Dragonfly Meaning and Symbolism

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The dragonfly is a winged insect that often symbolizes change, transformation, and rebirth because it goes through many periods of change in its lifecycle.

Dragonflies often inhabit areas with water, such as lakes, ponds, streams, and rivers. As we’ve discussed many times, water is a symbol for your emotions. For this reason, the dragonfly reminds us to look to our hearts to identify what we might need to change in our life.

What it Means to Dream About a Dragonfly

When we dream about a dragonfly, we often see several themes present in the meaning of the dream. Let’s explore these in more detail:

Adapting to New Situations

Dragonflies have the capability of changing their color, which symbolizes adaptability. For this reason, dragonflies represent transformation and change in the outside world as well as your inner world.

To see a dragonfly often indicates you need to be flexible in life and make the necessary changes presented in front of you. Approach new and different situations with an open mind.

Rebirth and Renewal

The dragonfly’s ability to shift from one form to another makes them a popular symbol for reincarnation because they are able to recreate themselves with each life cycle.

This dragonfly is constantly changing and evolving, giving us hope that our own lives can do the same.

We go through many cycles of rebirth in our own lives: starting a new career, starting new relationships, starting over after a loss. Each time we begin again we have the wisdom from the past to help us make better choices to improve our lives.

Joy and Happiness

Another common theme we see with dragonflies is a sense of joy and happiness. You may feel carefree and light – like a dragonfly!

When you dream of a dragonfly, you are often in an upbeat mood. This may be the time to take on new challenges – like starting a new career or relationship – or focus on building joy and happiness into your life with activities like hobbies and spending time with friends.

Searching for Truth and Avoiding Illusions

Dragonflies change colors to deceive predators. We may see a dragonfly in our dreams to remind us that not everything may be as it appears.

You may be seeking the truth in a situation, or feel like someone is hiding something from you. It may feel like you’re being deceived.

The dream may be showing you that you are not seeing the whole story, and you need to search for what is truly real in your surroundings.

Common Dragonfly Dream Scenarios

Dreaming of a Dragonfly Flying Over a Pond or Lake

To see a dragonfly over a pond or lake indicates you are feeling something in your life may have grown stagnant. In order to change, you must get in touch with your real feelings and understand the why behind your actions.

Dreaming of a Dragonfly Landing on You

If a dragonfly lands on you, it means that spirit is trying to communicate with you. Dragonflies are often viewed as messengers between the realms of the spiritual world and physical world.

Your intuition will be giving you information that you may need to hear. Listen to your dreams and place your trust in the messages they are trying to share with you.

Dreaming of Being Attacked by a Dragonfly

Dragonflies are not aggressive creatures, so to be attacked by one in a dream means that you are feeling confused with a situation, or someone in your life is being overbearing and aggressive with you.

This dream may be telling you to stick up for yourself and a reminder that you deserve to be treated with respect.

Dreaming of a Dragonfly in a Jar or Box

Dreaming about a dragonfly in a jar can mean that you are trying to contain your feelings. You may feel captive in a situation in your life, unable to escape or change.

Dreaming of Swatting or Killing a Dragonfly

To dream of harming a dragonfly means you are not willing to change. You may be ignoring an important message that can positively transform your life.

Dreaming of a Dead Dragonfly

When dragonflies die, they lose all of their color. To see a dead dragonfly in your. dream indicates that you may have lost your passion in life. You may feel as if you are not connected to anyone or anything.

How to Interpret Your Dragonfly Dream

Now that we’ve gone over the common themes, let’s help you interpret your dream about dragonflies.

Ask yourself these questions:

What brings me joy in life?
What things in my life need to change?
Am I seeing everything in my life clearly?
What new things do I wish to bring to my life?

As always, you are the best person to interpret what your dreams mean. Think carefully about the context of the dragonfly in your dream and how it relates to the current situations in your life.

You may also wish to consider the color of the dragonfly in your dream. For example, blue represents insight and intuition, while yellow indicates warm feelings. Green dragonflies are associated with abundance and personal growth.

Learn more about the color meanings in dreams here.

The Dragonfly is A Reminder to Follow Your Heart

If you dream about dragonflies often or you own an item that has a dragonfly on it, it’s important to take note of the feelings that come up when you think about or see this symbol.

Your dreams, artwork, or décor items can serve as subtle reminders for how to improve your life.

Related Dream Symbols to the Dragonfly

If you dream about a dragonfly, you may also wish to look at these related dream symbol meanings to gain further insight into what your dream means:

Also be sure you read our guide on how to interpret dreams to fully understand what this dream means for you and how you can apply that wisdom in your day-to-day life.

Did you have a dream about a dragonfly? What does the dragonfly symbolize for you? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!

Dragonfly Meaning and Symbolism