If you’ve been reading our blog posts for a while, you may have noticed we love the symbolism behind ocean creatures. Among those creatures are the crabs, a recent addition to our jewelry designs, rich in symbolism and meaning.
Crabs are crustaceans (in the same order as lobsters and crayfish) and are one of the most distinguishing arthropod creatures. Crabs can bounce forward but also have ingenious legs that let them quickly rush sideways when a predator ambushes them. An assertive marine creature that uses its strong claws, exoskeleton, and antennae to sense, protect and defend itself from predation.
For many people, crabs are symbolic and a source of wisdom. They are both totem and spirit animals, and we can relate most of their traits to different life situations. These traits include resilience, adaptability, growth, and resourcefulness, and each can impart important lessons.
In today’s post, you will discover the symbolism, power, and meanings behind crabs’ main traits.
What’s the Crab Symbolism?
In movies, books, and cartoons, people often portray crabs as grumpy and angry beings. That is because of their ferocious fighting capabilities and inability to be a pushover. However, crabs are also great teachers. These impressive animals symbolize more than their crabby characteristics wrongly portrayed in popular culture.
Defense
Their exoskeleton protects them from predation, and their hard claws make them powerful fighters. Crabs’ brave-fearless attitude ensures no one will put them to shame. These traits remind us to be persistent in our ideals and not be a pushover.
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Persistence
Crabs use their claws to acquire food, territorial disputes, and courtship. Once they get a hold of something, they hardly let it go. Crabs’ spiritual animal reminds us to be perseverant and decisive when facing new opportunities and not letting go of our dreams.
Resilience
These crustaceans have gills and lungs that allow them to endure on land and water. These traits make them versatile sea creatures admired for their resilience. Crabs remind us to be resilient through the ups and downs of life and our journey.
Adaptability
These clever beings have a sophisticated nervous system that allows them to adapt to different environments. They are always looking for a burrow or camouflaged location to stay protected. Another distinct trait is the ability to change color depending on the surroundings. These traits remind us to be more flexible and to adapt to ever-changing life situations.
Change and Growth
Once a crab’s shell gets too small, it tends to crack to allow the animal to grow. This transition is a stage of vulnerability for crabs, but it is equally a period of growth and transformation. Therefore, crabs remind us to break free from limiting situations, such as a job we dislike or destructive relationships. In turn, this would allow our personal growth and development.
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Spirit Guide, Power & Totem Animal
The crab spirit animal represents the moon and connects with water and Yin energies. Their hard shell is a shield of protection against weaknesses and vulnerability.
The ability to side-walk also indicates the need to take a step aside and not confront certain situations. As we mentioned earlier, crabs are persistent and resilient. They will remind you to stay strong and focused on your goals and objectives.
If the crab is your totem animal, you are a strong and resilient being. Like the crab’s exoskeleton, you have the strength of a warrior and the resilience to adapt to any given situation. You’re a gentle, calm, and collected person, but you’re also a good fighter and nothing like a pushover.
When backed into a corner, the crab spirit guides you to conquer those situations wisely and safely. Similarly, when feeling physically or emotionally vulnerable, the crab totem animal strengthens and protects your auric field to welcome energy.
Crabs are adaptable, resilient, and inventiveness make them powerful animals. As power animals, crabs remind us to float with the stream and be versatile while being true to ourselves.
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Crab symbolism in your dreams
Dreaming with a crab can have different meanings depending on the circumstances of the dream. For some, dreaming of a crab often reveals a feeling of vulnerability or over-protection. If the crab is scared, that could indicate fear of change or the arrival of new adventures. If the crab is threatening you, pay attention and be mindful of the people around you.
Crab symbolism across culture
Native American Symbolism: crabs symbolize rebirth, and represent a lunar symbol with the power to drive emotions and intuition.
Western Symbolism: in astrology, crabs represent Cancer in the zodiac signs. They characterize the movement of water around the moon, and the tarot’s moon card often depicts these creatures.
Eastern Symbolism: popular belief has that in Chinese culture, some men wear crabs as shamans to improve their sexual aptitude. They also believe they bring peace, harmony, health, wealth, and good luck.
The Shore Line
Crabs are beautiful and intriguing creatures. Although sometimes famed as angry and crabby beings, they have strong symbolism. They’re equally powerful totems and spirit guides that can teach us great life lessons.
Crabs teach us that sometimes we need to approach situations from different angles to achieve our goals. Not all the paths will lead straight to our desired targets, as sometimes we could face limiting circumstances. In those instances, we need to be versatile to get out of it.
Our crab friends teach us resilience and how to keep to ourselves when necessary. Similarly, they remind us to be strong and open to change and growth.
