Crab Spirit Animal, Dreams & Symbolism

The crab is a fascinating creature that has captivated human imagination for ages. With its hard shell and sideways movement, the crab symbolizes several key traits and meanings across various cultures. This guide will provide a comprehensive look at crab symbolism, including its origins, cultural significance, common interpretations, examples in literature and art, and more.

What Does a Crab Symbolize?

Some of the most common symbolic meanings associated with the crab include:

Indirect movement and unconventional thinking
Nurturing emotions and inner sensitivity
Curiosity, exploration, and adaptability
Community and withdrawal
Abundance, success, and prosperity

The crab reminds us that not all paths in life are straightforward. Sometimes a sideways or unconventional approach is necessary to reach your goals. The crab’s hard exterior protects a soft inner self, representing the importance of nurturing emotions.

The crab’s multiple eyes symbolize curiosity and adaptability. Its ability to regrow lost limbs represents regeneration and new beginnings. Overall, crab symbolism emphasizes community, creativity, sensitivity, unconventionality, and well-roundedness.

Origins and Cultural Significance of Crab Symbolism

The roots of crab symbolism can be traced back centuries and across cultures:

Greek Mythology – The crab was associated with the goddess Hera and the constellation Cancer. It represented watchfulness and introspection.

Christianity – In early Christian art, the crab was used to represent the devil or concealment due to its indirect movement.

Native American – Crabs represented the spirits of the water for coastal tribes. They symbolized emotional depth.

China – The crab was seen as a symbol of business success, as it can walk sideways and backward.

Japan – Crabs represent regeneration and adaptability due to their ability to regrow limbs.

West Africa – Crabs are a symbol of motherhood and fertility for their protective nature.

Zodiac – In astrology, Cancer is represented by the crab and is associated with nurturing, sensitivity, and tenacity.

So we see that across cultures, the crab carries meanings related to unconventionality, emotions, fertility, adaptability, and watchfulness. The symbolism varies slightly based on cultural context.

Common Symbolic Interpretations of Crabs

Based on their physical traits and behavior, crabs are interpreted symbolically in the following ways:

Indirect movement – The crab’s sideways walk represents an indirect approach, showing that your goals may be reached through an unexpected path.
Protective shell – The hard exterior shell symbolizes the need to protect your inner emotions and vulnerability.
Pincers – The crab’s powerful pincers represent your ability to firmly grasp goals and not let go.
Multiple eyes – The eyes point to the importance of perceptiveness, curiosity, and seeing things from all angles.
Regrowing limbs – This regenerative ability emphasizes renewal, resilience, and new beginnings after loss.
Bridge symbol – Crabs depicted holding something symbolize a bridge between conscious and unconscious realms.
Cancer zodiac – For this sign, the crab represents nurturance, sensitivity, tenacity, and emotional depth.

So we see the crab carries multilayered symbolism related to our inner self, emotions, adaptability, unconventionality, and more. These interpretations provide deeper insight into the crab’s significance.

Examples of Crab Symbolism in Culture

The crab appears symbolically in diverse works of art, literature, film, and pop culture. Here are some notable examples:

Crab Symbolism in Literature

In literature, crabs often symbolize tenacity, resilience, and determination due to their hard protective shells. For example, in William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, the crab that is crushed by a rock represents the fragility of civilization and order¹.
Crabs can also symbolize vulnerability, as their soft bodies are exposed once their hard shell is removed. This is seen in Romeo and Juliet when Mercutio compares Queen Mab, a fanciful creation, to a crab.
In some stories, crabs represent isolation and alienation from society. In The Stranger by Albert Camus, the main character Meursault is called “Mr. Antichrist” and “a crab” by other characters, highlighting his emotional distance.
Crabs are associated with the inevitability of death in literature, as they are scavengers. In Constantine, a crab crawling on John’s hand foreshadows his impending death from cancer.
In folklore and mythology, crabs are linked to the moon and the tides, representing the feminine, the subconscious, and the cyclical nature. This symbolism appears in The Tale of Genji.

Crab Symbolism in Film

In the Disney film Moana, Tamatoa the crab represents greed, gluttony, and obsession with material possessions. His hard shell symbolizes emotional hardness.
In the horror film The Bay, the aggressive crab parasites represent loss of control, chaos, and the fragility of the ecosystem.
In the anime film Spirited Away, the river spirit filled with crabs and other creatures represents the contamination of nature by human greed and excess.
In the film adaptation of Romeo and Juliet by Baz Luhrmann, Mercutio crushing the crab cake during the party scene foreshadows his impending death and the violence to come.
In the Korean monster film The Host, the mutant sea creature has some crab-like features, symbolizing the dangers of chemical pollution and human hubris.

In summary, crab symbolism in literature and film includes tenacity, vulnerability, isolation, death, femininity, greed, contamination, and hubris. Crabs represent both positive and negative traits depending on the context. Their hard shells and scavenging nature make them flexible symbols across different narratives.

Crab Symbolism in Dreams and Tarot

The symbolic crab also appears in dreams and Tarot cards, carrying deeper meaning:

Crab in Dreams

A red crab represents anger, passion, or the need for action.
A blue crab indicates emotional depth, intuition, or healing.
An aggressive crab may reflect inner turmoil or too much aggression.
Eating crab points to taking in nurturance or tackling a complex issue.
A crab bite can mean painful emotions or a fear of feeling.

Crab in Tarot

In the Chariot card, the crab represents emotions that hold one back.
In the Moon card, two crabs symbolize the conscious and subconscious minds.
In the Two of Cups, a crab holds up the lovers’ cup, reflecting emotional bonding.

So in both dreams and Tarot, the crab carries symbolic meaning related to emotions, intuition, and the inner self.

Crab Symbolism by Color

The color of the crab also influences its symbolic meaning:

Red – Action, anger, passion

Blue – Communication, intuition, healing

White – Purity, innocence

Green – Growth, health, renewal

Yellow – Happiness, positivity, intellect

Orange – Creativity, ambition

Purple – Spirituality, Imagination

This shows how color psychology impacts the crab’s symbolism. Notice the difference between red’s intensity and white’s tranquility.

Crab Mythology and Folklore

The crab appears symbolically in myths, legends, and folklore around the world:

In Hawaiian myth, the crab is a trickster who outsmarts enemies through indirect movement.
Greek legend says the crab was placed in the sky as the constellation Cancer by Hera to watch over Zeus.
In Egypt, crabs were sacred as symbols of the river’s fertility during the flooding of the Nile.
Caribbean folklore says catching a crab ensures safe travels over water.
Coastal Native American tribes believed crab spirits guarded the ocean’s mysteries.

We see the crab was woven into origin stories and mythical tales to represent themes like watchfulness, fertility, and unconventional approaches. These emphasize the crab’s layered symbolism.

Crab Spirit Animal and Totem Meaning

For those who feel a strong kinship with the crab as their spirit animal or totem, it carries the following meaning:

Your curiosity must be nurtured – explore, learn, and grow.
Protect your inner sensitivity – open up when you feel safe.
Use unconventional solutions to reach goals.
Withdraw when needed for inner work.
Balance community and solitary introspection.
Renew yourself – leave the past behind.
Grasp opportunities decisively.
Approach life indirectly when needed.

The crab spirit reminds you to balance outward socializing and inner sensitivity. By using sideways thinking, protecting vulnerabilities, and embracing renewals, you will thrive.

Meaning of the Crab Tattoo

Due to its rich symbolism, the crab makes a meaningful tattoo design:

A crab tattoo can represent unconventional thinking, curiosity, and resilience.
It can be a symbol of the Cancer zodiac sign for those born between June 21 – July 22.
A crab claw tattoo emphasizes decisiveness about grasping goals.
A crab shell tattoo signifies protectiveness around inner emotions.
A crab and moon tattoo reflects the connection between water and intuition.
A colored crab tattoo adds more nuanced meaning through color symbolism.

Since the crab carries diverse meanings, it can be customized into a tattoo with personal significance.

Conclusion

The crustacean’s hard shell, multiple eyes, and sideways walk give it multilayered symbolic meaning related to emotions, introspection, indirect solutions, curiosity, and more. Traced back to ancient mythology, the crab represents unconventional resourcefulness across cultures. Understanding the nuances of crab symbolism provides deeper insight into your dreams, tarot readings, and spirit animal guidance. Let the vulnerable yet persevering crab inspire you on your life path as well.