practitioner with her own healing practice. She knows firsthand about meaningful animal encounters—including those with praying mantises, which she has encountered while on walks with her dogs.
Praying mantises are somewhat rare creatures to come across. Of the thousands of species within the mantid order, most prefer to live in tropical regions. Only about 20 species live in the Unites States, and those are most commonly found along the east coast or in the more southern parts of the country. Globally, National Geographic says that they are found throughout Central and South America, parts of Africa, along many Australian coasts and southern portions of Europe and Asia.
If you have seen a praying mantis recently (or a lot of them) and want to know more about their spiritual symbolism—including if they’re good luck or a bad omen—Weikel delves into everything you need to know.
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What Does It Mean When You See a Praying Mantis?
Weikel says that different cultures have historically assigned different meanings to the praying mantis. For Greek culture, as their “mantis” prophet name suggests, Weikel says they were often thought to “bring knowledge of the future.”
In Eastern cultures, the praying mantis is connected to both stillness and power. Weikel says that the image of the mantis is “often associated with the martial arts” like kung fu or tai chi. (A praying mantis was a main character in the kids movie Kung Fu Panda for a reason.)
She adds that some African cultures also “look for messages when [a] praying mantis appears.”
Praying Mantis Spiritual Meaning and Symbolism
This insect is known for sitting still while they wait to strike their prey, and they so easily blend into their surroundings that “they are often mistaken for twigs or sticks,” Weikel says.
Because of these natural tendencies, the praying mantis is “almost universally known for representing the power of stillness” as well as “the quality of patience,” she explains.
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Is a Praying Mantis Good Luck?
“Most cultures, I believe, have a pretty ‘positive’ interpretation when praying mantis shows up,” Weikel says. But she adds that, in her own opinion, “nothing is inherently either/or” when it comes to good or bad luck. She recounts a time when she came across a dead owl, which some might suggest is a negative symbol. But for her, it represented being brought a message, “which actually dramatically influenced my life for the good,” she explains.
She adds, “It all depends upon how people approach life. If they approach signs, messages and seemingly random encounters with the natural world from a place of fear, they will probably find something scary happening in their lives to confirm that approach.”
And vice versa with regards to it being a potential sign of good luck.
Seeing a Green Praying Mantis Meaning
Praying mantis species can come in different colors, like brown, green or yellow. You might be most familiar with the green variety, as those are often depicted in photos, movies and so on.
As for whether the green variety means anything in particular, Weikel says, “Discovering mantises of different colors might have significance. As always, it can depend upon the person ‘receiving’ the message.”
For instance, maybe the color green is significant to the person for other reasons, and so it might seem important to see a mantis of that color, specifically.
However, Weikel says that, more likely, the color of the mantis really just reflects its own natural environment as they blend in and wait for prey. “Not all details, and not all encounters with creatures, have meaning or specific application to our lives,” she says.
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Is This Insect a Bad Omen?
Weikel acknowledges that some cultures may attribute a “trickster energy” to the mantis, being that it lies in wait to strike its prey. She adds that many people also know the lore of how a female praying mantis may sometimes eat their partner after mating. With that backstory, some may be quick to think of the insect in a negative way. However, not all members of the species partake in this type of cannibalism, per PBS.
Perception is everything when it comes to interpreting a so-called symbol of good luck or a potential bad omen. “Sometimes people can get really carried away with looking for symbols, messages or omens,” Weikel reveals.
What To Do if You Keep Seeing Praying Mantises
If praying mantises are repeatedly appearing in your life, Weikel says you may want to confront that.
“If someone were to ask me to help them discern the ‘message’ of praying mantis if it was showing up in their life, I would probably first suggest that they … get really quiet, cease all external movements, including talking, and spend some time being extremely observant of what’s going on around them.”
She adds you can do this via meditation or even a shamanic journey to gain better insight, explaining that one of the most powerful ways to discover what something represents is to just “ask the energy of that creature what message it is bringing.”
“A lot of times, we can be so distracted by the ‘busyness’ of life unfolding all around us that we miss information or opportunities that are being presented to us if we would only stop, be still and really pay attention,” she says.
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Praying Mantis Tattoo Meaning
If the symbolism of a praying mantis speaks to you, you could want to commemorate the animal with a meaningful tattoo. The image you choose to get can really represent whatever you want. But since the overall symbolism of the praying mantis is often associated with stillness and patience, a tattoo version can be a good reminder to focus on those traits within your own life.
Most social media sites have powerful tattoo renditions of praying mantises if you need a little inspiration for your own image. It’s all about finding whatever speaks to you.
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Source:
- Lisa Weikel is a shamanic practitioner with a background in psychology. She has a shamanic healing practice and you can find her written work on Substack.